Ida, you've still got alot of dark in the back - were you originally a brunette? I also have a good bit of dark in the back. Dying to know if I've got a big white streak in front, on one side lol!!

Mt., only when I enlarged the pic could I see the gray. It does look like highlights.

I use a purple shampoo by Redken and then after reading on a website for gray/white hair, it was suggested to use their gray gradient conditioner. The blue shampoo is good for blonds too, especially if you tend to get brassy.

My hair has always been healthy and shiny, although as I said, I lean towards dry (hair and skin both). I've been told/read that gray hair may not look as shiny, but if so, I will probably do a clear gloss treatment. That should help tone down any wild and crazy hairs too! LOL Since my hair is naturally wavy, I get a few of those crazy hairs anyway, especially baby hairs along the hairline.

Recently I added another "going gray" account to my instagram feed. I guess there's alot of us out there focused on our changing hair color!

patriceny, I've been using purple shampoo for years. It used to be much harder to find. Now lots of brands carry it. I think with young people actually coloring their hair gray (what's up with that?) it established a need, because the market tends to not care too much about aging hair. For years I used Joico purple. I like to switch my shampoo now and then and I prefer how the Matrix makes my hair feel. When I was shampooing every day my daughter once pointed out I was picking up a slightly lilac cast. At the time I was appalled and cut back. But now with all the creative colors out there, I don't care if my hair turns purple.

Even if your original hair didn't have warm tones, I think gray/white hair is more porous and prone to pick up atmospheric stuff that can make hair dingy or yellow, ewww.

I used Matrix purple shampoo for a time, but I swear it made the lighter strands of my hair DARKER. In fact, it was so noticeable that each time I came to the office after having just used that shampoo on my hair, someone would always ask if I'd colored my hair darker. It seems to have different effects on different shades of hair.

I'm going gray naturally, one strand at a time. I turned 65 a few weeks ago and have never colored it. At this rate, I think I'll be dead before I turn fully gray.

That's interesting Ida. I forgot to mention that you do not use the purple shampoo daily. I think it would work especially good for blondes who tend to go brassy, but I remember my great-aunt's white hair would tend to get yellowed. Her sister (my grandmother) also had white hair but her's never got the yellow tint???? I don't know that they had purple shampoo back then, but I remember my mom getting her some kind of toner/rinse that was blue/purple to cut the yellow. I would say it your hair is very light/white, it could pick up the purple shade.

Yeah, definitely don't use purple shampoo daily. I found it worked well for me when my hair was colored blonde. Then I could use it once a week or so to soften and help tone down the brassy shades. It doesn't work for my natural strands now, though. But that's ok, since I have grown quite fond of the shampoo bars I've been using. And I didn't have any luck with them whatsoever when my hair was colored!

Hair is weird.

Dedtired, I like your hair color. Interesting how the grey is only underneath. Do you have gray at your hairline? That's where mine is most evident.

So I wanted to take a picture of my hair for this thread, but when I looked at what I had I noticed thinning around my part!! I’m not ready, I’m barely 40. (Well, 41, ish).

Finally a haircut. She took off about 2 inches and that substantially evened up the bottom and reduced the number of unfortunate layers. It already feels thicker and healthier. No pics yet--it's really not that different anyway--because she styles it funny and I need to wash it again tomorrow. I had to fight with her to let me pay for today, but I won. :)

Mtn, my hair is almost entirely gray in the front. The back in the picture is the darkest part. One reason I prefer blonde over my former brunette is that the roots don’t show so much as they grow in. You have very little gray compared to me but I’ve had more years to turn gray than you! I think my natural dark color in the back looks better in the picture than IRL.

Ded, I have seen in your real life and I thought your hair looked great. Quite youthful!

Mtn, let’s face it. You and I are just great looking babes. 😄

Like Jill, I considered just going for the gray when I wasn’t able to get my hair done in March. Blech. Interesting how the gray or silver can look great on some, but on me it’s awful. Maybe it’s at least partly psychological, since in my mind I’m about 38, not 55. My real color is the same as my fake color, a reddish brown. I got it colored a couple of weeks ago. Maybe I’ll allow the gray to creep in when I’m around 70.

Ok so it turns out my hair was more greasy than thinning #quarantine probs

I’m overall happy with the salt and pepper look but wish it were a little more piecey instead of scattered.

Trying to decide on my next fashion color highlights. Last time was purple, blue and pink, before that was green, blue and teal.

I am taking a pass on this gray thing. With wild curly gray hair I look like a mad scientist. Went 3 1/2 months with no cut or color but was able to pull it back and curls distracted from the gray.

Sigh... I‘m envying the curls, Toby, Robo, and cmm.

Inspired by your hair selfies, I booked an appointment for more highlights to see if I can move from base color and a few highlights to low & high lights to minimize the stark line of demarcation (and maybe make a transition to gray easier - at 65 I should be seriously considering this.)

