Thread: going grey

ok, i've used henna to color my hair for the last 15 years, so as it grows out, the roots are pretty subtle cuz theres a fading instead of the line of demarkation from chemical dyes

i haven't seen my natural color in years, so here i am, just washed my hair, putting on make-up and lo....in the mirror.....patches of white and silver



now, the swoon was cuz there were so MANY.....and one section was actually silver.....which got me to thinking, i'm finally in the shape i want to be, my face is moderately youthful (CHARACTER LINES :D).....

what if i just go natural, or flat out dye it grey, or silver? i still perform, and plan to til i can't anymore, so i'm wondering how other dancers feel about it.....i hadn't seen it (my teacher's hair is still mostly dark, such genes!) so i'm curious as to feedback

I'm vain about my appearance. Remeber the mother in Poltergiest? Remember at the end of the movie when she had that one large grey streak on the side of her bangs? I have that same area greying and I hate it.
Right now I haven't colored my hair in about two months. The grey is pretty sizeable and I'm on my way to get it covered up. I'm only 33 and I'm 25% grey according to my stlylist. AGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I'm not ready to accept my greying yet. So I will continue to cover it.

You could always try it and see what you think. If you don't like it you can always go back to coloring your hair. A lot depends on how your hair looks a naturale and how it looks with your skin tone. Or you might consider letting a streak near your face go natural and continuing to color the rest.

I was about 25 percent gray in my 30s and it was very pretty because the gray hairs were very clear silver. In my mid-forties I started using a temporary color that was several shades lighter than my natural color. Only the silver hairs picked it up and it gave really nice highlighting. After a while as I got more and more gray it started looking like I was adding low lights instead of highlights. And the dark and gray hairs were in definite patches that weren't all that attractive so I started coloring back to my natural coloring. So today I am back to dark auburn.

I've thought about letting it all go natural but my skin is so pale that it looks really washed out with silver.

One thing you can do is go to a good wig shop and try on some wigs of various colors to see how you look. That might help you make up your mind.

Souzn

I have seen some lovely heads of grey hair (attached to people obviously) there is a guy used to come to the goth club my OH DJed for, he was about 60 and had gorgeous pure white hair down to his waist - it really worked for him.

I think it depends on how your skintone takes it. I'm not sure about the pepperpot effect, I think greying hair will always age you, but pure silver might not. I'm naturally blonde and used to dye my hair white (you need to pre-lighten then use a lilac toner to get rid of the yellow tones), for me it worked, but then I have very fair skin. The other thing to consider is the texture. as grey hair has a different texture to the rest, henna will affect the condition and texture of the hair considerably, the non-grey hairs will plump up and the difference might not be as marked now as it would be if you left it be.

I've been graying since I turned 20. So now, I've got a bunch, though most in one area, so I have a streak. (I dyed it blue for a while ..g.: ). I think if I ever start dancing more regularly, I am dying it again (but this time to match my regular brown).

But I've also noticed that how noticeable it is depends on how I wear my hair. headbands help hide it.

Aisha Ahroosh of Ladysilk Veils has snow white hair and she is so lovely...she is quite striking without looking harsh. She is also a lovely person and that shines brighter than her hair...one of my best friends and dancemates Candy has a dramatic white streak at the top of her hair line and it's beautiful. I wish my grays would come in one spot or all at once like that! Mine's coming in all over, salt and pepper style and has been since I was 30. Blecch! You should go to a wig store and try on some white/silver wigs in styles similar to yours to see if you like the look without the headache of waiting for the henna to grow out. You should talk to a qualified colorist if you are planning on dyeing over the henna...I've heard that synthetic dyes over hennaed hair aren't a good combo. Good luck and when you decide let us know!

My friend who colors my hair calls it my "skunk line"! ..l;, For everyday, I love how it feels to get the color and cover up the line ...... it's a real lift of spirits if I feel down. For performing, I've been wearing wigs or hair pieces for so many years, it never even occurred to me to dance without one until this year at Rakkasah -- it was so hot and uncomfortable getting ready to go on stage (east building, anyway)-- I just said, forget it, I'll go with my own hair--my friend had just touched up the skunk line and she helped me "fluff it up" ...... and you know, it felt GREAT ..... no extra weight on my head, I felt free.....but the coloring definitely gave me more confidence about doing it....it's all individual, but for me, it helps!

