Gray hair is actually white, but as it mixes with your natural hair, it appears to be gray. You might also end up with odd hairs that are half and half, i.e. an inch gray, and inch your natural youthful color, and then gray again. This version of gray is ideal if you want to go for the salt'n'pepper look, but I would say that most people will not be able to achieve this look. Often, life events will accelerate the graying process and more and more roots will produce gray hair. It's a vicious cycle. :whip: Basically, gray hair is lacking pigments, which makes it also harder to dye. The color cannot grab onto any existing pigments in the hair, which makes the color fade away much faster. This is more prominent in darker hair. You've probably seen older ladies and gentlemen that attempted to keep a full head of dark brown, but it turns out as a brassy redish tone. My advice is to start early to go a shade lighter (or even two shades). Consider yourself lucky that you have a professional in your family. :amused: I'm sure you stepmum can help you out or at least give you a discount. Coloring hair in regular intervals (at the most 3 weeks if you want to avoid unsightly roots) can get really expensive, especially when you go for quality products (and avoid do-it-yourself bottle dye from the drugstore - those will dry out your hair even more and that's what you want to avoid as the gray is already very coarse). LOL at not pulling them out. I totally agree. Who would pull them out anyway? You either live with the gray hair or you dye them. Pulling them out is not a solution.