Gone Gray. . . and Loving It?
Calling all “post-newbies!” Once you’ve finally “arrived” at official silver-dom, do you ever really stop trying new things with your hair? As we all know, gray is always a work in progress, and as our hair changes, we change our thinking about it. Yes, we have good gray days, and bad gray days, just like we did when we were coloring our hair. And, sometimes, we keep waiting for that fab flash of white that never seems to come. So here’s our spot to talk about what we’re thinking of doing with our hair. Or share some wonderful compliments, or talk about the changes our “new” hair color has inspired us to make. And, yes, if you want to vent, that too!
Posted by Diana Jewell on 05/20 at 01:20 PM
Carole, Good news from your son! One of my dearest friends is in Atkins, and she and I have kept the phone lines humming these last couple of weeks. Very upsetting times for your beautiful state. Speaking of your beautiful state...I have a group of friends from all over the U.S., and we all get together each June for a “Soul Sister” event. Last year it was floating the Comal river in Texas, guess where it is next year??? EUREKA SPRINGS!! I would love for you to be part of it!! I sent you a PM last week about the Dallas Gray Gathering, if you’re interested in either, drop me a note!
~dede
Posted by wtxgray on 10/30 at 05:35 AM
Hi Dede! I would love to be a part of the Eureka Springs event! Thanks so much for thinking of me! I would love to take a road trip to Dallas, but doubt if I’ll be able to. I’m caregiver to my sweet little mom and she’s not doing well now.
Posted by Carole on 10/30 at 08:22 AM
Dede......Checked my mailbox and didn’t receive a PM. Please send again!
Thanks,
Carole
Posted by Carole on 10/30 at 12:07 PM
Hey Dede. You’re going to have to help me on the PM! I’ve gotten the email
saying that I have one.....but I don’t know how to open it on this site.
Sure do need my computer literate son now to help me!!!!! This is humiliating!
Help.....
Posted by Carole on 10/30 at 12:55 PM
Carole,
You should be able to go to the GGLG home page, in the upper right-hand corner under “MEMBERS” is “Your Account”, you may have to login first, but if your already logged in, just click on this button and you will be taken to your Control Panel. Once you see your control panel, which has a menu, your account statistics, utilites, you’ll see “Private Messages (+)”...click on the plus sign to open them up...and then you’ll see your “Inbox”...VIOLA! I hope this works for you...if anyone else has better instructions please jump in any time!!!!!!! Let me know if it worked!!!
~dede
Posted by wtxgray on 10/30 at 01:15 PM
Dede—perfect advice! Keeping fingers crossed for you, Carole! 
Posted by Diana Jewell on 10/30 at 01:28 PM
what a great site this is…
greeneyes you look so great! i was showing my neighbor (the one who had the dream that she was passing out all the cards from the site..she is texan born and raised) she saw your pics and said she is beautiful!! so this comming from my pal who has no gray hair (naturally)!! so keep the gray commin’!!
i know what you mean about what color is this really going to be??? yes those dyed colors when done well looked so great...but ...and i mean but ...how long did it last??? not long...so i am sooo ready for this whole transition to take place and really play with it..
just yesterday i visited my old work place and one of the women said “you look so tired” well heck i wasn’t tired at all...so i immediately went into “oh brother here we go” mode..of course she is a sooo unnaturally red that i could have said to her ...” well red riding hood you look so pale and ...are you feeling ok?”...but noooo what i did was today i put on a little make-up...now i am not a big make up person but i felt better so i just had to make sure i did not rub my eyes!!
anyway as i run on and on...bottom line this is why our dear diana has this site ...just for all these “moments”
and thank you thank you all of you for your comments and fun support…
and kendall...hang in there with your parents divorce...this too shall pass and just try your best to keep the lines of communication OPEN !!
louann
Posted by lainla3 on 10/30 at 05:46 PM
Red riding hood!!! Love it.
Yeah, makeup does work wonders. Remember what I said about fading away. You don’t have to wear a lot. But a little boost does wonders for the spirit. Have you tried any of the sheer bronzing gels I wrote about in Products You Should Know About/Face? That’s under the Beauty Basics tab. Scroll past the “Cheap Treats” and get to “Be Just Beachy in a Flash.” They don’t provide a lot of coverage, but they always make me feel pretty perky. I even like them in the winter, if I’m having an especially pale day. A little goes a long way, though. But they can give you a really natural, slightly sunkissed look.
I don’t know WHAT we’re going to do about you rubbing your eyes, though!
