Ease into gray . I have decided not to use any dye at all while transitioning. I feel I'm putting rubbish over platinum. People from all over the globe supporting, empowering, encouraging, motivating and inspiring each other in so many ways became a movement! Im determined and search Pinterest for inspiration. I personally find the cold turkey gray hair transition fun, but I know not every woman feels that way, so here are 10 ways to help you get through it! Demarcation Line. I noticed too that, as is normal for women of the peri-/menopausal phase of life, my hair was getting a little thinner, especially at the front so my scalp was more visible through the dyed hair. Im 56 and am seriously considering stopping the coloring and the highlighting! It took about 2 years and I was fully transitioned. I really like my new, natural hair color and I LOVE saving time and money that used to be spent dying my hair! On the other had, I do not like to have this obligation to color my hair all the time. Always fun. That is what I am thinking of doing this week. Reading these posts convinces me it is the right choice. xo, Lisa. I'm glad I joined this website. Do you think that when the color is all gone that my hair will look a little thicker. Everyone should feel free to dye or not to dye their hair, use makeup or not, go with fashion or not! I've been coloring every 2 to 3 weeks for over 20 yrs. Right now I am at 7 weeks and for me the roots color is a cool shade while my blonde is brassy. Gray Pixie Haircuts. I have never worn make up and now I feel like I might want to because the grey just makes me feel washed out and bland. Honestly, its a thing! I didnt know how the whole thing would end up. We decided on a bob that was chin length. Have a hair appointment this Thursday. Those are some of the online and offline activities that help women with gray hair thrive and live their lives to the fullest! For example, I have self-confidence *most* of the time, but that wasnt always true.I was taught from the very beginning of my life that I was a nobody. Wont amount to shit! Dumb! Stupid! I believed those things, so doors were left open for even worse abuses to come my way. . Even with this super short, edgy haircut it will take 2 more haircuts before all the dyed hair is gone but, thanks to my skillful stylist, it looks pretty decent now. It starts with lightening your hair and adding a ton of highlights. There wasnt much thinking behind my decision; I had just had enough. This is more of an option for lighter-haired people. A light-bulb moment! My hair is past shoulder length and I was a natural redhead so no matter how much dying I do, it immediately shows and truly doesnt ever look natural anymore. So how to go gray gracefully? I got so fed up having to do my roots now every 2 weeks. One thing you can consider is getting a clear gloss dye applied. So liberating to let go of colouring. Take a few months to be prepared physically and mentally.Its all about faking it until you make it.Have you ever been somewhere that you were not supposed to be?If you have, you know that if you look insecure or nervous or out of place, someone will ask you what you are doing.However, if you walk along as if you OWN the place, people will not even think twice toquestion you being there.This is ALL about confidence.Take a few months to get your confidence at the level that will deter those who want to tell you that youre insane, that gray will age you, that this just isntdone. We are proud to belong to this community of amazing women who just accept themselves and each other, just as we are! Finally, there is no right or wrong way to do this Full Transition to Gray Hair; there is only your way. I am so happy to have found all of you ladies that like me have made the decision to go grey! When I first started an account on IG, I was already 1 year into my transition to gray. Also a good check up, especially a thyroid test would be a good idea.Mari, After much soul searching Ive decided to go gray! Six ways to grow out gray hair that is colored, Gray Hair Inspo: Braid Styles for Gray Hair, Growing Out Gray Hair: 10 Ways to Go Gray, Going Gray: (at 40!) How to go gray? She was 45, it was hard at first but then it got easier. All submissions for consideration: info@grombre.com (include your IG) Grey Hair With Bangs. Karen and I first decided to start this endeavor as an Instagram page. Yes good luck & do keep us posted! My whole family greyed early! Feeling nervous about letting my stylist know my plan for ditching the dye. Im 5 months into transitioning to my natural color. Thank you. xo, Lisa. Bec Wilson. My hair is colored dark brown so it REALLY looks funny with 1/2 or more of gray! Last summer, when I decided I would be retiring this spring, I knew I needed to revamp my budget. All these point to it being time to stop coloring it but I am terrified. I'm 56 (almost 57) and would be totally gray if I stopped coloring every 4 weeks. 