The colorist wanted a photo to see my starting point and I must say capturing your hair from the back is not as easy as it looks. Many shots of the side of the face, the ceiling, etc. Finally came up with this and I obviously need some major conditioning treatments. And should probably do something about those lines on my face.

Going gray tomorrow!!! Today, I had my first haircut since 2/26 today. My plan was to get a *very* short pixie and just let it grow out naturally. My stylist suggested that I have more of a pixie-bob cut and that I have ash blonde highlights put in my hair. She will tone them toward the gray side. She said it will help it all grow out without a line of demarcation. Apparently all I might need between now and fully gray is for her to re-tone the highlights as the toning fades. She could fit me in for color tomorrow, so here goes.....

Bbstx, hope you'll share a photo! It's exciting to get a whole new do!

Another convert!! Bbstx that sounds very similar to What I am doing. My highlights lightened though so a few low lights. We are using a gray toner. How dark are you before the highlights?

Good for you bbstx! I have to say it was a bit of a shock when I had the color foiled out of my hair. I’d walk by the mirror and think OMG who is that blonde woman. I got used to it though and it really made the graying process very tolerable.

Naturally, I am a dark warm brown. Lately, I think my color can be described as a medium warm brown. Not having it colored since late Feb, I think you can call it a brassy brown. My stylist promises me the highlights won’t be orange.

My stylist also said most of my gray is around my face and at the nape of my neck. Apparently, the very back from crown to nape is mostly still dark.

Mine is dark and my highlights didn’t turn orange just too light. I am outside a lot and wear a visor to protect my face, but didn‘t think of my hair. I’m almost white at my temples and forehead! The rest appears to be fairly dark.

Okay, here you go. Pictures on the right are BEFORE, left is AFTER. I tried to take pretty much the same area.

The gray is definitely blended. And the brassiness is gone. I’m a tad disappointed. I thought I was going to come out with lots of distinct gray streaks. My stylist said it will light up with the next two shampoos. If I still want distinct streaks, she’ll put them in in a couple of weeks.

It was an interesting process. First she washed my hair to “fluff“ it. I think “fluff” is the same as raising the cuticle. It was some sort of foul smelling shampoo with horrible fumes. In the Age of Corona, I started coughing in the salon! Fortunately, I was holding my mask over my face while she washed. Then she foiled it in teeny pieces all over. Sat looking like a refugee from a Flash Gordon film for 30+ minutes, some of the time under heat. Then it was washed and toned.

I’m not unhappy, but it is going to take some getting accustomed to. She told me to use a sulfate free shampoo; a blue/purple shampoo is not necessary.

The trip to the salon was generally interesting. Drive up and text that you have arrived. Someone comes to get you. When you come in the door, you have to use hand sanitizer then immediately go to the rest room and wash your hands, then hand sanitizer again before going to the appropriate station. Everyone is masked, although clients are allowed to remove masks while seated and receiving services. They were supposed to have a credit card on file for me, but couldn’t find it. Fortunately, I know the number by heart and they could use that. I carry NOTHING into the salon. Drivers’ license, a credit card, my phone, and my car key are all left in the car. Happily it is a small town with relatively little crime.

Bbstx, I think it looks great! I'll bet you will see it lighten after a few washes.

I'm going in for a trim today. It makes me feel so much better just to have a small amount sheared off. I'm such a freak, though, that I find myself wanting to go in this direction again. Need more spikes in my life I guess!

ETA: My newest rendition. A little bit spikier than before I went in. I think I just enjoy looking like a rooster. 🐔

[Pic deleted]

IC, nice cut! I bought something at the salon today that sounds promising, and might be just the thing for your “rooster tail.” I haven’t had time to play with it yet, so I’m unsure of how it is going to actually work. It is Oribe spray wax. I used to love a wax made by Aveda. They, of course, stopped making it.

Thanks! I'll look into that, especially as I am soon going to run out of my current paste.

Haircut today! With mask. Here’s how the color turned out. I’m enjoying doing a little fashion color just for fun.

Robo that looks amazing. I only know you online but it seems that color suits you well!!

Cute cut, too, Robo!

Really nice, Robo. Is the color permanent or will it wash out?

that looks fabulous, robo. Your natural color and luscious waves are really ideal for that look!

Great look robo!

Thank you ladies! The colour washes out in about four weeks and I get a cut and colour about every eight weeks. I have not really minded the process of the colour washing out to date, but this is the first time she’s done the colour a little bit all over instead of just in one section. She definitely warned me that , you know, swimming pools and sun will make it fade faster. I wash my hair every two or three days and that makes it last longer.

