Do People Think Your Hair Shine is Something Else?

[GlassWidow]

My hair is dark strawberry blond, or light auburn. I've got some grays (I prefer to call them silvers, but I'm purposely using gray as a distinction between the hairs and the shine), especially around the hairline, but it's mostly underneath, and for the large part, people don't see them.

Not long ago, I was taking a picture with my mother, and she was standing on the step above me. She made a big fuss over how gray I've gotten up top, and that she hadn't noticed because she's usually shorter than me. I was taken aback by her comments, and, in true long hair community style, took pictures of the top of my head in the bathroom mirror later that evening. All I could see was red hair and shine, though the shine has a kind of silvery quality to it. Looking at the picture of me and her, I can see the same silvery shine in my hair, while her hair is dull and flat.

Then, a week later, she walked into my house and remarked on how gray my eyebrows have gotten - and once again I was sitting in the sun, and they look red to me in the bathroom mirror.

Is it just my mother being her usual obtuse self, or do other people have this shiny vs. gray problem?

[missrandie]

It sounds like she might just be a little obtuse (I love that word!) and not realizing that it's just reflection.

My hair sheens whatever color is around it; at one point, one of the members here asked me if I had dip dyed my ends. When I looked at the picture, I realized that she was seeing the color of my robe reflected in my hair! But I doubt that it would have really looked purple IRL.

[Wusel]

My hair looks like I have greys in every picture but it's just because it's extremely shiny. The picture in my album with the folded braid shows it very well. It looks like there are many grey hairs but I have none, it's just the shine :)

[Deborah]

Probably obtuse, but maybe a little mean-spirited too. Mums can be that way sometimes. :rolleyes:

[lithostoic]

What shine? Lol. I totally get the grey hair thing though, my hair is ashen and people ask "lol is ur hair lyk grey?!1!" Like no -.-

[meteor]

Oh yes, I definitely get this! :agree: My hair can often look like silver in some lights, but that's just the natural shine and possibly the fact that my hair is cool light brown-ish - so possibly reflects cool, ashy, silver tones in direct light? :hmm:

I'm kind of happy to see this effect, because I feel like it's a bit of a preview to see what my skintone might look like against gray hair in the future? 8)

[GlassWidow]

missrandie, that is funny about the dip dyed ends. Change your outfit, change your look. :)

Wusel, such a pretty, thick braid!

Deborah, true, moms can be a little mean spirited. Mine often thinks she's saying something nice, but it comes out shockingly off color. We love them anyway, usually. :)

lithstoic, ash blonde is so pretty. Maybe people are simply confused because dying hair gray is a trend, now.

Thanks, everyone, for your input. You'd think that, by now, things my mother says wouldn't bother me anymore. Nope...

[CreatureBailey]

Talking about shine - when I was younger I used to put a tons of shampoo and conditioner in my hair (lemon flavored from Dove). I didn't have anyone to show me how to use it properly so we had to get new bottles every week! That's how much I was putting!! It left my hair looking all flat and meehhh and also - super extra too much shiny. My hair is like...light brown. But during that time the ends of my hair were losing their COLOR and it was extra too much shiny. People were saying I was blonde but my hair from my roots grew the color they are now!!

[Robi-Bird]

My "highlights" are silver/white in some places. Add to that, I do have some greys scattered around my temples. My hair is dark brown so both look pretty stark.

[Hairkay]

I have had one complaint that I'd been over using grease to make my hair shine. I hadn't. I used the usual tiny bit of coconut oil/vaseline as the rest of the family. It's just my hair tends to shine a lot especially freshly washed wet or dry. I also wore it brushed and contained in one or two plaits/braids.

[Cg]

Deborah, your mother sounds envious.

Here I'll praise my own mother who is never anything but kind.

[Carolyn]

Your mom is just being a mom. Moms often feel they can comment about anything to their children. My mom did and I know I do it to my son. Just part of life getting those mom comments. Since you admit you are getting silvers, do you plan on covering them up? If not, just smile and let your hair sparkle. The silver in the brow thing would really bother me. I would dye those puppies (and I do). There is brow pencil, pomade, and brow mascara to hide the silvers. If it bothers you, go to ULTA or Sephora and have them try some brow product on you. Good luck!

[GlassWidow]

Your mom is just being a mom. Moms often feel they can comment about anything to their children. My mom did and I know I do it to my son. Just part of life getting those mom comments. Too true. Sometimes, she's spot on, though, so I often find myself questioning whether she's just being mom or if it's something I should pay attention to. :lol:


Since you admit you are getting silvers, do you plan on covering them up? If not, just smile and let your hair sparkle. The silver in the brow thing would really bother me. I would dye those puppies (and I do). There is brow pencil, pomade, and brow mascara to hide the silvers. If it bothers you, go to ULTA or Sephora and have them try some brow product on you. Good luck!
I don't plan on covering the silvers on my head, and I'm more than OK with having them. I don't miss the upkeep from when I colored my hair. :)

It's funny, though. I have no silvers in my brows, which is why I was so surprised by that particular comment. I hate the thought of having to use some kind of product to color my brows! A few years ago, when heavily stylized brows were in, I thought I'd give it a shot. It was terrible! There are very few products on the market for redheads, and I look ridiculous if I try to fake it with a light brown or blonde color. If it gets really bad as I get older, well, that's what fringe is for. :lol: