Café Gray

Here’s to a great ‘08!

Happy New Year, everbody!
Made any resolutions? If one of them is to let your gray hair come in, whether you do it with professional help or cold-turkey, keep us posted on your progress. We’re here to help and back you up every step of the way. Here’s to a great (gray) ‘08!

Posted by Diana Jewell on 01/01 at 06:57 AM

My resolutions are to continue to keep my good grades, to continue running, and to not cave in and dye my hair, haha.

Posted by kendall88athlete on 01/01 at 07:25 PM

Love ‘em! And love the way you priortized them. Studies first, health next, then hair. After all, it’s only hair! But why the ha-ha??? If you cave, you cave. Like any resolution. At 19, you’ve got soooo many years ahead to try all sorts of things, Kendall. I think it’s fabulous you’re going with being unique first, and you should give it your best shot. Go for it. Live with it. See if you like it. Some “preemies” stay with it the rest of their lives because they have fun with it. Others don’t. At every stage of your life you have to do what’s right for YOU! Oh, and PS—I can’t wait ‘til you post your pic! D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 01/02 at 10:22 AM

Well, my resolutions weren’t as strong as yours. I CAVED! I went well over a year without coloring my hair and except for one great white streak, I hated the way I looked. Just too washed out. I didn’t recognize myself in the mirror.

It has now been another year and I am tiring of the “every 4 weeks” process. So, I am thinking, but not yet committed. Not quite sure what will push me over the edge.

Posted by peony on 01/03 at 01:56 PM

Hi Peony! Before I give you a gentle shove, tell us—what color is your hair? What kind of skintone do you have? All these things factor in. D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 01/03 at 03:03 PM

Ms Jewell---
You really are a gem to provide this useful information in such a comprehensive and understandable way. It’s precisely what I’ve been looking for. I think I’ve finally decided to let my gray grow-out. I’ve been coloring my hair for 25 years and I’m tired of the monthly salon trips, the money spent and the damage it’s caused. I’m also concerned about constantly putting chemicals on my head. But here’s my problem. Gray is a very cold color. Cold colors simply look horrid with my skin tone. My dyed shade is a rich, warm auburny-brown. My make up and clothing palettes are warm as well. I have no idea how to heat-up the coolness of gray. Can you help?
Thanks again for your great site---it’s a pleasure to visit!
Sincerely,
becuz

Posted by becuz on 01/04 at 08:30 AM

becuz -

For a minute I thought you were impersonating me. We seem to have similar coloring - my natural hair color is chestnut - more auburn than brown - and I look awful in cool colors. Give me warm tones, but in the summer I LOVE to wear turquoise and chartreuse.

I do not have the same concerns as you about chemcials; and my hair is in very good condition and feels great. While getting a hair cut yesterday I talked to my stylist and colorist about the problems all redheads have...too much red color and our gray either goes pink or purple - not pretty. I was told I either had to go browner or more strawberry. Neither is an option as far as I am concerned.

Let’s see what Ms Jewell thinks.

Posted by peony on 01/04 at 08:59 AM

Hi becuz—Welcome! And thanks for your nice comments. Now, let’s get to work. Peony—stay tuned, too. First, let’s deal with red hair. I know two fabulous, leading colorists in New York—Vivienne Mackinder and Beth Minardi. Both of them teach the art of color to thousands of professionals around the country. And BOTH of them are vibrant redheads! Guess what? Neither one is about to go gray. Viv says she’ll just turn sandy, and end up looking like a beach. Beth says successful redheads have the hardest time of all colors going gray. Sorry. But you got it from the pro’s mouth. Neither say you’re going to turn pink or purple. Red sort of fades away. You may look sandy or peachy, depending on the depth of your original red tone. But think about it. Hair knows what it’s doing. As your skin tone begins to appear paler (for numerous reasons that you can read about here, or in the book), a deep, strong auburn can look harsh—we’ve all seen women who have that “hard” look well past the time when they should. Far better you soften it up—somehow. You can find out how Beth Minardi would take a redhead gray in the book. And, surprise, it doesn’t involve looking gray at all. But softening the color by weaving in buttery blonde and soft auburn shades until it gets to the point where it goes with your skintone, without contrasting too much. She says it’s very flattering to that pale, redhead skin that has changed over the years. You can keep doing this until you reach the level of gray you can accept in your hair, but it makes for a smoother transition. Once your hair becomes more muted, with maybe some striking white at the temples, you might be ready to go all the way. But you’ve got to get to stage one first.

