stopping colouring grey hair

[shreddies]

A little while ago someone posted about how they had let their hair go to its natural colour and how they loved it. I started looking out for people my age (mid thirties) who are grey and I think I want to do it too, it's bloody expensive getting it coloured professionally and there is always a period where it goes orangey and crap looking. SO, how do you go about growing your colour out? Do you have to have roots for ages, or do you think semipermanents eventually fade enough that you can grow it out without anyone really noticing

[AbbeyA]

I am hoping that someone will reply. Ages ago my hairdresser said that it wasn't a problem -you didn't just stop but I can't remember what she did say.

[bonnyb1]

hmm I would go to a really good hairdressers and ask their advice. How grey are you? I don't think a semi permanent will fade out enough you might be better off getting a shortish cut and going lighter for a while to blend it in and make it less shocking.
My mother was completely grey by 38, she just went short and grew it out, but it was a bit salt and peppery so she lightened it - she managed to do this herself so saved a fortune!
I'm 36 now and getting greyer by the day, however i am not brave enough to throw the towel in just yet! Let me know how you get on

[chocolatespiders]

my mum has recently started this process... she had highlights put through to break the colour up and then she will go back in few weeks for more and keep going....

hers was dark red to start with but the grey roots were getting to much

[bobblehat]

I'm also mid 30's and my hair is very grey naturally although I dye it. I'm having it done tommorrow and my hairdresser (my sil, who likes me, although you never know with hairdressers) has announced that she is going to start doing it lighter (am dark brown at the moment) to stop the regrowth showing as much.

We're in the process of moving, so I won't live neat her soon, so I am tempted to let it go it's natural colour. I'm going to see how it looks lighter (I've always been fairly dark) and take it from there.

[shreddies]

bonny, I don't really know how grey I am! Not totally and I think there is much more grey round my temples than at the back. Asking hairdressers advice is a good idea

[bonnyb1]

Well there are different types of grey, I won't mind so much if i go a soft pale (yet thick and healthy looking) colour eventually, but knowing my luck I will have a steely matron grey look!
Also the hairdresser could give you advice on working with your skin tone if it still needs a bit of enhancing x

[MaryAnnSingleton]

I have just bits of grey at the temples, not much really given my great age and the best thing I've found is to have a selection of highlights through my hair, not especially covering up the grey,just blending in with it, so there is grey but not that covered up grey look...it can then last quite happily for a while before I get it redone but you could just as easily let it become less and less highlighted,or allow more grey gradually through.

[shreddies]

That's interesting MAS. Is your hair light or dark?

[MaryAnnSingleton]

it's fair/light brown

[Macdog]

I cut mine really short and went for it!!

[cmotdibbler]

I started going back to my natural colour (light brown with a lot of grey). I looked much older, and very washed out. Am now back to my unnatural brown/red and look much better.

[gooseegg]

Last week I had had my just above shoulder length (normally blondish with woven highlights) cut quite short as I want to see what I look like without colour. My roots were beginning to look quite dark in comparison to the coloured bits but had lots of fascinating silver streaks in, so I let them grow for about six weeks longer than I normally would (it felt horrid), and then went short (big relief).

Now my hair is quite short but some of the colour still remains on the tips. The remaining colour stops the total grey look which I'm thinking might be a bit dull until my lovely shiny, silver bits get going a bit more.

So far, I love it - but might well try a red next time.

[shreddies]

I've been looking and I think it looks best on people with hair that is naturally quite light (which mine isn't). Am still up for giving a go though - I think

[piratecat]

my natural (b4 grey) hair colour is drak brown. my eyebrows are very dark. I started going grey at about 16 yrs.

I used a semi now. the normal casting one has been the best one. I won't be leting it all hang out any time soon!!