# Grey, greyish, white, whitish or colour ?



## Treacle (Jul 17, 2020)

Since the lock down I have not bothered to colour my hair. I don't go to the hairdressers but my o/h helps with those non permanent colouring applications. It's worked ok for many a year. But now I'm wondering whether I should let nature takes it course. My sister is reluctant to do that for herself  because she says that when the grey hair comes through at the roots she looks like a skunk. I love her to bits and it wouldn't bother me what she did with her hair, might draw the line if she did smell like a skunk. However, I digress. Anyone else thinking of going Au naturel .


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## Aunt Marg (Jul 17, 2020)

I count my blessings, Treacle, that I've been able to hold onto my youthfulness (hair colour is still original), but if ever I do go grey I like to think I'm going to allow nature to take it's course.


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## Ken N Tx (Jul 17, 2020)

<------My wife has asked me if I still would love her when she is old and gray, I replied that we made it through all the other colors!! The swelling went down in about 3 days!!


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## RadishRose (Jul 17, 2020)

I had all the scraggy, longish, blonde/gray lopped off to a neat bob with bangs earlier this year. I sort of like the color of my hair. It is light gray with some white.

My state re opened hair salons not long ago, so I got in for another cut after about 12-13 weeks.

I am relieved not to look like I have mold going out of my head and the shorter cut is just right for me.


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## Pepper (Jul 17, 2020)

@Treacle 
What does o/h stand for?  I'm guessing the h is for husband, but can't figure out o/


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## Ken N Tx (Jul 17, 2020)

Pepper said:


> @Treacle
> What does o/h stand for?  I'm guessing the h is for husband, but can't figure out o/


I believe  *Other Half*


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## Pepper (Jul 17, 2020)

I went natural a few years ago because of the roots, but I'm lucky, the shade is platinum shiny white.  I need a haircut, but I don't think my hairdresser is clean in normal times, so I bet he's worse now.  During a FaceTime the other day, my son said I looked pretty!  I almost fainted!  He usually reminds me I'm falling apart--which I am.


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## PamfromTx (Jul 17, 2020)

Gray hairs are sprouting out in my hair; I will just let nature take its' course.


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## asp3 (Jul 17, 2020)

My wife is looking forward to me dying my hair again.  I definitely went through the skunk period and she started calling me Pepe Le Pew for a while.  I'll be dying mine again shortly after she cuts my hair again, but I'll get a good picture first.  I kind of like the way my very gray hair is looking but since I work in a field with a lot of young people I fit in better with my hair dyed black.  Most people at work who don't know my age think I'm about 10 to 15 years younger than I am and were shocked when I said I was going to be a grandfather this March.


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## Pecos (Jul 17, 2020)

asp3 said:


> My wife is looking forward to me dying my hair again.  I definitely went through the skunk period and she started calling me Pepe Le Pew for a while.  I'll be dying mine again shortly after she cuts my hair again, but I'll get a good picture first.  I kind of like the way my very gray hair is looking but since I work in a field with a lot of young people I fit in better with my hair dyed black.  Most people at work who don't know my age think I'm about 10 to 15 years younger than I am and were shocked when I said I was going to be a grandfather this March.


The VP who hired me for my first civilian job after I retired from the Navy made it very clear that they did not want me to color my hair. They wanted a Senior Engineer/Lab Director who looked like he had some experience under his belt.


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## Pecos (Jul 17, 2020)

pamelasmithwick said:


> Gray hairs are sprouting out in my hair; I will just let nature take its' course.


My wife decided to go gray several years ago and she looks good.


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## Treacle (Jul 17, 2020)

Pepper said:


> @Treacle
> What does o/h stand for?  I'm guessing the h is for husband, but can't figure out o/


o/h = other half -  the idea of husband    - no offence to husbands ☺


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## IrisSenior (Jul 17, 2020)

I was already thinking of not colouring my hair anymore so... I do need a cut desperately but I am still hesitate to go to the hairdresser.


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## hollydolly (Jul 17, 2020)

IrisSenior said:


> I was already thinking of not colouring my hair anymore so... I do need a cut desperately but I am still hesitate to go to the hairdresser.


 Don't be hesitant. Your stylist should be wearing a perspex type mask, you should be separated from other clients, and you can wear your own  mask throughout the procedure if you wish .. go and get it done you'll feel much better..


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## Treacle (Jul 17, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> I count my blessings, Treacle, that I've been able to hold onto my youthfulness (hair colour is still original), but if ever I do go grey I like to think I'm going to allow nature to take it's course.