Posted by Diana Jewell on 10/30 at 07:36 PM
Louann - Thanks for the encouraging words! And also a thanks to your anti-gray neighbor. :o)
You are so funny! I try to imagine what you would sound like if you were speaking your comments instead of typing them. :o) I get the impression you may be able to talk a mile a minute. Am I right? :o) I enjoy reading your comments!
My mother-in-law and her sister are eye rubbers. When I first began dating my husband, they would ask how my make-up lasted all day. And here they were, rubbing their eyes and forehead and cheeks non-stop. :o) They have allergies, so I think that’s why they do it.
Have fun playing in the make-up!
Posted by greeneyes on 10/30 at 08:06 PM
well it is halloween..so i should have fun with the makeup stuff for sure…
diana i am on that makeup chapter in the book...tomorrow i will visit my sister who is ALWAYS after me to “put on some make up”...she is a great gray and 75 and i swear to you ladies she looks in her 60’s...but it is all attitude and the way you carry yourself (this includes makeup and i suppose our clothes too!!) so this is what i mean about the whole transition thing HOW FUN IS THAT ??!!she tends to be pretty bossy to me though since i am 3 months younger than her oldest son!! finally at 53 i have convinced her we are sisters!! i will have to send in a pic of us…
of course it is raining here at the moment...so there goes all the fun activities at school today...it means we have 300 plus kids in the auditorium all dolled and sweaty...help!!!
happy haunting today ladies
louann
Posted by lainla3 on 10/31 at 05:43 AM
Do send pictures Louann!! You’ll look great! And good luck today with the kiddos...my sister works in a day-care center, and she was a bumble bee this morning driving down the highway to work!
Well, I saw a friend yesterday that I hadn’t seen in 2 months, and she walked in and called me Paula Deen! Love it Love it Love it!!
~dede
Posted by wtxgray on 10/31 at 07:25 AM
yet another thread to read- I keep finding new discussions all the time !
Posted by Thisyear on 11/01 at 01:11 PM
My car was acting up, thank goodness it happened now and not on my drive to Tucson, so I had to take it for service and the young girl who was giving me my loaner car said Wow, I love your hair, is it natural? I said yes, Mother Nature seems to know what she’s doing and she said, yes, seems so, I hope mine turns out that way. It’s still a surprise to me everytime someone comments because I’m so used to my hair I don’t think about it, but it’s still cool to get positive feedback, even after all this time.
Posted by sallee on 11/03 at 03:21 PM
Hi, All.
Work has been a DISASTER… more to do than hours in a day. Had to leave my telecommuting behind for 2 months and work in the office (yuck). Best part of that was getting more reaction to the gray. Favorite quote from a co-worker, “Oh my God, your hair looks so fantastic gray! Why did you ever color it?”
My sister is dragging me to her stylist soon as a living example (and with Diana’s book in hand) to work on the plan for her to try again.
In other news… this time of year is great for finding wardrone choices and I’ve finally settled on a new makeup palette I like. It’s too much fun…
BUT now my hair is long enough to get “bed head” and I actually have to use a dryer on it if I’m in a hurry. I’m still letting it grow, but now I’m a little worried about what styling products are safe to use. I don’t want to end up yellowing my hair. I’ve only been using Ojon stuff. So you think a styling creme would work for getting those “piecy” looks? I’m afraid of mousse. Putting anything highly flammable warnings in my hair can’t be good!
Posted by karate_mom on 11/09 at 10:31 PM
Hi Karate Mom and welcome back! We’ve missed you!
A-ha! Now you’re at the bedhead stage, huh? Well, if you want definition, and “piecy” looks, a cream product probably isn’t the best. A cream softens and smoothes the hair, and helps prevent frizz, but it won’t get it to stand up at attention!
If you really want to have fun playing with a spikey look, gels and waxes do it better than creams. They do tend to stiffen and hold the hair. There are very good styling wax products out there—Bumble & Bumble has one, and I use one by Arimino that I got at the salon. A little goes a loooong way, just warm a teensy bit between your fingers.
Most gels contain alcohol, so they will have a flammable warning on them as well. And, yes, they’re more drying than waxes. But they’ve been a solid standby of many a spikey or “wethead” look for years. NONE of these products will keep you from having bedhead in the morning, though! You can go to bed looking spiked and wake up looking shocked. But since short hair is so easy to style, what the hey. Spritz some water on it and start all over again!
Posted by Diana Jewell on 11/10 at 06:25 AM
welcome back karate mom!!
we are hoping for a “reunion” in january and would love to have you there in person!!!
so glad to hear you are enjoying this whole “gray thing"…
louann
Posted by lainla3 on 11/10 at 06:52 AM
Hey Diana, how about a group of bedhead photos 
Mine looks ridiculous when I wake up
Posted by Sharon on 11/10 at 07:41 AM
Hi, again.