Now, becuz—I tend to think you’re more of a “rich, warm brown” with just a tinge of red, right? And you also sound like you’re tired of the chemicals, so you’re not a great candidate for continuing the process of, well, processing. You actually sound like you have my coloration—sort of tawny and warm. I have brown eyes, too, which made me feel I’d never make a great gray. I love blue eyes, green eyes, with gray hair, and here I had brown. Bummer. It definitely takes a little strategy to get makeup and wardrobe right.

You can find tips here in the Beauty Basics and Fashion Finds section. There are more in the book, but this is a good place to start. You’ll find out how to “cool” the colors you wear—on face and body—just a bit, without turning into Snow White. Your wardrobe will evolve gradually. Now mine is mostly black, silver and gray. Cool colors, all. And with the right makeup, they work! I’m a huge fan of gray now—but certainly wasn’t when I was growing out my “blonde.” Man, I loved all those camel, tawny, gold shades. What got me from point A to B? Being willing to try new wardrobe and makeup colors as I was evolving.

So you begin by looking for colors that have a “drop” of gray in them—teal, turq, or grayed pastels like celadon and violet. Now, for your makeup—you’re NOT going to go to a pink-based makeup if you have any yellow at all in your skintone, but there are ways to compliment your tawny coloring there, as well, by just doing simple things. Like switching from a coral lipstick to a peachy-rose. The rose gives you the “coolness” you need, the peachiness still plays to your underlying skin tone. Down the road, you may switch to an earthier rose, or a golden red (not a cherry red). The gold compliments your skintone, the red gives great energy with gray or icy white hair. Don’t want to repeat myself here—go to those two sections of the site I mentioned above, and then get back to me if you have more questions.

And, please, guys, no more Ms. Jewell. I’m Diana. We’re all on a first-name basis here! D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 01/04 at 04:04 PM

Dear Diana,
My soon-to-be-gray head is spinning! I cannot BELIEVE the time you took to answer my question! You gave me dozens of great solutions that I cannot wait to try. I’m going out this weekend to look for palettes in both makeup and clothing that will incorporate my natural warm tones with cooler gray colors. Peachy-rose lipstick----why didn’t I think of that??? As much as I enjoy your personal responses, I MUST buy your book. It’s got to be bursting with great advice. Off to search your site for ordering instructions.
Many thanks for your expertise and sincere interest.
As I said---you’re a gem!

Becuz
PS---Peony---I think she hit the nail on our graying heads!

Posted by becuz on 01/04 at 04:27 PM

My resolution is to go gray for 2008. Last coloring was Dec 16th so I am approaching the one month mark. I have vivid, long, red hennaed hair and my hair is growing out on top nearly 100% white. I appear to be a 50% salt and pepper in the back and around the face. Suffice it to say my grow out is striking and bizarre.

Because my hair is hennaed, it can’t be dyed so I can’t use any of those tricks with frosting to make the transition smoother. It is a cold turkey grow out or nothing. Shaving my head, or even cutting it short, is not an option. Right now, my hair is cut in 12 inch layers so it falls past the bra line on my back. My tentative plan is to grow out my hair for a year at which time I hope to have 6 t 8 inches of natural color--at which time I will consider getting it cut into 6-8 inch layers.

