Long and Gray.....
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free skin care · Fri Nov 15, 2013 6:09 am

Wondering how many of you out there have allowed your gray hair to completely grow in and are wearing it long? I have long curly hair, that is now about 85% gray. I had long, dark brown hair all my adult life and elected not to dye it as the gray creeped in. Now that I'm gray, I get compliments on my hair color, but never did as a brunette. Part of that may be the fact that you don't see a lot of older women, who have kept their long hair, and allowed it to go gray. Have you?

free skin care · Fri Nov 15, 2013 6:26 am

Well my hair hasn't yet started to turn grey. But just wanted to say that long grey hair are so beautiful.

There is a girl at work that has long grey hair (maybe 70%) it is so so pretty. A lot of us wishes we had her hair.

It doesn't make her look older et all! She simply looks natural and beautiful.

Don't you dare dying yours Wink

You are a lucky one.

free skin care · Fri Nov 15, 2013 7:39 am

Ahhhh Chantrelle...all you have to do, is NOTHING, and you'll end up long and gray too! Laughing

free skin care · Fri Nov 15, 2013 8:36 am

I'm not brave like you are MG. Under my brunette color and highlights is some very white hair mixed in with some gray here and there. (90% at my part and temple areas)

I think some gray looks better than others and I would not like MY gray mixed in with MY browns(where I have some brown left - LOL) The white is a different matter and would probably look nice, but don't want to go there. I believe it would wash me out with my fair skin and not be a good look on me.

Besides that, my kids are not married yet and I think I'll allow the gray to come when there are grandkids in the mix.

free skin care · Fri Nov 15, 2013 8:40 am

I have long hair (mid-back) that is curly (or crazy as my nieces describe it, haha). I have it grey with light and darker blonde beige to ash tone highlights. It offsets it and blends in very well to the roots. My grey is ash tone so I shampoo it using a purple-based shampoo and it takes out the yellowish tones.
I will try and go all grey someday but I am working my there, albeit slowly.

free skin care · Fri Nov 15, 2013 9:32 am

At what age did you start to turn mostly gray?

free skin care · Fri Nov 15, 2013 11:31 am

mountaingirl wrote:

Ahhhh Chantrelle...all you have to do, is NOTHING, and you'll end up long and gray too! Laughing

Well I believe it will take a long time. I'm 43 and I found only one grey hair. On my dad's side the grey comes very late. None of them had grey showing before their late 50's. So, I'd better be very patient and enjoy my brown hair Wink

free skin care · Fri Nov 15, 2013 12:02 pm

I've never dyed my hair. A couple of months ago it was almost to my waist. I have very thick wavy hair that I prefer layered (because of the weight.) I'm 62.
I take 1 1/2 g of PABA with a B-complex to get my colour back.
I had stopped for 6 months this year because I was trying out Fo-ti to get my colour back (no-go).
With the PABA my hair is grey at the top and brownish-red from my ears down.
Several times when I've gotten my hair trimmed, the hairdresser thought that I had quit dyeing my hair.
One time a hairdresser cut my hair so that it was just barely collar length (therefore, pretty much grey). My husband didn't speak to me for 3 hours ! As if it was my fault. But when my hair grew (it grows fast), it was brown from the ears down.
Very strange. Anyways I've now been taking the PABA again for over 2 months and it's back to the brown at the bottom.
Supposedly, according to what I've read, I would need to increase the PABA, but I can't be bothered.
BTW, for all those who were looking at blackstrap molasses and other methods, there is a forum about grey hair at lef.org. There are actually 2 forums: the old one that's archived, and the new.
The old forum:
http://forum.lef.org/default.aspx?f=35&m=22853
The old one had many people trying out what has been suggested on EDS, but with zero success.
As for the PABA, it must be taken with a B-complex, as far as I'm concerned.

free skin care · Sat Nov 16, 2013 6:42 am

Marie-Andrée wrote:

