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Home What do you do about grey hair?

basil

basil

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2006
Messages
1,528
I always thought that I''d be one of those women who wouldn''t be afraid to age naturally...until I hit 30 and started getting all these grey hairs
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I have dark brown hair so even a few are really noticeable. The past few years I''ve been able to get away with tucking them under or plucking them out, but now I have so many that I can''t keep up.

I like my hair as natural as possible and low maintenance...I don''t use a lot of products or styling. And I keep it long so I don''t have to get it cut too often.

Yesterday on impulse a grabbed a box of hair color that said it washed out in 28 washes that was pretty close to my natural shade. Now my hair is a little bit more reddish-toned, but even my husband couldn''t tell the difference. And the greys are really still there.

So what do you do to cover up grey hair? Is there anything I can do to avoid having to go to the hairdresser every month for professional treatment?
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Honestly, either let it go grey naturally or go to the salon every 6 weeks. I started to notice grey hairs in my early 20's. The 28 wash out stuff worked for a while on me, then it was on to the hard stuff. I choose to still colour now because I'm on medication that leads to hair thinning, and with grey hair, I can see my scalp easier.
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ETA: I actually like the look of a grey streak on a very dark haired woman. Think Stacey London on What Not to Wear. It can be a fashion statement.
 
I was using the 28 day stuff for a while (Natural Instincts in Nutmeg) but I realized as I get older, my dark hair just makes me look older. So I went to a professional for highlights and started lightening my base color. I now go about every 6 weeks for a single process and do highlights twice/year. For me, it''s worth the extra money to have a professional do it and it lasts longer plus I prefer the lighter color because it''s very subtle. I should probably go more often since I''m turning grey faster than I''d like to (2 kids will do that!) but in between appointments, I sometimes use one of those things in a tube with an applicator like a lipgloss wand to cover some of my grey roots.
 
The 28-day stuff can permanently change your hair color. When I last used that stuff, as my hair grew out, months later, I had a grow out line.

I'm 37 and don't have a lot of grey yet. Unless I pust my hair up in a pony tail, the grey isn't that visable. Within a year, I'll start coloring it. . .I'm holding off because I think the chemicals in hair dye are toxic.

About a year ago, I found a grey hair *down there*. Is that normal?
 
I''m 30 and started going grey eons ago, but it only became really bad in the past 3 years. I have to dye it every 6 weeks. I just get my roots done so it isn''t so bad but it is really annoying. My hair is super dark so the grey is really noticeable. I think if it grew in all over evenly I''d be okay, but mine is all localized on the top of my head. So annoying.
 
I also have very dark hair so any gray is obvious. I dye it at home to match my natural color. I only do it a few times a year b/c I am lazy though
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I just turned 28 and I've had a bunch pop up in the past few months. I'm not doing anything about them, my DH thinks they're sexy and I refuse to spend the time and money to get my hair colored. It just seems like one of those things that, once you start, you can't easily stop. If it ever starts to look really horrible, I might reconsider, but overall I'm in favor of letting nature take its course
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ETA: my hair is also dark brown, so they're noticeable. My dad was picking on me about it the last time he saw me.
 
I''m 30 and I''ve had grays for years!! Luckily, I''m blond so they just kind of blend away. Lately though they''ve been coming in more coarse than the rest of my hair. I pull them. But, more seem to come to their funeral.
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My mum has had very good luck with henna mixed with strong brewed coffee - safe, easy on the skin and hair, and it's actually a very lovely shade of brownish-black (careful though, decaf didn't do anything to tone down the red and she came out orange that time!). I can't tell what colour your hair is from your av but it looks pretty dark?
 
I'm 29, I have dark dark brown hair, and I've been getting greys since I was 22ish.

I was dying them for a while, but now I just let them grow in and do as they please. My grey hairs are really coarse, and until they're long they tend to stick straight up. It is kind of amusing.

I have bangs now, so my greys are much more noticeable. I have this little streak of grey on the left side of my bangs, and I think they look kinda cool. A couple people have asked if I dyed it grey on purpose--yeah right!

