Going natural (ie grey) at 44.

Yep, I did it again. 4 years ago, I cut off all my dyed hair and went totally grey. I could only handle it for about 5 months before I colored it. At the time, I was my heaviest and most out of shape ever, so I had all kinds of self-image issues then.

After 4 years of coloring it, I'm done...again. I have finally cut most of the colored hair off (there is still some grey/white tinged blonde on the ends). I'm happier with it this time so lets see how long it sticks! ;)

Before:
http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu34/GLC1968/me.jpg

After (sorry about the poor quality image....):
http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/u...1968/grey2.jpg
http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/u...1968/grey1.jpg

I am 8 months into going grey, however, I chose to not cut my hair. For the first six months, my stylist wove my natural color in as "highlights" so I wouldn't have a skunk stripe. This last trip I had her hold off and will see how it goes. I may have her do a few in 8 weeks as my bangs are looking a little strange but the rest of my hair looks pretty good so far.
I am with you, if I decide grey isn't for me, I will just dye it again. I think yours looks great! My pet peeve is women well into their 70's who are still coloring and highlighting, personally I think that makes them look older.

you look awesome and you ROCK that short haircut!

Wow, you look terrific!! You wear short hair so much better than I did. I just had to suffer through the crazy cowlicks until it grew out again.

I hope you feel happy about it, because it really looks cool. I am growing to love being grey, and I don't think I'll feel the need to colour it again. I'm at the point that when I see another woman my age who's grey I feel like complimenting her on it.

Enjoy :) We're taking grey back! :p

LOVE it!! You look fantastic with short hair, too!!
I am, however, envious of your beautiful curls. I'm really starting to notice LOTS of gray "highlights" coming in. I hope it's as pretty as yours!!!

Thanks guys!

LPH - I'm the same way about wanting to compliment highly grey women who are younger! I wonder how they'd take that? I'd consider it empowering but others may not feel that way?

I do miss my curls. I'll get bored with short hair soon enough and start growing it out again soon anyway. I've never had longer grey hair, so that should be interesting!

With your haircut and grey as it looks, the "look" actually will make some chic /designer outfits look even more superb.

Seriously. :)

Oh! I love the short hair! That looks great.

I did the same thing...I cut off my colored hair and let it grow back in natural. I am feeling quite thrilled actually that I have the same snow white hair coming in that I used to think was so cool on my great aunt. Right now it's just a few chunky streaks framing my face, but I like it. I will not ever color again.

Besides...as I tell my 29 year old son. I earned that gray!

Hey, finally someone else has hair as short as mine!
But, I'm not ready to be gray yet, even though I'm 14 yrs. older!

You look great! love the short hair.
I'm 46 and grey. I did get some "highlights" a few months ago - i wanted purple, I wanted it to look like I did it on purpose and not a mistake at trying for a real color - the best my hairdresser would do was orange. It still looks like attempts at highlights of a real hair color. Won't do it again, but I don't dislike it.
I love your color of gray, it's beautiful.

Love it, GLC! Your curls are gorgeous, but you rock short hair very well too, especially with those trendy glasses. Good for you!

I have been SO happy since deciding to stop coloring my hair about 1.5 years ago. I still have a some brown and blonde mixed in with the white (my hair's about 5 different colors), so it looks kind of highlighted, but it is getting "lighter" over time. Seems like most of the hairs I shed are the dark ones! I actually had a dream the other night that I colored it (for some reason) and then was so sorry b/c I realized how long it would take to grow all the color out all over again, after I'd just done that!

To make the transition easier, I switched from permanent color (which I'd used for a couple decades!) to semi-permanent a couple of years before stopping completely, so I never had a stripe...the color just faded away eventually, and what didn't fade got cut off.

Here's what my hair looks like now. I'm 51, by the way...http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/z...opy800x677.jpg

GLC - I LOVE IT! You look fantastic! The short cut is very becoming, and the gray suits you as well. Adorable.

SheFly (fellow 44yo gray-hair!)

Emily, you too look fantastic. Grey is the new dye!

I will admit that when I'm tired, or sick, or have gained a bit of weight, or am unfit or otherwise don't look my best, having grey hair makes it worse. I feel like I really look terrible. I would look down with dyed hair too, but at least I had pretty hair ;)

But when I otherwise feel good about myself, the grey hair actually improves it. Because I feel it's very real and all me, and just a tiny bit rebellious.

Hey, you older chickies did all the bra burning, there's not much left to rebel with :D

eta: I suddenly realized how ridiculous this post looked next to my avatar. *snort*

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lph

I will admit that when I'm tired, or sick, or have gained a bit of weight, or am unfit or otherwise don't look my best, having grey hair makes it worse. I feel like I really look terrible. I would look down with dyed hair too, but at least I had pretty hair ;)

But when I otherwise feel good about myself, the grey hair actually improves it. Because I feel it's very real and all me, and just a tiny bit rebellious.

---

Huge ditto and good point indeed! :)

Wow, you both look great!

I haven't yet cured myself of yanking out the white hairs that stick straight out. :o Not that it makes that much of a difference, it's just when they're standing out from my head they're just asking to be yanked. :p