How Does It Feel at Three Months In? A Little Catty!

So what does three months into growing out your natural hair color look like? It looks like a calico cat! I’ve got at least four colors going on at the same time, just like a calico kitty. There’s my faded brown dyed hair that now looks kind of orange(ish). There’s my natural very dark brown, then there’s some gray and, finally, some bright white. It’s a very interesting look to say the least!

Over this last month I’ve become much more comfortable with allowing my silver lining to show. With about an inch and a half of new growth, it looks intentional now instead of like I’m lazy or forgetful. My bright white hair is all around my face at the hairline. I’ve found myself wearing it pulled back with a headband on several occasions. Most of those occasions have just been to the gym but, hey, it’s a step forward.

One of the biggest steps I’ve taken this month is to update my Facebook profile picture. I almost couldn’t recognize myself in the old pic. In it I had a very short cut and was a medium bottled brown. The new pic shows what’s happening at the “root” level on my head and also shows my current (non)style. I call it a nonstyle because I’m growing out the short cut and most days it’s a disaster. I always try to take a selfie on those rare good hair days as I document this whole journey.

New Facebook Profile Pic

Updating my Facebook pic was a tough decision. Although I’m blogging my journey and including pics, updating my profile pic felt like really putting myself out there in a very public way. I don’t like feeling vulnerable. I was fearful of negative comments. I knew no one could say anything that would make me change my decision, but words can hurt sometimes. I hemmed and hawed and finally decided it would be better for my friends to see the work in progress instead of waiting till the end and posting a picture that would likely shock most of them. Now, at least, if any of them see me in person, we won’t have to have that awkward conversation. In case you’re wondering, the comments on my profile pic were overwhelmingly positive. One friend did write, “Pretty face but I miss your unnatural natural color.” Had to laugh!

This month as I’ve come to accept and really like my silvers, I’ve struggled more with growing out the cut. I’m trying to embrace my wavy hair instead of trying to tame it, as I’ve always done. Like I said, most days if it’s not a disaster, it’s at least interesting.

My style inspiration goal.

But I think I’m turning the corner length-wise, and one day soon my waves will be long and heavy enough to flow instead of flying like wings. At least, that’s what I’m counting on when I feel like cutting it all off. That’s the issue with hair: you can fix your problem in an instant with a cut, but it takes forever and a lot of funky stages to get past the problem by growing it out.

Women who’ve done this “grow out to gray thing” before me have said the period from about 3 to 6 months into it is a difficult one. I’m at the beginning of that right now. What I anticipate becoming more and more difficult is dealing with the brassy orangey brown dyed hair as it continues to fade. The last of that dyed hair won’t be gone for another 18 months or more. Ugh. I keep telling myself it will be worth it in the end.

Three Months of Silver Lining!

So, all in all, month three has been a good one. Hair continues to grow, and I’m feeling good about the colors I see coming in. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned in previous posts that Joe is all for me growing out my natural color. (The Bozo comment from last month may have left you wondering. You can read about Bozo right here.) So last night we’re in the kitchen finishing up the dishes after dinner, and Joe says, “Hey, patchwork!” “Huh?” I say. Looking down from where he stands a head taller than me, he says, “The top of your head looks like a patchwork quilt with all those colors going on.” I had to laugh! I can see what he means cause there’s chunks of different colors. I think they may wind up being streaks in the end, but for right now they kind of do look like a quilt.

One of the things I’ve loved about Joe for the 46 years we’ve been together is his sense of humor. It’s a good thing for him that I have one, too!