I've never dyed my hair. A couple of months ago it was almost to my waist. I have very thick wavy hair that I prefer layered (because of the weight.) I'm 62.
I take 1 1/2 g of PABA with a B-complex to get my colour back.
I had stopped for 6 months this year because I was trying out Fo-ti to get my colour back (no-go).
With the PABA my hair is grey at the top and brownish-red from my ears down.
Several times when I've gotten my hair trimmed, the hairdresser thought that I had quit dyeing my hair.
One time a hairdresser cut my hair so that it was just barely collar length (therefore, pretty much grey). My husband didn't speak to me for 3 hours ! As if it was my fault. But when my hair grew (it grows fast), it was brown from the ears down.
Very strange. Anyways I've now been taking the PABA again for over 2 months and it's back to the brown at the bottom.
Supposedly, according to what I've read, I would need to increase the PABA, but I can't be bothered.
BTW, for all those who were looking at blackstrap molasses and other methods, there is a forum about grey hair at lef.org. There are actually 2 forums: the old one that's archived, and the new.
The old forum:
http://forum.lef.org/default.aspx?f=35&m=22853
The old one had many people trying out what has been suggested on EDS, but with zero success.
As for the PABA, it must be taken with a B-complex, as far as I'm concerned.

That two toned look is very stylish in the US right now! I had never heard of PABA for maintaining color. I thought it was merely used for sun protection. Interesting!

My hair bleaches out from the sun very easily and gets a yellow tone to the gray, which I really don't like. I had to stop wearing hats on my weekly hikes, because it sunbleached the bottom half of my exposed hair, and gray and goldish-gray is NOT a nice two toned look. Now I wear a visor, that exposes all my hair, so if its going to get sunbleached, it will be more uniform. AnnieR, I need to try the purple based shampoos, and see if that helps. I only shampoo about once a month though, Shock

so I don't know that could do much to tone down the sunbleached part.

I do think that skin tone does make a difference on being able to pull off gray hair. I'm still slightly olive skinned (I was very olive skinned before I started using Retin A 30 years ago Rolling Eyes

which I believe bleaches out your skin, combined with avoiding sun)...So maybe the darker your skin, the more striking the gray can be?

free skin care · Sat Nov 16, 2013 7:43 am

Oprah has a couple useful articles online about grey hair:

http://www.oprah.com/style/7-Gorgeous-Gray-Hair-Makeovers

http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/How-to-Make-Your-Gray-Hair-Look-Gorgeous

Sat Nov 16, 2013 9:31 am

I haven't decided what I'll do when I start to get more than just a few grays but I'm definitely drawn to beautiful gray hair on others. I see lots of women (and men) who look fantastic with it. For example:

Model Kristen McMenamy

Helen Mirren

Julie Longyear of Blissoma

Here's another great example (click on the photo to see her progression to gray): http://www.highlandfashionista.com/2012/04/gray-area-chopped.html I bet you look fantastic with gray hair too, mountain girl!

Here are some interesting reads about others experiments and experiences with going gray: 25 Bloggers Rocking the Gray Revolution

On another note, anyone find that the forum spellcheck keeps trying to change "gray" to "fray" or "tray"?

free skin care · Sat Nov 16, 2013 9:48 am

Isn't gray hair thinner?

free skin care · Sat Nov 16, 2013 10:59 am

I started going grey about 15 years old, about the time my son became a teenager, haha. The hubby has genetics to where they ago grey extremely early, around 35. But it is a very pretty silver.
My hair is thinner but that did not start until after my hysterectomy and menopause.

free skin care · Sat Nov 16, 2013 12:25 pm

I'm just starting to go gray a little at 48. My father's golden/red hair was still only partly salty in his 60s, so we'll see. I'd like best to use some golden colour that will only show in the white hairs (my normal colour is light brown), if this could be done without peroxide.

I must say: the Oprah examples work beautifully because they have perfect makeup, great figures, lovely (model-like) faces and glamorous clothing. But real life for the less-than-glamorous of us?

free skin care · Sat Nov 16, 2013 1:48 pm

My hair isnt grey yet, barely at all. I am excited for when it will be grey, I will vamp it up with some violet tone shampoo.

I very much look forward to it.

Actually I have been colouring my hair since before the flood so it will be relaxing not to have to watch for roots and fading.

free skin care · Sat Nov 16, 2013 3:54 pm

My hair is white and silver gray. I color it light blonde about every 3-4 months. When the color grows out, it doesn't leave obvious roots.

free skin care · Sun Nov 17, 2013 6:30 am

VeronicaM wrote:

Isn't gray hair thinner?