Do you smoke/ have you smoked Aunt Marg? - only ask because of your 'Avitar' (I think that's what it's called, still learning)  ? My younger sister swears there is something in her cigarettes, apart from nicotine, that stops the hair going grey but ,as I pointed out, it hasn't stopped the wrinkles!!!!! Only joking love her to bits. Might it be arsenic in tailored made cigarettes? But just thought I would look this up to see if there was any truth in what she believes and up came an article from France which states that smokers could be better protected than others from the novel coronavirus because *nicotine* blocks its docking sites.  Not what I was looking for and is a discussion on another post. But found out there is arsenic in cigarettes.  I used to smoke roll ups, liquorice papers and filter tips but gave up a long time ago.  well I might have the odd one a few times a year when the old stress button is pressed. . Actually my other sister smokes and she has the 'skunk' look  (bless) so that theory doesn't hold water.


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## Autumn (Jul 17, 2020)

I started going gray in my early 20s.  I colored my hair for years, but I finally went natural about 8 years ago.  My hair is a shiny silver color, and I get a lot of compliments.

The only drawback was that my husband did not have even one gray hair on his head.  When he passed at age 75, he had a full head of dark brown hair.  So after I went natural, I felt like a "little old lady" next to him.  Once, the grandchild of one of hid work associates (a little boy about 4 years old) pointed to me and asked,"Is that your mother".  

He NEVER let me live that down!


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## Keesha (Jul 17, 2020)

Treacle said:


> Since the lock down I have not bothered to colour my hair. I don't go to the hairdressers but my o/h helps with those non permanent colouring applications. It's worked ok for many a year. But now I'm wondering whether I should let nature takes it course. My sister is reluctant to do that for herself  because she says that when the grey hair comes through at the roots she looks like a skunk. I love her to bits and it wouldn't bother me what she did with her hair, might draw the line if she did smell like a skunk. However, I digress. Anyone else thinking of going Au naturel .


I am all natural. I started growing in my grays 5 years ago. Before that I hennaed it. The transitional was difficult . I hated that silver skunk line but I persisted and am glad I did.  It’s liberating knowing I can be myself. I know longer have to feel like I’m fooling the world and my natural colour suites me. I highly suggest growing in your natural colour  and don’t worry about what others have to say.


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## asp3 (Jul 17, 2020)

Pecos said:


> The VP who hired me for my first civilian job after I retired from the Navy made it very clear that they did not want me to color my hair. They wanted a Senior Engineer/Lab Director who looked like he had some experience under his belt.



That makes sense to me for a leadership position, however my position is individual contributor even though other people consult me.  It definitely could be filled by someone much younger than me with less experience, so looking older isn't an advantage for me.


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## jujube (Jul 17, 2020)

I stopped coloring my hair one summer when we were out on the road for five months.  I wore a hat most of the time and the rest of the time I figured "what the heck.....I'm never going to see these people again!"

When the roots got about 2-2 1/2 inches long, I went into a salon and said "cut off anything that doesn't match."

Now, I'm pretty evenly-disbursed black and silver and I like it.  I have developed one silver streak and I like that, too.


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## Aunt Marg (Jul 17, 2020)

Treacle said:


> Do you smoke/ have you smoked Aunt Marg? - only ask because of your 'Avitar' (I think that's what it's called, still learning)  ? My younger sister swears there is something in her cigarettes, apart from nicotine, that stops the hair going grey but ,as I pointed out, it hasn't stopped the wrinkles!!!!! Only joking love her to bits. Might it be arsenic in tailored made cigarettes? But just thought I would look this up to see if there was any truth in what she believes and up came an article from France which states that smokers could be better protected than others from the novel coronavirus because *nicotine* blocks its docking sites.  Not what I was looking for and is a discussion on another post. But found out there is arsenic in cigarettes.  I used to smoke roll ups, liquorice papers and filter tips but gave up a long time ago.  well I might have the odd one a few times a year when the old stress button is pressed. . Actually my other sister smokes and she has the 'skunk' look (bless) so that theory doesn't hold water.


I do smoke, Treacle, but just 2-3 cigarettes per day, not that I'm attempting to lesson the ill-health effects of smoking, just that I'm grateful for not having a pack-a-day habit.

Surprisingly enough, not much in the way of wrinkles, and dear husband is the same, but we both have super oily skin, particularly our complexions, which I understand helps keep skin subtle, helping keep away wrinkles longer.

My mom used to fall back on home-rolled cigarettes when money was tight.

ROFLMAO about the skunk look! I've seen just that look a few times in my day!


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## CarolfromTX (Jul 18, 2020)

I still have only a little gray. In our family, we call it the "Martin hair" because it's from the Martin side of the family. We retain our hair color until late in life.


