DU Women, if you have gone gray, or if you will soon, will you color?

[Maddy McCall]

I have seen some stunningly beautiful gray hair lately. I don't have any gray yet, but when I do, I don't think I'll color.

Have you begun to gray? Do you color or tint your hair?

When my gray does start, I hope I just go solid gray really quickly. Gray-haired women with the right cuts are just beautiful to me.

[merh]

1. I dye my hair all the time.

I can't remember the true color by now :rofl:

The problem with my hair is the mousey, drab brown that accompanies the gray. Actually, it isn't gray, it is white.

I'll let it go eventually. Not right now.

:hi: :loveya:

[Maddy McCall]

7. I would have never guessed!

Even in the midst of Katrina aftermath, your hair color looked perfectly natural.

:hi:

:loveya:

[merh]

15. Aww, now that is so sweet of you to say that.

:hug:

I have white temples right now and I just had my hair professionally done (as a much NEEDED treat to myself) 2 weeks ago. 2 lbs of hair trimmed off my hard head and some color to get me past that "so stressed you fear me" look.

Child, if you were to see the roots you would be very, very scared (as I am about every 3 weeks or so).

My hair grows uncontrollably quickly and it is as coarse as horse hair.

:hi: :pals: :loveya:

[Thtwudbeme]

70. Right there with you!

In fact, I am in "Dye-crisis" right now because I went a litttttle too reddish this time, and have to deal with it for a flippin' month!

Oh the drama!

I LOVE dying my hair....when I am old enough...and I am not sure when that is going to be yet...I will know when I get there---I go for the stylish grey.

[merh]

78. Okay, but here is the question

If we keep dying it, when will we know that we can let it go natural? :freak:

I'm going to get some highlights next time around. And believe you me, I KNOW what it is like to have gone too red. :crazy:

Did you ever use Sun-In on your hair? It turned mine into a blonde, orange ratty mess. It was awful.

[Thtwudbeme]

80. no sun in for me!

I used the stuff in the brown box---in the commercial you could hear Aretha singing "yuuuuu maaake meeeeee feeeeeeeeel like a natt-ur-allll woooman"

I generally go between mousy dark blond and mousy medium brown, depending on my mood. This time I went all wacky...and one shade darker. Massive mistake!

[merh]

82. Oh that sun-in was when I was so young and really, really stupid

Now I go with light browns, I gave up on auburns, too dark makes me look all washed out.

[Jigarotta]

2. always loved the gray hair on that woman

in Twister. whatsherface's aunt with the whirlygigs in her yard. gorgeous long gray hair.

[Maddy McCall]

8. I remember her...the whole crew ate at her house.

Yes, she was beautiful. Don't know her name, though.

[Samurai_Writer]

64. Her name is Lois Smith

Here's her filmography from imdb.com.

Actress - filmography
(In Production) (2000s) (1990s) (1980s) (1970s) (1960s) (1950s)

1. Killshot (2006) (post-production) .... Lenore
2. Griffin and Phoenix (2006) (post-production)
3. Hollywoodland (2006) (completed) .... Helen Bessolo

4. Sweet Land (2005) .... Old Inge
5. Little Fugitive (2005) .... Elizabeth
6. "Cold Case"
- Factory Girls (2004) TV Episode .... Fannie
7. "LAX"
- Credible Threat (2004) TV Episode .... Rose Sinclair
8. P.S. (2004) .... Ellie Silverstein
9. "Law & Order: Criminal Intent"
... aka Law & Order: CI (USA: promotional abbreviation)
- The Saint (2004) TV Episode .... Betty Bennett
10. Iron Jawed Angels (2004) (TV) .... Reverend Anna Howard Shaw
11. The Best Thief in the World (2004) .... Helen
12. "One Life to Live" (1968) TV Series .... Betsy "Aunt Betsy" Cramer (2003-2004)
13. Red Betsy (2003) .... Helen Rounds
14. A Foreign Affair (2003) .... Ma Adams
... aka 2 Brothers & a Bride (USA: DVD title)
15. "Touched by an Angel"
- A Rock and a Hard Place (2002) TV Episode .... Mildred
16. Minority Report (2002) .... Dr. Iris Hineman
17. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
... aka Law & Order: SVU (USA: promotional abbreviation)
... aka Special Victims Unit (New Zealand: English title)
- Competence (2002) TV Episode .... Rebecca Tolliver
18. The Laramie Project (2002) .... Lucy Thompson
19. "Going to California"
- Apocalypse Cow (2001) TV Episode .... Beatrice Graf
20. Powder Keg (2001) .... Mother
... aka The Hire: Powder Keg (USA: series title)
21. The Pledge (2001) .... Helen Jackson
22. "All My Children" (1970) TV Series .... Elwinna Pendergast (2000)
... aka All My Children: The Summer of Seduction (USA: promotional title)
23. "Just Shoot Me!"
- When Nina Met Her Parents (2000) TV Episode .... Libby

