Quitting the hair dye habit

[rulesofacquisition]

I was inspired to examine my personal care product choices by:

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/here-is-what-8-months-of-no-shampoo-just-water-looks-like/

I have let my shampoo and conditioner run out and have switched my leave-in conditioner to a more natural product, gave my last chapstick to hubby, didn't replace face powder (it just settles into the wrinkles anyway), and have generally taken a look at everything. Then I noticed the elephant in the room (or on my head). I have curly hair that turns very dark from dying even light colors, I had an allergic reaction recently to color remover and dye, and my roots show every 3 weeks. This is an incredible waste of time and money. At age 48 I don't think the world will end if the silver patches in the top of my head show. I have thought about this for a while but am nervous especially since DH is 36 (although he has no hair and does have grey in his beard). I'll try to post pictures as things progress. Am I nuts or is anyone with me?

[tralfamadorian]

Silver hair has never been more fashionable.  Go for it!

[hunniebun]

I think it is a great idea!  It would be so freeing not to have to dye your hair.  A woman in my office has done so and she is about half way to letting it grow in (she has chin length hair)  She is blondish so it isn't that noticeable. I am 39 and would guess that if I didn't dye it every 6 weeks my hair would be 95% grey. My natural hair color is dark brown, so the contrast is very obvious.  I think I might be on board with you in another 10 years, but for now I am slave to the box!    I can't wait to see how it goes!  There are several websites that have tips and tricks to minimize the pain of the grow out phase.   Good luck!

[onlykelsey]

I think it's great to go natural, I don't dye my hair (talk to me when the greys come in, though... we'll see).  If you want something to ease you off that's relatively cheap and definitely safer than chemical hair dyes, have you ever looked at henna?

[pachnik]

I'm 52 years old and had been colouring my hair for the last 20 years.  When I was younger my natural hair colour was very dark brown.  I got fed up with colouring every six weeks because of the strong contrast between the dye and the natural regrowth.  After 3 weeks the line was there and very visible.  I stopped dying it last January so about 6 months ago. 

To help with the regrowth, I got a new, shorter cut with bangs and every 2nd appointment or so, I am getting low lights put in.  I ran the numbers on it and the new regime of hair cut + occasional low lights came out cheaper than cut/colour every 6 weeks.  Plus I am actually happier with it.

Naturally, most of my head is a dark colour except for at the top I have a gray section (kind of skunk-like).   I am so happy that I can be on a thread about quitting the hair dye habit!!!!

[ZiziPB]

I stopped coloring my hair 5 years ago at 43.  I love it!  I have a lot of gray but the natural color of my hair with the gray mixed in actually goes better with my skin and eye coloring than I could ever get from any hair dye.  It's the best decision I've ever made and I had no regrets whatsoever. 

I am no longer on Facebook but check out this group for support: https://www.facebook.com/Going-Gray-Looking-Great-334857020776/

[MrsDinero]

Good for you!  I have a friend who just did this (she is 44) and has never been happier with her hair.  My plan is to just go grey :)

[Cyanne]

I am 48 also. I have made the decision to let the white hair come in. If anyone asks I will tell them that God does my highlights!

[Lake161]

Can buy home kit for $1.75 in Panamá, so I DIY. Will revisit decision when we come back to the US. Leaning toward going natural.

[opnfld]

Go for it!  My wife (38) stopped coloring her hair ~6months ago.  Although it's still in the grow-out phase and her hair is 4 different colors (dark brown, light brown, golden brown, and grey), i think it looks great.

She was pleasantly surprised that rather than the 95% grey she expected, it's only about 30% grey - it was misleading when the roots stood in such contrast.  She says had she realized, she would have kicked the dye years ago...probably the year we got married.

[opnfld]

I stopped coloring my hair 5 years ago at 43.  I love it!  I have a lot of gray but the natural color of my hair with the gray mixed in actually goes better with my skin and eye coloring than I could ever get from any hair dye.  It's the best decision I've ever made and I had no regrets whatsoever. 

The other day my wife was wearing a sweater with grey stripes in it.  It really went well with her hair.  I told her, "i think grey is your color!"  I don't think she appreciated it, but I was being sincere.

