To be or not to be - gray

[Biciclista]

I have been grey for 2 years now. I survived the Italian relatives last year, only 1 asked me "what's wrong with you?" As I will be 60 at the end of this year... I knew I didn't want the hassle but most of all I like the way my hair FEELS.

[Crankin]

My answer hasn't changed from the beginning of the thread...
Never.

[redrhodie]

I had to look back to the beginning of this thread, because I couldn't remember if I was going gray last year. Well, I am now! My red hair is now more buff, which I heard would happen. I'm just going with it. It looks fine. I like it. My hair is light, so I don't really notice all the white ones unless I specifically look for them. However, they seem to show up in pictures, so maybe I'm just in denial.

I plan on being one of those gorgeous old women with long gray hair (well, I can achieve part of that, anyway ). I can't imagine ever coloring my hair, mostly because I'm one of those earthy crunchy no make up types who can't be bothered with grooming. I like the idea of accepting the inevitable. I'm a slacker to the core.

I don't know about coloring, but I wonder, is it possible to stop dyeing in sections, like the way they put in highlights, so you can do it gradually? Or do you have to cut all the dyed stuff off at the color line? That sounds so drastic. I can't help but think of "Twin Peaks", going gray over night.

[Dogmama]

Since I started this thread, I've been doing highlights/low lights. Found out that my gray is very resistant to color. My hairdresser, who I do like, sometimes really blows it & my highlights are too yellow, but it does hide any gray hairs. Unfortunately, blonde hair totally washes me out (I'm naturally dark brunette.) So, I can go blonde & be washed out, or go darker but have the gray roots show more (I'm about 25% gray.)

Honestly, I'm getting tired of messing with it. I have to be careful in a pool - putting special conditioners on, I have to wear a hat in the sun, use special shampoos & condition like crazy. It's just shoulder length and I'm thinking about just letting it be gray. If I do it now, I won't have to suffer the skunk gray stripe while I'm growing it out - or do a Jamie Curtis cut. I like being able to pull it back in the gym, when I'm lazy or when I'm hot flashing.

I do resent, as was stated, that men get to be gray and distinguished. They also get to be a little chunkier as they age. The good news is that we don't have to worry about E.D.!

[GLC1968]

I don't know about coloring, but I wonder, is it possible to stop dyeing in sections, like the way they put in highlights, so you can do it gradually? Or do you have to cut all the dyed stuff off at the color line? That sounds so drastic. I can't help but think of "Twin Peaks", going gray over night.

I asked this myself of two different hairdressers from two different salons and they literally both looked at me like I had two heads. The little caption over their identical expressions would have read simply: 'Huh?". I don't think either of the 20-something hairdressers I'd had could comprehend why a woman would want to let her hair color go natural. It actually struck me as funny because you'd think in such a 'crunchy' place as Portland, it would be common. (my last haircut was done by Lonnie (hairfixr) and I know that he wouldn't get confused if I asked to go grey again! )

You would think there would be a 'grey' hair product that would allow an easier transition. I literally did the overnight grey thing and I got a LOT of strange looks and whispers behind my back. Oddly enough, people only commented on my hair cut to my face and not the color which was funny since I'd been that short before and the color was clearly the striking change...

[limewave]

I'm a little obsessive about getting my hair styled. I love my hair. I do. I'm not going to apologize for it. Loving my hair is purely about allowing myself to be pampered--has nothing to do with image.

I recently started having my hair colored when I get it cut. My stylist is amazing! She competed in the Hair Olympics for the US a few years back. Anyways, for a cut, color, style, and tweeze/wax of the brows it is only $35.

She used to work at a swanky, expensive salon--which is how I found her. When we were really struggling financially I would save my pennies and collect pop cans so I could go. I only went about once every 4-5 months. There is something so relaxing and luxurious about a good hair styling.

[shootingstar]

http://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com/about/

I have straight but headful of fine, no-coloured hair. My cut has become shorter over the past 4 yrs. (Scroll down on pg. after going to link..)

Photo taken last year. In the photo, I did not use a curling iron nor blow-dry any fullness into it. I was in Europe for that photo...and there I realized I could wean myself off from curling iron and blow dryer for first few months.

The fullness at the back is achieved by the right cut. A short cut makes me look younger...and not so tired looking by lifting the weight of hair upward over my ears.

I turned 52 this yr. This photo hides my fine aging lines when I laugh..

So a precision-cut, well-chosen is where I spend my "fashion" money on myself.....approx. every 3-4 months. (Should be abit more often, but I can't afford it.) I'm not into sauna weekends, pedicures, facials, manicures... I totally agree, limewave a wonderful hair cut and styling job is beauty pampering that lasts ..for months. I really do assess a hairstylist skill ..cutting straight hair, especially black...can really show a mistake in unevenness, etc.