We shall see. My skunk stripe is becoming apparent. Kind of looks like I have a huge white spotlight on the top of my head. As it grows out, it will just get worse. I hope I have the courage to just ignore the stares and having people wonder if I am insane. Ultimately, I can’t stand the bother of coloring my hair every two weeks anymore. And because of my roots, I have to do it that often. So far, despite my absurd look, I am feeling a sense of freedom. No longer a slave to scheduling every other weekend around a 3 hour henna job. Hopefully I will welcome 2009 with a natural head of hair.

Posted by Keri on 01/11 at 06:43 PM

Hi Keri—Glad you dropped in! All I can say is, you’re one brave lady! I was about to say just whack off some of that red, but I read your other blog, and I “get it.” I’ll comment on that one where you posted it. Meanwhile, yours is a tricky wicket. Let me do some research on this because we can’t have people thinking you’re insane! I’ll get back to you. Keep the strength you show! Best, D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 01/11 at 08:08 PM

I was debating about doing highlights with the gray but I have decided not to do anything right now. If I decide I don’t like the way it looks I am going to use the temporary hair dye. My hair is below my shoulders so I was concerned with how it would look. I am not willing to cut my hair short. I will just hang on and wait at least until the summer before I make any decision.

Posted by NatW on 01/21 at 01:57 PM

Hi Nat --
I think that’s wise. I didn’t mention that I only got my hair cut short after many, many months of keeping it shoulder length. That’s what drove my colorist nuts! But I really wanted to see the grow-out process in action. I was fascinated by it. And I didn’t cut it because I couldn’t take it anymore. I was just tired of the length. I wanted a new look to go along with the “new” me. Again, if you decide to use a temporary hair color you might go for a shade lighter than your normal color. That way, you’ll get highlights as a bonus! Have fun with it, D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 01/21 at 04:33 PM

Diana, this being an election year, I think it would be an interesting stat to see how many gray women get elected to state and national offices. I don’t know if anyone saw Anne Kreamer’s appearance on Marth Stewart, but between all of the efforts by you great women, gray women are really more in the spotlight than ever before! I think we could be a real force in this year’s elections. What do you think Diana?

Kendall

Posted by kendall88athlete on 01/23 at 08:44 PM

Kendall:

I totally agree on the women in office. I saw a reponse the other night by a woman in government that had the most beautiful gray hair I’ve seen. I’ll try and find a pic and post a link.

I think it is becoming so much more a fashion statement in its way, rather than in the old days, sadly, that people thought you “just didn’t bother”!

Posted by tinal on 02/01 at 04:17 PM

Could that have been Kathleen Sebelius, the Governor of Kansas who gave the rebuttal to the State of the Union speech? She was all-white, but looked fabulous. There are actually very few women in public office who allow their hair to go gray—which is a pity. Get over it, I say! You’re so right—you can look professional, sharp, YOUNG, and definitely more credible if you don’t have a crop of obviously dyed or bleached hair. Sadly, the women who look like they just didn’t bother—don’t! D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 02/01 at 04:46 PM

Diana,

I stumbled upon your website while surfing the net for some pretty ladies in gray. Thanks for the website!

I am 44 years old and recently stopped coloring my hair. My last overall color was in December.

I spotted my first gray hair when I was 25 and since then have highlighted, lowlighted, and a few years ago began overall coloring. Something clicked in my brain last year and I wanted to stop the madness. Not that coloring is crazy, but I am tired of doing what I feel is socially acceptable and I want to do it my way. I’m tired of the chemicals, tired of the unnatural colors, tired of the dull, dry hair…

My stylist wasn’t happy when I told her I was growing my natural color(s), whatever they may be. Her first statement was, “You will look like a homeless woman!” Gee thanks! I wanted her to highlight but she refused, promising it won’t look right. She wanted to lowlight instead, so I agreed. After 2 months of lowlighting I am unsure I will let her do it again since I think she is trying to hide the gray.