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. I just decided to go cold turkey, and let the ugly warm brown tones grow out without tampering with the color. At the age of 17, my grays became a horror show! WHICH I LIKE , STEEL SILVER IS ONE OF THEM. At that time, there really wasnt much out there. I wasn't, although I believed I was at the time. Then 2 months later, cut pretty short. Its like being pregnant in your first trimester where you just feel fat but you dont look pregnant yet. I decided to go gray but I am feeling torn. I have my next appointment in 2 days. We cant tell you how many women tell us that they become male magnets after they go gray or silver. Little by little we will change the world! It helped but did not lift it all. . August 31, 2020 (updated December 19, 2022). That covers my roots nicely, although now I have more courage to go to the store and even to church with my gray showing and without my scarf. I love this blog! In the beginning, of my transition to gray hair I scoured the internet, Pinterest, and Facebook looking for women who had posted about their full transition to gray hair. Depending on your hair type, it will probably take about2 years for gray hair to grow past your chin. I love wisdom of the sages. I think I just needed one last time. I just want to be myself now. Wig Method. Most people dont even noticeexcept men, who find it attractive. 1,503 posts. I'm seriously thinking of taking the plunge, too! One evening, I was on FB, and a page popped up, Going Gray, Looking Great. I told my children and my boyfriend on my 53rd birthday. Finally realized I'm tired of worrying about roots and having to color every 4 weeks. Hi I'm 48 and suddenly I just don't feel me, being brunette. And then there is the "cold turkey" method which I personally chose to do. Hello everyone I am a new member of the silver club just three weeks in. Dye Strip Method. But that's ok. Denise ONeill lives in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. At this time there was no more highlighted color, just my natural hair. I had always had long dark hair, and I was so desperate to keep it that way. In many places, it still is, for men at least. Hi Sarah! Using some of the root cover-up products temporarily. Denise I am having to color every 3 weeks now. Somehow going back to my natural self has impacted on every aspect of my life and I feel so much easier in my own skin. I admit some days it's all I can do not to grab a bottle of dye! I am 35 and resent using chemicals so frequently on my hair. my hair grows fast, so after we colored it dark (what was my natural hair color) then we allowed time for the roots to grow enough that she could pick up and highlight from the root all the way out. I have a grown daughter (20 yrs old) and one still in elementary school (probably part of the reason I feel the need to still dye my hair). maybe your stylist could highlight more towards the ends and less closer to the roots to blend into the gray? Was I more beautiful then? It happened 6 years ago, I was 42. Its mostly silver-white on top with brown and some blond underneath. She was opposed to this idea, telling me she would have to strip my hair, which is very damaging, and that the upkeep would be very difficult. If there were ever a time to try going gray . I've started by letting my temple/hairline area stay silver. I had women coming up to me asking me who my stylist was because they wanted the same unique colour. No more color, just regular trims until all the silver hair grows in. A proven go-to hairstyle for growing out gray hair is also one or two French braids. While going gray may seem like a purely aesthetic decision, women who have made the . People would say you look so much younger with the blonde. My hair stylist and I came up with a plan to grow my gray out gradually. Click SHOW MORE to Open Shopping Links and Helpful Blog Post Links BelowIf you are going gray cold turkey from dark brunette hair, take my advice and a. EVOLVhs SuperFinish Polishing Balm defrizzes, adds moisture, softness, shine, strength, prevents breakage, splitting and is a UV protectant that helps avoid hair yellowing. combating the effects of aging hair. I felt rebellious. If you are anything like me, you have a lot of questions about how to begin this gray hair journey. Hi Maxine! But I like it. You can dye all of your colored hair gray to blend in with your gray roots. I just found you when I started looking for help on going gray. Be well. Im only 44 and dont want to be viewed as old or frail, which I definitely am not! He is a silver fox and very supportive. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new hair and wold never go back to colour. This is the first time visiting the web site.. On average, for mid length to long hair cold turkey grow-out, it takes about 20 months. 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. To give myself the opportunity to officially say goodbye. It was absolutely terrifying. BUT I am scared and am going through all the "ageistic" thinking that society has thrown onto me. Firstly, I decided to get my hair cut short - it had been in a bob style. I'm in month 2-3 and it's going better than i thought. I have been dying my hair for so many years now that I have been afraid to let my hair go natural. The silver roots are really there in two weeks!!!! I documented the cut I got at the 2 year mark in the video below. sit there for two hours and chat with my hairdresser, how to avoid the ugly phase of going gray, My 11 Month Cold Turkey Gray Hair Transition Progress Report, My 4 1/2 Month Gray Hair Transition Progress Report, My 9 Month Gray Hair Transition Progress Report, My 