A couple of months ago, I shared that I was 6 months into growing out my naturally gray hair. And, to my total surprise, it has quickly become one of the most popular blog posts I have ever published. I think that just speaks to how many other women are on their own gray hair grow-out journey!!

So, I am here with a follow-up: what’s changed, how things are progressing, and what I am looking forward to now that I am a couple more months into this process.

8-Month Gray Hair Grow Out Update

What’s New?

Well, most obviously, my hair is longer 🤪 And while a couple of months ago I was pretty set on a cold turkey growout without any dye… I have been thinking a lot about doing some gray blending so my grow-out doesn’t have such a harsh contrast.

Like most women who have been dying their roots dark, my ends are so warm and brassy compared to my really cool-toned roots. And it’s got me feeling a bit blah. I have done a little bit of research on color correction stylists in my area, specifically one who has experience with gray hair blending— if you have a good recommendation for someone in Idaho, I would love to hear from you!!

New Growth

Another new thing is that I have so much new hair growth. I have all of these teeny, tiny new hairs growing around my hairline. It reminds me a lot of postpartum regrowth (IYKYK 🙃). The only thing I can attribute it to is a healthier scalp thanks to it being free from all the harsh dyes so often!

It is one of those unexpected benefits that you don’t even realize will come until you are deep into the process. I am so excited to my hair to be more full and healthier without all the regular exposure to dyes.

What I am looking forward to…

The further I get into this process, the more excited I am for upcoming milestones— the next one being EAR LENGTH! I am so anxious for my hair to reach the length of my ears. In the #SilverSister community, most people use the phrase “a year to the ear,” and I seem to be fairly on track for that to hold true for me.

I feel like once my hair is that length, it will look a bit more intentional when my hair is pulled back. Maybe my ears will cover the demarcation line a bit when pulled back into a low bun? We shall see! But currently, I really like the idea of it.

What has been helping me embrace this journey?

I continue to feel confident in my decision, which I am really thankful for! I haven’t been second-guessing my decision or thinking of going back to dyeing.. but there are for sure still some days when I don’t feel confident in how my hair looks. These are some of the things that have been helping me feel more confident on the “bad hair days”:

• fun hair clips

• good ol’ ball cap- I wear a baseball cap mayybe 3 or 4 days a week. Not only is it really simple and easy, but it also helps to cover (in my opinion) the most awkward part of the transition

• non-toxic root spray

• non-toxic tinted dry shampoo- this all-natural dry shampoo is my favorite. It is tinted with cacao powder (which makes it also smell really good!) It adds just a bit of color to my roots that help to make the contrast a bit less harsh.

Natural Gray Hair: The Ultimate Chameleon Hair Color

Another thing I have noticed lately is how VARIED gray hair coloring is. Not only strand to strand but how it shows up in so many different environments and situations. Here are a few examples:

• How recently have I washed my hair? I have always been someone who only washes my hair a couple of times per week. The day after my hair wash, my grays have so much more contrast to the rest of my hair. They are shiny and super bright. By the end of the week, it seems they are less bright? And blend in a bit more to my hair that is still dark. Maybe it’s from the buildup of oils??

• What kind of lighting is around me? If I am in unfiltered, bright, natural light, my grays also look a lot brighter and have more contrast to the dark. In the shade, they seem a lot more blended. You can see what I’m talking about in the pictures below!

If you are also going through the journey of growing out your natural hair color, I would love to hear from you. There is such a benefit in community and sharing your experience with others. Until the next update!

Kaelyn