Coloured to grey hair transition

I used to be blonde - before I went grey - so I'd dye mine blonde. It started to look a bit (artificial) yellow, though, so I changed to silver. It suits me so much better and the root growth blends in well , so now I dye it less often, every three months or so.

I did this by having a pixie cut. When I had a good inch of roots I had my hair cut very very short! The next cut took off the coloured ends and I was left with my natural colour.

I did not like or suit the pixie cut AT ALL (I looked like my dad!!) but made myself feel better by wearing stretchy, colourful fabric headbands which I bought from Seasalt.

The process was aided hugely by the fact that I had the second cut right before lockdown so I wasn't out and about.

A big shock was that my hair wasn't grey it's almost white, like bleached blonde and, now it's almost shoulder length I love it. I've had to completely rethink my make up and clothes colours, but the joy of never having to spend 3 hours at the hairdresser again is immense. Good luck!

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Over a period of about 6 months to a year, I did it like this
Blonde/ash highlights ➡️ ash/silvery highlights (bleaching out any remaining brown) ➡️ oops -it’s white !

Use a toner instead of a permanent colour, it washes out in about 12 weeks, keep using until all the permanent colour has grown out.

You look great MayBeMaw. You’ve inspired me to ditch the blonde. I’ve been thinking about it and now I’m going to do it.

MayBeMaw

Over a period of about 6 months to a year, I did it like this
Blonde/ash highlights ➡️ ash/silvery highlights (bleaching out any remaining brown) ➡️ oops -it’s white !

You look more youthful in the last picture Maw.

Also interesting to note the change of specs!

That’s exactly I’m doing it Maw. You look lovely. I had highlights for years then decided over lockdown that long blonde hair and 70 didn’t go together. I will always keep it long but my hairdresser turned it into an ash blonde at least six months ago and it’s growing out nicely with the help of purple conditioner to stop it going brassy. I haven’t been to the hairdresser since, my husband chops it occasionally!

I mean exactly how…

Yes Maw the new hair and lovely specs make you look much younger.

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As you can see I used to be dark brown/auburn. I started to find grey in my early 40s but wanted to keep my colour. 20 years later I was still colouring it. Gave up doing it myself so went every 3 weeks to a very good hairdresser to have the roots done.

I retired at 60 and decided on a new look - the real me. Hairdresser took it back to a warmer lighter colour to suit my sink and put in a full head of highlights. He recommended a shorter style.

6 months later and a fewer and fewer highlights a few tims, I had the new me.

You have photos from fully coloured through to fully grey. I love it and can't understand now why I worried about the change so much.

Go for it Elless. ?

My sister was blonde for years she used spray root colour to fill the gaps.

Forgot to say you ladies look lovely!

Okay well you need to be brave (or in my case foolish) to do this: My hair is clean white - I always coloured my own hair light brown with bleached highlights and it was in a pixie cut - at start of lockdown I died it dark brown and grew it while the hairdressers were closed - it was a real mess, all different lengths so I fastened it up and used hair scrunchies (not fabric ones, ones made of artificial hair) to create an updo. Actually it looked quite nice - think Sophia Loren. Once I could get back to the hairdressers I had it cut into a bob - so the style was okay but I had to dye the roots every two weeks and really wanted to go white all over.

So.........I googled bleach bath on you tube and slowly and gradually lightened it by repeating every 3 weeks or so until it was platinum then used silver shampoo. Tadaaaa - silver fox. I get so many comments, but yes, my autumn colours don't suit me any more, had to rethink my wardrobe.

Gosh thanks girls, it's nice how on the photos how much softer your faces look. I like the idea of using a toner. I know I wouldn't suit a pixie cut and have a bob at the moment but wouldn't mind having a much shorter bob cut up at the back, you've all given me plenty to think about.

What a treat to be able to put some lovely faces to names!

That looks lovely Muse. I too have dark hair,
and growing it out is more difficult than for blondes I think. Maybe I will have to try lots of highlights.

I let mine grow out over lockdown, as I couldn’t get to the hairdresser and didn’t fancy trying to do it myself. I wore it pinned up most of the time. It was halfway down my back by the time I could get it cut. It’s now just around chin length and I’m loving the silvery colour. It’s also in much better condition.

Not sure about my colour suiting my sink ? ?. It should read skin.

I retired at 60 and decided on a new look - the real me. Hairdresser took it back to a warmer lighter colour to suit my sink and put in a full head of highlights. He recommended a shorter style.

muse I laughed because a friend (still) has a brown bathroom suite……..

I've been blonde for most of my life - out of a box of course. I decided to go natural at the start of lockdown. Loved it to start with as it seemed white at the front (bit I could see) which blended with the blonde. However, as it grew out I could see that it was actually mainly steel grey, particularly at the sides and back. It didn't suit my skin colour at all and I felt very drab. I decided to put highlights through which improved it, but have now gone back to the blonde and feel much more like me. I also used to have my hair cut short, but have now got a mid length bob which is fun. My identical twin sister has had her hair cut short (also blonde), so folk can now tell the difference between us!

I retired at 60 and decided on a new look - the real me. Hairdresser took it back to a warmer lighter colour to suit my sink and put in a full head of highlights

Thank you for the laugh Muse - I was just praying you didn’t have an avocado bathroom suite

Both my daughters are transitioning to grey from light brown, the eldest started letting the grey come in last Christmas and the younger daughter has now joined her. One wears it twisted up or plaited and the other is curly and she’s decided she’s not bothered that her grey is coming in she says the relief of not bothering with dyeing each every few weeks is wonderful and she’s loving the look and colour of her silver hair.
If the pictures above are anything to go by they’ll both look great when fully grey. Mines been fully grey for about 12 yrs now I love it.

?I'm well known for being thick skinned. Knew someone would spot it Oopsadaisy1 and MawBeMaw, so I got in first.

No sinks in my bathroom though?. I have a basin.?

I did smile at the typo.☺️ Loving the chats ladies.