[lizzzi]

I stopped coloring my hair at around age 63. Had kept it light brown with highlights for years--the same color it was when I was 10 years old. My mother had always looked good with her silver hair, so I took a chance. Luckily, mine came in like hers--a nice silver color, not yellowy--looks like the color of a nickel. (Five cent piece.) My picky-picky husband really liked it, and he would have been the first to complain if it hadn't looked good. It looks better with my skin tones and with the colors I wear than the light brown did. I make sure to wear a trendy hairstyle--cut an edgy short bob with my crea clip. I save a fortune, and look better than when I was spending $100 at the salon every five weeks. (Of course, then I got a new puppy, who has to go to the dog salon every five weeks. I spend more on the puppy's hair than on my own!)

[DocCyane]

47 year old female, here. When I left the nine to five a year ago, I stopped coloring my hair. I have almost no grey (which is odd), but I'm actually looking forward to being a silver fox.

[Lagom]

Props to everyone who has made this choice! I can empathize with how difficult the transition can be, even when you have multiple supportive parties telling you that you look great (or will look great). As a early 30s male, I recently made a similar decision when I stopped using an expensive hair product that hid my relatively advanced male pattern baldness. After almost 10 years (I started balding early), I FINALLY bit the bullet and just buzzed my hair super short and I'm so happy that I did. Not only am I saving something like $50-75/month by not buying that product (not to mention being able to cut my own hair), but I even prefer my new look, despite being so afraid to go for it.

Plus I am much happier being able to just be me, not living in terror of bumping my head and creating a bizarre bald spot, never being able to go swimming, etc. And I swear I get more appreciative looks from the ladies than I used to, perhaps just because I carry myself more confidently. My wife certainly loves it, which, of course, is the far more important thing! :)

[rulesofacquisition]

There are several websites that have tips and tricks to minimize the pain of the grow out phase.   Good luck!

Have looked at many recommendations but would only go for something truly temporary, no lowlights.

I have never dyed my hair or done nails.

I know I am not hip in the eyes of the sweet young thangs at my office.  I am rich though. 

Nails are short and uncolored due to work. I used to care about hip but now I care about rich (not wasting $).

Nice to hear from the men - also DH started shaving his head a few years ago after it got noticeably thin on top, I think it's sexy.

[nazar]

You are not nuts.  I quit two years ago when I had an allergic reaction to the dye.  I let the roots grow out about 2 inches then got a short cut. To get rid of most of the old color. Then monthly trims until all old color was gone.  Then the fun part: letting it grow out.  Absolutely no regrets. None whatsoever.

[Choices]

I've chosen not to dye my hair, but then again, I don't have grays... It's just glitter growing out of my head.

[Sibley]

My mom started going gray in her 30s, and never dyed it. I'm 30 now, and just found my first gray hair (in an eyebrow of all places). I do not plan to dye my hair. If someone has a problem with it, that's their problem, not mine.

[onlykelsey]

My mom started going gray in her 30s, and never dyed it. I'm 30 now, and just found my first gray hair (in an eyebrow of all places). I do not plan to dye my hair. If someone has a problem with it, that's their problem, not mine.

Out of curiosity, are you FIREd?  If not, what field do you work in?

[StarBright]

Solidarity! I'm 30-40% gray and 35 years old. Have been growing it out for several months now. I started going gray in my mid-20s and it freaked me out. I wish now that I had never started coloring.

I actually love my silver/white stripes and wish my old color was all the way grown out. I'm actually planning to dye my tips a fun a color soon (maybe blueish gray) to sort of balance my hair in a weird thirds configuration: top third natural brown with silver highlights, middle third old dyed brassy light brown, bottom third blue that will continue to get trimmed away as it grows.

[Sibley]

My mom started going gray in her 30s, and never dyed it. I'm 30 now, and just found my first gray hair (in an eyebrow of all places). I do not plan to dye my hair. If someone has a problem with it, that's their problem, not mine.

Out of curiosity, are you FIREd?  If not, what field do you work in?

I am not FIRE, no where near unfortunately. Still a baby in that regards. I'm an accountant, currently in internal audit. My hair is on the lighter side, which will help hide it for a while.

[Lunasol]

Last time I dyed my hair was October 2014, so I've been growing it out for almost two years and cutting inches and inches off of dyed hair just because I want my natural hair back.

I rarely even go to a salon, maybe two times a year, but where I live getting a haircut is really cheap around $3 USD, oh and I never get my nails done, I used to like to paint them myself, but I've grown to like the more natural look

Natural hair and natural nails :) Face make-up is another story tho.....

[onlykelsey]

My mom started going gray in her 30s, and never dyed it. I'm 30 now, and just found my first gray hair (in an eyebrow of all places). I do not plan to dye my hair. If someone has a problem with it, that's their problem, not mine.