24. Tumbleweeds (1999) .... Ginger
25. "A Will of Their Own" (1998) (mini) TV Series .... Miss Maude
26. Trance (1998) .... Mrs. Ferriter
... aka The Eternal (USA: video title)
... aka The Eternal: Kiss of the Mummy (USA: video box title)
27. "The Practice"
- The Civil Right (1997) TV Episode .... Mary Beth Berluti
28. Hudson River Blues (1997) .... Julia
... aka Family Blues (Australia: cable TV title)
29. "Frasier"
- Roz's Krantz & Gouldenstein Are Dead (1997) TV Episode .... Moira
30. Larger Than Life (1996) .... Luluna
31. Twister (1996) .... Meg Greene
32. Dead Man Walking (1995) .... Helen's mother
33. How to Make an American Quilt (1995) .... Sophia Darling Richards
34. Truman (1995) (TV) .... Madge Wallace Gates
35. Holy Matrimony (1994) .... Orna
36. Falling Down (1993) .... William Foster's Mother
... aka Chute libre (France)
37. Skylark (1993) (TV) .... Lou Wheaton
... aka Sarah, Plain and Tall: Skylark (USA)
38. Deadly Matrimony (1992) (TV)
... aka Shattered Promises
39. Keep the Change (1992) (TV) .... Lureen
40. Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) .... Mama Threadgoode
... aka Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (UK)
41. Hard Promises (1991) .... Mrs. Bell
42. White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd (1991) (TV) .... Alice Todd
43. Switched at Birth (1991) (TV) .... Margaret
44. "thirtysomething"
- Our Wedding (1991) TV Episode .... Marjorie Warren
45. The Grapes of Wrath (1991) (TV) .... Ma Joad
46. Green Card (1990) .... Brontë's Parent (Mother)
... aka Green Card (France)

47. Midnight Run (1988) .... Mrs. Nelson
48. "Spenser: For Hire"
- Haunting (1988) TV Episode .... Elsie
49. Fatal Attraction (1987) .... Martha
50. "The Equalizer"
- Coal Black Soul (1987) TV Episode .... Dorothy Hermes
- The Confirmation Day (1985) TV Episode .... Marie Ganucci
51. Black Widow (1987) .... Sara
52. Adam's Apple (1986) (TV)
53. Twisted (1986) .... Helen Giles
... aka Twisted: A Step Beyond Insanity
54. The Execution of Raymond Graham (1985) (TV) .... Mary Neal
55. Doubletake (1985) (TV) .... Sarah
56. "Tales of the Unexpected"
... aka Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected
- Proxy (1984) TV Episode .... Sara
57. Reckless (1984) .... Mrs. Prescott
58. "Another World" (1964) TV Series .... Ella Fitz (1983)
... aka Another World: Bay City
59. "The Edge of Night" (1956) TV Series .... Mrs. Oates (1983)
... aka Edge of Night (USA: last season title)
60. Reuben, Reuben (1983) .... Mare Spofford
61. Rage of Angels (1983) (TV) .... Clara
... aka Sidney Sheldon's Rage of Angels
62. The Unforgivable Secret (1982) (TV) .... Margaret
63. Four Friends (1981) .... Mrs. Carnahan
... aka Georgia's Friends
64. The House of Mirth (1981) (TV) .... Bertha Dorset
65. Resurrection (1980) .... Kathy
66. Foxes (1980) .... Mrs. Axman
67. The Jilting of Granny Weatherall (1980) (TV) .... Cornelia

68. Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976) .... Anita
69. "The Doctors" (1963) TV Series .... Eleanor Conrad (1975-1977)
70. "Somerset" (1970) TV Series .... Zoe Cannell (1972-1974)
... aka Another World: Somerset (original title)
... aka Somerset: Bay City (original title)
71. "Love of Life" (1951) TV Series .... Mrs. Bendarik (1972)
72. Up the Sandbox (1972) .... Elinore
73. Particular Men (1972) (TV)
74. Brother John (1971) .... Neighbor
75. Five Easy Pieces (1970) .... Partita Dupea
76. The Way We Live Now (1970) .... Jane Aldridge
77. Dragon Country (1970) (TV)

78. Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night (1967) (TV) .... Evelyn
79. "The Eleventh Hour"
- A Pattern of Sundays (1964) TV Episode .... Jane Wells
80. "Route 66"
- Who in His Right Mind Needs a Nice Girl? (1964) TV Episode .... Lucy
- Only by Cunning Glances (1962) TV Episode .... Brycie Koseloff
- Go Read the River (1962) TV Episode .... Dana
- Incident on a Bridge (1961) TV Episode .... Anna
81. "Dr. Kildare"
- To Each His Own Prison (1963) TV Episode .... Libby Clayton
82. "The Defenders"
- The Invisible Badge (1962) TV Episode .... Esther Terranova
83. "Naked City"
- Strike a Statue (1962) TV Episode .... Dawn Garrison
84. "'Way Out"
- The Sisters (1961) TV Episode
85. "Letter to Loretta"
... aka The Loretta Young Show (USA: new title)
... aka The Loretta Young Theatre (USA: rerun title)
- When Queens Ride By (1961) TV Episode .... Jenny Musgrave
86. "The DuPont Show of the Month"
- Men in White (1960) TV Episode
87. "Play of the Week"
- The Master Builder (1960) TV Episode .... Aline
- Strindberg on Love (1960) TV Episode .... Julie
88. The Master Builder (1960) (TV) .... Hilda
89. Strindberg on Love (1960) (TV) .... Julie (segment "Miss Julie")

90. "Startime"
... aka Ford Startime
... aka Lincoln-Mercury Startime
- Cindy's Fella (1959) TV Episode .... Cindy
91. "Matinee Theatre"
- The Cause (1958) TV Episode
92. "The United States Steel Hour"
... aka The U.S. Steel Hour (USA: alternative title)
- Noon on Doomsday (1956) TV Episode
- Bring Me a Dream (1956) TV Episode .... Jeannie
93. "Robert Montgomery Presents"
... aka Lucky Strike Theater
... aka Montgomery's Summer Stock
... aka The Robert Montgomery Summer Theater
- The Second Day of Christmas (1955) TV Episode
94. "Justice"
- The Girl Without a Name (1955) TV Episode
95. Strange Lady in Town (1955) .... Spurs O'Brien
96. "Star Tonight"
- A Matter of Life (1955) TV Episode
- How Beautiful the Shoes (1955) TV Episode
97. East of Eden (1955) .... Anne
... aka John Steinbeck's East of Eden (USA: complete title)
98. "Studio One"
... aka Studio One Summer Theatre (summer title)
... aka Studio One in Hollywood (new title)
... aka Summer Theatre (summer title)
... aka Westinghouse Studio One
... aka Westinghouse Summer Theatre (summer title)
- Jack Sperling, Forty-six (1954) TV Episode .... Barbara Sparling
99. "Kraft Television Theatre"
... aka Ponds Theater (USA: new title)
- The Apple Tree (1953) TV Episode

[fortyfeetunder]

86. You're talking about Aunt Meg?

My kids loved Twister and that dinner scene. She did have a good looking head of grey hair.

[auntAgonist]

3. I've got some gray hairs ..

quite silvery actually. My mother had beautiful gray hair that women would pay good money for! I'm not thinking about colouring my hair yet. I need to get to where my hair is healthy and and the regrowth is long enough that I can get a good cut. (hair loss after surger sux)


aA

[Maddy McCall]

10. My mom has white hair, and it's just gorgeous.

I didn't know that you had surgery. I haven't been reading much in the lounge lately.

Here's to your recuperation! :toast:

[auntAgonist]

17. Thanks Maddy!

Surgery was a year ago, I've had a few complications but things are getting a bit better now.

It's nice to see you posting here again.

aA
:hug:

[Maddy McCall]

23. .....

Just sent up a prayer for you. :loveya: :hug:

[SeattleGirl]

4. My hair is completely gray now, but I'm not ready to go "natural"

So I color my hair. But I do agree -- there are some beautiful heads of gray hair out there.

