Does anyone else with virgin hair have this?

[IvanaGil]

Ever since I was a little girl, my hair color would fade (brown roots with blonde ends) a lot. I've had virgin hair my entire life, but people often ask me if I have dyed my hair because of this...

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/7433/38573521928985190649833.jpg

Does anyone else with virgin hair have this?
(I'm not gonna lie, it's one of the things I love most about my hair, but I haven't seen this on many other people unless they have dyed it).

[IvanaGil]

In the picture, I am holding my ends up against my roots to show the contrast :)

[GrowingGlory]

Yes, I've had this in the past, too.

[akilina]

Sun does this. :] When I had natural hair my hair would turn perfectly highlighted and super blonde in the sun. I've noticed a lot of people who have natural hair have this same effect.
Your hair also looks pretty long...so the ends of your hair are possibly a few years old so they have been thru it all. Sun daily, weather conditions, wind and every thing else.

[IvanaGil]

Sun does this. :] When I had natural hair my hair would turn perfectly highlighted and super blonde in the sun. I've noticed a lot of people who have natural hair have this same effect.
Your hair also looks pretty long...so the ends of your hair are possibly a few years old so they have been thru it all. Sun daily, weather conditions, wind and every thing else.

Yeah, it's mid-butt length right now lol I was suspecting it would be that darn sun :eyebrows:

[ladylowtide]

My hair highlights a lot in the Summer. When I was younger my hair was light golden blonde on the tips and medium dark brown at the top. But now that I henna my hair highlights less.

[GoblinTart]

Yup. Even at BSL I had this. Now at APL, not as much, but still pretty drastic.

[BlazingHeart]

Mine does that, but mostly it's only a slight difference. The only time it's really noticeable is if I'm out in the sun long enough for my blonde streaks to appear. I get 2 on either side of my part, and they totally look dyed in because they are SO different in color. But no, it's just what sunlight does to me. When I was a kid, it would streak all of my hair like that, but it changed when I was about 12.

~Blaze

[PoppyCakes]

I really love the tones in your hair! I used to have this, but a much blonder version. It's definitely the sun.

[HintOfMint]

I have exactly that! It was much worse when my hair was damaged, but my ends still lighten from sun and general wear and tear. I like the color, but when my ends get lighter, it's generally because they're heading towards more damaged than not, so it's generally not a happy moment when I see the color change. For me, it means time for a trim.

[trolleypup]

Yup...black brown at the root, can fade to rusty brown at the tips.

[IvanaGil]

I really love the tones in your hair! I used to have this, but a much blonder version. It's definitely the sun.

Thanks! And to think, summer is approaching...lol :p

[IvanaGil]

Yup...black brown at the root, can fade to rusty brown at the tips.

I love the color at the ends, the roots not so much :rolleyes:
High five to LHC-ers from SF (I'm from SF too!)

[thirstylocks]

Yes, we have a very similar hair color and my ends are reddish orange. I actually hate it because the damage makes it so dry :X but I used to think it was pretty, when it was soft..

[IvanaGil]

Yes, we have a very similar hair color and my ends are reddish orange. I actually hate it because the damage makes it so dry :X but I used to think it was pretty, when it was soft..

I know what you mean. If I don't oil it at least twice a day, they will get very dry, but I'm terrified of losing length lol

[trolleypup]

I love the color at the ends, the roots not so much :rolleyes:
High five to LHC-ers from SF (I'm from SF too!)
Whee! With awesomesauce!

[nicolezoie]

Mine does that. Not too sure what contributes in my case other than age, as my length is nearly always protected from the sun (up and all). I had a George Michael trained stylist tell me a few years back that the fading has to do with the pH of your hair as it ages (the older the hair, the higher pH, causing the fading). Made sense too because when I started using the Cream Rinse (which lowers the acidity), it balanced out the fade, and my hair was, for the 5 years I used the products, mostly the same shade of brown from roots to tips. Seemed to reverse the fading interestingly enough. Only when I stopped using the products (I couldn't get them locally anymore) did the fade come back. I don't mind it really, gives my bun depth.

