Fighting the grays and losing. Any suggestions?

[Bella_Atl]

I have been chemical free for 6 months now! Yeah!

But for the past 6 months my grays have been coming in full force. I have been using Henna but the process is too slow. First treatmeant it turns the new gray orange (which I don't like) then after each henna treatmeant they get darker and darker, until about the 5th or 6th treatmeant I have mohagony highlights (which I do like). Problem is the new growth and gray have already started coming by that time. Aaarrgghh!

I don't want to go back to color in a bottle but I just can't do the grays! And I gray around my hairline. So brushed back bangless ponytails are out!
Any chemical free suggestions?

 

[yvette]

Girl, I was exactly like you. I am 9 months post relaxer and was using henna and indigo to keep my gray in check. I decided a couple of months ago that I can not do henna/indigo any longer because it is too time consuming. I went to my stylist and had her give me a jet black rinse. I just can't deal with the gray and especially since all my half wigs are jet black so it is very important that my hair color matches for blending purposes.

Sorry, I have no answer for you but I know the feeling........

 

[Crystal]

I lost the gray battle a long time ago! Tried everything under the sun. I’m natural and I colored with Bigen for years, now I use a ColorGems a demi-permanent. There’s one or two semi-permanents/rinses that will last a few days or so but I found the demi’s to last longer. I find myself coloring my hairline every 2-3 weeks. Man I hate it.

 

[SUPER SWEET]

I've been using Nutrutint and it keeps my greys at bay.

 

[ceebee3]

I use a demi permanent color it lasts for 8 weeks but it's not natural.

I wanted to try Aveda which uses mostly natural ingredients and only deposits color but I couldn't find much info on it and I haven't felt like visiting their salon yet.

Maybe you could check them out.

 

[Supervixen]

I found my first one recently. It is at the exact place where I love to wear my part. The thing is so thick and loves to stand up on end. UGH. I dont have any suggestions, I'm simply venting and looking to you all for help!

 

[SelfStyled]

I either use rinses or once the rinse washes out I just use the mascaras for hair, luckily I only have a few greys.

 

[MahoganyJazz]

Try using indigo when you henna, I hear it works great for grays and it's still natural.

 

[Lola Laughs]

^^Works for me. It sometime takes a couple of applications to completely cover the grays, so you may have to tolerate orange to red "highlights" in the interim.

 

[Sunshine_One]

OP I glad you started this thread. I am having the same issue. I was born with a small patch of grey above my right ear...and have started seeing few strands since my mid twenties...but I now am starting to see an increase. I had full head of Aveda color done back in 2007. It was fine.. one the most "natural" commercial color systems on the market but it still dried my hair. I did not have major breakage just drier hair. I decided to stop getting the roots retouched summer 2008 and have been growing it out since. I started henna treatments last spring.

Truthfully...Henna was just OK for me. I have only done a few treatments. The last one was the past September. I have been trimming off the Aveda color on my ends over the last 3 months because they are dry and very prone to single strand knots.

I really don't want to go back to commercial color, however I'm not sure about using Henna again either. Mean while the greys are moving in strong. LOL

I will research demi permanent color.

 

[sunnysmyler]

I have quite a bit of grey hair along my hair line as well. I've been henna'ing for about 6months now. Where it is a time consuming procedure, it's still most healthy for my natural hair and I really like it.

Why don't you just henna the hair line like every two weeks, just schedule it in with your other hair treatments, then do a good moisturizing treatment when you're done.

I truly understand your frustration, I didn't have this much grey before going natural, but I found a good henna in my area that has the color already in it, and my greys have a nice red color to them, while the rest of my hair has a deep red tinge to it.

 

[pisceschica]

I have been chemical free for 6 months now! Yeah!

But for the past 6 months my grays have been coming in full force. I have been using Henna but the process is too slow. First treatmeant it turns the new gray orange (which I don't like) then after each henna treatmeant they get darker and darker, until about the 5th or 6th treatmeant I have mohagony highlights (which I do like). Problem is the new growth and gray have already started coming by that time. Aaarrgghh!

I don't want to go back to color in a bottle but I just can't do the grays! And I gray around my hairline. So brushed back bangless ponytails are out!
Any chemical free suggestions?

The only suggestion I have is redken shades EQ (NOT COLOR GELS) which is a semi-demi rinse. I would suggest the colors 6NB or 4NB under the dryer for atleast thirty minutes (15-20 if you had a relaxer the same day).

You can have this service performed at a salon or you can do a little search on the internet to find it. You mix equal parts color to equal parts shades EQ developer.

I find that it can last a pretty long especially if you clarify or relaxer (not applicable to you) before. Ladies that do apply the same day as relaingx this particular rinse won't rinse out just fade (atleast that is what I have found with most customers).

 

[Sunshine_One]

I have quite a bit of grey hair along my hair line as well. I've been henna'ing for about 6months now. Where it is a time consuming procedure, it's still most healthy for my natural hair and I really like it.

Why don't you just henna the hair line like every two weeks, just schedule it in with your other hair treatments, then do a good moisturizing treatment when you're done.

