Several years ago, my husband and I went through several months of treatment and recuperation with my husband's colon cancer. While he was recuperating at home, I started doing his haircuts. Now that he has been "clean" for several years, I still do it because it is more economically feasible. Both he and I are completely silver, or so I thought.
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I homeschool my daughter, and in one of the stories that we were reading (Neighbor Rosicky by Willa Cather), a 1920's frontier woman covered her graying hair with a brew of strong tea. I tried it, and it works! It doesn't completely cover the gray, but it does make it less noticable, and only costs the price of a tea bag per day. Nancy from PA
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I am getting grey hair. What can I do?
By joan from Roswell, NM
Purchase a semi-permanent hair color to cover the gray. The semi-permanent is a temporary color and will wash out after about 4-5 shampoos.
If you like the results then you can go with a permanent hair color that uses peroxide.
Pluck the grays out with a tweezer until your hair starts to thin, then start dying it.
* Use a sulfate-free shampoo made specially for color-treated hair or the dye will quickly fade!
I plucked my gray hairs out for over 15 years until I finally had to start dying my hair!
---> I like what MCW said too!
For years I used Loreal Preference to cover my grey hair. I picked the lightest shade as I believe it helps to keep the wrinkles from looking so prominent. Touch up to my mousy/grey hair was every 6 weeks. I finally got tired of that so I got a good haircut and let my hair go back to natural mousy and grey. And guess what, it looks so nice it matches my brown eyes and looks like it was professionally highlighted. No more coloring, expense, etc. Happy in Ohio
I like henna, and use Light Mountain brand, which I buy at a local food co-op. It isn't that expensive, and I only use 1/2 package at a time. I usually apply it every 3 months or so, and I have quite dark brown hair. It is messy, though, so just put newspaper everywhere in the bathroom, and be sure to wipe up any spots if they splatter.
I do not recommend plucking the gray hair out unless you have so much extra hair that you don't care if it permanently thins out! Plucking 'any' hair on your body continually over time damages that hair follicle to the point where the hair will no longer grow from it :-o
I go to the hairdresser every four weeks and have color put on. My hair grows fast and I do not like any light roots showing. If your hair does not grow fast, you can go longer.
FLAUNT IT! Grey hair is beautiful! Look at Paula Deen, EmmyLou Harris, Heloise, just to name a few. Look for hair products specifically designed to make grey hair more beautiful. I get compliments on my grey hair! Maybe you will too. Besides, I hear it's all the rage now, and people are even asking for grey hair at salons. I just read that yesterday.
Deeli, oh Deeli, I wish that were so. For if it worked as you declare, there'd be no place for my tweezers to go. But alack and alas, I have to say that my chin gets attention most every day!
Life is cussid like that - I have very sparse eyebrows.
Joan, there are enough expenses in life without wasting money - we all recognize "dyed" hair when we see it sand anyway Sharmayla has a very good point, though I may be biased speaking as a gray/white non colored!
Popet, oh Popet ;-) Chin, nose and ear hairs arrive in females because of hormonal changes and just keep a comin' ;-) Not to be mean but I'll venture to bet you were an eyebrow plucker and that's why yours are now sparse. The same thing happens to the hairs on our head as happens with the eyebrows that are continually plucked. I know from whence I speak having been a hairstylist for 35 years and a second generation hairstylist at that ;-)
I do like your poem though and agree about natural color :-)
Sorry, and ya'll can call me vain if you like but grey is not ALWAYS beautiful. There is nothing more unattractive when we all walk out of the salon looking just alike, grey with a VERY short neckline cut or tight permed. When I have to find a new hairdresser if I walk out looking like everyone else I don't go back. I colored for years and when I decided to let it all grow off I looked tired and dull and my hair had no body. When I colored it again people raved at how attractive it was. I'll probably go to my grave as a blonde. Yes, grey can be beautiful on some but not all. The right color job can do wonders.
I need to know how to naturally let my gray grow out faster, but healthy and shiny!
By ann lehman
What can you do for grey hair that is starting to yellow?
I use Generic Conditioning Shampoo from Sally's. Compare it to: Clairol Shimmer Lights Original Conditioning Shampoo. Takes away the yellow. Adds sparkle and shine. So the bottle says. I use it once a week and it keeps my gray hair from getting dull. Works for me.
Silver Fox shampoo works well also. Pantene had one for extremely bleached hair that left beautiful silver highlights.
There is a shampoo/conditioner called Pure Blonde. It is in a tube and looks purple but does not color your hair purple.
I think I got it at a hair supply store. My hairdresser recommended it and it does the job.
Do you smoke? The nicotene will make your hair yellow. My mom had the prettiest silver & white hair when she stopped smoking for awhile & it went right back to nicotene yellow when she started smoking again!
Will a vinegar rinse change the color of the white (grey) in my hair?
Have you used color enhancing shampoos on your virgin gray/white hair? Do they add color and do you have to use it for a number of shampoos in order to see results?
By Betty
Does anyone have any tips for long gray hair? I would like suggestions for attractive styles for older women and tips for keeping it looking healthy. Thanks.
By Sherry from Greer, SC
The best suggestion I can give as I was a hairdresser is to find a good straight on face picture of yourself that you can cut up. After you cut the picture out completely only leaving your face and shoulders but no hair other than if you have bangs, then take the photo and start browsing magazines, newspapers, etc for hairstyles even look on line for them and dont discount wigs as an option for this. When you find a photo of a hair style that you like take the photo of yourself and lay it over the face of the model in the picture. This may not be a "perfect fit" but it will give you a pretty good idea of what you will look like with that specific style. This seems to work well using the computer as you are able to pull up wigs and hairstyles alike to " try out " your new style.
Once you find something pretty close to what you like and that will fit your lifestyle try going to a wig shop and trying on some wigs, this will give you a very good idea of the look on you. Once you do find a style make sure to get a picture as there is nothing worse than trying to describe a hairstyle to a hairdresser that has never seen the style as well as how to cut it in for you so the photo is the best and if it is a wig that you like the style of use your cell phone or digital camera and take a picture of it on you to show your stylist. Hope this helps and good luck on your new look.