Also, funny story -- years ago, when I had NO grey whatsoever, but was playing with platinum highlights, I was considering a silvery/fuscia/navy costume--someone came by & said, "Oh, that will look good with your grey hair!" ..l;,

But in the big picture, it's all about the dancing, not about hair color. If you feel good, dance well, enjoy who you are, who cares if your hair is grey or auburn or blond or red or black or "multi" -- do what makes you happy....

I had to give up on Henna about 9 years ago..itobviously wasn't taking to the grey coming alon...so solution out came the bleach and I became the nautural blonde I once was..best move ever...evuuur

And blonde dyes are so much kinder than they were 30 years ago when I went henna-red ,bored with mouse-blonde

And here's the problem -- there is no such thing as grey or silver hair dye that will color the older length of your hair that either has henna or hair dye on it, or is your original color.

There are silver enhancers for making dirtier or yellower shades of grey a brighter silver. These won't do anything to the ends of your hair that have the henna on them or are still your original color. You would have to bleach your hair out completely white, which would be infeasibly damaging to your hair.

I know because I have a silver streak coming in right at my hairline peak, and I wanted to hurry it along and enhance it, so I spent some time researching how to make it happen. And the answer is -- it can't be done. If you find a way that works, I'd love to hear it.

My compromise is that I section my silver streak out when I apply color to the rest of my hair, so eventually it will be more noticeable.

I love Emmylou's silver hair:

Originally Posted by ssipes

You would have to bleach your hair out completely white, which would be infeasibly damaging to your hair.

Bleach will not work on Henna at all, well not very quickly. It would get chemical dye out, and it would remove the natural colour (success depends on colour and hair type, but there are ways around that), but henna, especially if there is years of it there, will not shift. I used to use red henna on my blonde hair, did for about 8 months, then I wanted rid of it. Even a professional hairdresser can't do anything with it. I had white roots and orange ends for months! This photo was taken nearly a year after I stopped hennaing, I had been bleaching every 4 weeks http://bobbinsandbroomsticks.com/pho...ensionsnot.jpg (ignore the purple bits, that is the fading out of a dyed underneath) There is *still* henna colour in there, in the bottom 4-5". Shortly after this was taken I had it cut into a bob because it was just crumbling.

One of the times my son henna'ed his hair with some of my batch, how Kash's was right before she cut it is exactly how he did his. I haven't done my hair in at least a couple of years, but when I was doing it my gray hairs just soaked it up. They turned a vibrant copper/red/orange color against my dark brown hair. Part of it could be how I do mine (liquid preparation, making the paste, mudding my hair, wrapping it in plastic wrap, leaving it in overnight and rinsing it out in the morning).

My hair is entirely silver. I get a lot of compliments on it, and people actually think I look younger with it this way. This despite being pale. (I started going grey at 14 so I am generally a bit whiter than most people my age.)

No longer colouring also saves me $100 every four weeks, the ongoing risk of chemical sensitisation (I've already had one reaction to tint) and the stress attached to not being able to get it done when needed! However, I did have to cut it all off to get it natural. I had considered growing it (a la Emmylou) but like it better like this.

I have a brown wig for gigs if people want it, but mostly I don't use it.

I'm only 33 and I'm 25% grey according to my stlylist.

Oh that's nothing to worry about. I was 60 percent at 27.

I´m so grey and started to go grey at 16. I often flirt the idea of letting it grow and stop colouring it. I ´ve tried to let the colour grow out and managed to let it grow about two inches but decided to colour it when people started to stare at my roots instead of my face when talking to them.