Out of curiosity, are you FIREd?  If not, what field do you work in?

I am not FIRE, no where near unfortunately. Still a baby in that regards. I'm an accountant, currently in internal audit. My hair is on the lighter side, which will help hide it for a while.

Interesting.  I'm not going gray, but I'm not sure I'm willing to spend political capital in the workforce not dying it.  I'd rather use those points elsewhere.  I'm in a pretty traditional Manhattan firm, though, so it's probably a bit different. I cannot picture a female lawyer with gray hair in the entire firm, actually.  Lots of men.

[happy]

A few years ago I decided I wanted to stop dying and go grey, but I can't really do the skunk line thing due to my professional job. Having fully grey hair will be quite acceptable at work, its just the transition. It won't be acceptable to have growing out/washed out dye lines. I also think I look bad with really short hair and several hairdressers independently concur, so the idea of cutting it short and letting it grow out with lowlights won't work.

So I have embarked on a process of getting gradually lighter and then stopping. I've gone gradually from very dark brown, now to mid blonde. I used to dye it myself and gradually lightened the shade I was using until I got to a light brown/dark blonde colour. At this point it looked flat,drab and daggy so I went to the hairdresser to get some foils put in.  Never been blonde in my life and it took months before I didn't get a shock when I looked in the mirror. I get foils put in every 3 months, and touch up once a month myself at home using dye which I buy on special. My roots which looked so grey when I was a darker colour, now look dark in comparison to the rest of the hair. I think dark roots are one of the status symbols of youth: my hairdresser laughed when I said that. I think it will take another year or so, but thats OK, now that I'm this shade I'm enjoying the journey.  I think this colouring suits my post menopausal skin tones much better.

Have never used deodorant or done nails. Wear makeup at work but not much otherwise.

[Secretly Saving]

Yes, you have my vote to go for the big change.  I have never dyed my hair or done nails.  I have literally saved thousands of dollars in the last 30 years plus all of that time spent getting it done.  Less stuff to worry about. 

Shampoo and deodorant are not leaving my bathroom any time soon but I have dispatched with most cosmetics (foundation and powder and lipsticks are out).  Just cheap mascara and a little blusher are all I use. 

I know I am not hip in the eyes of the sweet young thangs at my office.  I am rich though.

This made me smile.  So, so, so true!

[KiwiSonya]

Perfectly timed, I really want to do this. I'm 39 and have been going grey since my 20's. Have dark brown hair so it's obvious. I'm a Sahm so no workplace worries yet. Hubby is quite grey too. I have let about an inch of regrowth happen. Next hair cut will be a short one. Quite excited to get rid of slavery to chemicals. Finally suffered cognitive dissonance about seeking out organic food then dipping my head regularly in ammonia and other nasties. I'll join you!

[duckfeetin]

I go ombre! My natrual color on top and a little flare at the bottom. Never have to worry about keeping up on roots and the vegtable dye stores well.

Quitting the endless cycle is freeing!

[SpeedReader]

Gray hair doesn't take color as well, especially not when using the DIY products.  I decided a couple years ago that I was done with the whole thing.  Mixed reactions from the women I know:  some looked envious of being off the treadmill; my older sister still wants me to go back!  :-)  My husband likes it and I love being hassle-free. 

[Lindy]

I stopped dying my hair about a year and a half ago.  Best decision ever!  I'm only 35, but started goin gray in my late 20's.  I've just embraced the gray.  Now I just need to learn to cut it myself!

[Erica]

One thing you can do to save money is to streak your hair.

Let your hair be it's natural color but add in one-two other colors also

This way you are paying for less color. You only need a foam cap, pick thing and some dye out of a bottle. Save the rest.

I say this because I am Norwegian and Native American but appear very light skinned

Dark Hair makes my face look AWFUL so if I allowed my natural color, it wouldn't look good

I'd look like a ghost

[pachnik]

One thing you can do to save money is to streak your hair.

Let your hair be it's natural color but add in one-two other colors also

This way you are paying for less color. You only need a foam cap, pick thing and some dye out of a bottle. Save the rest.

I say this because I am Norwegian and Native American but appear very light skinned

Dark Hair makes my face look AWFUL so if I allowed my natural color, it wouldn't look good

I'd look like a ghost

I can relate to your situation.  For the last 20 years I had been colouring my hair dark brown.  I stopped colouring 5 months ago.  At the back, where my hair is shortest it is all its natural colour which accordingly to my husband is black.  I have a patch on top of my head of steel gray which is showing now.  I have no idea how this is going to look when it is all natural but most of it will be darker than the colour I had been dying it.  I am also very light skinned. 

