Sunday, June 5, 2011

Vain AND Lazy - Going Grey


Here's where my transitioning began. First things first, got the root touch-up stuff for dark blonde, used it on the front and, over the course of a few months moved down a notch to light brown. Blonde was successfully defeated. Light brown much better with skin tone. Back to dark brown at the back. Having fully accepted I am no Daphne Guinness, have since embarked on a long-term strategy (yes, maybe vain and lazy, but also patient) to grow in the grey letting the front transition without colour (a couple of months of weirdness but not so bad), and switching to an ammonia free home based colouring product (L'Oreal Healthy Look) to cover the grey until it's long enough leave off with the colouring altogether. Of course, I've chosen to keep my hair longish because I'm more comfortable with hair around my face and neck. Super short hair on my pin head just accentuates my smallness and I can't stand that. Vain - you see.

In the midst of this process(midst being the next 2 years at the rate things are going)I read in comments on the lovely blog, Hostess of the Humble Bungalow, a referral to Going Grey, Looking Great. My salvation. A whole website (and book) devoted to going grey. Transition case studies galore. And more importantly, a site with fabulous looking women with grey hair. Where can you find images in the media of women who are firmly in l'age - certainly not on TV unless it's a medication for bone loss. Important, yes. The only reason to present grey-haired women dans l'age? No.

Going Gray Looking Great! features photos of women in l'age (and even younger) who are grey and gorgeous. They don't look old, they don't look like they've thrown in the proverbial towel. They look gorgeous. They look real. They are unapologetic.



And so, this summer I will be pulling the grey front back over the burgeoning roots and allowing a stream of grey to grow in along my part. Yes, I will camouflage because I'm vain. And yes, I will stop colouring because I'm lazy. And then we'll see what happens next.

10 comments:

  1. We are in this together, sistah! I'm starting the transition too! :)

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  2. Brave woman ! I look forward to hearing how it goes . Have family and friends noticed yet, and what have their reactions been ? Also, the book is difficult to get in UK. Is most of the information on the website, or do I need the book as well ? Good luck !

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  3. I see many beautiful grey-haired women dancing tango in the milongas of Buenos Aires (where I live), and I envy them. The issue is that if you have good color in your skin, grey or white hair can be spectacular. But my skin is colorless, and with colorless hair, I'm completely washed out. I would love to give up coloring, but short of lots of fake tanning lotion, I'm committed for the time being.

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  4. Yes, GoingGrayLookingGreat is my salvation as well for my transition to Gray!
    Bazha

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  5. Have you seen almostsilversue.blogspot.com? I'm not a regular follower but have peeked in occasionally -- she's taken a longer-term approach you might enjoy reading about.

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  6. Sunny: Keep me posted. I'm already back-combing over nasty root lines...

    Parthenope: Brave or stupid. The reaction is always interesting. Some people just don't understand it. Others admire it but wouldn't do it themselves. Some people think I'm going to look really old. Well, I guess we'll see. I haven't read the book - the website is fantastic and again,I find the photos just so inspiring.

    Tangocherie: Tango in l'age with full-on grey. Sounds fab. We'll have to send Mrs. V. for a photo shoot. I hadn't thought of the skin tone aspect. I know with my own dark colouring I feel that keeping it close to its natural darkness no longer does anything for my skin.

    Anonymous: Nice to hear that you've been down this path. Salvation is the right word. Can hardly wait.

    Mater: Thanks for the tip. Need to spend some time reading her blog. I think I may be in for a long-term approach myself ....

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  7. Thank you for raising the subject- it seems to strike a chord with many of us. One last thought; I think we are less bothered by the grey making us look older than that we will be perceived as having 'given up'; downhill all the way via crimplene, fleece waistcoats and bunion-friendly shoes. So maybe, while the transition to grey is happening we need not only to look super sleek and well-groomed in every other area, but to make some other change which signifies change not decay.This could be different make-up, clothes in colours we don't normally wear, or some bold modern jewellery.

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  8. Parthenope: Another excellent point. I think you've hit on the crux of the matter - it's the giving up, the implication that you are no longer playing the feminine card that may be scaring women in l'age. Yes, all the more reason to roll with the times in other ways.

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  9. I agree that grey can be gorgeous. I love photos of people of all ages and I particularly like the idea of embracing the process of natural change.

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  10. I think some people look amazing with grey or white hair.

    At 42 I am finding a few grey hairs I had thought of having a sort of reverse Daphne Guinness - a bit like Holly Golightly but I'm not sure that would work so I shall continue to have highights indefinitely xx

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