Thinking about going grey?

I have decided to put together this blog to help other women who are thinking about growing their hair out to their natural Grey.  I know it is not for everyone but it is for some. When I embarked on the journey of growing out my Grey hair, I found it hard to get images of how others managed the various stages of growth.  This is probably because it doesn't look that great and we would sooner rather forget about it but I want to get rid of that stigma and normalise this transition.  Just like grey hair has become a trend, shouldn't the natural process of becoming Grey be embraced too? Change can be challenging but remember how great you feel afterwards and the things you learn along the way about yourself and how others react to you.  I  documented the transitions (quite roughly) as I wanted to be able to help other people see what it was like.  A lot of my customers who saw me go through the journey were very helpful, some having experienced it themselves, which gave me great confidence to persevere and I am so grateful to them.

Now, during this time when I write this it is the Covid -19 pandemic and lots of women are at home and wondering what to do with their grey hair.  I decided it was time I created my photo diary of my journey to show others how I managed.  I was inspired by three women in particular who live near me in Clifden.  Monique, Terri, Ev and Ber.  They are all very different women with different styles but all look fantastic and totally liberated.

So here is my journey and I am sure it varies for everybody depending on your hair colour and length amongst other things.

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I started wearing baseball caps as they covered my head and allowed for my ponytail and I could wear them indoors including working in the shop without feeling too self-conscious. 

Here is my Mum and my eldest son with me wearing a baseball cap in April 18 eight months into growing out my dyed hair. 

As the grey roots started to grow evenly around my scalp, my hairdresser Andrea suggested using a bun doughnut to help me tie my hair up and show more of my grey hair and less of my dark.  The pic on the left was taken in May 18 and the right in June 18.  The grey hair was starting to come out of the top of the doughnut.

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In July I decided to get some of the darkness taken down a few shades at the hairdressers so I could start wearing my hair down.  This was the first time I had worn it down in 10 months and it was weird.  Even, I didn't recognise myself and my family were very kind.

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Then by November I had the darker ends taken down again to a lighter blonder shade and my hair was over the first year.  Here is me posing for a social media post showing some new deliveries that I couldn't resist.

My hair was now blond at the ends and Grey at the top and I had never had blond hair before.  It was a novelty at first but I really didn't like the Yellow against my skin tone.  Here I am trying on a coat at the Seasalt Showroom in Dec. 18.  You can see the Yellow ends of my hair and also the back is fairly Grey.

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Shortly after this stage i discovered tints that I could put onto the ends of my hair to cover the Yellow so I started to use pinks.  Here I am posing for a pic wearing one of the new cool sunglasses 'Izipizi' were showing at a trade show in London.

I just kept playing with the pink tints and using Blue shampoo to tone down the Yellow until all the Yellow was cut off.  Here is a pic of my husband Kevin and I at my friend Shelagh's 50th Birthday.  My hair is completely my own natural colour and i had started to use solid natural shampoo to wash my hair so my hair also became less frizzy and more naturally wavy.

It took me just over two years to completely grow my Grey hair out without cutting above shoulder length.  I do love the freedom that Grey hair gives me and how it has changed the colours that I can wear including make up.  Having Grey hair  has allowed me to be more experimental with colour on the clothes that I wear and my make up too.  I can now wear pastel colours and pink lipsticks which I would never have done before.  

I hope you find this useful and that it helps you decide whether to bite the bullet and go for it or not.  Feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions  sharon@ohhbygum.ie

Thank you for reading

Stay safe

love Sharon x