My DH is 40 and has a thick head of hair and not one strand is grey. Unbelievable.

You can see my grey streak in this picture from last night:

ETA:
NEVERMIND! When I reduced the file size it took the grey streak right out of my hair. Weird. (I wish it was that easy in real life.) That's very strange. I don't know how to delete the picture now--sorry!

Havensgoinggrey!.jpg
 
Depending on the amount of grey, you don''t necessarily have to dye it yet. I don''t have grey yet, but my hairdresser does my little sister''s hair and glossed it. She said that the gloss covers grey at first and you don''t have to dye until you start getting streaks or big patches.
 
Four things in life are certain:

Death
Taxes
Grey Hair
Weeds

Started going grey somewhere in my late twenties and here I am some twenty years later than that, visiting the hairdresser every 5 weeks or so to cover em up. Good job I pull weeds for a living, otherwise I would never be able to afford it!
 
HI:

I''ve sort of embraced my grey--my base is naturally dark brown and I have dark blonde highlights and the grey looks kinda natural in with the highlights. Or at least I thnk so!

cheers--Sharon
 
Date: 5/2/2010 10:44:44 PM
Author: canuk-gal
HI:

I''ve sort of embraced my grey--my base is naturally dark brown and I have dark blonde highlights and the grey looks kinda natural in with the highlights. Or at least I thnk so!

cheers--Sharon
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There''s no grey visible at all in your hair CG.

You make a great blonde, I would never have guessed you were a brunette underneath!
 
Date: 5/2/2010 10:19:19 PM
Author: Guilty Pleasure
Depending on the amount of grey, you don''t necessarily have to dye it yet. I don''t have grey yet, but my hairdresser does my little sister''s hair and glossed it. She said that the gloss covers grey at first and you don''t have to dye until you start getting streaks or big patches.
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You could do this. I would recommend Redken Shades EQ. You can order the color and developer from Extended Lengths. Use equal parts color and developer. It will not damage your hair (like 2% peroxide or less). You could use this every day if you wanted to (but more likely once every week or two).
 
Date: 5/2/2010 6:56:25 PM
Author: Octavia
I just turned 28 and I''ve had a bunch pop up in the past few months. I''m not doing anything about them, my DH thinks they''re sexy and I refuse to spend the time and money to get my hair colored. It just seems like one of those things that, once you start, you can''t easily stop. If it ever starts to look really horrible, I might reconsider, but overall I''m in favor of letting nature take its course
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ETA: my hair is also dark brown, so they''re noticeable. My dad was picking on me about it the last time he saw me.
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This! It seems to be a long term commitment once you start to dye it. My mother started in her 40s and is still having to go to a salon every 6 weeks, some 30 years later. Plus, it isn''t fooling anyone. She doesn''t look like a 70 something woman who happens to have no grey in her hair, she looks like someone with dyed hair. It''s amost impossible to stop though, so she''s kinda stuck with it. At £68 every six weeks.

I''m learning from my mother''s experience and leaving my greys alone. They won''t look as bad in the long term as dyed hair.
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I like grey hair. I have a very long mane of grey hair. It used to be naturally golden blonde, when it came in, it looked platinum blonde now it is almost all snow white.
I like the look of natural hair.
 
I''ve had grey hairs for years but recently they''re really annoying me. I think I might get it dyed soon.
 
I am also super low maintenance when it comes to my hair. No product ever, or styling and I wash it in the evenings so I can let it air dry into its natural wave. It is super thick and longer so that can take all night - ha! I have never coloured it.

I am a redhead, and redhair tends to go sandy-coloured and then super-white rather than grey. I have a few sandy streaks which I love (natural highlights!) and some of the super white hairs - particularly along the temples and middle part. I have been getting them on occasion since my mid-20s but they really have come up since I turned 29 - I am 31 in a couple months.

I leave them. I kind of like them, as does DH who loves natural (undyed hair). It just adds to the personality of my hair. Plucking them just causes them to stand out more when they grow back.

Strangers or new clients often think I am several years younger than I am so I also like to point out my white hairs to show I am not just out of college and can handle their case - ha!