[Jigarotta]

5. I color too.

Lots of gray but turning full gray without shaving your head would look odd in the tween stage.

[Maddy McCall]

11. Your hair color is stunningly pretty.

:hi:

[Canadian Socialist]

6. My hair used to be blonde

but when I hit 30, it started darkening - but the front part (bangs and the swatches on the temples) turned white. People think I've dyed it that way! heeee. I guess the rest of my hair is greyish. I've been debating dying it blonde, but with the grey hair, young kids give me their seat on the bus. Decisions, decisions.:dilemma:

[Maddy McCall]

12. I would love to see a photo.

Sounds really pretty! :hi:

[Canadian Socialist]

58. Thanks for that, Maddy

it is rather nice. When I do dye it, if not too blonde, just enough to lighten up the rest, it can be rather striking. The white parts don't take the dye at all. I've been contemplating a "makeover" for a while now. Have been very lazy lately re: my appearance. Now that I'm divorced, it might be time to put it out there a bit. heeee.

[bertha katzenengel]

9. Hi, Maddy. I liked (yes, past tense) my gray, but disliked how DARK

my hair has grown in the last several years, too much to leave it that way. I colored my hair a week ago. (See journal entry if you like -- the red is starting to fade.)

I may do a different shade in a few weeks, or I may just let this grow out and try to spend a lot of time in the sun this summer. :shrug:

I won't mind being gray. :hi:

edit: I didn't have that much gray, but it was coming in. I wonder: if I'd had a lot, would I have colored? I don't know. I guess that's a better answer to your question. (If "I don't know" is an answer.)

[Maddy McCall]

13. I love that color on you, Bertha.

:thumbsup:

Your hair looks like silk in that april 2 shot.

[bertha katzenengel]

16. oh, my

:blush: you are too sweet... if only you could've been near enough to feel it. ;)

:blush:

[Maddy McCall]

29. Not flattery--it's the truth.

That color is beautiful, and your hair looks so soft.

Have you ever tried a short inverted bob cut? With that color, it would look tres chic. :D

I wear an inverted bob, like on the bottom of the page on the link below, but shorter. My hair is just brown with natural highlights. I'd love to try a color like yours.

http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/tip18028.htm

[bertha katzenengel]

87. Nah... post me a photo of you, in your bob when you get that color

You're right - I bet it'll look fantastic. :7

[skygazer]

14. I have some gray around my temples

It really doesn't bother me but I do often color my hair, not because of the gray but because I've always found it fun to change the color and style now and again. I'm another of those who's not really sure what my natural color is - dark brown, I know, but what exact shade? Not sure - when I drape my head hair over the hair that I've never colored - :blush: - the hair on my head is much lighter and redder though I haven't colored it in ages. :shrug:

[Maddy McCall]

20. I need a change...

just got a cut that I like. I want a small change. I've never tried red, but I love Bertha's color in her journal.

[skygazer]

28. Since my hair is dark to begin with

It goes to a deep auburn when I go red. I really like it - I've always loved red and feel I should have been born a redhead. I love Bertha's color too but my hair would have to be stripped to get to such a light shade.

To answer the original question, a lot depends to me upon how the gray comes in. Sometimes it comes in very streaky on people and that would probably bother me. It looks like it will just spread out from my temples, though and that's okay. I agree with you - some gray hair is very striking. My landlady has lovely long gray hair - my SO is always telling me how hot he thinks she is!

[Maddy McCall]

36. I wonder if I could color my own hair.

I've thought about picking up one of the kits at the store, and just varying a shade or so.

But, with my luck, I'll look like a giraffe when I get through--so, on second thought, I'll talk to my stylist.

:D

[lizziegrace]

18. I'm at least 50% gray

maybe more now. I have a weave done on my hair 3 times a year. She now has to add my old brown color back to avoid making it all ash blonde. :shrug:

I won't go gray without a fight. I have too much in my 40's and it makes me look very washed out and tired.

[Maddy McCall]

21. What kind of weave do you get?

[lizziegrace]

55. For years, I had blonde weaved into my hair

I was blonde as a child and my hair has gotten very, very dark. Now to make it look natural, she has to alternate blonde and brown in the weave to cover the gray. :(

[Alleycat]

19. I started seeing some gray very early

They started sprouting out on top when I was only 31 or so. I highlight with foils to help it to blend in or cover. Some people both men and women look great with gray. I'm not sure I will be one of those people.

