The Whole Going Grey Thing
I have to admit, I have given this some thought recently. I just went the longest period I have gone in a long time without having my hair cut or colored. It wasn't on purpose. I had my hair cut and colored by the most amazing hair stylist, Leslie Peterson in Granger, Indiana while up there in May. She is a perfectionist, just let me tell you. She took three hours to do my short little head of hair. When she finishes, there is not one single strand out of place. LOVE LESLIE!
Anyway, since getting home mid June, I had made appointments with my regular guy, John, who I also love by the way, only to have to cancel for one reason or another. As the grey became more and more evident, I thought about what I might look like if I just stopped covering it up. YUCKY has always been my immediate answer.
So, before I went to see John I took a couple pictures of myself with my faded color and exposed roots to help make my decision.
I also look at other women like blogger Vicki Archer who recently did a blog post on this very topic. She looks amazing.
"There are ways to wearing our hair grey that avoid feeling like Granny May Clampett or looking like your worst nightmare. If we are going to go grey we must not only rock it but also own it, any doubts need to be banished and pride in our approach must be front of mind. I need to remind myself of this on a daily basis."
Then there is always the cute "Let it go grey" poster child, Jami Lee Curtis for inspiration.
Not yet!
So what about you? Are you or have you already taken the plunge to stop coloring and embrace the
WHOLE GOING GREY THING?
Linking with
Amaze Me Monday
Well, I briefly considered this about 2 years ago because I tire of keeping the color up. It's every 4 weeks for me. But, an auburn haired person doesn't turn grey, it's a yellowish grey and most unattractive. My Mother had the most beautiful silver hair but I didn't get her genes on that. So, for me, I'll keep on keeping on and I'm so glad you decided to as well. :o)) Have a great week pretty lady!
ReplyDeleteSometime if you tell the hair stylist that you want to grow it out they can slowly help you transition into that color. There are products made specifically for gray hair. The same way blondes might use special shampoos to keep their blonde hair from looking brassy.
DeleteFirst of all, I would never guess your age to be 73 - you look fabulous! Your link caught my eye at the Amaze Me Monday party because the title resonates. At 58 years young I recently, somewhat hesitatingly, decided to take the plunge. The compromise was that I'd have it cut in a short funky asymmetrical style so it had a little edge. I have had more compliments about my hair than I ever did when it was colored. So the grey is staying...but then there is my son's upcoming nuptials. I'm not 100% sure I'll keep it grey for their wedding because I don't want to be mistaken for the Grandma of the groom. Why does it have to be such a struggle women when men do it without question all the time?
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun post, Elizabeth! First of all, you look AMAZING for almost 73...I would have never guessed that! Your cut and color are gorgeous. So far, this has not been an issue for me...if I take after my mother, I won't be gray until I am in my 80's! My hair is naturally a dirty blonde with lighter blonde highlights and the little bit of grey that I have is only around my temples and blends in with the highlights. I do love the look of beautiful natural sliver grey...looks quite classy!
ReplyDeleteI know a couple of ladies in their 50s that are all gray and they look beautiful. But I think hair texture has a lot to do with it. And then I always think how terrible it must look when it is growing out. Since my hair is long I would have to cut it and I am not ready for that. So I color my own hair and feel so much better when those grays are covered :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I grew my grays out I used semi permanent dye that washes out little by little after 14 or so washes until I grew it all out I kept using the temporary dye. You don't have to necessarily cut it all off.
DeleteJamie Curtis has great hair! At 65 I don't have enough grey to let it grow out. My grandmother on my mother's side never had grey hair. I go every three months to have my hair done but it isn't because of the grey, you can't see a path at all, but I go for a color weave to bring other colors into my hair.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I had a baby I lost a lot of hair and when it would grow back it in was grey. So by the time I had my daughter at 31 I was with at least 1/2 my head being grey....meaning now at almost 63 I am almost completely grey so yes, I deal with this on a regular basis. I have never really considered just letting it go as mine (the only way to describe it) is an ugly grey! lol. Some people are blessed with BEAUTIFUL silvery grey hair that I just love and really wish were mine. Think of how much easier that would be?! But mine is just not good. Personally, I don't think there is as many beautiful grey heads out there as the trend right now would have you think, lol. For many, many people it is just aging and that is all there is to it. NOT that there is anything wrong with aging. But, I prefer not to look as old as I am, let alone even older. It is GIANT hassle and constant effort to keep those roots up I know, and here in So. California it is VERY expensive to have it done professionally as well. I know a few gals who have let it go just for that reason alone. Some just don't like spending the time in the shop every 4 - 6 weeks. (I usually go every 5) And obviously to each their own. My older sister (who is 64) is in the process of letting hers go. Honestly? It is very aging to her and just doesn't flatter her much at all. But she doesn't have the time or the resources to deal with so this is just easier for her. I get it I do. But it just doesn't change the fact that it is not as attractive on her as her colored hair was. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jamie Lee Curtis's hair. Both the color and the cut. But it suits her sooo well, and it just wouldn't me. There are many, many attractive grey heads out there, and honestly I wish I could be one of them, but I am not. So I guess for as long as I am able I will color mine. Yours by the way is REALLY REALLY good! I love the color, cut, and style! You look WAY younger then your 73 years, and had you gone grey you'd still look very good I am imagining.
ReplyDeleteLea, you do look fabulous! You are such a pretty lady. Years ago I either colored my hair or had it "frosted"...remember those days? My scalp became very sensitive to the chemicals so I stopped using anything to change or enhance the color. I also became very aware of toxins in conventional skin care. Blond hair makes the transition much easier. At seventy, I am all silver with long hair. To color or not to color can spark a heated debate...ha!
ReplyDeleteI am 56 and have been getting more gray around the temples, now it is moving up! So far I'm coloring it, but I wish I could pull off that pretty gray. I get sick of the maintenance.
ReplyDeleteYou look fabulous!
I'm 52. I've had graying around my temples and the front of my hair primarily. It wasn't coming in lovely at all. My husband wanted me to color, so I had it colored by a professional. It looked great but I couldn't keep paying, so my daughter started doing touch ups. I always worried about how I would eventually go to gray though.
ReplyDeleteWell, I have my answer. I lost most of my hair with chemo, the rest is buzzed off. I don't think I have a hair on my head over a quarter inch long. It was a shock when my husband buzzed it. I had been coloring it a medium brown. After buzzing, all I saw was white and really dark brown! Weird!It's been really hard to get used to. I probably won't color again.
So, be blessed that you have this puzzle to rework every 4-6 weeks!
Enjoy your hair in whatever color YOU like for as long as you like!
Hugs to you!
Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage
I am 42 and have not colored my hair in some years. I find the quality of my over all hair and shade of gray had a lot to do with having colored it. Once I stop exposing my hair to all the chemicals it grew out a lovely shade of gray and the hair that was still black looked better too, it was being subjected to chemicals before it even needed any in order to cover the grays I did have. I decided it felt like a burden to keep up with the maintenance and if I wasn't going to keep up with it and people would see my grays in between coloring, than what's the point, the jig is up anyway. After a certain age, are we really fooling anyone anyway? Men certainly don't go through this trouble. I decided, I wasn't going to go through the trouble either.
ReplyDelete