No more hair colour

Excuse the typos.

That's lovely hair WOODMOUSE49.
I'm 20 long months into my au naturale journey. I hated the first year, was saddened to see the contrast between my luscious caramel lowlights and my dusty pit boots crown. I mentally marked off the important milestones I survived, ie Christmas, birthday, holidays ( eek ), yet another Christmas and another big lockdown birthday, which was a doddle !
My hair now has a sort of ombré look which I quite like, and may copy when it's cut off. Yes, it's not as vibrant but I do try harder with my make up, lipstick etc.

I really love the new steel grey fashion but I've been disappointed today - did two strand tests and neither seem to have worked. The first one was to strip the colour out which is a darkish blonde - the last colour I put on was about three weeks ago. The other strand was to see if the steel grey I want it to be would work on the existing colour. I can't see any difference in either. I did use a purple shampoo after to see if it would take the yellowish colour down and my husband said it looked lighter. I'm going to take the plunge tomorrow and just put the colour on. I can't see my hairdresser opening again for some time if ever so I plan on carrying on with the DIY if possible - she'll no doubt tell me off when I do finally see her (she's been doing my hair for over 20 years and is as much a friend as hairdresser )!

Will never embrace the greys. My sister has over lockdown and my mother yesterday mistook her for one of the retirement home neighbours, I said “ that’s why I’ll keep on colouring!”

I went grey before lockdown (a couple of years ago) and have been so glad I did. Grey roots on coloured hair look awful IMO. I would have struggled with the during lockdown if 8 had still been having my hair coloured.

I had an allergic reaction to home hair colouring last July and after seeing how horrific a reaction can sometimes be (don't look unless you have a strong stomach!) I had little choice but to go 'au naturel'.I did consider using a natural hair colouring product but thought I'd be brave and see what I looked like in its un-dyed state, as surely, it could only take 6 - 9 months, couldn't it?

I still say I look like a demented badger and thought that losing the colour would be faster than it is.

I am dark brown with perhaps 15% grey all over the back but... hair at my temples is silver (aka white! The good news is that I can see it will suit my skin tone)

However, the worst and of course, most noticeable bit is my fringe to crown which has 30% grey but with the old caramel colour still clinging on for dear life.

As the colour went on in last July I really thought that it would have gone by now but it's still there, hence the demented badger comment.

How long does it take for ear-length hair to grow out? Any one know?

I am booked in with a new hairdresser next week and it will be interesting to see what she can do with it - in terms of a cut.

I, too, lost my hair last year because of chemotherapy. It has come back a completely different texture and colour. From straight light brown with highlights - worn in a long bob, I now have wavy, slightly course textured hair in a shade I call frosted donkey. I badly need a hair cut at the moment but I have embraced short hair, and the colour which now goes with my face age wise, I love the fact that my hair has some body in it now. I am having a hair cut on Wednesday and won't have a colour. I have had enough of being a slave to my roots.

I would, if my grey was silver or beautiful white, but it's not. It's that dreary ugly gunmetal grey. Ageing, awful, and very unflattering.
I have kept up with the dye jobs throughout lock down.
Standards darling, standards......

Hi all Wow I didn't expect so many comments on this thread but I suppose it's a dilemma we all share.
So I emerged from my hairdresser this am, having spent just 15 mins in the chair as opposed to 90 mins, as well as saving time I saved a packet too, £18.00 for a trim, before £50.00 for trim plus colour. Also my hair was in poor condition which I think will improve.
I feel I've made a good decision and am planning to stick to it.

I absolutely hate the grey - on me that is! I have ‘root touched’ a couple of times since the beginning of 'lockdown' but it just wasn’t right. My amazing mobile hairdresser has, this afternoon, highlighted my hair and it feels great, the biggest ego boost for months! A good cut, shape and colour has steered things towards normality!

I do think it all depends on the shade of grey. Some people can look fantastic but not me. My hair colour has not gone from the roots over lock down, rather it has faded all over. It looks washed out and it makes me feel dowdy. I have to wait for my appointment for a colour and cut until the 23rd, to be fair I was the last in the salon the day before lock down!! I can't wait, but I must admit I am looking forward even more to the lady who cuts my toenails coming on Monday. I just can not get to my little toes and the nails have gone feral.

I am sorry to hear of your hair loss Lupin but so pleased for you that it has come back (albeit a different and colour). Hair is important to women and hair loss, either through cancer or alopecia, must be very hard to deal with emotionally.