My last color was February 2, but I normally only do it twice a year, so I'm not overdue yet. It's not like I'm fooling anybody that pink, purple, and blue are my natural colors, so I'm not bothered by roots, and my stylist leave a layer of my natural color so that it grows out more gracefully. The color is asymmetric, so the left side and back are all natural. Given the way I color my hair, I could easily grow it out any time I wanted without any drama, no quarantine needed. For now, I like the fancy colors.

And before anyone asks, and missed the implications of the date of my last color appointment, this particular brand of novelty hair color is permanent (though it fades a bit over time).

Okay, I caved. I really wanted to see how the gray would look on me, but it wasn't what I had hoped for. My covid hair was getting really long and feral looking and my natural color was so inconsistent: some white, some grey, some dark brown. I basically looked like this dog (but not nearly as pretty, lol.):

And, to make matters worse, I was hours away from my regular hairdresser. I found a local salon and went for it.:

I'm happy that I did it. It hasn't been this short in years, but I think I am going to keep it like this. It is so much fresher looking.

You're lovely no matter what you do with your hair!

You look beautiful, jojo!

What a pretty smile!

I‘m not happy with my gray. It isn’t so much that it makes me look older, but I think I look like I’ve dumped baby powder on my head! My hair has always been shiny. I don’t think the gray looks very shiny. Are there any products that will make it look shinier?

One size does not fit all and you have to be happy waking up and seeing yourself in the mirror - I still wake up and see my mother 😲 It looks lovely and you'll enjoy having it shorter. Change is good.

bbstx, there are plenty of shine sprays that work pretty well on gray hair. You have to experiment a bit. Some make my hair greasy and/or limp, or they smell awful. I stopped using them a couple of years ago but Garnier Fructis shine spray isn't bad for the price. It's not super long-lasting, but for a couple of hours it imparts a really nice shine to gray hair. One of the pitfalls of gray is it doesn't shine like my natural dark brown hair did, but I attribute that more to coarsening than color.

BB, that was one of the things I worried about because I've always had shiny hair. Colored or not. You can get a clear gloss done at a salon. Not sure how long this lasts. There are color glosses too (a hint of color to the shine) but I don't know if you can get a gray gloss. Check it out. I'm using Redkin Blondage shampoo (not every time I shampoo) which is a purple shampoo. I use the Redkin gray conditioner. It's a nice thick conditioner that I really like. I read somewhere if you had any hint of brassiness (and I do until all the old brown color grows off, it has lightened) to use the shampoo for blond hair and the gray conditioner. Each time I have a haircut mine looks better (of course). I've had compliments on it too. It seems I am going to be a fairly dark gray well medium but the back, lower back especially, is still quite dark. I have a very light streak at my right temple, which is the side I part my hair. I'm to the point where it's kind of exciting to see how it's going to turn out!! I do have a few dark lowlights mixed in the front and crown area (where it's lighter) to help blend the growing out process. I figure if it's too light around my face, I can keep doing that.

Bunny, greasiness has been my experience with shine sprays. I had some Bumble and Bumble that really left my hair greasy. I’ll check out the Garnier Fructis. This morning I happened to notice that I have about 2,000 different bottles/cans/tubes of hair product in my cabinet. Most of them have been used once, maybe twice.

Tina Marie, I’ll see if the salon can do a clear gloss on my hair when I go next. It’ll be awhile since I’m letting mine grow out a bit. I too have a white streak right where I part my hair! Mine is on the left.

bbstx, I'd use it as a light finish, just over the top hairs. It does dissipate after a few hours, but it looks great at first.

I asked my stylist a while back about getting a clear gloss. She wasn't that enthusiastic about it because she said it wouldn't last very long. I think back then I was washing my hair every day. Now every other. I used Joico purple shampoo for years but am liking Matrix So Silver better. Same color, same outcome, just a nicer feel in my hair.

Jojoco - Your hair looks great. It reminds me of the photos you posted when you were planning your wedding a few years ago. The color is so natural and it complements your skin tone.

Looove the fun colors, Robo and cawaps!

I keep thinking I’d love to have just a couple streaks of a fun color (blue? Purple?) but I’m not sure it looks as good with darker brown hair.

bbstx I have found the gloss/serum products that I apply with my hands to work better for me than anything that sprays - more control about where it goes. This is my favorite, very softly scented (I am perfume averse) and lasts forever. I apply about a pea size drop in my palms then rub them together, flip upside down and apply to the ends of my hair first, then flip back and work into the top layers of my hair. Any remaining product I rub into the back of my hands or elbows.

https://www.gkhair.com/p/serum?itemCode=GKH-AC-100-30

I'm still surprised at what a nice gray color mine is - the top/front that is totally blondish gray. The back is darker. I'll be glad when all the yellowish blonde is finally cut off. Haircut today but I won't be getting that much cut off.

I can definitely relate to that brown/black/gray/white dog! Just when I want my hair to grow FAST it seems to be growing very slowly. I just want to get past the brown dye hair.