It’s an individual decision. And if you decide to “go grey” it’s not a popular one. I had been coloring my hair for more than 20 years (I don’t remember exactly). It started as overall, one color every 6 -8 weeks. I had highlights done a few times, I never liked it honestly. I didn’t like my hair too light. The color was always dark brown. Boring, I know. But it was closest to my natural color. It went from 6-8 weeks to every 4 weeks and stayed that way for many years. The last couple of years, I was coloring my hair every 3 weeks! I hated it. Leaving the salon, in a couple of days you could see the grey at the roots coming in. Yes, after just a few days!

I last colored my hair in February, 2023 when I was visiting Dallas, TX. I had lived there previously for a couple of years, so I went to my regular stylist, Karen. Love her! Great work on my hair. Loved the color. But I was done. Karen told me at my roots, my hair was 100% grey. That now was the time to just let it grow out! I had been coloring it in Mexico since I moved here in August 2021. But I was just tired of it. So I decided that February would be my last hair color appointment.

It’s been a tough journey. The initial grow out phase (the first 6 – 8 months) was hard. I’ve been told that it could take a full two years for your entire hair to grow out grey. My hair was down to the middle of my back. But I started cutting it to aid in the “catch up” from my roots to my ends. It’s a lot shorter than I’d like, but it will grow out again! I’ve included some pictures below of the different phases:

I just read on YahooFinance that every day in the USA over 10,000 people turn 65 and 52% of those are women. The vast majority of those 65 year old women (like me) have been “going grey” for several years. And that decision to stop coloring one’s hair and simply go “natural” is a very difficult one. We think about it, maybe for years, as in my case. Unfortunately, grey hair on women makes us look old, or so “they” tell us. On men it’s distinguished. Really?

I’m at a point in my life where I really don’t care what others think of me, my grey hair, my extra pounds, or my decision to live in Mexico. As women, we are taught that other’s opinions of us and our choices are important. And many times, we allow those opinions to harm us. So I’ve chosen to not consider what others think. I am happy with myself and my situation

Here’s more of my timeline:

In September 2023 I decided to try something that I had see on the internet (Instagram, etc). And that was to color my entire head grey. I sat in a salon chair for 7 hours. Yes, 7 hours. When I was done, I loved it. It looked great. That’s the pic with the before and after. The overall grey was beautiful. However, as I soon learned, my hair did not “take” the color well. Within 2 days the grey was dull and my hair had turned yellow in areas. It was so disappointing. So I won’t be doing that again.

At the end of the day, I’m happy with my decision to go grey. I wish the growth would go faster. I’m thinking right now to cut it even shorter, so that I’ll be mostly grey with very little dark brown hair at my ends. To all the women out there, “going grey”, good for you! I feel honored to be a part of the “grey movement.”