My Gray Hair Transition – Update at 9 Months

To celebrate nine months of growing out my natural hair color, I got a cute layered bob haircut!  Super exciting to be in a salon again!  And the layering really hides the line of demarcation.

If you’ve been around here awhile, you know about my hair journey, but I wanted to recap for new readers.  My gray hair transition posts always get some new eyes which is awesome! If you’re new here, WELCOME!!

 

Story of my Transition

Sometime last fall, I started to play around with the idea of transitioning to my natural hair color, which I assumed was some shade of gray, or at least salt and pepper.  I was tired of the upkeep on my platinum blond hair – 3-4 hour appointments every 4 weeks!  Frankly it was boring and expensive. And I realized eventually I’d probably have platinum/white/gray hair anyway, so why not start going natural!

I started stalking the social media of women who had made the transition to natural.  The Facebook group Gray and Proud is full of inspirational before and after photos and I’d say 99% of the women looked better with their natural color!  The group also is full of supportive women who are happy to help and encourage.

I started my journey with some lowlights and a gray rinse. If I had it all to do again, I might skip this step.  My hair was so light that the temporary lowlights weren’t so temporary. I lost two months of natural growth, and it just gave me another line of demarcation.  On the positive side, it did help me get used to the idea of having gray hair!

When I was just a couple of months into my transition, the pandemic hit.  This was bad news for a million reasons, but it was actually good news for my hair transition at least! I couldn’t go running off to the salon on a whim to get color. And I wasn’t going anywhere exciting for a long time (actually much longer than I thought at the time).

In the beginning of June, at 6 months, I gave myself a bob haircut. I had never cut my own hair and it was a risk, but it worked out okay and seemed to entertain whoever watched the video.

Now at the beginning of September, I had 9 months of natural hair growth, approximately 5 1/2 inches of virgin hair and I decided to celebrate with a haircut at the salon.

My Advice

Going gray is a personal choice and one you have to make for yourself! Don’t let anyone talk you into or out of it!

Get Inspired!  Check out social media for inspiration and to see transitions.

Color Blend or Cold Turkey?

Is it better to blend the color or go cold turkey?  Had life been more exciting this last year, I think I would’ve been more tempted to get color blending done. I had planned on it in March, but then the pandemic came and canceled that appointment of course.  You can read in the online group about the pluses and minuses of blending vs going cold turkey.  The biggest complaint about blending it was it fades and your left with just another demarcation line.

To Chop or Not to Chop?

If you like short hair, the grow out process can be so much easier!  If you’re willing to shave your head, you’re off and running!  A pixie cut is also a great idea!  I like a short bob and when I can do that and have it ALL natural I will. I’m getting close!  I just did a layered bob and the layering really helped to blend the color line!  Another cut or two and my hair should be all ME!

Other People

Chances are the reactions will be mixed to your new hue.  I got a lot of concerned questions when I first told people what I was doing.  At a certain point, people get used to seeing you with your new natural color and it’s no big deal. Plus they see that so many months have gone by and you’ve stayed the course. Some women feel like by going natural you are suggesting to them that they should too.  This is not true!  I’m a huge believer in doing whatever you want to make yourself feel good and be happy.  Even though I’m going natural in other areas as well (more organic food, clean makeup), there are some areas (ahem … botox) where I’m still not on the all natural bandwagon.  Everything is a personal choice!

 

Products I use:

Celeb Luxury – Temporary hair color that’s actually good for your hair.  This can help with the transition or the silver rinse can give your natural hair a bit more sparkle!

Quality Boar Bristle Brush from Earth Therapeutics – Best hairbrush ever!

Vitafusion Hair, Skin & Nail Gummies – Can’t hurt, right?  I do see a different in my nails for sure!

Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides – I put a scoop in my morning coffee.  Some women swear it speeds up hair growth.  I don’t know if it really does, but it makes me feel good to DO something to make it grow faster! Head massages might help too!

Pravana The Perfect Blond Masque – my favorite hair masque for my blond AND my gray hair

Other recommendations:

If you’re in San Jose: Do or Dye Salon

Facebook support group: Gray & Proud

 

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Fun & Fashion,

Dawn Lucy