strssmnky

I've "tried" to cover here and there every once in a while before I went CG but was never serious enough to keep up with it. But over the last couple years I've had more and more white, not gray, hair come in and have usually just treated them as more "natural highlights" than anything. But since going CG this year and seeing these big clumps of white breaking up my red curls, I have finally had it. I didn't want to ruin everything and do a chemical color and have it fade so I used henna this last weekend for the first time. Talk about running at full speed! So much better for me and so DIFFERENT! Not a white hair in sight. Plus it's nice to have the red hair I had when I was a kid again.

__________________
3a/3b, iii, medium texture, normal porosity, normal elasticity
CG since 1/1/2011

Co-wash - Suave Naturals
RO/LI- GVP Conditioning Balm, AOHR, KCKT, TIGI Catwalk Oatmeal and Honey Conditioner, Nature's Gate Tea Tree Conditioner
DT - Curl Junkie Hibiscus & Banana Deep Fix Moisturizing Conditioner, AOHR, KCKT
Styling -CJCCCC, HETT, Biotera Styling Gel, AVG, Boots Curl Cream, Eco Styler

bluesheep

In headlong flight! I'm so jealous of all of you saying you're getting your first gray hairs, or they're not coming in fast enough. I got my first gray hair at 15. Now, at 42, my stylist estimates I'm probably 70% + gray on top (that's where it started, and has slowly crept down the sides and back of my head).

My real problem with my gray is that I love hair color. It's not so much that I hate my gray, but that I like to change colors as the mood strikes. At the moment, my hair is very dark brown (my original natural color) with vibrant, deep blue chunky highlights. It'll be a long time before I'm ready to give that up!

I don't think I have the patience (or the stomach) to grow it out. My stylist (who is also my colorist - got sick of doing it myself) and I discussed it at my last appointment, and she had a few suggestions about camouflaging tactics. She's VERY encouraging about me going a la naturelle. She thinks gray hair is beautiful and that I would look fabulous. How's that for awesome? A stylist who is more than willing to give up a serious chunk of money every 6 weeks, simply for the love of hair.

__________________
3b/3a, medium porosity, slightly coarse, high elasticity, high density. CG 2004; mod CG since 2006. CG again since 4/1/11.

Lowpoo: Gudonya Salty Dawg (etsy), SM Moisture Retention
CO: Gudonya Intense (etsy), SM Restorative, Tresemme Naturals
LI: Gudonya IHC, SMCH Milk, Tresemme Nat, Biotera LI
Stylers (current rotation): AVG/H20 spray, Eco Styler, EVCO, SMCH smoothie and mist, La Bella LoC, ORS Lock & Twist.
Homemade DTs, PTs and Pre-Poos
Love flour sack towels.
Coconut oil = magic!

2poodles

Hi bluesheep - your stylist sounds wonderful! I don't suppose you live in Southeastern PA, do you? Cause that would be so handy...!

__________________
2Poodles Southeast PA
fine, med porosity, normal elasticity
Currently using the following 2 - 3 x/week: CJDF, KCKT, argan oil and KCCC

bluesheep

Nope - Chicago. Sorry! I know how hard it is to find a good stylist.

__________________
3b/3a, medium porosity, slightly coarse, high elasticity, high density. CG 2004; mod CG since 2006. CG again since 4/1/11.

Lowpoo: Gudonya Salty Dawg (etsy), SM Moisture Retention
CO: Gudonya Intense (etsy), SM Restorative, Tresemme Naturals
LI: Gudonya IHC, SMCH Milk, Tresemme Nat, Biotera LI
Stylers (current rotation): AVG/H20 spray, Eco Styler, EVCO, SMCH smoothie and mist, La Bella LoC, ORS Lock & Twist.
Homemade DTs, PTs and Pre-Poos
Love flour sack towels.
Coconut oil = magic!

2poodles

Ah well, it figures!

__________________
2Poodles Southeast PA
fine, med porosity, normal elasticity
Currently using the following 2 - 3 x/week: CJDF, KCKT, argan oil and KCCC

BugEyeZ

running, hiding, changing my name and ssn!

__________________
when all else fails...eat
[COLOR="Purple"]

bluesheep

This literally made me LOL!

__________________
3b/3a, medium porosity, slightly coarse, high elasticity, high density. CG 2004; mod CG since 2006. CG again since 4/1/11.

Lowpoo: Gudonya Salty Dawg (etsy), SM Moisture Retention
CO: Gudonya Intense (etsy), SM Restorative, Tresemme Naturals
LI: Gudonya IHC, SMCH Milk, Tresemme Nat, Biotera LI
Stylers (current rotation): AVG/H20 spray, Eco Styler, EVCO, SMCH smoothie and mist, La Bella LoC, ORS Lock & Twist.
Homemade DTs, PTs and Pre-Poos
Love flour sack towels.
Coconut oil = magic!

twirlygranny

I've decided to embrace it...haven't colored since February. My hair has never done well with any permanent color (professional or at-home) and the Semi-perm doesn't last long enough and turns my gray a funny color after it washes away....so since I only have a little gray, I'm stopping the color so it will come in nicely in the coming years. My mom has pretty gray and white hair and I don't want to be an old woman with black hair **yuck**

__________________
Natural 2/2002 - PJ Rehab 9/2011

belwillcoily

I tried embracing them, I really did but I just couldn't get with it. In my mind, it looked horrible and aged me ALOT. Not ready to look that old yet.