10 Month Cold Turkey Gray Hair Transition Progress Report, 7 Unexpected Benefits of Going Gray From Dyed Hair, 10 Mistakes NEVER to Make If You Want to Successfully Transition to Gray Hair. Nothing looks right and Im frankly tired of trying to please others. We started on Instagram 7 months ago, and we already have almost 8K followers. What is the best way to go gray from dark brunette hair? all my best to you ladies out there who are going this route too- more power to ya! I just turned 50 in June and I have decided to ditch the dye. I am so happy I came across it. Truly the most liberating thing I have ever done. I am so upset as I was just getting my hair into a nice bob length, all one colour, and now I have to start all over growing out my grey.arghhh. . These are just two of the benefits Ive discovered while transitioning to gray hair but Ive detailed out 18 more in this video! I figure the process will take about 18 months, but generally I am OK with it. My business partner, Karen Rich, and I are the Co-Founders of Silver Sisters International, which is an affinity group that brings together women who have the desire to ditch the dye and set their silver strands free. Hair grows out to 1.5 cm per month, thus, after a few months, you will have a complete gray hairstyle and a new exciting look. She went grey cold turkey with long hair and looks fabulous! i am a photographer and just returned from a job where the client had cut all her hair off because she got sick of coloring. A kinder term for this is "grombre" now a major hashtag on Instagram, where women trade tips and help mentor others through the process. (BTW, look at all the women walking around with a grey growth line. I do feel sad sometimes, because I am used to seeing myself with dark brown hair. Going gray cold turkey (i.e., without help from a salon) is a popular way to transition to gray hair as it is inexpensive and doesn't damage your hair. The reactions now are significantly more positive than negative to my grays. Like Ginny, I am amazed at how dark my natural hair is, and how pretty the silver is. Wed love to know the name of the product your hairstylist uses! I am also going to grow off my hair color. Silver Sisters Community supports womens transition to self-acceptance, as well as the #GrayHairMovement, in general. Nevertheless, I have decided to go natural gray/white hair and have done some chemical peels for my face, body exfoliation for good measure, and physically getting into shape; practicing Aikido Martial Art(Brown Belt) and weight training to tighten various places, let to the imagination. . All these platforms and sources of support offer more than just hair advice. So, now I am tired of coloring (after 4 years) but dont know if I can deal with negative comments especially from my children. The thing that really helped was browsing pictures of other brave women who took the step and let their silver shine. Upkeep: Tone & Blow Dry every 8 weeks $95. Wish me luck yallAndrea the Actress in Virginia. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. I dont know why I did that. I explained that my other stylist had told me I did not have enough grey at that time to color itshe picked up a mirror, held it over my head and said, Look at your rootsI think you have enough grey now. Glad i went foxy white gray after years of abusing my hair with dyes. No regrets, except that I wish I had star. Since I no longer work outside the home, I do not feel the same pressure to look as young as when I was working. Denise is beautiful. I'm glad to have found this blog. I can honestly say that I LOVE my gray hair, and thats something I never said when it was dyed.~Lisette P. OWN it! 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. My decision was based on repeated allergic reactions (that were steadily progressing to a sever breathing emergency) to dye. We added highlights, then low-lights, for 6 months or so as I was not open to cold turkey.. Let us know how things go. My husband is supportive as is one of my very close female friends. I am embracing aging in very apparent way. There's an Instagram account dedicated to getting women to embrace their natural grays, and they are here for it. 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. 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. Why in the world do I want to look like Im in my twenties? I am not looking forward to the next few months of transition I have some important work events and two big family get-togethers this summer but i know I need to stick to this. Now I am older and the contrast doesnt look as beautiful anymore. Not only that but I work in an office how awful it would be to walk in every day and see someone with partially grown out gray hair, right? If you want to look like Pepe Le Peu, the skunk, go for it. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Now I can say that going gray and loving it is a reality. What does go cold turkey expression mean? Going, Going, GRAY! Discover how empowering & beautiful it can be to embrace your grey on the journey to the silver sisterhood. A New Going-Gray Solution. going gray before and after pictures here. These cookies do not store any personal information. I have been coloring my hair since I got my first gray hairs in my early thirties. It will be a relief to see my hair as it really is and not fret over the white line in the middle of my head after 2 weeks. I want to grow my hair out to grey so bad but I am terrified. I'm going to be 44 in a week and my hair has been going grey since my twenties. This site has given me the courage. I changed hair stylists when I was 38, and we switched from pull through cap frosting to foil highlights and low lights. Give up??? I will be 55 the end of the month. This, added to the fact that, as a working single mom of three children, its not really practical to spend my precious time chasing my roots every week! My stylist tried a shampoo cocktail to lift the build up of yellow. She lifted the dark hair colour in three appointments, and after that, we regularly trimmed the fake colour off to get to my real hair. I used to be a dark brunette. 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. thank you for the words of support, Joy. Hi Diana, for me, it helped because we kept my hair short. Seems to be ok but then I coloured it again! Also joined Gray and Proud! It's the surgeries, the hair dying, the going to the ends of the earth to find the proverbial fountain of youth.All of this is creating skewed expectations of what a 40-year-old woman should look like. Anyway, long story short, I took the plunge, and could not be happier with the results. In another year (unless I cut my hair), I should be 100% natural. My hairdresser said we would have to lifts my hair so much it would turn brittle and break off soI took her word for it. Its like the boyfriend you broke up with but you get together with that one last time just to kind of make it all final. And she was BEAUTIFUL! I have been tempted to hit color, but I keep reminding my self, that anything worth having usually takes time and patients. It became and is aboutdiscovery, patience, courage, confidence, personal connections, and loving friendships made near and far!~Tracey H. Once upon a time, I swore I would dye till I died. I get compliments daily about my hair now (not what I was looking for) and that makes me feel that I made the right decision. Toner $50. QuickSilverHair is a Registered Trademark of QuickSilver Moon, LLC. In this time-frame, I quit a dead end job, I got engaged, I started modeling, and now I am looking for a commercial acting agent. So I dyed my hair. My name is Marina Garca-Trevijano, I am 43 years old, and I am from Spain. 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. Some of the links on this site are affiliate links to Amazon.com. I opted for the short pixie to grow out my grey 12 months ago. By The Way, Your Hair Looks FabulousProduct Swap & Review, Transitioning to Gray Hairstyles: Everyday Updos, How Do You Transition from Dyed Hair to Your Natural Grey Hair, Author of GO GRAY YOUR WAY! So reading all these nice stories amke me stronger to, at leat, give it a try. My hair now naturally, has a salt and pepper look to it. Through interviews, field experiments, and her own everywoman's chronicle, Kreamer probes the issues behind two of the biggest fears aging women face: . As I reiterate over and over on this blog, there are SO many ways to go gray. In the light some of my gray hair strands show sparkly silver glints and as a result I now wear brighter colours that I've not worn before and silver jewellery. My hair will actually have more white than gray, I hope anyway. I have received positive comments to date excepting only my origianl hairdresser. Well, some people said this would make me look old, others said that I was really brave! I'm in the process of going from brunette to gray. thats how i ended up putting auburn dye in my hair last year no more!!!! Every four weeks it was time for a touch-up. My hair is very fine and thinning so when the silver comes through under the reddish brown, it makes me look like I am balding (yuk). When autocomplete results are available use up and down . Instead of highlighting my hair blond, she highlighted my hair silver and gray. Most comments come from strangers, and I feel flattered and honored to now know that I have inspired or encouraged some women to go gray, as well! I am determined to do this. I have once again colored my hair because of negative feelings about being grey. Hi Im 47 and 40% grey. A year later I have a T section of foils in with my cut every two months. The goal of #SILVERCON is to create a space for people who have either already transitioned to silver, or are just thinking about ditching the dye. I totally disagree with transitioning to grey by just stopping the color. This is a movement. We get excited just to see each other embrace our true selves; we have built bonds that I never thought would be possible in the virtual world! I knew I was ready and I did it cold turkey. Keep reading for more of my going gray story or jump to my going gray before and after pictures here! My colorist has said when Im ready shell help me grow it out!! Don't worry your friends come around eventually. I have never even considered dying my hair until now. My colorist says highlighting isnt a good idea because it will add another color to the hair. It just is. Now I have to start again. Watch. It took approximately 9 months to fully transition but it was so worth it. What happened to my hair! My hairdresser treats my hair with something