This is my favorite. I get grey coverage, but it doesn't last super long. I'm to cheap to pay someone and too fearful to do permanent color at home.

http://www.ulta.com/u-color-italian-demi-color-kit?productId=xlsImpprod1990047&sku=2216482&cmpid=PS_Non!google!Product_Listing_Ads&cagpspn=pla&CATCI=pla-41477300408&CAAGID=18002902230&CAWELAID=772013079&catargetid=330000200000525937&cadevice=t&gclid=CNePsYm6l84CFQgaaQodES0BnQ

You have to be very careful with fully gray hair because it can be very resistant to holding color. If the color you use has peroxide (semi perm) it can cause gray hair to turn yellow/orangish when any color that was deposited on the hair shaft eventually washes out.

I would encourage you to have a consult with an experienced colorist and see what s/he recommends. If s/he can create a look you like, then you might be able to move to doing it yourself, but I'd not do it myself at first.

100% gray is different than what some posters may have experience with doing their own hair with less gray. It may work for them, but take your advice from a pro or people who have 100% gray and successful coloring regimen.

1929spanish,

that one sounds interesting but I am thinking that olychick might be on to something with my whole head of white hair maybe I should look to a colorist and see what they have to say.

if anyone saw Hilary,s speech tonight, I would be willing to bet that she has a lot of gray hair but her color tonight was done to perfection.

After reading Oly's post, now I'm freaking out for the future of my cheap hair! ;)

Unfortunately my advice is also go to a colorist. There is no pigment/melanin in pure gray/white hair and the results and what to use depends on the texture, tenacity, and porosity.

I agree with seeing a professional - at least to start with. Here's another thought/suggestion. The shop I go to - there is a customer with beautiful silvery grey hair. Not only is the color so pretty, but she has a great cut. I asked the stylist about her hair. Apparently she was not ready to be totally grey/white (hers really appears to be more a silvery grey) so has her stylist do "highlights" of a darker color. Very thin pieces of hair throughout. I'm not sure what color the highlights (or whatever they would be called that case) is but it really looks great. If you could go that route, it would be something that would not be a total color change, would last longer so even if you have it done professionally, you wouldn't be going that often, and also this method would add body to your hair. Just a thought!

How are you styling your hair? Are you just combing it out are you using a blow dryer or a ceramic curling iron? I dyed my hair for many years and when I quit dying it I found that I am seriously faded salt-and-pepper with bits of white. I quit dying it because it was growing out so fast that I basically would need to dye it every other week to avoid roots. My hairdresser is telling me that adding low lights (dark color) is the way to go. Another friend of mine was lucky enough to go pure white and I think it's much prettier. In both cases we've had to reconsider the cut and how we do our hair. To restore body, I generally switch shampoos from week to week as that seems to prevent the build up that makes everything look flat.

I am reading all this with interest because I'm thinking of letting my hair go natural. I almost did this a couple of years ago, but since I'm going to retire at the end of August I think I'll do it for real this time. I go back to my hairdresser in a couple of weeks so I'll ask her about it. I do know from last time that my hair is not yet fully silver but more brown mixed with a lot of silver. Bleah! Like Linelle and practigal describe it sounds like. I've always trusted my hairdresser so we'll see how it goes. I may ask her about the semi-permanent stuff streaked through as low-lights.

You should stop into a Sally Beauty Supply and speak to a sales associate or manager with a lot of experience.

I had sensitive scalp issues and I got a lot of help there. I have some gray hair and it colors blonde fine with their products. (Blonde is easy.) It's not hard to mix your own color. They can pick out the products you need to mix: color, developer and any additives.

I, too, at 60 decided to stop coloring my hair and I don't regret it. Everyone says the color is more becoming than when I did color it. My hair is almost pure white, with one grayish strand.

Lyban, if you want mostly body, you might want to look into cassia, which is sometimes sold as "neutral henna". It will give your hair a blondish cast, but it does increase the body quite a bit since it coats the hair shafts.

I started getting a few gray hairs when I was 27 (like my great-aunt) and had it professionally colored for some years. Then, I let it go natural, but after a while it started looking too gray (about 10%) so I now use Clairol Natural Instincts "Clove" or medium cool brown. It's just a bit lighter than my actual hair color, so it looks like I have very slight highlights. Much better than the too dark/flat look.

My mom is now all gray (not really white) but she just decided to go for it and went with a dark auburn permanent color. It looks great on her! : )

My friend (70 yo) just bit the bullet and grew out her dyed darkest brown to gray/white and it looks great. Her hair is quite short so it didn't take too long. She was brave to do it without some midway interim color.

I have another friend who just turned 80. She used to have her short thick hair colored red with big blonde chunks. It made her look deranged. Now she's back to gray and looks regal and gorgeous.

My mother is all white.. a beautiful silvery white. It looks stunning. I am very likely to go the same direction but as of now, at 52, I have virtually no gray. She was the same until her early 60s. Both my younger sisters have a substantial amount of gray (which they cover).

A friend recently went from dark to full on gray-- I don't know how she did it but it was seemingly overnight. She has a short, sassy cut and it looks GORGEOUS.

I understand the desire for something new but I say embrace your white-- especially because it sounds like a great white. Get some funky cool earrings or maybe fun glasses or something to better set off your hair cut and color? I'll say that was one of the things I had to nudge my mom to do.. shifting her clothing and makeup colors to better compliment her white hair.

I just got back from an appointment that put magenta and violet highlights in my blonde/white/gray hair. The bright colors only last 6-8 weeks (and fade faster if you shampoo more). I'm very happy.

You have all given me a lot to think about.

my all white hair can look quite nice when I am going out somewhere because of course it has been styled nicely and I am dressed up with earrings and make up. Where as on a daily basis when I am home or just tooting around the neighborhood doing errands I never wear makeup or earrings

i do find that with white hair you have to wear bright colors and do all the extras, I guess I a going to have to embrace make up and earrings.

It is a small thing but I do know earrings, even if just my pearl studs makes a difference.

i think I will also buy some new fun bright framed glasses. I guess I just need a change and more work on my style. I think the thinning of hair in your 70's is also what is getting to me. I use to have such thick hair....

you guys have made me feel better already. Thanks

I think quite a few people here use Redken #6 to make their hair look thicker.

I, too, have all white (silvery) hair and share your pain about it being thinner and flatter without coloring. That said, I think a really great haircut with lots of texturizing is a big help. Interesting thing happened on our trip to Mexico this spring. It was so hot/humid there was no way to dry my hair w/out melting my body, so I just gelled it and let it go. It looked OK, so now I always do that and have discovered that my hair is healthier and seems to have more body. Go figure.

I just met my cousins wife at a reunion and I was admiring her pure white hair when I noticed a bit of sparkle. Her stylist had put in 20 silvery strands like tinsel only the width of thin thread. It looked nice. Dressy and fun but not obvious.