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## MarciKS (Jul 18, 2020)

Treacle said:


> Since the lock down I have not bothered to colour my hair. I don't go to the hairdressers but my o/h helps with those non permanent colouring applications. It's worked ok for many a year. But now I'm wondering whether I should let nature takes it course. My sister is reluctant to do that for herself  because she says that when the grey hair comes through at the roots she looks like a skunk. I love her to bits and it wouldn't bother me what she did with her hair, might draw the line if she did smell like a skunk. However, I digress. Anyone else thinking of going Au naturel .


I bought a set of barber clippers & a 2 inch comb guide & took care of my own just the other day. I did some tapering on the sides & back. Not sure I will keep it that way. Might just stick to the 2 inches all over. Some more of my gray is peeping out between hairs now that it's closer to the root. I don't color mine. Haven't for years. If it gets too spotty & looks weird I might for a bit till it settles down. I'm thinking a lighter color but not sure yet.


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## J-Kat (Jul 18, 2020)

My hair started graying when I was in my 40's.  It's more of a silver than dull gray.  I use "purple" shampoo to enhance the silver and am quite happy with the results.  I've been told that highlighting or coloring in my case would be a rather involved two step process so I don't want to bother.


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## Ken N Tx (Jul 20, 2020)

My daughter's many colors    >>Kristen<<


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## Phoenix (Jul 23, 2020)

Did you know that you can color your hair using tea?  It washes out in about a month.  Color hair with tea.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Jul 23, 2020)

I never was one for fussing with my hair. I'm pretty much all gray now and thats the way it will stay. . 
When I go out I dab a little blueish looking stuff from a tube through my hair.  Its so old the label is off. I hope it will last my lifetime. I'd have to have some type of testing done on the tube to figure out what it is so I could replace it. I don't do it for the color but it controls the hay field my hair has become. When I'm home it looks like someone permanently  scared me.


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## Phoenix (Jul 24, 2020)

You can look up blueing on line.  I actually did and found something, but I have no idea how it works.  Its the stuff people used to use on their sheets to whiten them.  Women used to use it on their hair as well.

I don't change the color of my hair either.  It is what it is and I dislike the look of growing out roots, which is currently in style.  It makes hair look dirty in my opinion.  But if I ever change my mind, I will try tea.  I did try the tea, leaving it on for a few minutes, rather than the longer time it recommended, so it did not change the color of my hair.  It really thickened and conditioned the look of my hair.


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## chic (Jul 24, 2020)

Phoenix said:


> Did you know that you can color your hair using tea?  It washes out in about a month.  Color hair with tea.



My great grandmother did that. I use L'Oreal.  My hair is beyond tea, I fear.


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## RadishRose (Jul 24, 2020)

I always wondered why senior ladies would turn their hair blue.

I just answered my own question-
*Have you ever wondered why old ladies sometimes have blue or purple hair? As it turns out, there are motives and mistakes that lead to the hair bluing. First off, many older women find their hair starts turning an ivory/yellow color that is hardly attractive.

To fix this, many of them turn to blue hair rinses that can balance out the yellow color…unfortunately, as you age, your eyes become less sensitive to the color blue so many of them use way too much blue rinse. In their eyes, their hair is a nice, even shade of white, while the rest of us see a bright blue mess.

Blue hair is becoming less common these days because fewer people smoke, reducing yellowing of the hair, and because better home hair dyes are available, so fewer women run the risk of bluing their locks with a rinse.*

https://www.ruethedayblog.com/2011/01/why-do-old-ladies-dye-their-hair-blue/


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## Keesha (Jul 24, 2020)

I agree with Rose. The great news is that silver blue, silver purple are now in style so it matters less if you mess up. lol


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## Phoenix (Jul 25, 2020)

chic said:


> My great grandmother did that. I use L'Oreal.  My hair is beyond tea, I fear.


Where I live the well water turns the white hair a yellowish color. 

How do you like the Loreal products?  Which ones specifically do you use?  I saw the silver shampoo, but could not find a silver conditioner in Loreal.  I've been thinking about trying them.   I use Jhimack for silver hair now.   The prices have gone up a lot since Covid 19


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## Pinky (Jul 25, 2020)

My sister uses a purple shampoo that is formulated for gray/white hair. I don't know the brand though.


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## Keesha (Aug 1, 2020)

Pinky said:


> My sister uses a purple shampoo that is formulated for gray/white hair. I don't know the brand though.


My friend uses silver shampoo on her otherwise brassy blond greying hair and it turns her hair into a stunning shade of silvery mauve which is gorgeous.


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## Ruthanne (Aug 2, 2020)

I started going natural and changed my mind and now I have a pretty color honey blond.


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## CarolfromTX (Aug 5, 2020)

Not any. I have what is known in my family as the Martin hair. I am still a brunette at 69.  My hair seems to have darkened in color, but it is still mostly, like 95%,  brown. If past family experience is any judge, I will start to get grey when I hit eighty but will be salt and pepper until I pass.


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