I think it´s cool to see dancers with grey hair, or even silver. But of course the hair must be beautiful and well taken care of.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Going-Gray-Motherhood-Authenticity-Everything/dp/0316166618]Amazon.com: Going Gray: What I Learned about Beauty, Sex, Work, Motherhood, Authenticity, and Everything Else That Really Matters: Anne Kreamer: Books[/ame]

This book recently came out in the US. I remember an interview w/the author in which -I believe I'm remembering this correctly - she talked about one study in which people guessed womens' ages w/gray vs. w/color. The difference was about five years, so coloring apparently doesn't take that many years off.

Originally Posted by Kash13

http://bobbinsandbroomsticks.com/pho...ensionsnot.jpg (ignore the purple bits, that is the fading out of a dyed underneath) There is *still* henna colour in there, in the bottom 4-5". Shortly after this was taken I had it cut into a bob because it was just crumbling.

Wow, your hair is beautiful and what an unusual color. Most blondes turn darker as adults.

Originally Posted by ssipes

I love Emmylou's silver hair:

I ADORE Emmy Lou -- WOW, she looks gorgeous!

My former (and hopefully future) bellydance teacher Hanan has stunning long silver-gray hair. I think it looks fabulous on her. She does ATS and though she wears a headdress for a lot of performances when she does let her hair show it really looks striking.

I decided a year ago to let my natural color come in... I wound up cutting a lot of the dyed hair off just to get rid of it. I'd really like to be all-white like Emmylou (how gorgeous is she!) but so far I've got big white streaks framing my face and a little streaking through the rest. I'm old enough to remember back in the 70's when women used to pay big money to get a frosted look like this. ..l;,

When I spoke to my colorist about going grey, she mentioned that unless your hair is more than 50 percent silver, you don't get that bright shiny effect that Emmlou Harris, Amel Tafsout, Joan Baez have--you just tend to look "half done." (It might be different if you have light colored hair, though). So I'm holding out until I'm totally silver (I'll keep checking my roots), then I'll decide. And yes, I did ask if she had a vested interest in keeping my hair tinted. :)

I'm right there with many of you, I noticed the odd strand of grey when I was in high school. My hair used to be auburn, lovely but I began playing with die, goth black to streaks of bleached hair with red, purple or whatever combo I fancied. I used to do it all myself. On a good afternoon it would take me four hours to seperate and colour my hair. For a while I even bleached it and had a kind of brighter Jillina red. The disaster struck. I've become allergic to PPD in hair dye. Nasty weeping blisters on the scalp my head swelled up so much my eyes shut. So everyone who uses regular hair dye, be aware that allergies can strike at any time.

Now I use henna and indigo to cover my greys. When I've let it grow out some, the overall tone of my hair is darker which is due to the red tones fading. If I was all grey or it was even in my hair I could get away with just henna as it is I would end up with an orange halo round my face..w.: Not for me.
The best and only natural way to cover greys is using a two step process of applying henna for about an hour, (we're not after colour but a reaction with the indigo) rinse, apply indigo. This will give dark brown to black if you're lucky blue black. If they're mixed you're more likely to get brown tones.

As it's not out of a bottle you can't guarantee what shade you will get.
Great info and tips are here Henna for Hair


You could bleach it and then add a colour but bleach is not exactly natural although it's an option. I look ill blonde.

Emmylou does look great but it wouldn't work for everyone.

You could even wear a wig for performances!

Ruta, you have to think what is right for you, how much time you have to spend, what colours work for you. How changing hair colour will affect your wardrobe and makeup.

Originally Posted by straightleftknee

I'm right there with many of you, I noticed the odd strand of grey when I was in high school. My hair used to be auburn, lovely but I began playing with die, goth black to streaks of bleached hair with red, purple or whatever combo I fancied. I used to do it all myself. On a good afternoon it would take me four hours to seperate and colour my hair. For a while I even bleached it and had a kind of brighter Jillina red. The disaster struck. I've become allergic to PPD in hair dye. Nasty weeping blisters on the scalp my head swelled up so much my eyes shut. So everyone who uses regular hair dye, be aware that allergies can strike at any time.

