I just want to thank everyone for their responses on my color issues...First with the color remover and then henna! I have finally come to the conclusion I am just going to let my black grow out, even though I am not thrilled about the idea of the tackiness of it! I figure I've done it once with blonde, I can do it with black! Anyone else on the same boat with me? The quest to natural hair. I need some hair support with this! I seriously wonder how long this going to take and I wonder if I'll give in. *sigh*

Believe me, you are not alone.  In the long run, going natural is the best for your hair and you will be surprised at how you will learn to love it.

for me henna'd & indigo'd hair is all natural also! ok slap me.  :P
he thing with black is that it is kinda odd to have lighter roots, while somehow growing out blonde isn't (and you can add highlights to look less weird. the good thing about black though is that it could fade after a year or so. commercial black dye NEVER stayed in my hair but then i also used a very light developer that could only give a semi-permanent result. you know what i'd advice you if it gets too tough: try lush henna, from what i heard it washes out in a month or so since it's so stuffed with butters and oils.

I'm growing out my  haircolor too!  We can comfort eachother when we hit those awkward hair stages.

The way I see it, if I grow out my natural color, I won't touch it because I put so much work into the process.

I have dyed black hair too and while I am not ready yet to let it grow out, I have done it before. Several years ago after having it black for sometime I got tired of it and just quit dying it. As Styg says it mostly just faded out on it's own and I never really had that tacky half and half look. I do have naturally dark brown hair so it blended and didn't look to bad. I know in the not to distant future I am going to quit with the black and will just have to tough it out. :P

It does damage to the hair but it is possible to gradually move a shade closer to your natural hair color ussing something like a 10 or 20 volume peroxide.. you want to end up with a shade that is slightly darker than your natural one so that when  it does fade you will fade into a blend.

After that adding highlights may help to also blend the colors.

I dont sujest doing this yourself. You need a color specialist or you could come up with green hair.

Remember - if you think it's tacky (and I'm sure it won't be) just make like a cat i.e., "I meant to do that!!!" - with aplomb.

Seriously, as the virgin hair stuff comes in it will make up for the pain just by the lovely texture.  Easier to wash scalp, more lift from the roots.  It'll be worth it ...g

I'm also in the same boat!  Isn't growing out dyed hair great? :P  I know what you mean about not wanting tacky-looking hair.  I had tried to dye my hair back to it's natural color, but for some reason black doesn't like to stay on my hair.  Anyway, sometimes the condition of the hair is more important than if the roots and length are the same color (at least for me).  I think I'd rather see someone with nice looking multi-toned hair than hair that's one color but looks dried out, etc.

I completely agree Juri.  I brought my color from black to its light brown.  I never realized that my natural blonde is kinda weird.  I don't even know it IS blonde anymore!

Juri, what color is your natural color and dyed color?  I'm just curious =)

LOL!  I guess we'll find out if you're still a blonde as the roots grow in.

As for my natural and dyed color, my natural color is black and the length is a funny red-brown color depending on the light.  After re-reading my earlier post, I've realized that I really shouldn't start answering posts first thing in the morning.  I think I meant to say that I was trying to go back to black, but because the length is so porous now, permanent dye only stains it.  (I hope that made sense).