Hi there! In that moment, she kinda blew my world open. Octocurl Soft Heatless Hair Curlers Product Review, This is the ONE Downside to Going Gray from Dyed Hair. I have long hair, so underneath my old dyed hair is about three quarters a way down and the grey is coming through naturally, The colours she is using on top blend in beautifully (using a mixture of high and lowlights and she will use different shades each time). So, after looking at many, many gray-hairedwomen on the internet I took the plunge with the help of my supportive, skilled stylist. For full Affiliate and Copyright Details Please Read My Terms & Conditions Page. Mix a little in with your conditioner and experiment on strength. OWN it! Go cold turkey and you'll get what is referred to as the "skunk stripe" of gray emanating from your part. That being said, the best thing you can do to help ensure your success is find some support. I owe so much to Anne she gave me great hope and confidence to carry on. and so now I have made the determination.I am two weeks into it. Product information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. There wasnt much thinking behind my decision; I had just had enough. Super liberating!!!! I am finding these stories so inspiring. I was like, I can go dark and it won't suit me as much, or I can trick people into thinking the gray hair is blonde, and that's what I did.". But for my personality and my temperament, the cold turkey grow out was the only option I considered. More here! The reactions concerning my hair transition were very different, but outing myself was so empowering that I managed the negative comments just as confidently as I was already feeling. One of the best decisions about me I have made. Help Is on the Way! Innersense Hydrating Hair Masque to keep my hair conditioned, strong and hydrated. ALTERNATIVES TO THE LONG GRAY COLD TURKEY GROWOUT. I am so happy I came across it. I am 55 years old and in the process of transitioning to natural. Looking back now, it seems funny how exaggerated those fears were. I felt liberated from the tyranny of the beauty ideals I had been obeying for so long! The right style, and a willingness to endure 3 months of not so great hair, allowed me a pretty fast transition. I opted for the short pixie to grow out my grey 12 months ago. I havent mentioned it to anyone else. And, my hair was healthy looking. My decision was based on the fact that as I was getting older, I felt I did not look natural with brown hair. But that being said, its not 2 years of hats, scarves and hiding. Im only 44 and dont want to be viewed as old or frail, which I definitely am not! Josh Rosebrook Hairspray to hold down the flyaways. Going to my regular coloring appoint today though and going to see about lowlights? I started to go gray in my very early 20's and have since then always had my hair professionally coloured. I am thrilled to have found this website! We cover everything from clean beauty to sustainablefashion to natural wine, organic mattresses and more. I was frustrated by the fact that I was having to color it every two weeks to get rid of the new grey regrowth coming through and I resented putting chemicals onto my scalp which might not be a healthy thing to do. Silver Sisters Community supports womens transition to self-acceptance, as well as the #GrayHairMovement, in general. I have no clue whats under there but Im excited to find out. I felt comfortable, then; finally, I wasnt being conditioned by anything other than my free will. If you have any hesitations or concerns speak to your doctor or hair care professional for their support before using any information you find on this site. It's 8 months since I ditched the hair dye and I've never felt better! Some of these approaches include: 1. I have connected with so many ladies, and Im honored to call them my friends: Michele, Tina, Karen, Leanne, Sherry, Lashawnda and Ondine the list goes on and on! We should feel good about ourselves as a whole, physically and mentally. It's great. I just chose to go gray cold turkey, no color corrections, no interfering in my natural grow-out process even if this surely wasn't the most stylish solution Anyone who has started going gray knows that this doesn't happen overnight; it's a process that seems to take forever, and you have good and bad days. My hairdresser is on board and has lightened me up in an attempt to reduce my skunk stripe as it gradually gets wider!! The truth was that the dark brown had turned grey a long time ago, it started turning gray in my late teens. In those 3 years, Ive learned that nothing about who I am has changed. And my very best to you and your mother. I asked my hairdresser, if possible, to color my hair closer to my roots, so as not to have to color it as often, and jump on that trend. I had a lot of thoughts to work through as I tried to make sense of this time in my life. 3. A kinder term for this is "grombre" now a major hashtag on Instagram, where women trade tips and help mentor others through the process. I luv Jamie Lee Curtis's short grey hair and I think I'll look like her when it's all grown out. I got so fed up having to do my roots now every 2 weeks. No more expense, no more time spent in the coloring process, no more fretting over gray roots every two weeks. my mother's struggle with this