I’ll look for a gel…
BTW - I am having trouble getting personal messages. I am set up to receive them but it says my mailbox is full. Only problem is I don’t know where to go to see mailbox! A little help, please…
Ellenina
Posted by karate_mom on 11/11 at 07:37 AM
Alright - use error. I didn’t realize that I have another setting in Email Preferences to check off. Now I see an Inbox. SoCalSilver… please try again. And YES I’d love to join in a reunion in Jan!
Posted by karate_mom on 11/11 at 07:42 AM
Okay… not sure where to post this, but.... I just tested for my 4th Gup rank in Tang Soo Do today and passed with flying colors. (Or maybe that should be flying kicks… Anyway, it means that I have 3 more tests until I go for my 1st degree black belt.) So I represented for the Silver Sisters today!!!
Posted by karate_mom on 11/15 at 05:17 PM
It’s the perfect place to post this, karate mom! All our triumphs should go here, and this is certainly one of them! Although I’m not sure what 4th Gup means, except you are well on your way to a black belt. That’s terrific!
You should send in a pic of you doing a kick with your black belt on when you get it—would be great for Wild Gray Women. You know, that’s not just all about tattoos! It’s about spirit!
Posted by Diana Jewell on 11/15 at 10:25 PM
Congrats Karate-mom!! I have a friend (male not female) who had his black belt quite some time ago. Is karate an Olympic sport?? I thought it was but someone told me it wasn’t, I’m so confused! I too would love to see a photo!
Posted by lulubell on 11/16 at 04:35 PM
Hi all! Congrats Karate-Mom! Please send us pictures. It was fun to see how much your hair has grown since you joined the graduate gallery.
Lulu,
Love your new cut! It is simply adorable. I’d give anything to have some natural curls.
Dede, somehow I imagine that you are just a bubbly and fun as Paula Deen.
What a compliment! Loved the pics from Texas. Wish I could have gone. 
Posted by Carole on 11/17 at 10:21 PM
just as bubbly........typo
Posted by Carole on 11/18 at 01:58 PM
Carole...well...we won’t LET you miss another Texas Gathering! I get alot of the Paula Deen comment, which I certainly take as a compliment! I feel like my hair has had a growth spurt in the last week or so. Paula is wearing hers a little longer the last time I checked too!
~dede
Posted by wtxgray on 11/19 at 09:13 AM
Yes, she has let her hair grow some. I just got my Nov/Dec. issue of her magazine. I just love Miss Paula. Hey, that would be a fun trip. A Savannah
Great Gray Event. Don’t you know we would have a ball with her! Savannah would never be the same!
Posted by Carole on 11/19 at 04:23 PM
Hey Ladies! I’m soooooo tired...work, work and more work, gran-babies, homework, car breakdowns, no man around, money’s tight and where’s my Regenerist LOL. Whoa!!!!! What a month and Thanksgiving is just around the corner, I’m whipped. Oh yea, how’s everyone ;D Nothing like a li’l bellyachin’ to start a conversation. Kon-grats Karate Mom, from me too! Haven’t had much time online, or to read or see all the new pics, but I’ma devote some much needed me time to catching up again. Life gets in the way! Hope all is well with all of you beauties and that it’s only going to get better. I’ve got lots more gray coming in, sticking out all over the place, but love that WEN! Gotta go, sneaking a peak here at work! Be well all!!!!!
Posted by saltnpeppa on 11/20 at 01:43 PM
Diana,
Wasn’t sure where to post this but noticed the “What’s new” on the home page for ....velcro rollers! Turns out I just resurrected a set to bring on a Caribbean cruise 2 weeks ago since its so hard to get a finished look for formal nights on the ship with just a blow-out.
Since I don’t have the patience to ‘set wet’ I also found that just popping in a few strategic rollers into mostly - but still damp blown hair, giving that a spritz of spray, waiting a few minutes then gently taking out the rollers gives me the volume and finish I need.
After reading your article I think I will treat myself to a new set of rollers!
Posted by morningstar on 11/26 at 05:07 PM
I wasn’t sure which chat to put this comment in so this may be a bit random…
I was just checking last years diary and today, 15th December, is a whole year since my last dye! Hooray!!!
(For some reason I had in my mind that it was 22nd Dec, but no, there it is in black and white.)
Thank you so much Diana, I would not have done it without your book and this website.