[Maddy McCall]

22. I've never had my hair foiled.

What's the difference in foiling and pulling through a cap?

My stylist only does the cap thing, and not only does it hurt, it just looks fakey. I'm thinking about switching stylists--she seemed to be in a rush on my last cut, and it's just not the way I like it...and this happens about 50% of the time.

[Alleycat]

44. I recomend the foiling

First doesn't hurt at all!
Second they can get closer to your scalp so regrowth takes longer
Third they can strategically place them only where you need them so the same hair doesn't keep getting done over and over leading to eventually all one color.
Fourth, they can put two different shades in to make it look more "natural"

The only problem is it is more expensive. Most salons charge by the number of foils. This can range from $2 to $4.50 depending on the salon. In order to cut cost I usually only do a whole head thing once a year and then just do touch ups in between. Sometimes in the winter I only get the top done, which involves about 6 or 7 foils.

I used to do the cap also and much prefer this.

[Maddy McCall]

46. I'll have to call around and see if I can find someone to do it.

Sounds much better than the cap!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

24. Hi, Maddy!

I am, as you probably know, completely silvery gray.....

I used to be dishwater blonde in my youth.....

I started turning gray in my 20's, though verrrrrrrry slowly!

I just have NO TIME for coloring....I want to shower, dress, go!

I really like my hair color now. And I love the fact that it's maintenance-free!

All I need is a hair-cut every 6 weeks or so.....

:hi:

[Maddy McCall]

30. Your hair color is so pretty, Peggy.

Your hair looks just like my Mom's and I think that it's beautiful.

:hi:

[Shakespeare]

25. ay-yup.

Prematurely started graying when I was 25, and it's all thanks go my paternal grandmother.

I'm blonde, and blondes don't gray very attractively--I've been covering up those nasty grays for awhile now.

(anecdote about just how good a friend my best friend is: way back when I started getting my first few grays, she was so sweet and reassuring: "Oh, no! I'm sure they're just really, really blonde hairs!")

[Maddy McCall]

31. That's the best kind of friend.

:D

[NV Whino]

26. No.

I like grey hair.

My hair may not go totally grey. My mother just died at age 92 and had only the beginnings of grey in the back. I have little flicks and flecks that you can only see if the light is right.

[Maddy McCall]

32. Sounds like you may never have to worry about gray.

LUCKY!

:hi:

[Fenris]

27. My mother recently stopped dying her hair after ten or so years.

Her hair is mostly gray now. She's never looked better. :hi:

[Maddy McCall]

34. I bet she's really pretty.

:hi:

[flamingyouth]

81. Your mom is pretty, though

I just look old when my hair shows gray. :D

[libnnc]

33. Nope. My mother waged that battle for 25 years.

And she dragged my ass to the beauty parlor with her (couldn't even finish watching Bugs Bunny) every freaking Saturday morning of my young life.

I'm strawberry blonde. I'll be 36 this September and this year I've just started to notice much less "strawberry" and the "blonde" is starting to get a little gray on the top and in the back. I've got really short hair and when the light's just right the gray sticks out.

I. Will. Not. Freak. Out.
I. Will. Not. Freak. Out.
Gray. Is. Sexy.
Gray. Is. Chic.
Gray. Is. Sexy.
Gray. Is. Chic.

My new mantra.

[Maddy McCall]

37. Gray IS sexy!

:hi:

[u4ic]

35. No - and I've got some grey

I've also got a skunk tail at the back that I've grown to love...it took me about 33 years to start doing so (I've had it since I was 5). Colouring my hair would cover that up.

I coloured my hair every month or so for over a decade. I can't deal with the dyes anymore...the smell...and quite frankly, I'm not convinced they're safe, anyway. :hi:

[Maddy McCall]

38. I hope you post a photo of the back sometimes.

I'd love to see that! :D

[mdmc]

94. i did not know this

:hi:

[Patiod]

39. It depends - my mom always looked great with white hair

she went gray in her twenties - she still looks great now at 82

When I went gray in my late 30's, I thought I'd tough it out, but my hairdresser started nagging me about it (he didn't do color at the time, so it wasn't financially motivated). My friends finally had an intervention - they sat me down and said "Pattie, it's time". And they were right - the gray just made me look drab. Our other friend who is a blue-eyed blond stopped coloring, and she looks fabulous. It just depends on your face, your cut, and your coloring whether the gray is flattering or detracting.