illness is my impetus. The dark and silver are coming in full blown now. I now have about 5 inches of natural growth (my hair is long), and shes begun weaving in charcoal to blend my previously highlighted hair with my natural growth. Will switching from permanent to semi-permanent dye make my transition to gray easier? WHICH I LIKE , STEEL SILVER IS ONE OF THEM. My problem is that Im SO impatient for the old colored hair to grow out. And that was it. Again, my hair grows fast, We cut at least an eighth to a quarter of an inch off every month, and, more sometimes depending on what length/style I want. To the people thinking that social media is full of superficial, self-obsessed people, I want to prove them wrong! I'm 72 years old, healthy, people often mistake me for early 60's. If there were ever a time to try going gray . I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new hair and wold never go back to colour. PS the relief of not doing my hair every two/three weeks is worth the 60 I spend on a t section blow dry and cut every 8 weeks do the maths x. Hello. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, it! It's fun to cut about 1/2 inch per month and watch the grey take over. 5. What does go cold turkey expression mean? It's a shame you'd gone through the hardship of it during the pandemic and then erased that hard work, but at least now you know how long the process takes and what it will look like! If you dont have any of that, consider joining The Gray Book. PROS AND CONS OF GOING GRAY COLD TURKEY WITH LONG HAIR. This past 2-3 months has been a very good exercise in patience and humility. Not white, but light. In my 30s a few grey strands showed, and it helped to hide them. This is the first time visiting the web site.. My fiance has wanted me to go gray He LOVES gray hair! I have been colouring my hair for the last 20 years and most recently have had to colour every 2-3 weeks. Good luck to change. After three years of caring for my grays, these are the top 5 products I keep going back to and they are what I recommend for anyone going gray. They all seem very supportive. It's a must-read gray hair transition story! On average, for mid length to long hair cold turkey grow-out, it takes about 20 months. Feeling nervous about letting my stylist know my plan for ditching the dye. You can read a more complete list on that on the blog post: How Do You Transition from Dyed Hair to Your Natural Grey Hair. Thanks, Kramerdog! Through interviews, field experiments, and her own everywoman's chronicle, Kreamer probes the issues behind two of the biggest fears aging women face: . And, I still wouldnt have the color I was expecting! I was already aware of the beauty norm that dictates society, that any woman with gray hair has let herself go, so I decided to start coloring it. . Like so many of you, I am so happy to have found this blog! But why did I never question the idea that we have to cover gray hair? I tried it: Going gray. I was ready to take the plunge. So, with the encouragement from my husband, (who is completely gray) I am sticking it out. I had forgotten how dark my original hair color was. Documenting the first 18 months with photos, products I used and more! #greyhair #grayhair #goinggray #over50beauty I guess this will be a journey and ill probably have to come and read your wonderful posts often for encouragement!! i believe the dye contributed to both problems. I am so happy to have found all of you ladies that like me have made the decision to go grey! But once my grays grew in long enough to where I could almost tuck them behind my ears (around 6 months) it starts to look intentional rather than questionable and at that point it all started to get a bit easier. I loved it. Hello everyone I am a new member of the silver club just three weeks in. Makes me laugh. yes, our hair like our skin is aging with us. I dont want to cut it super short and grow it out AGAIN after I just spent the last 18 months growing it out. I'm seriously thinking of taking the plunge, too! Just let your natural gray hair come in as it will. don not let anyone make you feel bad aboput going grey it is ok. I feel I'm putting rubbish over platinum. My goal now is to find the right shampoo/conditioner products to keep the grey from being dry/coarse and to look as soft and silvery as it can. So thankful and inspired from all these comments. It is so healthy, and actual looks so much prettier on me than my dyed hair ever did. But why turkey, and why cold? METHOD #1: FADE YOUR HAIR DYE. Before you decide to just go cold turkey, there are a couple of options that can make the grow out way less painful. So I gave it a go. Your young one may just LOVE having the cool mom with the awesome grey hair ? Some of the links on this site are affiliate links to Amazon.com. I haven't been happy with the color of my highlights and their tendency towards brassiness for many years, so about 6 months ago, I decided to go cold turkey. Not all stylists/colorists are created equal either, my semi permanent was applied at the salon who had assured me it would wash out.. Not so, unfortunately. I never felt tempted to dye my hair again, though! Not everyone has self-confidence, but it is attainable to us all. Reading all the posts has helped and encouraged me to enter into a different phase of my life