Sharon
Posted by Sharon on 12/15 at 01:52 AM
isn’t it great??!!!
louann
congrats…
Posted by lainla3 on 12/15 at 06:40 AM
Sharon- my last dye was December 12, 2007....so we got off the bottle almost the same time. :o) I did get some lowlights in January and February, though, since I didn’t do the brave chop. :o)
Posted by greeneyes on 12/15 at 06:53 AM
Wow, what a difference a year makes, huh? But I want to tell all Newbies out there, Sharon really went silver in 3 months! Go see her story, Sharon’s Story. But sometimes it does take a year to get your hair the length you want, etc. All of us are always a work in progress. Just like we were when we dyed or bleached!
There’s a quote I love in my book that says it perfectly—
“Gray is a colour that always seems on the eve of changing to some other colour.” G.K. Chesterton, 1910
Awww, Sharon, you made my day! Just glad we could all be here for you. I think once it’s in your heart to go gray, all it takes is a great sisterhood to back you up.
Posted by Diana Jewell on 12/15 at 07:05 AM
Agreed - once I found this site, I knew the support would be there to stop the color and go for the buzz cut.
As it grows out, it has been looking both light and bright and some days really more pewter. It looks different when I wear it wavy from when I wear it straight. I love how I can also change the look just by changing where I part my hair. It’s actually quite fun. The thing I can’t get over is how soft it is now. I had no concept of how dried out it was from all the coloring.
My sister is giving it another go, so I hope she joins us here soon.
Posted by karate_mom on 12/15 at 10:07 AM
I have not posted in this “room” yet, but I wanted to say that going gray was a great thing for me. I have never looked as old as I really am, and I thought going gray might change that, but it has not as much as I thought. I did have a cashier ask me if I wanted to use the senior citizen discount one day, and I was mortified, but other than that, I am loving it. I have only had two people out of the zillions I know that said I looked better with the unnatural color I was using. All others say it’s gorgeous, including my mom!! I have found that I have to be more careful about my makeup and the colors I wear though. I use self tanner about twice a week to keep some color in my skin. Although I am olive-toned, it does get a jaundiced tint if I get too pale. The gray increases that effect, so self tanner is a necessity for me now. I also make sure to soften my skin with some type of powder, even if it’s just translucent. Gray hair with shiny skin would be pretty nasty. I also try to wear more bright pink and red; these put color in my face. Royal blue, which always made me look very sallow, now is a complimentary color for me. Never would’ve guessed that one. So keeping it bright is the best way for me now. I do love brown and gray, though, so I’m just making sure my makeup compensates for the drabness of those colors. I wore gray one day and not much makeup and two people asked me if I was sick. Hmm, interesting. I am in the growing-out stage now, as I cut my hair short to get the brown gone. I have about 10 months of growth to go before I reach my goal of bra hook length, but I’m keeping my layers; it looks so much better with the piecey look. All the ladies here are so incredibly beautiful; I’m honored to be here with you!!!
Posted by rocksister on 12/23 at 07:56 AM
I just Googled ‘I love my grey hair’ and found some interesting things.... though nothing as comprehensive as Diana’s site of course!
http://www.geocities.com/boo_book/greyhairdaze.html
Posted by Sharon on 12/30 at 04:56 AM
Me again, still Googling! I’ve found a page of self portraits by a woman called Kay Harpa. She is a gorgeous grey and obviously relaxed with her hair.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bou5zou57ki1208yasu/sets/72157605769975710/
Posted by Sharon on 12/30 at 05:21 AM
Diana, I wasn’t sure where to post this comment but I LOVE THE NEW GRAY HAIRSTYLE SECTION! Is that a new photo of Elizabeth?
My ambition now is to graduate from the mid length and layered
section to the long, long, long. I think at the rate my hair grows I’ll be there by the middle of 2010 
Posted by Sharon on 12/31 at 04:03 AM
ok sharon...that makes me think that we have now gone on to graduate school!!!
i am hoping to graduate officially after the next cut...i actually did find a few stray orange ends!!! go figure!!!
all i know is so far i am LOVING IT !! and i appreciate all the different colors shining thru!!
happy new year to you ..you will be in 2009 mode long before me out here on the west coast!!
louann
Posted by lainla3 on 12/31 at 07:09 AM
Thanks, Sharon and Louann—and thanks for being models in the Gray Hairstyles section! Greeneyes commented on it too, and like you, Sharon, she’s inspired by the LONG, LONG, LONG look Elizabeth’s got going. If both of you keep this up, I’ll get to add another “face” to that section!
Posted by Diana Jewell on 12/31 at 07:43 AM
Ooooh! To be in the LONG hair section! Sounds like something to work towards. :o)
Posted by greeneyes on 12/31 at 08:01 AM
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