Friday, December 3, 2010

Going Gray (cefully): Stage One

I'm home from the salon and I have to say I really love the transition phase of my hair from dyed to partially gray.

See what you think.

We did fairly chunky highlights throughout the top and sides of my hair and lightened the colored parts quite a bit.  Then she went in and toned them a nice, light champagne color to match my roots, so everything blends nicely.

Yay!  No more skunk stripe of roots.

It looks so much better, and the roots blend in really well.  We'll have to play around with it as it grows, but I think I'm going to like this a lot once we're done.

Guess we'll see.


Here's a closer shot of the highlights at the top:




















And here it is from the side, which shows the color the best out of all of these shots (I took them quickly with my computer camera, so it's not exactly high resolution, but it will do for a quick post.):




















PS -- The real test of this will be when I style it myself. Here's hoping it doesn't turn into the frizzball of doom. *g*

15 comments:

Sharon said...

You look beautiful! And you've given me some ideas to talk about with my stylist next week. Thank you so much!

Phil said...

Oh, honey!
I have been teased about going bald for twenty years,not to mention jumping past gray straight to white in the process.

Let me show you what a sexy red head getting sexy as hell while going past gray can look like.
If I ever, ever, get a chance to meet you, which is not out of the realm of possibility, I owe you a hug.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMU6J-MWT8E

Hell yes, you can do this.
Hugz, Busted.

Christy Hardin Smith said...

Thanks, Sharon. We're doing my hair in stages for a couple of reasons: (1) because it is really dry and she didn't want to strip out too much of the color all at once until we see how it will react to the highlights and (2) I didn't want to go all in and whack my hair down to the inch and a half of silvery-white growth because I like the length it is at the moment.

So it's going to be a two or three step process for me. But I really like the way things look right now. It's especially nice because she toned the highlights to almost match the gray growth.

Christy Hardin Smith said...

Busted, you are such a sweetie, as always. Thank you.

And yes, Bonnie Raitt rocks, doesn't she?

Phil said...

Mwah.

Btw, you look good darlin'.

Kudos to your hair dresser.

Phil said...

Dang it, now you need to change your profile picture, warn The Mr. first.

Suzanne said...

i think it looks better than the diane keaton photo, christy. its wonderful and still very much a redhead. your colorist is a very good.

i've got that silvery sparkly hair thing going too -- i like the way it in my normally dull hair makes my hair shine.

Christy Hardin Smith said...

Suz, she did such a great job for me. Because I've only got about an inch and a half of roots at this point, we were able to keep some of the red as I transition. But next appointment she'll have to do what she called a "soap cap" with a toned lightener to pull some of the rest of the color out so I don't have two stripes of hair. After that, she said we'll be done and it can just grow out as it is.

That's going to be so much easier for me. Because my hair grows so quickly, I'd have to go to the salon every three weeks for my roots to get touched up because they are coming in so heavily bright white -- who has that kind of time?!? This way, my hair will just look like itself, which turns out to be a really lovely color. I never would have known that had I not gotten completely sidetracked when we went out to AZ and then had such a rush of things to do when we got home.

I'm thinking about this as another gift from Amy in some way. :)

barbara said...

Christy! You look mahvelous, darling! No kidding. I love this look for you. And please remember that it's all about me! :) Honestly? I think your hair was wonderful. I think it is now fabulous. Just ran out of superlatives. Need more coffee.

Jane dV said...

Christy,

Have been preoccupied and missed yesterday's postings. My goodness, you look wonderful. It was terrific to read how you approached and considered this.

I had to grow mine out "cold turkey" -- which involved a lot of hats over many months. Am thrilled you have such a talented stylist and can approach the process more reasonably.

For me, it was really worth it. I am much more relaxed about my hair/appearance. And I never would have guessed...but I get many more compliments on my hair than in the past. I have several friends who would like to "go natural" but they don't have the courage or their significant others are opposed to the idea.

Also,while I'm here, love reading about the baking and imagining what it's like to anticipate the holidays with F. Brings back many memories. My Christmas this year will be largely vicarious as no one is coming home (and mother is still at the rehab center). You're helping to get me in the spirit.

On another note, I hope you will continue to post many of your own photos. Yes, you chose great equipment for your new camera but you've also got "the eye".

Toni said...

I've been wondering whether to START coloring so my little caboose won't have a grandmother-mother. My sisters have all been encouraging me to "cover the gray" (they all do it). I've always felt like it's too much bother and cost. You have given me courage to stick to my guns.

And you're beautiful. I love the lighter color on you. Your eyes really pop -- so blue.

Christy Hardin Smith said...

Thanks, Barbara -- I'm just as happy with it this morning as I was yesterday evening. Which I'm taking a really good sign. LOL

Christy Hardin Smith said...

Jane --I can't imagine having a spouse who wouldn't be supportive of something like that, but then I'm spoiled because Mr. ReddHedd is incredibly supportive of me. (And I'm lucky because he thinks my gray looks really hawt. I think he's just glad I'm catching up to him -- he started graying when we were in law school. lol)

As for the photos? I'm having so much fun just learning all the camera bells and whistles, I wish I'd gotten a good one years ago now.

Christy Hardin Smith said...

Thanks, Toni -- I think it comes down to where you are most comfortable, you know? Since my gray is coming in a really bright color, it doesn't fade me out -- I was worried about that because I'm naturally so pale anyway. My stylist said we can always "tone" it if need be as we go forward to keep it bright as it is growing out, and then see where the color is once it is done. I'm hoping we can just leave it alone entirely because, so far anyway, it looks pretty good on its own.

But if it had come in as an ashy, dull color? I'm not certain that would have worked against my seriously pale skin, and we'd have had to try something else, I suppose.

I had the same "grandma" concerns about Fiona. It took us so long to get her -- 6 and a half years of working with a fertility doc. After all of that I am absolutely not ready to be thought of as her grandma. The first time I ever took her shopping after she was born, the clerk doing check out asked me how old my granddaughter was -- I burst into tears right there in the line. It was the worst. At this point, though? My hair is what it is -- the gray is coming in so quickly that I'd either be in the salon every two or three weeks or just accept it -- accepting it seemed the better choice.

I'll let you know if that holds, though, the first time someone asks me how old my granddaughter is... *g*

musicsleuth said...

Looks awesome! My roots are almost pure (but dull) white and the highlights really help. Your stylist is an artist! At 50 with an 8yo son, I'm still coloring my hair, but have a plan... I'm currently going to the gym and told myself I'd go gray once I can sport the kick-a** granny look ;-) At this rate, it's going to be at least a year. But it's good to have a goal, right?