to make it shiny and smoother once a month and it really works. Thanks dad. For anyone planning on growing out gray hair or for anyone wondering how long it will take, I would say to plan on a solid 2 years for the grays to grow past your chin. YOU CAN DO IT LADIES, , DO NOT LET ANYONE FORCE YOU BACK TO DYE. How Tarla Went Silver the Easy Way Using Wigs! I started meditating, reprogramming my brain by giving myself daily affirmations, helping others in ways Id never thought of before, reading more and more and more! I am not ready to be old, although I am 56 years old, I still feel young inside. My husband likes is long (hes ok with me going natural color) so cutting it super short may be out of the question I dont knowanyway, I know it will be process. It is very common to feel torn. I still feel that maintaining good health, grooming and diet are now as important as ever. What happens when you stop dyeing your hair? My going gray journey. In my twenties I would frost it to give it some style. Your young one may just LOVE having the cool mom with the awesome grey hair ? Keeping your hair cut and styled is extremely important. Thank you, Anne! 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. ~Michelle Ray Author of GO GRAY YOUR WAY! I just have to deal with the auburn left on the ends till it goes away in time. 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. Up until about a year ago I was dying my own hair every two weeks because I thought it was cheaper than going to the salon but after talking to my hairdresser I finally saw sense in what she was saying. I love the white that frames my face as my hair grows between clouring appointments. I am thrilled to have found this website! As far as men are concerned if they care so much about the color of my hair , then I wouldnt want to waste my time with them . Being myself, accepting myself and not caring about other peoples opinions that was the true self I was about to embrace completely, I went to my hair salon and asked them to lighten my hair. I dont want to look like I am letting myself go. 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. No more expense, no more time spent in the coloring process, no more fretting over gray roots every two weeks. Its shiny & lovely after I color but that fades and then I need to color again. I hate the blonde and am debating colouring it back to dark brown and starting over in March. And dont give a f#ck what other people think.~Melissa L. If I were going to give words of wisdom, Idsay to wrap your brain around WHY you want to do this.Hair is much more than just hair.Ask anyone who lost it from cancer treatment or who was losing it in handfuls from autoimmune disorders.Gray hair is just a color.Weve been conditioned and brainwashed to believe that the gray looks old, bad, witchy, or unprofessional so that well be either buying box dye each month or so that we visit our stylists.Research the ways to do this transition and learn as much about each of them as you can.If getting it cut short or if you use chemicals on it, research and research to find the right stylist to help you.There is nothing as discouraging as putting your trust in the wrong person. Im now 48 (49 in a couple months) and am so over all of it! I get compliments often on my color! And there are so many reasons why I could go back to dying my hair. That being said, the best thing you can do to help ensure your success is find some support. It was exciting to see how bright my silver was. How long does it take to fully grow out gray hair naturally? Recognizing that I have more to offer than a pretty face has led me to considering living simpler. I hope that I can be an inspiration for them to also stop coloring.. Who knows what damage we are doing to our bodies with all of the chemicals! . Help Is on the Way! She is married with a daughter and a son and works as a part-time administrative assistant. I let all my hair (silver gray) come in and last summer folded under the same peer pressure . My hair grows so slowly. I'm so thankful to have found this blog! This website uses cookies to improve your experience. It may be the summer to bring back the kerchief! I made the decision to go gray in December 2012. . Add to Cart . What exactly is everyone doing at the skunk stage? Come join us on The Gray Book where there are a ton of before and after pics and so much support. If you want to transition so no one really notices the change, then find a stylist who can take you through the process. Add to Cart . I may have a few highlights put in when I go for my cut next week. But really the hard work is just waiting. Why would I not want to look my age? foil layers but very few strands in each foil. In that moment, she kinda blew my world open. I realized that if you stand out in any way, you will have positive and negative reactions. Anyone who has started going gray knows that this doesnt happen overnight; its a process that seems to take forever, and you have good and bad days. I felt so free! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. And yes I am not letting myself go. Then, I just kind of had a light-bulb momentI probably have that grey! 6. Rock it! What is the least painful way to go gray? . So, with the encouragement from my husband, (who is completely gray) I am sticking it out.