by embracing the color I have been hiding from for years. I never dyed my whole head, just had lowlights but in, but I still ended up with a white part. maybe your stylist could highlight more towards the ends and less closer to the roots to blend into the gray? So after a few more color sessions on the length only -Balayage- I was done! I have been dying my hair for so many years now that I have been afraid to let my hair go natural. Hope I dont change my mind:). There are affiliate links* in this post. Read my Terms and Conditions Page to learn more. I want to grow my hair out to grey so bad but I am terrified. Do you find your virgin gray hair healthier? I had 7 children, and the oldest 3 were in their late teens. I have very black dyed hair so the skunk thing is very obvious! Everyone should feel free to dye or not to dye their hair, use makeup or not, go with fashion or not! Most people dont even noticeexcept men, who find it attractive. Curious to hear more about going gray, I spoke with four women of different ages. I thought it would be a good solution for me too but now have come to find out that my hair has been stained and so the 10 months I thought I had under my belt is now starting anew. What is so bad about that? I am embracing aging in very apparent way. Anyone want to buy a few boxes of dye, cause Im never going back!! Don't worry your friends come around eventually. Do you want him to worry about what you think? Im gonna go really short soon. Translation: if you have mid length hair between jaw and shoulders it will take you 20-24 months to grow out your gray hair cold turkey. There are SEVERAL ways you can grow our your colored hair to your natural gray hair. Do the Full Transition to Gray Hair your way. The only real problems with going cold turkey is the psychology of saying goodbye to hair dye and dealing with a bold demarcation line (where the coloured hair stops). I will be 55 the end of the month. Im a new person now, and now more than ever my outer life is a reflection of my inner life. dark brown) hair just was not working.After 28 years of coloring, my hair looked dry, rough, and too brassy/warm. Was it hard? i love it and it took a while to grow it this long! I no longer worry about what others think, I have fun creating sassy looks, and I have more confidence than ever before. By going cold turkey, a person's body can begin to recover immediately from the damage the substance was causing. (Yes, I know "pain" is relative, but those two inch grey roots with dark hair is pretty rough - trust me). The last picture is at 17 months dye free. I miss that! Then 2 months later 20 foils, toner, cut/styled. August 31, 2020 (updated December 19, 2022). Right up there with the ice bucket challenge! You can try Balayage which is lightening your ends. lot's of lean protein is important, avoiding too much fat, eating the right carbs, and drinking lots of water is key. I have since found a new salon. Only just read this Barb go to your local Saddlery (horse gear shop) and buy a big bottle of purple highlighter that we all use on our grey (white) horses. I love being part of changing the world by changing the way we women look at ourselves. : Expert Advice & Inspiration from a Former Color Addict. I truly appreciate the beautiful sisterhoodI found on this journey. There is a strong movement that is beginning to take shape! My mother died her hair up until she passed away and both of my sisters color as well. It's truly liberating! Yes good luck & do keep us posted! I used to pluck them all out with my Tweezermans but when I couldnt keep up, I started hitting the salon every 2 months, which turned into 6 weeks which eventually turned into every 4 weeks as the years passed. Your email address will not be published. A bit of color on your cheeks can add a rosy glow to your face. I had expected to keep adding some color low-lights for contrast, but really liked my own color. I was really emotional at this stage which you can see documented in this video. going gray before and after pictures here. For me it is about finding my identity in something other than outer beauty. I patiently waited for it to grow, while keeping the overall length. Whatever you need to do to feel the most comfortabledo it. Even with the dye I am unhappy with the results~ broken hair-never the exact shade I am looking for. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. People are saying it will age me, but as been shared, I feel the brown dye is ageing me. But in December 2015 when I went in for a cut and color, I decided that was it as far as coloring my hair goes. "For my hair, I need a lot of moistureI started going gray when I was 15, so every three . In many parts of the world, hair salons were closed for long . . I cut ties with people and places that have not been serving me. This means no touch-ups or anything, except for a haircut here and there. It took my curiosity from back seat to turn up the music, put it in cruise control and roll down the windows because MAMAS DRIVING! You sound so like I did last year. However, I remembered how pretty my mothers hair was when she stopped coloring and allowed her grey to come in and, I had a couple friends and cousins who were allowing their grey to shine. I am now torn on what I should do to grow it out, although this time form blonde not dark brown. . This can be your sister, mom, friend, husband, wife or finding anyone else who is going gray to connect with. I am active and happy and I am not the color of my hair !! I decided to ditch the dye at the age of 45 for a number of reasons. In fact, a 1920 newspaper cartoon uses the expression "cold turkey" thusly: "Now tell me on the squarecan I get by with this for the weddingdon't string metell me cold turkey." COLD TURKEY: LONG HAIR. people always have told me i look much younger than i am. But I keep telling myself it will grow again. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. While going gray may seem like a purely aesthetic decision, women who have made the . I started to build my own self-worth, my own self-confidence, based on the person I found out I was. I used to be a dark brunette. It's going to take some time and just like growing out a . A proven go-to hairstyle for growing out gray hair is also one or two French braids. It can be very difficult to get the people that love you the most to accept your decision. Vaczi said to stop using shampoo that is for color . People from all over the globe supporting, empowering, encouraging, motivating and inspiring each other in so many ways became a movement! Your email address will not be published. Be well. Again, 2 months later, cut, toner styled. In Sept 2016, I realized my colored (med. I was surprised to find myself embracing my natural hair color. My nutty calico-colored hair doesn't bother me in the least - in . My only regret is that I didntstop dyeing it sooner.In my collage, you can see that I tended to straighten my frizzy wavy hair. My husband is supportive as is one of my very close female friends. LONG GRAY HAIRSTYLES. But..I know I look older than mid 50s, yet Im healthy but older. All these point to it being time to stop coloring it but I am terrified. I was so tired of the monthly visits that kept my hair looking good for 2 weeks, only to be followed by 2 weeks with roots popping up and constant heavy conditioners to attempt to keep my hair healthy. Demarcation line/skunk stripe is one of the most challenging things for some women about growing out their grey hair. Silver Grey Hair Dye. And, this might sound funny, but my eyebrows didnt match my dyed hair color! Hi Im 47 and 40% grey. All submissions for consideration: info@grombre.com (include your IG) Discover how empowering & beautiful it can be to embrace your grey on the journey to the silver sisterhood. If your hair is already a few months into the transition. Unlike the quick transformation away from gray (during a one-hour hair appointment, say), the transition back to gray is a months-long process and you'll need a plan. I have seen several women in grocery stores and other various places who are letting their grey grow out and sometimes I stop and talk to them for support. Around the age of 45 she asked me, now, *why* do you only want highlights/lowlights instead of color? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. My name is Marina Garca-Trevijano, I am 43 years old, and I am from Spain. How did your hairdresser color it to avoid the line of demarcation? Question Two: What is the fastest way to get completely gray hair? Happy Wednesday ladies. During the growing out phase, my hair was such a mess, a mixture of the old dyed color, my new natural dark brown, and the gray coming through. I am 62 and like so many women, feel our outward appearance is a measure of our beauty, vitality and relevance. Best advise as stated by others, keep up to date on hair and clothing styles. SITE CREDIT. In another year (unless I cut my hair), I should be 100% natural. Joni's grey hair transition started when she was in her 50s, and tired of dyeing. I must say the hardest part for me was the patience. Im an all or nothing gal, so for me, I am now natural, it will grow and I am loving it! I bought hair clips, metal hair like barrets, colored bobby puins grey bobby pins. And yes I am not letting myself go. I consider myself a feminist. I like the cold turkey way and hope to keep it up. I refuse to let anyone else makle me dye my hair, I use jhirmac and bio silk NS ONCE a week I use a clarifying shampoo, I am sorry I ever re put hair color on my hair, it made me have to go through this process of getting dye out, but I refuse to cut my hair short I get my hair trimmed every so many months, I have it at shoulder length. There are so many labels based on appearance, people are quite critical toward others and themselves . I was shocked to find that embracing my grey hair would be a positive and strangely freeing experience. I was thrilled and somewhat curious about how my real hair color would look. I was longing to be what I was meant to be, both inside and out. Im about 4 or 5 weeks grown out. 1,503 posts. Its shiny & lovely after I color but that fades and then I need to color again. I'm 34 now and have several grey streaks that resemble highlights in my otherwise brown hair. As always it is about so much more than the hair. I dont want to look like I am letting myself go. As I searched the internet some more, I found that natural grey looked even prettier than dyed grey. Explore. She was enjoying a bottle of wine, dinner, and a few laughs with her hubs. I look at this blog every night when I come home from work.