4Real Forums: caring for gray hair

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St. Anne's Tearoom: Growing in Wisdom over 40 ( Forum Locked)
4Real Forums : St. Anne's Tearoom: Growing in Wisdom over 40

Topic: caring for gray hair

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Angie Mc
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Posted: April 28 2010 at 6:07pm \| IP Logged

Any words of wisdom or products you love?

I like my gray hair, salting my dark brown, wavy shoulder length hair. Since I don't color it and I cut it myself, I want to turn my attention and money to making it look healthy. I currently use this very yummy phytargent whitening shampoo to keep the gray/white - white. I use all sorts of moisturizers and rotate them, but can't say I love any one of them in particular. I don't blow dry and also place soft curlers in my hair while its wet to give my hair form and volume (my hair was always thick but is thinning a little.)

Thanks so much for any recommendations!

Love,

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Angie Mc
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Angie Mc
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Posted: April 29 2010 at 8:52am \| IP Logged

I thought of another transition-into-gray-hair thing. I wash my hair less frequently the more gray it gets.

Also, I'm wondering...since my hair is still longish, what do you put in your hair to pull it up without looking like your are clashing little girl pony tail with mature woman gray?

Love,

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Angie Mc
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Christine
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Posted: April 29 2010 at 9:18am \| IP Logged

I am not 40, but I will most likely be completely gray when I am. There are times when I think that I really want to "wash the gray right out of my hair", but my husband doesn't want me to do so. Thank you for sharing these tips.

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Maryan
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Posted: April 29 2010 at 2:43pm \| IP Logged

In the last two years my gray hair has become... abundant. I started going gray when I was 18 and did dye it for three years in my late 20s, but when I started having kids, I couldn't keep up with dyeing it. As my natural hair is SO dark, it looked very bad when I didn't keep it up. So for most of my 30s, I've been salt and pepper.

I'm hoping when I'm 70, I'll have shocking white hair like my mom... but I'm on quite as fast a track as she was.

My gray is very different from my dark brown hair. It's course and curly. The solution to taming it for me is probably cut it short, but my dh likes it longer. So... I'm not really much help!

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DominaCaeli
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Posted: April 29 2010 at 2:49pm \| IP Logged

Maryan wrote:

My gray is very different from my dark brown hair. It's course and curly.

Sorry to peek into this forum, but I'm interested in this topic... My hair sounds just like yours, Maryan. I'm only 28 but have been going gray since my late teens. I don't dye it yet (I just don't want to add that expense to our household), but even if I did, the gray hairs are so coarse and curly that they would still be a problem to manage. I'm not sure if it's possible to change the nature of my grays, but I'd love suggestions if anyone has them!

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JodieLyn
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Posted: April 29 2010 at 2:52pm \| IP Logged

Angie, as far as styling, I would go for defining that grey hair doesn't mean old and decrepit and only certain hairstyles.. pick the styles that look good on you and go with it.. you define the look, don't let the look define you.

Now I don't mean two little pigtails girlie.. but if a pony tail is comfy for you.. why not use it.. I wear my hair a lot in a single braid and somehow I don't see getting grey hair (my mom wasn't noticably grey until 50 and I definately have her hair) changing a style I find so easy and functional.

But for a more grown up look.. check out what sorts of different clips and holders they have now.. when I can get a clip big enough to hold all my hair.. I love a simple clip holding my hair.. like a pony but in a clip instead.

When I want my hair up.. I use hair sticks (think chopsticks) a few quick twists and "sew" the stick into it and it stays better than anything I can use.. even a braid lets more hair loose than a good twist with hairstick. And I'm talking I can literally twist it up in about 30 seconds.. maybe a minute if I have to try a couple times to get it set right.. without a mirror. So don't think this is a complicated updo

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Kathryn
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Posted: April 29 2010 at 7:50pm \| IP Logged

Angie Mc wrote:

what do you put in your hair to pull it up without looking like your are clashing little girl pony tail with mature woman gray?

I'm big on the clips...I've got all sizes. I usu. where a small clip w/ hair just pulled back on the sides to church so it looks a little dressier but now w/ Summer coming I get the big clip and it allll goes up almost allll the time. Not very fashionable per se but my hair is pretty long.

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Angie Mc
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Posted: April 29 2010 at 8:41pm \| IP Logged

Where do you all get your clips? I have some barettes that I pull my hair up in a twist in the back...but I seriously can't find many I like. Are you all talking clips or barettes or both?

Love,

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Angie Mc
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JodieLyn
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Posted: April 29 2010 at 9:00pm \| IP Logged

barrettes.. none of the claw type clips hold my hair AT ALL.

I use hair sticks instead.

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Jodie, wife to Dave
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LLMom
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Posted: April 30 2010 at 7:06am \| IP Logged

My hair is graying fairly quickly. I also have dry, curly hair. I use lots of conditioner (no shampoo) and gel or mousse without alcohol) to help those naughty gray hairs that sometimes have a mind of their own. I wear it down in cool weather, but now that it is warm, I usually put it up with a claw clip or sometimes a pony tail that you don't pull all the way through. (don't know if that makes sense)

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Teachin'Mine2
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Posted: April 30 2010 at 7:20am \| IP Logged

The octopus clips are great for buns, and they would make the contrast between the gray and dark brown less noticeable as most of the brown would be in a bun under the octopus clip. Did that make sense?

My gray is starting to come in, but I have no intention to ever dye it.

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Servant2theKing
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Posted: April 30 2010 at 7:16pm \| IP Logged

Angie, your hair sounds very similar to mine...I also cut my own hair...it's slightly longer than shoulder length, with light bangs, feathered back or teased a little. I don't plan on ever dying it...I've earned those stripes, thank you very much! I actually like it when certain more wirey grey hairs stand out...especially on humid days! I find that Pantene Ice-Shine All-in-One Shampoo & Conditioner seems to do nicely for me...it works well for the varying texture and color of both the grey and the brown. I sometimes blow-dry, only on a cooler setting, with my head upside down, until my hair is just slightly damp...it adds some of the volume my aging hair seems to have lost somewhat. When I want my hair up, especially on hot Summer days, I pull it into a twist in the back, secured with a large barette...my hair is too heavy for any other style. Your post has reminded me... when I was much younger I used to imagine being a grey haired old woman, with a bun, combing out my long tresses at bedtime. Hurray for grey-haired ladies with longer hair! And thanks for the reminder that one of my childhood dreams is actually coming true!

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Angie Mc
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Posted: May 04 2010 at 10:45pm \| IP Logged

JodieLyn wrote:

barrettes.. none of the claw type clips hold my hair AT ALL.

I use hair sticks instead.

I dd uses sticks sometimes. I just never got the hang of them although I think they look very cool. Maybe I'll try again.

Servant2theKing wrote:

I find that Pantene Ice-Shine All-in-One Shampoo & Conditioner seems to do nicely for me...it works well for the varying texture and color of both the grey and the brown. .

.. when I was much younger I used to imagine being a grey haired old woman, with a bun, combing out my long tresses at bedtime. Hurray for grey-haired ladies with longer hair! And thanks for the reminder that one of my childhood dreams is actually coming true!

Ooooooo, I look forward to using that product and "me too" about being very old and having long gray hair. This reminded me of a memory from my childhood...my great-grandma and an elderly lady named Anna I visited as a volunteer as a child...cool!

No more time to find quotes but I'd like to hear more about "no shampooing." Also...

I would like to increase shine. Does anyone use serum for shine? I have a Phyto Serum which is nice and light. I've tried others that are too heavy. I'm just not sure I've got the timing of when to use the serum down yet...which gets me to...

How often do you use all these products? What order do you use them? What do you use on off-wash days? Anything else?

Love,

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Angie Mc
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