Now I use henna and indigo to cover my greys. When I've let it grow out some, the overall tone of my hair is darker which is due to the red tones fading. If I was all grey or it was even in my hair I could get away with just henna as it is I would end up with an orange halo round my face..w.: Not for me.
The best and only natural way to cover greys is using a two step process of applying henna for about an hour, (we're not after colour but a reaction with the indigo) rinse, apply indigo. This will give dark brown to black if you're lucky blue black. If they're mixed you're more likely to get brown tones.

As it's not out of a bottle you can't guarantee what shade you will get.
Great info and tips are here Henna for Hair


.

This woman (straightleftknee) has THE most fantastic hair -past waist length, straight, smooth and shiney, dark hair. I was admiring it on Saturday night when you were doing your Khaleegi number. I thought it was completely natural.You do a great job with it. I am totally envious.

Originally Posted by Masouma

When I spoke to my colorist about going grey, she mentioned that unless your hair is more than 50 percent silver, you don't get that bright shiny effect that Emmlou Harris, Amel Tafsout, Joan Baez have--you just tend to look "half done." (It might be different if you have light colored hair, though). So I'm holding out until I'm totally silver (I'll keep checking my roots), then I'll decide. And yes, I did ask if she had a vested interest in keeping my hair tinted. :)

I'm not sure I agree with the colorist -- I think it depends upon the natural hair color that the silver is in. For brunettes, even a few silvers can be very shiny and an attractive pepper and salt look.

ah Candi thanks (blush), I'm a faker! If I stuff up my dancing I can swipe them with my hair...l;, something else I noticed those sequins don't half snag your hair.

ssipes, I would tend to agree plus not everyones greys are even, mine are mostly round the front of my head, for others it might be even. Grey makes me look even more washed out. So if someone is thinking of letting it grow through it sounds like boring advice but it really does depend on you.

well, my natural color is mousy, dishwater blonde......kinda khaki colored actually, only gets nice n golden with some sun............the grey coming in, some is tin grey, some is flat out silver, not quite salt n pepper, but getting there............

the tips and thoughts are AWESOME!

the henna recipe i use is usually mendhi grade henna (indian or yemen) with red wine as the acid/liquid and ground cloves, which gives me that color and has amazing grey coverage............

i figure i'd probably have to grow it out and 'wig' it for a while, but yeah, i'll try those suggestions out........thanks ladies

Originally Posted by ssipes

Wow, your hair is beautiful and what an unusual color. Most blondes turn darker as adults.

Thanks, but that's not natural, that is regular prelightening and lilac toner. That was taken nearly 3 years ago now, my hair has been violet, then black, and is now cherry red ..l;, I get bored easily That said, my mother has the same ash-blonde hair as I do (under the dye) and her greys are that colour, she has gorgeous silver highlights in her blonde, maybe when I start to go grey I will revert to my natural colour, although how I am supposed to spot when that happens when I recolour at least once a month, I don't know ..g.:

Originally Posted by ssipes

I love Emmylou's silver hair:

Me, too! This is one "Silver Fox", not just a beautiful woman but also a phenomenal singer. I "heart" Emmylou Harris!

I just stopped dying my hair because my grey if finally comming in! I have always wanted a nice silver streak right in the front. I think on youngish (either really young or young looking/attitude) women grey looks hot. I get up every moring hoping that I have more grey then the day before! Interesting how differently people feel about the greying process. I can't wait!

I was reading Linnyg's post and I don't mind going gray...I just wish we could control where/when/how much we went gray. I covet my dance buddy's temple streaks and her sexy streak at the top of her hairline. I keep reminding her about purple shampoo...Clairol makes it and so does that generic salon product line (you have to go to a beauty supply); it makes white and gray hair glow! I used it when I was platinum last year though once I left the shampoo on too long and it turned an interesting lavender color!

My first gray hairs showed up right after I turned 40. I put them in the same category as my stretch marks and those "expression lines" on my forehead--I may well have "earned" them but NO THANK YOU. They'll pry the last bottle of Clairol out of my cold dead hand :-P

~~Kimahri