So! I hope I make it all the way. There is not much support for gray hair in my small part of the world.

Thanks for the encouragement and great pictures on your site!

Posted by greeneyes on 02/15 at 03:38 PM

Hi Greeneyes --
I’m glad you found us, too! Sounds like you need a new colorist! Some will work with you, some won’t. I had a woman tell me “My stylist won’t let me go gray!” Um, who’s in charge, here? You didn’t say what color your hair is, but lowlighting can a viable option. Usually to increase the contrast so the whites really pop. But it doesn’t sound like your whites got a chance to get going. (Or glowing!)

You also may have been very right about wanting a lighter shade worked in—to soften the contrast during transitioning. I think we all know, in our gut, what is right for us.

So I hope you cruise the site, find out all you can, and then, armed with this info, tell your (new) colorist exactly what you want to do.

And come back often for any support you need! By the way—where IS your small part of the world? D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 02/15 at 05:31 PM

Thanks for your reply, Diana.

I think you are right....I need a new colorist. Many stylists think they own your head after awhile...no offense to any stylists out there.

The first application of lowlights really did help, but I would like to see some highlights as well, to lessen the gray line beginning to occur. I think I am 50% white, though still uncertain at this point. I remember when my mom was beginning to gray; a lot of her friends had their hair “frosted” and that is what I was hoping for. (By the way, my mom is late 60’s and has never colored her hair, not a strand! I have been more vain and more influenced by our culture, I suppose.) My stylist assures me the highlights would not work over my brown colored hair. I have had highlights in the past and she has even put some in my hair, so I just don’t get it… By the way, my natural color is medium brown. I was having my hair colored brown, a couple of shades lighter than my natural brown with subtle highlights.

I need to pop on over and order your book. I think it would help keep me motivated and also supply the information I need.

I am a Texas transplant. The only gray ladies I see are over 60, or younger ladies who don’t seem to care about their appearance, hair or otherwise. My mother and my writing coach are the only two cheerleaders I have in going gray. My husband says “try it,” though he seems apprehensive about it. He says, “you can always go back to color.” My friends say I am too young to go gray and they would NEVER consider going gray. They think I am crazy, or depressed, or planning to let myself completely go. I exercise, watch my weight, wear make-up, fix my hair, and have always tried to look my best, so why do they think the color on my head will change me? Why is EVERY hair color other than gray acceptable? My hair color does not define me. Makes no sense to me…

Thanks for letting me vent. :o) Sorry for such a long post. Gotta go order the book.

Posted by greeneyes on 02/16 at 08:36 AM

Vent away! That’s what we’re here for. But, really, you hit on some of the reasons I wrote the book—I think gray should be considered a COLOR, along with blonde, brunette, and red. Why isn’t it? Why do people think gray means letting yourself go? None of us are—or will! I say going gray WELL is the best revenge. Then your doubting friends will see—all the various shades of it can be really gorgeous. Yeah, I can get on this soapbox, big time!

It’s funny what you say about Texas. Because, for awhile there, Texas was taking the lead in book orders. I was quite surprised—I thought—isn’t this the state of beauty pageant winners and yellow (blonde) roses? What gives here? So there are definitely a lot of ladies from your state who want to know more about this. Maybe you just haven’t run into any. They come from ALL over that big state.

And thanks for ordering the book. Puts Texas ahead again! BTW, I was in Texas last November, and got a lot of compliments on my hair. So maybe it just depends on WHERE you live. Do you think the reactions would have been different where you “transplanted” from?

You said your friends think you’re too young to go gray, but if you saw the picture of Ashley in our Great Grays Gallery, she’s pretty young, LOVES her hair just the way it is, thank you, and she’s from Texas, too!

Keep sticking to what you want for YOU! And keep us posted, D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 02/16 at 09:46 AM

LOL, try being a 19 year old college sophomore in California and gray. So many blondes and brunettes out here, but I wouldn’t change my hair for the world now. It is unbelieveably empowering!! Greeneyes, I say go for the gray!