Sadly, they had to have another intervention a few year later to convince me to get rid of my bangs. They were right, but I still miss my bangs.

[Maddy McCall]

41. LOL!

Your friends' interventions are funny as hell!

:rofl:

[Scout1071]

40. You better believe it sister.

I don't even think twice. Besides, my hair is actually healthy and more manageable because I color.

[Maddy McCall]

42. I guess it works for some people, and doesn't for others.

I'll decide when I get there, I guess.

:hi:

[Scout1071]

72. I'm blonde/dirty blonde and don't have "tons" of greys, but

the ones I do have are just unruly bastards. The go any which way they choose and just don't give a damn about how I might be trying to style my hair. Particularly along my part. So, I get highlights and they work beautifully to manage my hair. Wiry, unruly stray greys are gone and lighter, fuller, blonde appears. Don't see a downside whatsoever!

[Left Is Write]

47. Mine too!

Mine appears thicker and fuller, and it has much more body and manageability.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

43. I did, for years, but I finally got tired of the hassle.

It didn't take very long for those gray roots to start showing up, so I'd have to do it again every few week, and finally I realized that it was too damn much work --plus, after a certain age it gets pretty obvious you're dyeing and it just looks lame and pathetic. So I grew it out (that could have been pretty ugly, but I mitigated the process by using a temporary rinse that finally just washed away after the last of the dyed hair had been cut off). Now I get a lot of compliments on my natural hair that I never got on my dyed hair, and my old hair doesn't clash with my old face. I'm much happier now.

[Maddy McCall]

48. I'd love to see a photo sometime!

:hi:

[Left Is Write]

45. I have absolutely no gray hair, but I do color my hair anyway.

I have the dingiest, dullest dark blonde hair in town. I get highlights with a cap every 12 weeks to lighten.


Edited to add: my mother went gray in her 30s. She is 67 now, and she has the most gorgeous shade of silver hair - full of natural highlights, just gorgeous. People pay a lot of money in a salon to get her shade of silver. There's no iron gray, no dulling yellow streaks. It's beautiful. I did not inherit her hair, though. Mine is all my dad's side of the family.

[Maddy McCall]

50. You have gorgeous hair.

:hi:

I'm thinking about adding some highlights to my brown hair...I'm forty, and in my life, I've only colored or tinted my hair four or five times. (Not counting my teen and young-adult years when I did blue, red, and pink every other weekend.) :D

I have some natural highlights, but with the cut I have now, I'm thinking that I want more blonde.

How often do you have to get touch-ups?

[Left Is Write]

54. I just get the cap every twelve weeks.

Usually once a winter I'll get an all-over color in an ashy shade that works best for winter.

I never colored my hair until the summer I turned 31. I did it myself for years, but it never looked right. I've been having it done professionally only for the last four years, and I'm very happy!

Thank you for the compliment. :)

[Left Is Write]

49. Another thing to add -

Have you seen graywarriors pictures? She has fantastic hair.

[Maddy McCall]

52. No, I haven't.

I'll have to keep watch for the next photo thread, I guess. :D

[Orangepeel]

51. I color, but I went mostly grey by 18

I've been coloring half my life now, so I don't suppose I'll stop soon. Anyway, I'd have to get the whole head dyed grey first so I wouldn't have to grow it out.

[Maddy McCall]

53. I didn't know that you could get your whole head died gray.

That's probably what I'd do.

[Shine]

56. I play with color every once in a while, but mostly just for fun

not really because I feel I have to cover the gray, at this point.

However, I've definitely gotten more gray hair in the last two years, since I've hit 40. Most people wouldn't notice, but I notice.

When it starts getting REALLY noticeable, I'll probably get into a regular coloring thang, b/c the gray just makes my hair look flat and dull.

:hi:

[Maddy McCall]

57. I know that it's coming soon for me.

I'll probably cover my gray, but I do have blue eyes, so I don't know yet.

I'm just now at 40 wanting to play around with colors, too. I think I'm going to get some blonde highlights soon.

:hi:

[nini]

59. Depends on you skin tone etc..

some women look great with gray hair. Some look old and washed out.

I fall into the category where I look pale and tired, so I dye. I won't forever, but for now I do.

[LostinVA]

60. I'm about 25-30% grey, and am so resisting it...

Because, once I start...