By the way I had to just add the dancing bananna. :disco:

[Ticky]

Yep. I think pretty much anyone has it, some people more than others. I have to hunt down my sister and compare soon:D

[battle_angel]

Congrats Ivana on having such long hair!
And to answer your question,yes, my hair is virgin and does that too. It's now at APL and already the ends are lighter than the crown. But, I don't really like it actually :P

- Laetitia

[lapushka]

Mine does it too, from a dark ashy blonde/brownish color (blonette) to a lighter shade at the very tips.

[Aveyronnaise]

Mine does that. Not too sure what contributes in my case other than age, as my length is nearly always protected from the sun (up and all). I had a George Michael trained stylist tell me a few years back that the fading has to do with the pH of your hair as it ages (the older the hair, the higher pH, causing the fading). Made sense too because when I started using the Cream Rinse (which lowers the acidity), it balanced out the fade, and my hair was, for the 5 years I used the products, mostly the same shade of brown from roots to tips. Seemed to reverse the fading interestingly enough. Only when I stopped using the products (I couldn't get them locally anymore) did the fade come back. I don't mind it really, gives my bun depth.

By the way I had to just add the dancing bananna. :disco:
The above is very interesting to me because I remember reading a few years ago that gray hair is caused by the hydrogen peroxide in your blood.

[miss_rv]

Yes, my hair is a strawberry blonde colour... the tips are light blonde in summer and in winter all of my hair is light brown/ginger.

[IvanaGil]

Congrats Ivana on having such long hair!
And to answer your question,yes, my hair is virgin and does that too. It's now at APL and already the ends are lighter than the crown. But, I don't really like it actually :P

- Laetitia

Thanks! I can't even remember what my hair looked like at APL :p

[akka naeda]

DD's hair is like this, it's about hip length. In addition to having the paler ends, she also has streaks because she wears in a plait a lot. In her case it's caused by the sun, so because some of the hair is hidden in the plait and some isn't it gives a streaky effect. At least I assume that's how it happens as she has so little interest in her hair she definitely isn't dying it.

Mine does the same thing, but its not so obvious now I have grey hairs (and about 12" henna left on the ends) as the sun-bleached streaks merge into the grey.

[luxepiggy]

My virgin/natural colour it did that too. I always thought it was a fairly universal phenomenon (^(oo)^)v
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/shoppingpiglet/hair/parisreveal61.jpg

[CastaDiva]

I have this too:) The difference in color between the lengths and the rest of my hair is espescially noticeable during winter. During summer it evens out a bit, and I also get some almost white natural highlights.

[heidi w.]

When I was little I spent a fair amount of years in towhead land. Then prior to my hair beginning to change color tone, I had these super dark roots, belying the truth of where I'd end up, nearly a brunette, or a somewhat darkish blonde, which I am now (plus I'm no longer in sunny California; I'm in northern territory where there's a lot less sun.)

I wouldn't fret about it. No matter what people say, you know the truth. That's had to be enough for me a whole lot of the time. People have accused me of all kinds of stuff over the decades, but it doesn't make it 'the truth.' Very little of the accusations were anything remotely close to the truth of the matter.

heidi w.

[Tisiloves]

It's the reason I dye my hair, I sun bleach out in weird chunks. Dark chestnut with ginger and strawberry blonde chunks, mmm. Still henna makes it look great:redgrin:

[silverpiper]

yes- my ends are much redder.

[spidermom]

Oh yes, all my life. Unless my hair was shorter than shoulder length, my ends never-ever matched the top. I spent a lot of time outside, so the ends were always sun-bleached a shade or two lighter.

Now my ends are darker and more golden than the top, which is getting more silver by the day.

[dwell_in_safety]

That happens to me if I spend a lot of time outdoors during a summer. The hair on my head will be a dark brown, while lower is a honey brown. I like it. :)

[Florida Mom]

Yup my hair looks just like yours!

[MintChocChip]

Yeah, I think it's quite common. I imagine it happens even more with longer hair too. My ends (virgin hair too!) get a lot lighter in the summertime than my roots which seem very dark in comparison.