Kendall

Posted by kendall88athlete on 02/16 at 09:58 AM

Diana, I am really surprised to hear about all these Texans buying the book. Maybe we’ll have more gray here soon. I know I’m working on it!

I am determined to see what color my hair truly is. I’m beginning to see plenty of white coming in and one moment I get all excited, the next I feel fear in the pit of my stomach. Of course I’m feeling the excitment over doing what I believe in, then the fear comes when I consider the opinions of others. So! I will try to focus on the excitement!

I’ll keep checking in and someday look forward to sending a picture! It will be awhile… I surely will learn some patience, I hope!

By the way, the pictures of great grays are very motivating. More would be great to see, maybe broken up in age groups such as teens, twenties, thirties, and so on!

Thanks again!

And Kendall...thanks for the encouragement. I have seen your comments here and there and you are an inspiration to us all...even those of us who are much older than you!

Posted by greeneyes on 02/17 at 08:02 AM

Hi Greeneyes --
Oh, the old pit-of-the-tummy fear, eh? I know you ordered the book, so I recommend you go straight to the “Impression Management” section. There’s a great technique for estimating the importance of YOUR reactions to the reactions of those around you. Try it. It’s different for everyone, but it’s a way to gauge the value you place on the opinons of different people. It really clarifies things. There’s no right or wrong—it just lets you know, personally, why some opinions count more to you, some less. You’ll see that “others” aren’t just one big amorphic group of critics. When it’s broken down that way, it allows you to say—ok, I value this opinion, I can disregard that one, and it does lessen the overall anxiety.

Thanks for the tip about breaking it down into age groups. It’s a good one, and will consider it in the future. Best, D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 02/17 at 10:55 AM

Diana,

Thanks for the advice. I’m looking forward to reading the book, especially the section you mentioned.

Thanks for the inspiration and for investing your time in answering my entries. I’ll try to be quiet for awhile, at least until I read the book. :o)

Posted by greeneyes on 02/18 at 08:23 AM

Hey—never have to be quiet around here!! Everything you say—and how you handle things—resonates with others, too! Don’t be a stranger. D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 02/18 at 09:29 AM

I still have not colored my hair. I discussed the possibility of doing low lights once more gray comes in but I have not made any decision on that. I will be unemployed for a couple of months so I am going to just let the gray come in. If I don’t like the way it looks before I have to go on interviews I will either do the wash out color or the low lights. I am stubborn and refuse to cut my hair short. It is below my shoulders and I like it that way. I am just not sure once more gray starts growing in. I think if I do anything it would be the wash out color so this way it isn’t permanent.

Posted by NatW on 02/22 at 05:14 PM

Hi Nat—Sounds like you’re getting there! But didn’t you post earlier that you were thinking of getting highlights? Now you’re thinking of lowlights? I’m a bit in the dark here because I don’t know what your “natural” color is. And how long are your roots now? I think it’s a great idea to just let more come in, especially since you don’t have to face the “office.” Relax—and just watch. Doing a wash-out rinse will help you know if you want to go a bit lighter or darker. (ie, highlights or lowlights). A temporary rinse won’t lighten hair significantly, however. But it can brighten it a bit.

Lowlights will actually make the gray/whites “pop,” increasing the contrast. Highlights, on the other hand, will make the gray/white blend in more, so the contrast is not so sharp. Two different techniques, with two different end objectives. Highlights involving bleach will chemically change your hair (requiring grow-out), lowlights—if you use a demi—will gradually fade. Yup—I like your temporary solution best. For awhile, anyway. D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 02/22 at 05:57 PM

Hi greeneyes - I just read your posts. My goodness, do we have the same friends and families? Maybe it’s a Southern thing. My mom’s from the south. She’s having the worst time with this. I chopped off all of my hair. My mom was in tears over it. Geez. I was a dark brunette in my pigmented days, so that’s the color I dyed it. Going from dark brown to white is really a big change. It was more work trying to do it gradually and the stupid wash out color kept staining my hair. So I whacked it off. I emailed some photos to my mom this morning. She started laughing. Then she stopped and said, “Oh gosh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t laughing because you look funny. I was laughing because you don’t look as horrible as I thought you would. Actually, I kind of almost like it. Sort of. Why is it so short?” Good grief. Oh well, at least she’s had a preview before I head back to Michigan for a visit this weekend.

