To be or not to be - gray

[Bike Chick]

Good for you, MickChick! I'm tired of the local shop experience too and the fact that I have no "style." I want something that is attractive and flattering no matter if it is styled or not (ie after removing the bike helmet or running 5 miles). I have an appointment Wednesday and hope I have the same experience.

An old buddy from high school has become a very successful stylist with 2 upscale salons a couple hours from me. He has begged me to come see him and let him cut my hair. (BTW, my gray drives him nuts.) I took the day off this Wednesday and am going to spend the afternoon at his salon. I'm excited about getting a new style but I have told him the gray stays. I'll keep you posted on the outcome.

[Selkie]

Several years ago, I used to drive an hour to have my hair colored by one of the best colorists I've ever had do my hair. I considered this person a friend and she really cared about making me look good. Luckily, the stylists there were all great, too, so my cuts were nice, too. The colorist moved about 50 miles away, which was just too far for me. I still miss her and on many occasion, I wish I hadn't lost touch w/her. I consider myself very fortunate to have found this new stylist.

My point is that sometimes, it's simply worth the drive....

Good Luck!! I'm sure you'lll look gorgeous---take a risk and let him color your hair! It'll keep you going back to him. ;-)

[Dogmama]

Thought I found somebody who could do color. She gave me a gorgeous butterscotch/brown color that fit my facial coloring perfectly. Within two weeks, it turned red. And I'm using good shampoo & conditioner (Pureology) tepid water, etc. Maybe I'll just dye it black, get me a broom, pointed hat & a cauldron. I already have the black cat.

[Selkie]

Dogmama, call her and tell her what happened. I bet she will fix it, gratis.

[softthings]

@ dogmama +1 to what mickchick said. as a hairstylist, we almost always will fix stuff like that for free. sometimes you just can predict how hair is going to hold on to a color. especially if you are going light to dark and especially on gray. gray is just a resistant hair texture sometimes. annoying lil buggers i tell ya. good luck!

[tctrek]

I just found a new colorist/stylist, too! Amazingly, she's right down the street and I had never paid attention to it. I've been coloring my own gray for years... I have long dark brown hair, but I'll bet that I'm actually about 50% gray. Then I broke my wrist (bike crash) and couldn't do the coloring myself, so in a panic I called this salon down the street and made an appointment.

They knew right away that I was coloring my own hair and started taking steps to condition it and even out the color. Wow, it's been only 3 visits and my hair looks completely different.. more natural, more shine and way healthier. I just had a Brazilian Keratin treatment done and it's amazing. My hair is super silky and straight instead of frizzy, even after I have it in a ponytail under a bike helmet! I'm in love with this salon.

I'm just not ready to go gray and I may never be ready. As long as my hair looks this good, I'm not going to think about it.

[softthings]

tctrek, which salon? i used to live in atlanta. and congrats on the fabulous new 'do!

[tctrek]

It's called Salon Greco. It's actually north of town in Suwanee.

[lph]

Reviving this thread! 'cos I am about to Go Grey.

No, I don't "feel" grey, at 41 (and I am grey, maybe 60-70%), but I'm ready to try not caring. I hate the yellow colour my dyed hair goes in summer. I don't like even thinking about that I should wear something over my hair in the sun. I'm pissed that men get to go grey and still look cool and sexy while women who are grey look "old". Sure, many women in their forties (and thirties) don't have grey hair, but then again, many women DO.
etcetcetc.

Anyway, I sort of have to try a new hairstyle since I'm cutting a fair bit off. Does anyone have any tips? Any good sites to browse through?

I have a longish face and dry curly hair that goes frizzy easily. So I'm a bit wary of cutting it too short. Any ideas or pointers? Haven't had a "hairstyle" since I was a teenager so I'm a bit out of it.

[GLC1968]

I'll be very curious to see what you think of being grey at 41!

As I think I posted, I tried it but ended up coloring again. I was grey for about 5 months I think. At the time, my self image was in the toilet, so being grey just made it worse. I often wonder how I'd feel about it now that I'm in a better place. I may try it again before my personal target at 50.

Anyway, when I did it, I let it grow out as much as I could (which might be easier for you being blonde) and then basically buzzed it off. I think it was an inch long or so and I had my stylist at the time try to make it look a little edgy with pieces around my face instead of just getting a buzz cut like my husband wears! I'm lucky that I have very thick hair so that I could wear a cut *that* short and still look polished. The photo I posted earlier in the thread was about 3 cuts after the initial one.

Searching for short, grey hairstyles online mostly got me images of Jamie Lee Curtis...but you might find one or two that would work for you.

Definitely post pics after you do it!!

[shootingstar]

I don't have your type of hair, lph so really I shouldn't give any suggestions on cut/style. Except whatever you choose, may the cut look elegant under whatever weather conditions and even after taking off your helmet.

I'm getting abit more grey strands but it's not obvious or much...considering the fact there has been some significant life-changing stresses in past 5 months. I think there's other aging factors I have to remember: it's more the fact the air in Alberta/the prairies is much drier so people might wrinkle...faster.. We get alot more sunny days than Vancouver. Way more than Toronto.

I'm more concerned about my skin vs. my hair colour..which the latter is still natural.

[SheFly]

Still gray here! Once I stopped coloring, I've never looked back. I'll be 43 this year and wear my hair VERY short (not buzz, but definitely about the same length as the Jamie Lee Curtis style to which GLC referred).

And for me, it's more about the not caring. This is who I am. I did, however, think it was funny when I saw my mom this winter after a couple of months of not seeing her and she commented on how gray my hair was Of course, she's gray and still colors hers!

Go for it. Embrace it. Enjoy it. And think about the savings .

SheFly

[shootingstar]

Enjoy it. And think about the savings .

SheFly

Yea, it amazes me on the additional costs when I hear some women who go to salon to have the hair colour job..vs. the store-bought DIY home efforts.

I honestly believe any woman with the right hair cut for her face shape, lifestyle, looks fabulous. That's the foundation for hair looking good plus the health of the hair.

[lph]

Go for it. Embrace it. Enjoy it. And think about the savings .

SheFly

Oh, that is indeed part of it all. I can afford it, but I wasn't happy about my haircut until I started cutting it cut and coloured at a pretty swank salon. It's close to work so I'll probably still go there, but it really isn't me to want to pay a whole lot of money to look smashing. I'm probably their only customer who on purpose lets her hair grow out in between seldom visits, to see "what it really looks like" And I'm coming in to some serious dental bills for both me and my son soon, so I could do with saving some money.

I don't feel quite up to a buzz cut... and I have thin hair. I wouldn't mind looking like Jamie Lee Curtis (who would? ) but I have no idea how my curls would behave at that length... And the last thing I want is a head full of top-heavy loopy curls that take an age to grow out. But I do like the way I look with my hair up, so maybe I should just go for the buzz...

[GLC1968]

Yeah, my hair is curly too - you should see it now that it's almost to my shoulders! The only way I can look good with short hair is if it's short enough to basically cut off the curls. Otherwise, it just gets BIG and unflattering.

Honestly though, now that I color it myself and only cut it about every 6 months or so, my costs are WAY down. I use L'Oreal's 10 minute color so it barely takes any time at all, too.

Editing to add: Just to clarify, I do NOT think you should color it. In fact, you are inspiring me to think about trying the grey again myself!