I sort of hope I will get a streak like the lady in Dragons Den has!

I imagine if it ever goes all-white (as opposed to sandy) I will dye it as close to my natural colour as I can - professionally though. To me all-white or gray really would wash me out as I am so fair skinned and age me.

DH has dark hair and has white and grey scattered through - going to that salt and pepper look.
 
I''m starting to get more and more grey hair, mostly concentrated at the front on the right side - right about where I normally part my hair. I''m starting to have a little streak there. I''m still at the point where I can just change my part and cover it all up, but that won''t work for long.

For now, at least, I''m just going to leave it alone. There are days when I want to dye it to cover them all up (and because I''d like for my hair to be a shade darker), but I''m really not up for the maintenance.
 
Date: 5/2/2010 10:48:36 PM
Author: Gailey
Date: 5/2/2010 10:44:44 PM

Author: canuk-gal

HI:


I''ve sort of embraced my grey--my base is naturally dark brown and I have dark blonde highlights and the grey looks kinda natural in with the highlights. Or at least I thnk so!


cheers--Sharon
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There''s no grey visible at all in your hair CG.

You make a great blonde, I would never have guessed you were a brunette underneath!
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Thanks Gailey! Since I have returned to my own brown natural color base (used to be blonde) and just have some lowlights here and there the grey blends in much more naturally. I do love my colorist!

cheers--Sharon
 
I dye my hair anyways, but when one pops up, I pluck it. I''m 23 (for a few more weeks at least) which is way too young to get grey hair!
 
I''m glad I''m not alone. I have very dark, almost black hair, and started noticing a few greys when I was about 22. I then went through a phase where I had my hair highlighted, but decided to dye it back dark and go natural. I was then plucking the greys but they would grow back and be like one inch long and sticking straight up, so I started dying my hair myself (I just dye it my natural color), and it''s working so far. I''m sure at some point they''ll get too bad for my to manage on my own and I''ll have to get it done professionally but I would rather delay that as long as possible. I love my dark hair
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I''m 28 and have noticed a few in recent months. I''ve just been pulling them out for now - but I''m sure that eventually I won''t be able to keep up. I plan to do nothing about it :)
 
Oh gosh - DON"T pluck them!!! I used to do that and no, 2 won''t grow in its place, but that one sure will grow back and while it is just a short stubby guy, it will stick up and be impossible to tame!! If you just have a few, I totally get the urge, but I used to do that and then I couldn''t even dye them (too short or hadn''t grown back).

Grey hair is so annoying. My dad went grey young and he looked all mature and distinguished. My DH is getting some greys and I think it is sexy. I just look old.

Gah.
 
I ditto October Bride...on the plucking. They do come back, singularly, but with a vengeance because you sent them packing. They punish you by going wacky. Askew, astray and KINKY. CORKSCREW KINKY! Surely you have had a conversation with someone and couldn't quit staring at a stand alone gray soldier, 9 times out of 10 that baby was plucked! No amount of dye will help it. So fight the urge to pluck. Gray is a war, sweetie, plucking won't win, you only make the invaders angry! Ha Ha.

Heres an article I just read this morning. Great advice on skin color and grays.

Aveda has this incredible line and offer Black Malva. It is really for jet black or dark brown hair. Which I am not. I use the conditioner only, it has darker richer pigment that remains and you would be surprised how well it works to camouflage. John Freda also has shampoo, conditioner line. That line adds a rich gloss. And their glaze applied after conditioner adds a certain extra gloss that makes all new sparkly hairs look like they are highlights. These are all temporary. But cheap fixes. I have never experienced a negative color with my brown hair, using these products, as other posters have. Altering my hair color is what I am trying to achieve when using them. Best of luck.

And don't let this new club get you down. These hairs, are a sign of wisdom and intelligence, honest. Ask anyone who has them, they will agree with me.

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PS. isn't Haven a beauty? You are a Classic gorgeous beauty my dear!
 
ha :) so far I''ve only pulled out about 7 in the past 6 months. I actually haven''t noticed them growing back in yet - just finding others that are full length and grey that were hiding under some layers :)
 
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