Posted by lisagreen on 02/27 at 01:54 PM

Hi 12green.

I really enjoyed reading your story. I must say my mom is my biggest cheerleader yet just about my ONLY one. I’m glad your mom seems to be warming up to your new look and it was a great idea to send the pictures so she has time to think about it before you arrive. You wouldn’t want to shock her too badly!

Most of my extended family and in-laws have no idea I am doing this since we live states apart. Many of them will freak out I am sure. I have always been one to keep my color looking great and probably one of the vainest people in the family.

I am considering a good hair cut myself. I am/was also a dark brunette and now I am maybe 50% white...I’m really still trying to figure it out since my new growth isn’t very long yet. Anyhow, I had longer hair past my shoulders but last month had it cut more collar bone length. Now I am wanting to go shorter to make the transition quicker. We’ll see!

It sounds like you are doing well in your transitioning! Are you mostly white? Were you able to get all the color cut off?

Enjoy your trip north and show off those pretty whites!
Best wishes to you!

Posted by greeneyes on 02/27 at 08:47 PM

Diana,

I received your book and am enjoying it. I have read some, scanned some, and have gone back to it for advice and encouragement from time to time. I’m so glad to have such a resource!

My mom called me yesterday to say there was an article about going gray in Better Homes and Gardens. I tried to buy one today at the store but to no avail. I’ll keep looking. It’s always nice to hear more stories about “great grays.”

I’m still daily inspecting my new growth, getting more excited and nervous each time. Unless I change my mind, I have decided to just let it come in the rest of the way without lowlighting, highlighting, or any other color help. Plus, I am considering a shorter cut to shorten the time of transition.

Until next time…

Posted by greeneyes on 02/27 at 08:54 PM

Hey Greeneyes—Thanks for the nice compliments! I’m glad the book is helping you get through this. And I’ll look for that Better Homes & Gardens article, too. It’s nice grays are in the spotlight more and more. It’s fun to check new growth daily, isn’t it? I think that’s something we all do. I still do it—looking for more white. A friend of mine told me I was a “white junky.” Ha!

Noticed you were asking 12green about her length and color. Happy to say you’ll now find her in the Gallery (under Great Grays tab). She’s Lisa. Forgot to add that she posts as 12green, but this is as good a place to say it as any! Go look. D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 02/27 at 09:14 PM

It’s not really the “New Year” anymore since it is March but I guess it’s my “new year”. I have wrestled with the idea of going gray ever since I saw an article in More Magazine. I just turned 45 in January. I am tired of getting my hair colored every 4 weeks although I am luckier than most because my mom is a hairdresser so at least I haven’t had to pay $100 every time to get it done. Even though it’s “free” for me I am tired of being a slave to the feeling of having to get it done. I have dark brown hair (I think), dark brown eyes, and I’m olive complected. I color my hair a lighter brown than what I think my “natural” color is and it gets natural highlights on its own. My plan is to try it “cold turkey” and see how it goes. This is part of my “tell everyone” stage so I am committed to doing it! My 22 year old daughter is my cheerleader at the moment. She is so excited about it. My last color was 5 weeks ago and the roots are starting to show. So, we’ll see how it goes!