You are right, though -- I've seen alot more grey hair, ie pretty grey hair, on women 45-65 lately. More than I have in years.

[redwitch]

61. A dear friend of mine has totally gray hair

and she is amazingly beautiful. Her hair is long and wavy and looks just great on her. Some people do look wonderful in gray hair- if I turn out to be one of the lucky ones who looks good gray, no problem. Otherwise, I will color.

[Roon]

62. My 80-year-old Grandmother dyed her hair up until five years ago

she let it go natural and she looks great!

[LaurenG]

63. Yes

Until I'm sick of it. I think I may just gradually go lighter and lighter until it just blends with the gray. What will you do?

[In_The_Wind]

65. We color other parts of my hair but not the gray.

I have gray at my temples.

[miss_american_pie]

66. I started going gray at 20

No way in hell am I going to have gray hair now.

I just colored it tonight. :)

[babylonsister]

67. I colored my hair for 10 years after my first grays started to show;

I just spent 21 months getting rid of the last vestiges of the 'golden blonde' :eyes: I'd been using.
I'm natural, free, and I like it! :bounce: :bounce: :toast:

[Gormy Cuss]

68. My hair hasn't gone gray yet but

if it looks as good as CalPeggy or GrayWarrior, I'm not coloring it.

I had a colleague who went white in her early 30s and she had the most beautiful hair. My grandmother, on the other hand, had the most hideous gray hair that I've ever seen.

[Catbird]

69. It's not just loss of color, it's loss of body

My hair went gray slowly but surely. When it was at the salt and pepper stage, it was fine. When it went beyond that, it lost almost all body and just hung there limply. Some of my unpleasant childhood memories are getting permanents that my mother (not me) wanted, so I didn't want to go that way. I like the improved texture and body that comes with the color. If I could get that without the color, I might.:silly: :silly: :silly:

[RevCheesehead]

71. I probably won't go grey.

My mom had very little grey in her hair - and she was 77. Her sister, a redhead, never greyed, but her hair lightened in color.

It's kind of a shame. I think grey hair is beautiful. Women AND men should wear it proudly!

[Iris]

83. my grandma was a redhead and she never greyed, either!

[KitchenWitch]

73. I used to color my hair (to a more reddish hue)

I am very salt and pepper, especially at the temples. I vowed never to color my hair again when my maternal grandmother's sisters told me that I looked just like her. I never got to meet her, as she died a few years before I was born at the tender young age of 43.

Today is my 42nd birthday, and I miss her, if that makes any sense at all.

[politicat]

74. I get a few white hairs from time to time....

But I like punk colors, and I don't plan to ever stop.

I'm 30. My hair fades in strong sunlight (red curly hair that bleaches to brassy orange if I go out without a hat). I dye it fire-engine red, purple, pink, Marianne Moore auburn.... I donate blood so I can't do piercing or tattoos without taking a year off, and my blood is too needed. So my hair is my creative palette.

Fortunately for me, I'm going white, not grey (thank dog I'm a redhead) so when it finally goes totally white, it will just look a lot better when I manic-panic it violet.

[yellowdogintexas]

75. when I was in my early 40's, my hair (which used to be a nice

rich dark brown) became drabber and mousier than my mother's! Action had to be taken!

So I colored it religiously for about 13..I am currently experimenting with the grow out, just to see how it looks now. Drab fading brown is awful ..good looking gray is not.

I wear my hair very short, sort of a pixie cut and the silver peeking under the remaining brown is kind of interesting and I have been getting compliments on my most recent cut too. We will see.

[reyd reid reed]

76. Damn skippy

I don't do it all the time...usually only about once a year or so, but you betcha.

Some things I can't do anything about...this one I can, at least temporarily.

[Blue_In_AK]

77. I'm almost 60 and just starting to get some

here and there. I think they're more white than gray, and they blend in with my hair, so I'm not going to bother doing anything about them. Anyway, I need something to show for all my years of hard living. :rofl:

[Missy Vixen]

79. I started graying a few years ago

but I have been coloring, and will continue it for the indefinite future.

I like being a redhead.

Julie

[hedgehog]

84. I'm going white around the edges

I won't be coloring it. Right now it's more fun to accuse my children of causing the white hairs. (Son calls to tell me he went bungee jumping that day "There's another white hair!" Oh, that's nothing Mom, I'm climbing 300ft chemical towers all day anyways! "Thank you son, now I have a white streak!"