I truly understand your frustration, I didn't have this much grey before going natural, but I found a good henna in my area that has the color already in it, and my greys have a nice red color to them, while the rest of my hair has a deep red tinge to it.

May I ask what brand of Henna you are using? I have a few in my hair line that I want to cover. TIA

 

[Diva_Esq]

I think I am just going to embrace them b/c I'm sure they'll show even more once I stop bunning and BC. Or get a rinse since I will no longer have the worry of 2 chemicals.

 

[sunnysmyler]

Sunshine One, I'm going to have to check when I get home. @ work now and can't remember the name, lol.

 

[Bella_Atl]

Try using indigo when you henna, I hear it works great for grays and it's still natural.

When I stopped using commercial hair color my grays just started celebrating. I love henna. It's great for relaxing my curls and preventing split ends, but for grays it's just too much work. The indigo is good but my hair is reddish brown not black. I don't have the undertones for black hair. Without make-up I look like a cracked out zombie with black hair.

I will look into the Aveda. I'm married to my steamer so maybe I can avoid the dryness. I'll also look into the demi-permenent.

Are these products safe to use over henna? I read somewhere you can't use commercial products over henna. It'll cause hair loss. Has anyone else heard this?

 

[pisceschica]

also try to apply with a good stiff color applicator brush to help really coat the grays.

 

[Allandra]

Great thread.

I don't really want to color my hair, but I really don't want the gray hairs either.

Sigh.

What's a girl to do?

I may go back to the color bottle.

 

[thickness]

I lost the gray battle a long time ago! Tried everything under the sun. I’m natural and I colored with Bigen for years, now I use a ColorGems a demi-permanent. There’s one or two semi-permanents/rinses that will last a few days or so but I found the demi’s to last longer. I find myself coloring my hairline every 2-3 weeks. Man I hate it.

co-signing on Loreal colorgems. I love it! I used Bigen for years, and once they changed the formulation it dried my out hair. After a couple of hit or misses with some rinses (Clairol Beautiful browns), I found colorgems and have not looked back. I especially like it because you do not get those dreaded "color drips" when you wash your hair.

 

[Ltown]

I use indigo/henna but it made my hair red, I tried 3 times and nothing cover the grays so I went back to faithful Bigen. But like the rest it's drying my hair out. So I'm on the look out for something new too!

 

[asummertyme]

good thread...i have so many..my whole hairline is grey..i just tried the color showers and meh.......

 

[Bella_Atl]

Thanks Sunny. I might try that. For some reason the henna won't take to the root of the gray hair. The root of the hair is gray and the rest is orange. And the orange looks more gray from a distance than the darn grays itself. It's picks up the light or something. It's weird. *Sigh*

 

[LadyPaniolo]

I am also concerned about this. I'm 30 now, but my family greys very early (I've had some grey since I was like 18 ) The henna/indigo is the only thing I'm willing to do at this point. I REFUSE to walk around with a white skunk stripe down the middle of my head, or one stripe at each temple which is how it generally plays out in my family.

 

[Msmia]

My entire hairline is grey and I tried the rinses and they did not work for me, I had to go back to my Natural Instincts in Dark Brown.

 

[sunnysmyler]

The brand of henna I use is Supreme Mehandi Henna, it already has the color in it and it says the color is Mongney. It works great on my greys, no problem at all!

 

[IDareT'sHair]

I Also use Mehandi Henna Body Art Quality for African American & Chemically Treated Hair and also Indigo. My Color is Fabulous. It lasts long and I have Total Grey Coverage.

IMO: The More you Henna the deeper your Henna stain becomes which makes the Indigo easier totally cover your Grey. You must leave the both on for the necessary amount of time tho'


Time Consuming I know. But to me, it is far more Superior (shine and staying power) than any Bottled Color.

 

[redecouvert]

I have tons of gray hair. I often use henna as I want to have reddish hair but yes, the gray hair turns orange..gasp!
so i just embrace them and leave them alone..plus i see new gray hair every day..lol

 

[CityGirl]

I think I am just going to embrace them b/c I'm sure they'll show even more once I stop bunning and BC. Or get a rinse since I will no longer have the worry of 2 chemicals.

I too am embracing my grays. Most of my male friends have told me they like it. I think long healthy gray hair is beautiful. This forum has really helped me get my hair healthy. The grays really don't bother me, and I do have QUITE A FEW. But I feel like I've earned them. I'm proudly sporting my grays.

 

[Allandra]

Ok. I haven't picked up a color bottle yet, and I'm beginning to embrace my gray strands. Since I'm natural, I just don't want to put a chemical in my hair, and besides, I don't want it messing with my hair texture. I even had a compliment on my hair (gray and all) last week.

 

[kim]

Ok. I haven't picked up a color bottle yet, and I'm beginning to embrace my gray strands. Since I'm natural, I just don't want to put a chemical in my hair, and besides, I don't want it messing with my hair texture. I even had a compliment on my hair (gray and all) last week.

I plan to embrace my grays also! If it gets unbearable , then I will go back to rinses. My hair hates henna