Giving up the dye/bleach and growing out natural? Share your progress.

[Bettina]

Those days are the worst I have fine/thin hair too and know exactly what you mean about the color making it seem worse. At least when I was dyeing it I'd get volume at the roots (from damage, but still!)...now I've got nothing, haha. But what I do have is very soft, healthy hair that is going to grow long because I'm not subjecting it to damage & causing breakage! After the first year passes everything seems easier. It's definitely worth it, hang in there!

It's interesting how we tend to take things out on our hair when times are tough. A few years ago I went through a really rough few years, and I'd always take it out on my hair. Those were the days I'd dye my hair black, then bleach it to death trying to go blonde, only to dye it black again when I realized how awful it looked. I wish I'd realized what I was doing at the time. I hope things get better for you soon!!

Oh I can definitely relate to you ladies on this. Fine hair, quite thin, dull colour (in my opinion up until now), source of identity anxiety...

[butterflybutton]

Help, I haven't dyed since June 19th and today I seem to be having an "I hate my fine, thin hair and the blech color only makes it worse" moment! I stopped dying 'cause I hadn't seen my natural color in more years than most of the folks here have been alive and I wanted to stop the damage. On good days I think I have hair the color of a forest creature (think deer or gray squirrel). Today is not one of those days. I've had a recent crisis in my life and am probably reacting to that by focusing on my hair color 'cause that's something I can control. AGGHHH! What's a girl to do?


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Maybe if you toned the coloured part, it would help you feel better about yourself? Your natural colour is just devine!

[Bettina]

Those days are the worst I have fine/thin hair too and know exactly what you mean about the color making it seem worse. At least when I was dyeing it I'd get volume at the roots (from damage, but still!)...now I've got nothing, haha. But what I do have is very soft, healthy hair that is going to grow long because I'm not subjecting it to damage & causing breakage! After the first year passes everything seems easier. It's definitely worth it, hang in there!

It's interesting how we tend to take things out on our hair when times are tough. A few years ago I went through a really rough few years, and I'd always take it out on my hair. Those were the days I'd dye my hair black, then bleach it to death trying to go blonde, only to dye it black again when I realized how awful it looked. I wish I'd realized what I was doing at the time. I hope things get better for you soon!!

Oh I can definitely relate to you ladies on this. Fine hair, quite thin, dull colour (in my opinion up until now), source of identity anxiety...

[Katleen]

Beckstar I've been thinking the exact same thing :-)
If I wasn't so ugly with a pixiecut, I'd chop it all of on one of those moments.

[blue_eyes]

Oh I can definitely relate to you ladies on this. Fine hair, quite thin, dull colour (in my opinion up until now), source of identity anxiety...

My natural color looked incredibly dull, practically an ashy grey, for about the first 6 months. It definitely did not make getting through the first year any easier. I remember thinking "ugh, if that's my natural color why am I even bothering giving up dye?" hahaha. 15 months in and I can't believe how rich and beautiful all the tones in my hair are. And they look really red & golden, not ashy at all! It's weird how that happens. :P

[lunasea]

Good to know; thank you all. Maybe today will be better. Must hang in there.

ETA: BTW, thank you for the compliment butterflybutton, at first I read that I should tone the new growth (because I think my color is so meh). When I realized you were talking about the dyed part I actually smiled. I'd be afraid to try to get my hairdresser to tone it though 'cause she tried everything to get me to continue dying my hair including telling me my natural color was "not pretty". One of the other things she said is "it will age you terribly." In truth, I really just want to be done with chemical dyes. The only thing that tempts me is henna but I just don't think that's a good idea.

[butterflybutton]

Lunasea, you could just pick up a semi toner from the pharmacy. Fudge does a nice one, and there are the Schwarzkopf live silver toner too which works nicely. And you could just pop it in yourself on the bleached parts (it wouldn't matter if it went on your natural hair a bit), it's just like putting in conditioner, for your hair I'd leave it in for at least an hour or more.

Gosh, that's really not good customer service your hairdresser has, you should never insult your customers ever. Not to mention your natural colour is completely on trend right now, and people pay top dollar to try and imitate that lovely ash shade.

[lunasea]

You are the sweetest butterflybutton! I've never tried to do anything with color myself. I will check out the pharmacy. Thank you for suggesting it.

[Ingrid]

Everyone is making such great progress!

Hopeful65, congratulations on getting rid of all the dye! Your hair looks beautiful!
blue_eyes, I can't even see a demarcation line, looks like growing out will be easy for you





22 months without dye! I'm starting to warm up towards my natural hair colour.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Ingrid, your natural colour is so sleek and glossy, it just gleams in the light and sparkles, it looks amazing! Just awesome!