My hair is to just below my ears. The roots are grey for 1", the middle is medium brown for 2", then the rest is dark brown/black ends. I go to the hairdreser this week to get as much cut off as I can without lookin an eyesore. Please tell me what to do next ! ----rebekah, your advice is always good... --the main idea was to get rid of the black/dark stuff. The ultimate goal is to go grey gracefully, but only if its a nice grey. If it isnt then I want cool ash or beige shades. I'm naturally celtic in colouring, dark hair , blue yes, very pale skin. I do NOT suit blond hair at all. thanks anybody ..Mary in scotland

I think that cutting it off is the way to go. Once you get it cut off try using one of the Clairol gloriousgrays to "brighten" up your gray. 

http://www.thecreativestudio.com/dispensary/swatches/gloriousgrays_swatches.html - http://www.thecreativestudio.com/dispensary/swatches/gloriou sgrays_swatches.html

Rebekah

I think the colours you are looking at for your 'long term'plan~ including letting your gray come through gracefully~ sound great. 

I have seem people who have lovely shades of gray~ even if they had to get some help to 'brighten' or 'tone' their grey~ it looked beautiful.

Well, the thing is, your skin changes. I know they tell you that in magazines etc but it REALLY changes. (Plus I'm ill.) So that the hair colour you've had forever suddenly looks really harsh and artifical, & dyeing it every 4 weeks forever gets boring.  Thanks both for that, I'll get as much cut off as I can, & take it from there. I was wondering about highlights but its all money and is going to get cut off anyway sooner or later eh.

Ming~

Highlights sound like a good idea to me!  They always seem to be able to 'brighten' someone's hair and look. 

Highlights will also help you to be able to attend the salon less frequently than every four weeks.  You can also 'play' with several colours at once with your highlights.  That way, you might find certain shades you like better than others simply through your highlights ~and then can get more of the colour(s) that you like and seem to suit you.  It also might be a way to work with your changing skin~ you can have more leeway with the highlights and can change this up a bit more often~ I hope!

Good luck!  I hope you are feeling better soon too:)

I've had blonde hair with black ends before (er, tried to bleach out black dye. . . the black didn't budge, and the roots went blonde -_-;; ), so while I've never been in your exact situation, I have had kinda similar.  Since I couldn't get the black out, I just kept bleaching the roots as they came in, and tried to ignore all the idiots who would ask, "Is that your real hair?"  It's hard, but survivable!