Unlike some folks here, I wash my hair daily. With black hair I gotta seriously monitor if the dry prairie air will shrivel up my scalp..into dandruff..

[malkin]

My hair can be maniacally unruly.

The relatives' question "What's wrong with you?" reminds me of my kalabash granny who in her 90s, listened patiently as her doctor informed her of her blood pressure, cholesterol, lung deterioration, osteoporosis, etc., etc., etc., and then she calmly asked him,

"Well, Doctor, have you checked my age lately?"

[PamNY]

The relatives' question "What's wrong with you?" reminds me of my kalabash granny who in her 90s, listened patiently as her doctor informed her of her blood pressure, cholesterol, lung deterioration, osteoporosis, etc., etc., etc., and then she calmly asked him,

"Well, Doctor, have you checked my age lately?"

Your granny sounds cool.

[Miranda]

Sorry, being lazy reviewing this thread cos it's late & I'm tired from work, can't recall if I responded... but I'm going to turn gray naturally.

I have just a few white hairs coming in. I'm a natural redhead. I colored my hair once with highlights and end of relationship with the hair stylists was a disaster. No more color for me, ever.

The older I get, the less make-up and bling I've got going on too. Idk, I just feel better natural... still groomed though.

I read this book recently and enjoyed it, fwiw.
"Going Gray..." -Anne Kreamer
http://www.amazon.com/Going-Gray-Mot.../dp/0316166618

[emily_in_nc]

I'd been thinking about letting myself go gray for several years but never had the nerve to do it, mostly because of not wanting to look old at work. However, I had switched a gentler hair color a few years back that let some of the gray peek through between colorings, just to get myself ready. I used a color that was close enough to my natural color that I didn't even get serious "roots" with it, as I did with the heavy-duty level 3 permanent colors I used to use.

Last May, on our anniversary trip to Belize, I just decided then and there not to color any more. My hair was wildly curly from the humidity there, and I just decided I liked being natural and free. So, that's what I did. Haven't colored since.

My hair is a mixture of white, blonde, light brown, and very dark brown hairs, kind of a frosted look. I often think it looks blonde/frosted when I look at myself in the mirror, but when I see photos, it looks more gray. I can live with it, though. I used to have light ash brown hair when I was in high school/college, but after that I started coloring, so it's been interesting to see what it morphed into over the years. Here's what it looks like:



I feel very liberated!

[SheFly]

Emily - I think the hair looks amazing! It suits you very well.

Here is a pic of me taken a couple of years ago. My hair is more gray now, and shorter. I LOVE having it so short - no dryer, no iron, still looks good after being in a helmet or ski hat...

SheFly

[Crankin]

I'm with She Fly on the short hair; my hair is unbelievably unruly, frizzy, twisty, bendy. Not curly, just awful. The liberation I felt when cutting it really short and not having to worry about looking like a monster when I take my helmet or ski hat off is awesome. My water bottle is my styling implement!
I am a natural blonde; my hair has always been golden, not white, and many different colors. I started getting various kinds of highlights at around age 30, on and off, as my hair darkened. I can't even stand having brown hair, let alone gray. The dark color really washes out my face, as does anything silvery looking near my face.
So far, I have had a few periods where I seemed to get some gray near my temple, but I pulled them out and they haven't returned. The few wisps that are there look blonde. My stylist and I have found a great color that as it grows out actually looks like highlights; I only get it done every 3 to 4 months. Yes, I have to condition it and use a different shampoo, but I already buy really good products, as my hair as stated above is unruly. I don't ever put my head under the water, as I wear contacts, so I don't have to worry about that.
I guess that while my "regular" (non-cycling) friends would definitely put me in the crunchy category, it's more in the area of my values. When it comes to my appearance, my inner Jewish princess comes out! I don't care, because as Limewave said, going to the salon makes me feel great. In the next couple of months I will be going on job interviews, with 25 year olds as my competition. Enough said. It's a fact of life that most people don't see older people as active, like all of us are. The fact that my co-workers at my internship think I am in my early forties kind of amazes me. They just don't understand any of it.

[roadie gal]

Short, gray, wash and go, easy.

It's everything I want in my hair.

[katluvr]

Scanned most of this thread.
I have almost shoulder length hair. At age 40 I finally grew it out (it was short short for 20 years), then I bobbed it and now it is a bit longer (I am 47 now). I started with high & low lights, now I get the roots taken care of and high/low lights too as needed. I am really good friends with my professional stylist...and she makes me look great.
My hair is not very carefree, but it is what I want/need right now. I really don't know when I will decide to give it up and go grey. Right now I would say never. I don't think I have a nice natural grey (yet) and still fighting the looks of aging.
I guess if I could not afford it, I would give it up. But it is my splurge and I like what I see in the mirror.

K