I’m trying to remember a time when my mom wasn’t a blonde. I look at older pictures of her and she had really dark hair just like me when she was young. I’m not sure when her transition to lighter hair was but she was definitely way younger than I am right now.
I never really noticed her grey hair roots coming in.
The blonde seemed to camouflage the grey hair. That was only a few years ago and she is 85 now. I convinced her to finally stop colouring her hair and let it go grey.
Now, her hair is thicker and a beautiful silver-grey. Absolutely no one noticed when she made the switch. To be fair, all of her friends are her age and their eyesight isn’t the best. lol
Fascinated with women that have had the guts to stop colouring, I talked to a woman at work one day that had let her hair go completely grey. She is slightly older than I am. She said she did have dark hair like me too when she was younger. She keeps her hair in a pixie cut, so for her, the complete transformation did not take long at all.
So, here I am again, staring into the mirror and all I can see is the grey hair roots advancing. What is it with the one day it’s fine and the next day your bangs are too long and the grey roots look like they’ve gained an inch. Off to the stylist I go, thinking this it, let’s go blonde. I could do with a change and I think blonde is the only colour I didn’t try out when I was a teen. This will be awesome!
“Really? You want to go all blonde?” my hairdresser asks.
“Yes, I’m tired of noticing these grey hair roots just one week after colouring!” I reply confidently.
“But you have no grey at the back of your head at all. It’s all in the front.”
“That’s ridiculous! Is that normal? Why?!”
“So you can see it.”
“Same again please and I’ll re-book for six weeks”
Sigh.
UPDATE 2019: I wavered for an entire year after I originally wrote this post but officially transition to grey hair at the end of 2015. It has been almost 4 years since the change and I admit there have been times that I have wanted to go back to colouring.
It is short-lived though as I remember how bad I was at the upkeep and honestly, being totally grey haired is not as bad as having grey roots literally all the time. I love my grey hair but I know that deciding to embrace grey hair is a very personal decision. You should do what makes you feel good. If that means colouring until your dying day, then go for it. No one should tell anyone how to live or look. As a woman over 50, you have earned your right to do as you please.
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The following are a list of products that I use on my gray hair. It needs special care to make sure it doesn’t go brassy or really coarse and frizzy.
Recommended Products:
- Pantene Pro-V Silver Expressions Shampoo 13 oz
- Pantene Pro-V Silver Expressions Daily Color Enhancing Conditioner for All Silver and Gray Shades, 13.5 fl oz (400 ml)
- One n Only Shiny Silver Ultra Shine Spray 4 Fl Oz
- Heavenly Hair Coconut Oil Hair Serum – Chemist formula heals, protects and returns your shine!
- Marc Anthony True Professional Bye Bye Frizz Keratin Smoothing Blow Dry Cream Cream, 4.7 fl. oz
Check out these gorgeous silver sisters!
Liz
Friday 22nd of July 2022
You know I am 56 and I hv embrace my grays. At times I see my self and want to head over to my stylist. Just breath, just breath. Hewwww, I love my grays. I don’t want to look washout so I wear read lip stick everyday even at home doing house chores so when I do see my self , I can say you look amazing ;)
Hermila Mermea
Monday 4th of April 2022
Due to COVID in 2020 about three months after getting it, I started to lose my hair. Due to the loss I stop coloring it. I had long hair. The ends got thin. I had to cut my hair to make it look healthy. Prior to losing my hair I lost my husband that year. He had said he couldn’t wait to see me with gray hair. So I stopped coloring.it. Everyone seems to like the way it’s coming out. So much my coworker colored similar to mind. I love not coloring it. It’s salt and pepper. I’m sure he would have loved it too.❤️
Liz
Friday 22nd of July 2022
@Hermila Mermea, that’s beautiful I can relate also to ur story.
Elena Peters
Monday 4th of April 2022
I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m glad you are able to embrace the grey and I bet you look beautiful.
Stacy
Wednesday 28th of July 2021
I have always had my hair dyed. Every 5 weeks I was there to get those roots done. Well unfortunately I got cancer and now my new hair is as Grey as Grey can be. I have scheduled my first hair appointment and I'm considering keeping the Grey, something I thought I would never even consider, EVER! Thank you for this article. I know it was written awhile back but I wanted you to know it's still here and helping people. God Bless
Elena Peters
Wednesday 28th of July 2021
My cousin had the same experience. She decided to keep the grey. But you do you and whatever makes you feel good. No judgement here. Take care.
Diane Sabi
Sunday 23rd of May 2021
I had no choice to go gray. I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to have chemotherapy. I lost my beautiful colored and highlighted long hair that was my crown. I knew I was coloring lots of gray! When it started to grow back in it was white around my face and dark gray in the back. I either straightened or curled my natural hair but now I have crazy Chemo curls. I gave up the wigs before I could color it. I just wanted my hair to hurry up and grow long again. I figured people have seen me gray and I don’t have to try to keep up with the gray roots. Do I like it, not really but I don’t have to worry about the upkeep now. It’s been a year since I have up my wigs. That was one of the hardest decisions I have had to make. I can finally get it back in a high pony tail!
Terri Lane
Friday 5th of March 2021
What was the technique?
Elena Peters
Friday 5th of March 2021
I cut it super short!