Posted by SMLopez on 03/06 at 11:25 AM

Hi SML!!! Welcome aboard. I’m new to the group, and the gray, as well. The article in More Magazine was the clincher for me. I’d been thinking about it (usually as I sat with the brown goop on my head) for some time. I was touching up every 2 weeks. Insanity! Then I saw the More article and I was convinced. I stopped coloring my bangs first, to kind of get a feel for it. I liked how it looked, but the upkeep was even worse. I had to keep the white hair away from the brown hair, and covered in vaseline, every time I touched up the roots. Geez. I gave up the bottle for good 3 weeks ago when I cut off all my dyed hair. It was scary, but I really like it. No more hair dye, and it takes 3 seconds to “do” my hair. Talk about freedom!!!! Good luck to you. It’s an adventure. It’s amazing when you finally start to see what it looks like under all that dye. It’s really cool. I’m 44, and almost completely silver. I’d been dying it medium brown (which always looked flat black) since my 20’s. I have very fair skin and aqua eyes. I was afraid the silver hair would make me look pasty and washed out. The opposite has happened. The little bit of color in my face has come out since it’s no longer contrasting with all the dark hair. My husband asked if I’d changed my make up. Nope… just letting the real me show. Nice.

Posted by lisagreen on 03/06 at 11:51 AM

Thanks 12green for the encouragement! I had forgotten about how much I hate the stained skin around my face the first couple of days after getting my hair colored. Just another reason to give it a try!!!! I’ll let you know how its going!

Posted by SMLopez on 03/06 at 12:19 PM

Hi SML—wanted to add my welcome, too. See you’re busy chatting! 12green is right—this is the start of a whole new adventure for you! Whenever you have second thoughts, you just come here! It’s so interesting to see what everybody else has done, and how they handled every little snag in the road. You’ll get lots of ideas from our own great grays! Have fun with it! D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 03/06 at 01:32 PM

It looks like the number of new members of this group is like our own gray hairs- they keep sprouting up, haha.

Kendall

Posted by kendall88athlete on 03/08 at 11:51 AM

hee-hee. That’s as it SHOULD be!

Posted by Diana Jewell on 03/08 at 01:06 PM

Well it’s very encouraging. I told my neighbor this morning that I quit coloring my hair and she said, “You’re going gray?” YOU BET! Diane, I also picked your book up from the library yesterday and I love all the pictures in it of wonderful gray hair! I can’t wait to see what color my hair is!

Posted by SMLopez on 03/08 at 03:53 PM

Well, good, SML! Glad you liked the pics. We’re building quite a nice Gallery here, too. It’s exciting to see what color your hair is, isn’t it? Just remember—you’re a work in progress! Tell that to your neighbor! Diana

Posted by Diana Jewell on 03/08 at 03:59 PM

Hello Diana,

Thank you for replying back. I’m going to look into the Roux Fanciful. I’m leery about bleaching my hair and then applying the Italian Silver Argento Hair Color, it may not come out right. Also, I thought of the semi-permanent hair dyes like Clairol’s Natural Instincts (I believe this is the name) that wash out in 28 days. It’ll make transitioning to a full head of gray hair easier, and I won’t have the two-tone color problem in the meantime.

Thank you for all your tips.

Posted by Avisval on 03/11 at 12:14 PM

Hi Avisval - I just read your post above. I wanted to let you know, I tried the semi-permanent color. I messed around with it for well over a year before I realized that it doesn’t come out. The first application probably does, but once you start re-touching the roots you still end up with a progression of color from natural roots, to light yellow, to orange, and on and on. This stuff doesn’t make transitioning easier. You won’t have 2 tone, you’ll have as many tones as times you color. I even had a problem with the stuff that washes out in 6 shampoos. It was a nightmare. I finally just chopped off all my dyed hair. My dyed color was dark brown, so I’m sure that had something to do with it. If my hair was lighter maybe it would have been less noticeable? Good luck to you.

Posted by lisagreen on 03/11 at 12:51 PM

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Here’s to a great ‘08!

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