[Shepherdess]

I have it happen to my hair too. My hair seems to be a dark honey blonde at the roots but farther down it is much lighter (more of a golden/strawberry blonde). I think it's the sun that does it :p

[Bianca]

Yep. Dark blonde roots, golden blonde/light blonde ends.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=2008&pictureid=106371

I think most with virgin hair, have this, but you dont notice it much, when your not looking at the ends next to the roots :)

I love this about having my natural color. It has so many different colors, unlike dyed hair.

[lapushka]

I love this about having my natural color. It has so many different colors, unlike dyed hair.

This is a definite plus for me too! :thumbsup:

[quintanion]

Definitely - I used to get "accused" of dying my hair after a dramatic cut, because getting rid of the sun-bleached ends made it look so much darker. It's much less pronounced now than when I was a teenager with similar length hair, but spent more time in the sun and with my hair down

[IvanaGil]

This is a definite plus for me too! :thumbsup:

I love it, too! Just not the accusations lol I would never dye my hair

[Clem_Dela]

my hair does that too! the ends have had more exposure to sun bleaching...

[Angela_Rose]

Oh, yep. Mine does it, too. There's about a four shade difference between the top and the bottom.

[jeanniet]

I used to, but for me it was more a matter of hair condition than just age or sun effects. The color difference is much less now that my hair is in better condition (and it's considerably longer, too). I think for my hair the moisture level and damage had something to do with it. I check the ends sometimes out of curiosity, but I'm not seeing the change that much anymore.

[EdG]

I used to have a very pronounced gradient between the ends of my hair and the roots. The gradient is not as pronounced now that I have been reducing my sun exposure.
Ed

[share801]

Mine does too! I don't think its an age of hair thing because it does it at "short" lengths too.

[teela1978]

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e117/lchamber78/Hair%20Length%20Shots/20100527_endsvsroots.jpg
Yup.

[PolarCathy]

I agree with the comments that it's probably more of as "hair thing" than "length thing". I had this at shoulder length too and this is the reason alone that convinced me to henndigo my hair. Mine was quite extreme, black roots and medium reddish brown ends (I have lots of red tones in my hair naturally). I blamed it on my outdoor lifestyle but the thing is, it happened even after my moving up to the Polar Circle and the sun is so weak here. Before henndigo, I would cut it every year because of this so I would never get past shoulder-APL. :eyebrows:

[SongofLove]

Yeah, I definitely have a color difference between the roots (black) and the ends (reddish brown) like yours. My grandma wondered if I was dyeing it.

I'm so glad to read yours words in this and all these responses in this thread saying that a color difference like this is nice. I've been embarrassed about it for a long time because I thought it looked bad, like people would say "eww, old hair!!" But yes, I can see that it is interesting and pretty instead!


DD's hair is like this, it's about hip length. In addition to having the paler ends, she also has streaks because she wears in a plait a lot. In her case it's caused by the sun, so because some of the hair is hidden in the plait and some isn't it gives a streaky effect.

Ohhh...I think I have the streaky thing too. I always wondered why, but I do favor braids most of the time...

[curlylocks85]

Ever since I was a little girl, my hair color would fade (brown roots with blonde ends) a lot. I've had virgin hair my entire life, but people often ask me if I have dyed my hair because of this...

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/7433/38573521928985190649833.jpg

Does anyone else with virgin hair have this?
(I'm not gonna lie, it's one of the things I love most about my hair, but I haven't seen this on many other people unless they have dyed it).

*BUMP*

I do. The sun keeps my hair interesting as well as my natural highlights. I think it is normal for hair to look like this, even if it hasn't been colored. :)

[yahirwaO.o]

Yes the same exact thing for me (doesnt really show in pictures but my ends always look a bit orange-red in sun) and when hair is longer its does show a lot more.

I sort of like it, not a big fan, but its ok I guess. Now If I could turn them sublte blue black, then Id love it!!! :cool:

[Aderyn]

Oh yes, I definitely have this. Mine is a bit more pronounced since I've done 2 henna glosses on my hair a long time ago, but I figure it's just the hair being older (and thus more damaged than new growth) and being bleached in the sun.