I started graying at 40 colored my hair for 5 years, and then decided I was tired of the mess at home if I did it or the expense if I had someone else do it. And it wasn't the auburn I knew I could do at home. It was always purple tinted when a hairdresser did it. So I stopped, cut it out every month hairdresser knew I would be coming by !LOL now its a streaked silver-grey with dark grey at the back of my head. My hairdresser now says so many women compliment her on my coloring and she tells them its her natural color !LOL AT 53 I think I have earned the grey LOL (besides it gets me a discount at some stores thinking I am over 65!LOL YES I tell them but they still give it to me)lol