I think gray hair is thinner, not because of the color, but because that is par for the course as you age. Since going through menopause, my hair is nowhere near as thick as it was before I was peri-menopausal. My gray hair is also not as curly as it was when I was a brunette.

free skin care · Sun Nov 17, 2013 9:02 am

Needl wrote:

I'd like best to use some golden colour that will only show in the white hairs (my normal colour is light brown), if this could be done without peroxide.

I use a semipermanent hair color (Clairol Natural Instincts) to color just the gray and it works well. My natural color is a med-dark blonde. I color with a medium blonde and it colors the gray and looks like highlights. My non-gray hair remains the same natural color.

ETA: Bethany posted a link on another thread to a peroxide free that looks good: http://www.robertcraig.com/php/index.php

free skin care · Sun Nov 17, 2013 7:51 pm

I have a friend who has long grey hair. It's breathtaking. I don't remember it being so thick and gorgeous when it was dark brown. She's someone I attended college with but haven't seen in 20+ years. Her hair is now one of the first things you notice about her. It's truly beautiful.

free skin care · Mon Nov 18, 2013 5:51 am

I take back what I said about skin color making a difference in how well someone can pull off gray/silver hair. Looking at those picture of the fair skinned ladies, made me revise that assumption. They look beautiful, fair skinned and gray!

fawnie wrote:

Oprah has a couple useful articles online about grey hair:

http://www.oprah.com/style/7-Gorgeous-Gray-Hair-Makeovers

http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/How-to-Make-Your-Gray-Hair-Look-Gorgeous

free skin care · Tue Nov 19, 2013 6:45 am

I have a little grey now hidden under blonde highlights, but think when it goes all grey, I will let it - but hoping that might not be for several more years.

I like the look of older women with grey braids.

Not sure why, but there seems to be something elegant about an older woman with a long grey braid, hoop earrings and a denim jacket.

BFG

free skin care · Tue Nov 19, 2013 8:58 am

^^ that is an interesting look, the long grey hair, jean jacket and silver jewelry, sort of EarthMother/hippie type. Like it too.

But I keep my hair light blonde and highlighted. Alway have/always will, its part of me. When the dark blonde/medium brown roots grow out in between highlights at the salon I use L'Oreal Root Rescue in Light Blonde and pull the color down to the ends to refresh all over for the last 5 min.

I know this brand gets bad reviews on Amazon, but the Light Blonde color works for me and there's plenty in the little bottle to do my hair. The brown shades seem to be "too red" is the consensus. Light Blonde is pretty gold but not brassy or TruckStop Mama for me. Covers the little greys ok too.

free skin care · Sat Mar 05, 2016 8:08 am

mountaingirl wrote:

Wondering how many of you out there have allowed your gray hair to completely grow in and are wearing it long? I have long curly hair, that is now about 85% gray. I had long, dark brown hair all my adult life and elected not to dye it as the gray creeped in. Now that I'm gray, I get compliments on my hair color, but never did as a brunette. Part of that may be the fact that you don't see a lot of older women, who have kept their long hair, and allowed it to go gray. Have you?

I have short grey/white hair and I have never colored it either. Look at http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/forum.php I think you'll find some ladies on there with long grey/white hair - super friendly ladies.

free skin care · Sat Mar 05, 2016 6:26 pm

Interesting thread. I use to occasionally color my hair to brighten it...but stopped bothering about 5 years ago..It's to my waist, still pretty thick and dark brown.
I am on the bottom end of 50 and it's only just recently I've noticed a few random gray hairs. I don't mind it...it makes the dark color look a little less dense and it's too sparse to even recognize yet as being gray. It could be nice though. I'm interested to see where it will go and how it will look.
I had been thinking about highlighting it to open up all that darkness...but maybe I won't have to.

free skin care · Sun Mar 05, 2017 12:26 am

I have decided to stop colouring my hair. I'm 47 and I don't have that much yet, mostly at temples and some scattered about. I have only been colouring for the past 6 years and my hair was thick and healthy then. Now it is thinning and breaking, not healthy at all. I don't even blow dry it and it falls out. Not fun.

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