I am SO envious of those of you who managed to get an appointment for next week - or even today!!! How have you managed that? My appointment is on the 23rd and I can’t wait. For those in Scotland, I’m sorry you have to wait a bit longer - but it will be worth it. I totally “get” those who don’t want to colour their hair again but it’s not for me. As I posted earlier, my hair went white in my early 30s. One winter, when I was only in my late 30s or early 40s it was snowing slightly and I had my hood up whilst shopping in town. A blustery wind blew my hood down and I was passing a mother with her child who came rushing towards me, said “mind how you go, watch that old lady; sorry,” she mumbled. I was traumatised!!!! That’s when I began the reverse low lights!

Thought about it. Couldn’t do it. I love Nice n’ Easy, especially Age Defy

Lupin

I, too, lost my hair last year because of chemotherapy. It has come back a completely different texture and colour. From straight light brown with highlights - worn in a long bob, I now have wavy, slightly course textured hair in a shade I call frosted donkey. I badly need a hair cut at the moment but I have embraced short hair, and the colour which now goes with my face age wise, I love the fact that my hair has some body in it now. I am having a hair cut on Wednesday and won't have a colour. I have had enough of being a slave to my roots.

?I think I have seen that colour advertised ( frosted donkey)
Anyway, it sounds nice, and if you have more body in your hair now, that’s a good thing.
Am still grinning at teetime saying that she looks like a startled mop head.?

I love my white hair, I can make it any colour I want. This is my lockdown look

I'm not ready for grey hair ! I've done my roots once since the hairdresser closed in march and will go and get it done all over once the rush has died down. I feel so much better when my colour is done and have also started wearing make up and a bra again. I'm not embracing the grey at all.

Started going grey in my thirties,never even considered colouring it. We all get older, and surely keeping your figure - and looking after your skin is far less aging than grey air.

I can’t wait until my appointment to get my hi-lights done again.
Neither myself nor any of my friends have ever contemplated grey hair.

WOODMOUSE49 you look fab! My last colour - hi and lo lites was 32 weeks ago. I haven't seen my natural colour for over 30 years. I'm pleasantly surprised to find that although there is grey I am ash blonde and DH says he loves it. No more expensive colour for me.... sorry hair salon!!

I had my hair dyed blonde - until lockdown! The colour has nearly all grown out now. I have an appointment to have it cut on Wednesday and I can't wait. However I am going to leave the colour for now and see how it looks. If I do have it coloured again I may go for the lovely metallic silver that is do popular. Woodmouse and Danmar your hair looks lovely.

I'm on Team thecatshat.

I stopped dyeing my hair about four years ago. It feels and looks so much better. My scalp used to itch like mad post dye, even with supposed ammonia free treatments. Imagine what that was doing to my hair. ? And it was my hairdresser that persuaded me to do it. Glad he did.

I am now going to wash and go with my hair once I have had it cut on Monday. I used to spend ages drying, curling with 2 different devices then curling tongs. Such a relief not to have to faff about anymore. I may just tong the front bit when going out but that is all.

I have been what I call a Pension Blonde for about 20 years now and have enjoyed it in spite of the expensive maintenance (I was very dark, naturally, but somehow it 'evolved'!). But although the roots are quite noticeable now, they're not so terrible. I'll go with the grey but keep a few highlights for fun. Hairdresser was round last week, in our garden and fully PPE'd up, to do husband's hair colour (full scale foils etc). She'd offered to do mine but I thought, no - a) it's not yet legal and b) I'm cool with it as it is. She trimmed and shaped it a bit but I am OK with growing the colour out. Well so far... shall see..

This thread is very apt and timely for me. I have an appointment with my lovely hairdresser on Thursday but I have realised that I quite like it as it is! Like a lot of people, it’s gone through the awkward ‘can’t bear it’ stage and is quite nice now.

I’ve let myself go grey about a year ago now and I sometimes put on either a blonde tint/purple shampoo but I do like my own unadulterated colour. As it’s got longer though, miraculously the curl has come out after 50 years of straightening and squashing it down. I can encourage it into curls easily and I hope it looks ok. I’m undecided about having my usual bob cut, which would probably be tidier but I’m going to see what my hairdresser thinks about just a trim and see how I go on! I hope I don’t look too much like Camilla though!

He’s going to despair, I’ve spent a fortune with him over the 20 odd years I’ve gone to him but he’s not making much money out of me now! I’m interested that someone mentioned Maureen Lipman having dark streaks put in, that might be a possibility but I’ve felt so relieved at the improved texture and condition that I’m reluctant to tie myself into the tyranny of colouring again!