So I experimented with an 100% gray hair ball and henna and indigo. Henna and indigo (the two step process) are my HG for now. It effectively covers my gray and my hair loves it. It's so soft and has a deep sheen to shine after I do it. Win, win as far as I'm concerned.

__________________
Me Fascina El Pelo




Low Porosity; Medium Strands; Dense
http://public.fotki.com/Belwill/

Curlini

Not ready to stop running yet. Like curlypearl I've never looked good in grey. In fact i look terrible in pastels. I haven't seriously considered stopping coloring; in fact I'm sitting here right now with my heat wrap and my Robert Craig color working on my roots. I have a friend with gorgeous curly gray hair who totally pulls it off because it suits her coloring. I think it also has to do with how willing you are to handle other people's projections onto you once they see you with gray hair. I work with a number of women who have liberated themselves from hair color and the snarky comments are rampant. So it's also a political act too. I'll get there, just not yet!

__________________
CG since Aug. 08
Medium Texture/Normal Porosity
2C, some 3a
Love Curl Junkie conditioners, AFG lite, KCCC, AVG, homemade FSG, Curl Keeper in high dews
Experimenting with oil sealing

wavyblonde

I'm not over 40 yet, but I do have a quarter-sized gray patch close to the front of my head. It's actually kind of a nice silver color, and if it were in front, I might consider leaving it color-free.

I think some people look amazing with gray hair, and others truly do look less vibrant or older than their actual age. It's not an across-the-board thing, in my mind.

__________________
2c/3a with 2b underlayer. Fine, porous. Loves protein. But not hydrolized wheat protein. Yuck.

Wash: WEN Sweet Almond Mint or Pomegranate
Gels: LA Looks Sport Gel
Mousse: Tigi Catwalk Curlesque
Curling creams/gellies: Coffee Coco Curling Cream Lite, Spiral Solutions Curl Enhancing Jelly, Curls Gel-les'c
SOTC: JC N&S (LOVE)
http://public.fotki.com/wavyblonde/hair-2010/

PRINCETON

Anybody else have a problem with friends who pull their gray hair out???


Princeton Brooke
Chief Software Engineer
http://apps.facebook.com/princetonbrooke

crwritt

Do you mean your "friends" are pulling out your gray hair?Or are your friends pulling out their own hair?
If its the first thing, why put up with it? If its the second, who cares?

maria_i

Running since I was 15. I've colored my hair forever.

__________________
3a/b, CG mostly.
Mexico City.

bluesheep

I'm seriously curious about this. Do you mean they're pulling your gray hair out? I have a sister who used to do that to me (I started to gray when I was in my early 20s). She stopped when I finally threatened to start pulling hers out (gray or otherwise). That did the trick.

__________________
3b/3a, medium porosity, slightly coarse, high elasticity, high density. CG 2004; mod CG since 2006. CG again since 4/1/11.

Lowpoo: Gudonya Salty Dawg (etsy), SM Moisture Retention
CO: Gudonya Intense (etsy), SM Restorative, Tresemme Naturals
LI: Gudonya IHC, SMCH Milk, Tresemme Nat, Biotera LI
Stylers (current rotation): AVG/H20 spray, Eco Styler, EVCO, SMCH smoothie and mist, La Bella LoC, ORS Lock & Twist.
Homemade DTs, PTs and Pre-Poos
Love flour sack towels.
Coconut oil = magic!

Jinxy

I'm transitioning, so it's the headband stage. It's like they are screaming "look at me".
As soon as I am out of this stage and I can wear my hair out I don't think I'll bother coloring them. Actually coloring only gets done when I feel like it. Not losing sleep over it.

Sunshineliz

Still a quite a ways from 40, but embracing it anyway. Might was well and it's coming in stripey!

(I see some friends from LHC--HI!)

BigHairLala

Same here!!

__________________
******************************
Mod CG since January 2010
2b/c – in winter; mostly 3a in summer; working toward 3a all year-round
Fine - Dense - Fairly porous
Cowash & Leave in: Co-wash with TJ’s Tea-Tree Tingle cond. , Suave Naturals, TJ Nourish
Styling products in rotation: AG Re:coil, K-Y liquid; FSG, epsom salt & lavender curl-revitalizer;

PRINCETON

@BlueSheep yes they pull MY gray hairs and I don't know why cause I have tons.

They think it's just one but I turn around and show there's lots. But I guess I deserve it cause I'll sneak up on them with tweezers and pull out their nose hairs.


Princeton Brooke
Chief Software Engineer
http://apps.facebook.com/princetonbrooke

SpaghettiHead

hahah...if they have nose hairs long enough for you to sneak up and pluck....they deserve it.

My son is constantly pulling at my stray grays.

__________________