Wish I'd never started dying my hair!

Surbybird

In the interests of saving money, Im looking for some suggestions of what to do about my grey hair.

I'm naturally a dark brunette and started going grey in my early twenties. I have therefore been dying it dark brown for the best part of 25 years, apart from a brief period of being blonde.

However, times are hard now and I can't justify the expense of dying my hair to cover up the grey so have decided to be brave and go 'au naturel'. Eek!

Here's my dilemma. I haven't dyed my hair now for 2 months and the grey is coming through nicely. It looks awful through! Dark hair and very grey roots (grey is more than 50%). Is there any way of lessening the transition apart from dying it again? I am toying with having it cut short but that would mean it being about 3cm long at the moment!

I wish I'd never started dying it in the first place now.

K

Laura007

An inexpensive hair dye option....
Can i suggest hair dye from the pound shop...... i have used it for two years now and love it!!! Its long lasting and leaves my hair lovely and shiny!

Surbybird

Laura007 wrote: »

An inexpensive hair dye option....
Can i suggest hair dye from the pound shop...... i have used it for two years now and love it!!! Its long lasting and leaves my hair lovely and shiny!

I've looked at buying it in the Pound Shop but I'd really like to stop dying it all together. I don't mind being grey now but it's the awful transition period between the dyed hair and the roots!

K

tessie_bear

i feel your pain...i started going grey at 17...dyed it for about 5 years then fron 30-35 gave up at christmas last year as the dye was growing out in less that a fortnight ...i let it grow out and now like the grey ...u have to grit your teeth and keep going...maybe a hat for the winter to cover it a little
good luck

Amanita_2

Is it too dark to add some blonde highlights just to soften the transition line from brown to brown/grey?

McKneff

I'm exactly the same, It was suggested to me that I dye it blonde and then let the grey grow out so it wasnt so obvious.

I havent had the nerve yet, I just get to the point of letting it grow out and it looks awful, so i dye it again.

Jacks_xxx

Could you continue to dye the parting with one of those Clairol touch up shades which is designed to fade, then when you've gone mostlly greay hasve hair cut and switch the parting over half an inch to hide the dyed bit?

Skymist

Hi Surbybird... I'm 62, and had black hair, which started greying at 19, and did the same as you...dyed it for YEARS!! I finally got really fed-up with the white/grey roots and swallowing hard, decided enough was enough!!! So I just let it grow out till it was a reasonable length....about 3-4".....and just cut it all off (it was way past my shoulders, and I hadn't had short hair in forever!!!)!!!

That was about 4 years ago, and was the best decision I ever made with regard to haire dyeing!!! I have large areas of still black hair as well as plenty of white!!!LOL People said I should go blond, but to me, with the mixture of black and white/grey that I have, I believe that the white/grey parts would have looked as though it was nicotine-stained if I'd gone down that route!!


I think you only have the two options....dye it, or don't.....grin and bare it or cave in...it's up to you!!! Good luck!!

S

Siren1974

Skymist wrote: »

Hi Surbybird... I'm 62, and had black hair, which started greying at 19, and did the same as you...dyed it for YEARS!! I finally got really fed-up with the white/grey roots and swallowing hard, decided enough was enough!!! So I just let it grow out till it was a reasonable length....about 3-4".....and just cut it all off (it was way past my shoulders, and I hadn't had short hair in forever!!!)!!!

That was about 4 years ago, and was the best decision I ever made with regard to haire dyeing!!! I have large areas of still black hair as well as plenty of white!!!LOL People said I should go blond, but to me, with the mixture of black and white/grey that I have, I believe that the white/grey parts would have looked as though it was nicotine-stained if I'd gone down that route!!


I think you only have the two options....dye it, or don't.....grin and bare it or cave in...it's up to you!!! Good luck!!

S

Have to agree with everything said here. My hair started to go grey at 15 :eek: I've been dying it dark for 20 years, various shades of red, brown and black and like everyone else, the roots were showing again within a week. At the beginning of the year I decided enough was enough and stopped. It took a few months for the roots to get long enough but as soon as they were I cut it all off. I went from shoulder length red hair to white/silver overnight.

I admit it was a bit drastic but a few months of getting used to it and I love it. It's great because the colour is exactly what it should be, it matches my skin tone and my eyes. I'm lucky because I'm not "salt and pepper" grey but bright white/platinum. I'm 36, it will be fine if you keep the hairstyle funky and youthful.

Hope this helps

Surbybird

tessie_bear wrote: »

i feel your pain...i started going grey at 17...dyed it for about 5 years then fron 30-35 gave up at christmas last year as the dye was growing out in less that a fortnight ...i let it grow out and now like the grey ...u have to grit your teeth and keep going...maybe a hat for the winter to cover it a little
good luck

Thanks for the support. I'm going to start wearing a hat then!



K

Bronnie

This is an American site, but there's lots of ideas, support and some case-studies!


http://goinggraylookinggreat.com/

Sticking with the 3 weekly roots-jobs at the moment personally, but sharing your pain!!