Lowlights will be my option I think until more it goes gray or silver.

[Secretly Saving]

Am I the only one who wants to see pictures of the process?  Anyone willing to post pics?  (faces covered to protect anonymity!?!)

[alleykat]

Wow, everyone, I am impressed. I went gray early so I have been coloring for 30 years or so.  I am extremely tired of the process but am not ready to go gray yet.  But, how liberating. Maybe when I am done working I will give it a go. I would love to see pictures too.

[Farmgirl]

I stopped the dye jobs 2 years ago.  Fortunately for me, DH started graying at 20, so he's completely gray now.  He didn't care if I dyed my hair or not.

The reason I stopped is that I absolutely can't stand sitting in a salon (it was too much of a mess at home) and spending $64 plus tip to get it done.

I thought it would look awful not dyeing it, but it doesn't really.

[ZiziPB]

My mom started going gray in her 30s, and never dyed it. I'm 30 now, and just found my first gray hair (in an eyebrow of all places). I do not plan to dye my hair. If someone has a problem with it, that's their problem, not mine.

Out of curiosity, are you FIREd?  If not, what field do you work in?

I am not FIRE, no where near unfortunately. Still a baby in that regards. I'm an accountant, currently in internal audit. My hair is on the lighter side, which will help hide it for a while.

Interesting.  I'm not going gray, but I'm not sure I'm willing to spend political capital in the workforce not dying it.  I'd rather use those points elsewhere.  I'm in a pretty traditional Manhattan firm, though, so it's probably a bit different. I cannot picture a female lawyer with gray hair in the entire firm, actually.  Lots of men.

That would never stop me.  I'm a lawyer, used to be in big law, now in-house at a Fortune 500 company.  Stopped coloring my hair at 42 and never looked back.  Nobody even blinked an eye at my transition.

Look at powerful and successful women like Janet Yellen or Christine Lagarde :-)

[StarBright]

Wow, everyone, I am impressed. I went gray early so I have been coloring for 30 years or so.  I am extremely tired of the process but am not ready to go gray yet.  But, how liberating. Maybe when I am done working I will give it a go. I would love to see pictures too.

FWIW- I think silver being a trendy color definitely helped me embrace the idea of letting it grow out while I'm still "young." Also,I've already been coloring for 10 years and had hit the point where I needed to do my roots ever 3-4 weeks, I just couldn't imagine doing it for another 25-30 years.

To be honest, I have not ruled out adding color back in as I get older (probably balayage or just face framing highlights). But at least I'll have a natural base to work with to add the most natural color possible instead of 10 years worth of product dumped on my whole head :)

[onlykelsey]

My mom started going gray in her 30s, and never dyed it. I'm 30 now, and just found my first gray hair (in an eyebrow of all places). I do not plan to dye my hair. If someone has a problem with it, that's their problem, not mine.

Out of curiosity, are you FIREd?  If not, what field do you work in?

I am not FIRE, no where near unfortunately. Still a baby in that regards. I'm an accountant, currently in internal audit. My hair is on the lighter side, which will help hide it for a while.

Interesting.  I'm not going gray, but I'm not sure I'm willing to spend political capital in the workforce not dying it.  I'd rather use those points elsewhere.  I'm in a pretty traditional Manhattan firm, though, so it's probably a bit different. I cannot picture a female lawyer with gray hair in the entire firm, actually.  Lots of men.

That would never stop me.  I'm a lawyer, used to be in big law, now in-house at a Fortune 500 company.  Stopped coloring my hair at 42 and never looked back.  Nobody even blinked an eye at my transition.

Look at powerful and successful women like Janet Yellen or Christine Lagarde :-)

I've been paying attention around the office, I still haven't seen any gray female lawyers (have seen gray staff).  I am sort of a light brown/strawberry blonde, and I think my tentative plan may be to start using henna products so my grays/whites cast strawberry.  But, honestly, I am on path to be out of here by then (I just turned 30), so it may not be an issue.

[KiwiSonya]

For those who don't want going grey to be a feminist statement or don't feel like they can use the can't be fucked excuse, you could always tell people you are allergic to dyes. Most people have seen the horrific pictures of what can happen if you develop  a hair dye allergy. Not that I'm saying you need to justify yourself of course...And awesome to hear the stories of liberation.