[Nicole]

85. Yes & No

I don't color it but I do use a rinse that covers the gray.

I use the Roux Fanciful Rinse every time I shampoo. It turns my gray hairs blond. I was blonde as a child & now it's light brown with a few grays thrown in. After I use the rinse the grays look like blonde highlights.

I have what my stylist calls virgin hair, it's never been chemically altered in any way. I plan to keep it that way. I may never stop using the Roux Rinse though.

The only chemicals I want are going in the body, not on it. :rofl:

[yvr girl]

88. I got my first gray hair at 23

I still don't have that much 16 years later - mostly just along my part.

I haven't had completely natural hair since I was 16 hears old. I always go a little lighter, a little darker or a little redder.

[jane_pippin]

89. I'm getting it done today, in fact. I'm not gray yet though. I plan on

following my Grandma's path in that department. I've told this story before but I like it so I'm telling it again:

She was a very thrifty, very plain, not at all vain little old lady. She'd get a brown rinse, however often one gets rinses, I don't know. About every decade she'd go a touch lighter so she wouldn't look "too young."

Well. One day in her mid-80's she showed up at our house on a Saturday with pure white hair. (Saturday, of course, being the day she went to the "beauty shop.") She let herself in, pet the dog, put her purse down and announces to us in a resigned sort of way:

"Well...I went gray."

You know, as if it had just happened out of the blue and she hadn't been getting the brown rinse for decades.

:rofl:

[jpgray]

90. You know what they say--once you've gone Gray

You can't get credit.

:dunce:

[Midlodemocrat]

91. Yes. I went gray pretty early and it wasn't a pretty gray at all

If it were a stunning silver or something along those lines, I would have left it, but it is a dull gun metal gray and not attractive at all.

[haele]

92. I'm getting silver "wings".

I've got dark reddish brunette curly shoulder length hair cut with bangs and "feathered" over the ears. The incoming grey looks like I've frosted the feathers. (I'm getting more and more grey with less and less hair as the tweenager becomes a teenager.)

Since I've got my dad's family hair color, in ten years (mid fifties) I'll be a patchy mix of salt and pepper. If my skin's still good, perhaps then I'll do what most of the women in my dad's family do - use a mixture of henna and walnut shell tincture in the hair to gradually even out the color naturally and not be so noticeably patchy until the hair color finally goes to a steel color in the mid-late sixties.

My mom's hair was between mouse-brown or "dishwater blond" (the typical tow-headed kid when she was younger). When she started going noticeably grey, she decided she wasn't getting greyer, she was going blonder, and started frosting, then bleaching until she had enough grey that there were no more dark roots when it grew out.

It may seem to be vanity to try and keep hair color neutral, but when one is working a "professional" job - especially in administration or engineering areas where everyone is looking for young, flexible, productive, "get-er-done" - type workers, ageism can work against you, and appearance is one of the things an increasingly number of the "elite" (or professional - MBA type) management class look at when they're considering who amongst the "lower" levels to hire, promote - or keep in the company. Notice the appearance of their assistants to determine how management views the importance of appearance - if everyone is going around with "professional" looking hair, make-up, and dress, management expects a certain look for their workforce.
I have heard (what I consider) elitist management types discuss these things. Patchy hair color gives the appearance of a "wishy-washy" or uncaring personality. Or it shows that the worker cannot or will not manage money well enough to invest in proper personal grooming and care. They don't want natural beauty, they want corporate mannequins.

Feh. I'd like to just live the life of "wash, towel-dry, and go" as I used to, but since I also want to be able be promoted up the ladder to more of a living wage with even just a bit of cushion, and to retire with a bit more than SS and perhaps a bit of retirement from my 20 years serving in the active military and reserves, I've got to look the part and be able to blend in with the silverbacks and other "alpha" personalities. At least for 20 or so more years.

Haele

[mdmc]

93. I have two very hot friends with grey hair

and DU'er graywarrior is a very good looking lady with gray hair.

[livetohike]

95. No gray yet and I have red hair, but I have

decided that when it does turn gray, I will let it go natural. (I'm almost 54 years old). One Grandma was a blonde and her hair turned white and was gorgeous. If that happens to me, I will be happy :-.

[Momgonepostal]

96. I color and probably will until I'm all or almost all gray

I agree that many all gray haired women look stunning. In my case I have just enough streaks of gray to make my brown hair look even mousier, so I color.