Gray Haired Sisterhood

[Ratkity]

Ya know, as I've gotten older, I'm getting waves and curls. What's up with that?? All my teenage years, I fried my hair (and scalp) on curling irons to get a wee bit of curl that would flop as soon as I stepped into the NC humidity (grew up in Raleigh area).

I've given up and just let it do what it wants unless I'm scheduled to work with the public. Then I over-product my hair to stay down so it doesn't look like I've stood in a wind tunnel to dry my hair.

Hugs,
Ratkity

[CAJUN LADY]

Bravo to you ladies!

I was born a brunette and will "dye" a blond!

[Miriam C.]

Bravo to you ladies!

I was born a brunette and will "dye" a blond!

[The Teardrop Nanny]

My hair has always been in its natural state....I've never dyed/colored or permed it. I really like my hair color and constantly get compliments on it. I tell people to call my Mother and let her know since she always used to want me to color it. My twin went grey (salt & pepper) in his twenties. I stayed blonde for decades longer and mine did not change color until my late 40's. After all the hullabaloo about hair dyes, colorings, and potential risk to scalp & skin from coloring, I prefer the natural look.

TDN

[mcspin50]

Well, my next birthday is the BIG 6-0. I can hardly bring myself to say it the proper way. I sure don't feel that old, so I guess that's the important thing, right?
I've gone through various "to color or not to color" stages in my life. The last few years, I've spent a just few dollars getting my hair highlighted/lowlighted. I was born blonde, then gradually darkened over the years. I remember being very surprised when we got a family photo taken about 15 years ago of my husband and me and our three boys . My hair was as brown as my husband's! Two of my sisters are natural blondes, the other has colored her hair since I can't remember when, so I'm guessing it's really brown now like mine, but I think there might be some coloring going on as none of them have grey hair. I guess I just want to look like my big thithters, and hide the few grey hairs that seem to pop up. Call me vain or insecure, but I FEEL younger when my hair has blonde highlights. We joke at the hair salon when I come in and say, "It's time to de-frump me!"

[nevadatear]

Of course everyone needs, and should, color or not color based on what makes them feel good and works for them, and I certainly support your right to do so 'till you "dye" as our cajun friend says . But your last statement, mcspin50 is so telling about our current culture and how we define ourselves. Even though you are joking with your hair person about "defrumping" you, it is a sad state of our culture that even in joking we equate gray with frump and being "old."

Nanny, I'm so glad you chimed in. I envy your hair every time I see it on our avatar, or lately in the cast iron videos. I think you and I would be one of the very few who have never colored their hair.

[rebapuck]

When I was young, my hair was very very very blonde. In high school though, it became just very very blonde. My mother was the one who took me down to the drug store to buy something. I started with "Summer Blonde". But after a few uses, I felt it was too monotone. So I started experimenting with using it in streaks. Then, Clairol came out with the home frosting kits and I was hooked. I liked frosting because the roots (still very very blonde) grew out gracefully.

I knew my hair was gradually darkening and always said I was going to quit frosting when I started graying. Forty years later, I noticed the gray at my hairline, so I quit. It's been two years. My hair is totally natural and I hate it. I'm a brunette!!! I look at myself in the mirror and it's "who the h*ll are you?". The gray is not coming in very fast and I'm tempted to frost again.

[martha24]

Nanny, I'm so glad you chimed in. I envy your hair every time I see it on our avatar, or lately in the cast iron videos. I think you and I would be one of the very few who have never colored their hair.

Make that 3

You can't really see the gray in my braid, but you can especially on the side of my head area, as it is a mix of brown & gray.

[PKCSPT]

Started showing grey in my early 20's, not too much. Never bothered with coloring my hair,, seemed like too much fuss. Now in my mid 40's and I like to point out the grey to my kids,,, now I tell them it was their teen years that did it to me.
Still don't have a lot of grey though.

[The Teardrop Nanny]

Yep, I love it! This is what 50+ "virgin" grey hair looks like. Never dyed, colored, or had a permanent. I just tell people I'm going for the Platinum Status. A young guy at the mall complimented me the other day and I told him that. Without missing a beat, he replied, "And you've done it so well!"
xoxo TDN

[CAJUN LADY]

Yep, I love it! This is what 50+ "virgin" grey hair looks like. Never dyed, colored, or had a permanent. I just tell people I'm going for the Platinum Status. A young guy at the mall complimented me the other day and I told him that. Without missing a beat, he replied, "And you've done it so well!"
xoxo TDN

And he was right...you do! I only hope I look that good when I get my first grey hair! (I crack myself up sometimes!)

[Eunice]

Becca you are so funny! You must come to the west coast someday

[doris s.]

I'm 46 and have also been debating about letting my hair grow out so I can see how gray it is. You ladies may have inspired me to do just that. Next cut no die and see what happens. I can always die it again if I don't like it right?

Doris

[CAJUN LADY]

I'm 46 and have also been debating about letting my hair grow out so I can see how gray it is. You ladies may have inspired me to do just that. Next cut no die and see what happens. I can always die it again if I don't like it right?

Doris

Yep Yep Yep

I would love to Eunice!

[Eunice]

Doris I will post a new picture with NO dye, all natural in a few months when it has grown out if you will !