Grey hair

I'm in my mid 50s and a redhead, but I find my roots getting darker, with an few odd greys, so I get them retouched every 6 mths. All of my friends are still dying their grey hair, but my hairdresser told me a few of her clients have decided against colouring since lockdown as they got used to the grey. I think I would feel older with grey hair, but that's just probably me being vain and thinking I'm still a wee young thing

My hair had been blond all my life until my 50's when it started to go dark. I had foils once every 6 weeks pre covid. With home cutting they have disappeared, when I catch a look of myself it just doesn't look like me. Though family have said they like it and what looked like grey eyes now look blue on Facetime. I am getting it cut shortly and wonder what the hairdresser will say.
Thinking about it I have changed my makeup to more pinky and the clothes I buy are more colourful. In my mind I know I do not want to go through the whole growing out process again

I grew out my roots during lockdown and went grey! I keep my hair short and sharp (trimmed every 4/5 weeks) every third shampoo I use a ‘Blue’ shampoo. I put it on dry hair for 15 mins before washing hair. This keeps away the yellow tinge especially in the summer. Also now wear deep jewel colours to compliment hair colour. Just a scarf next to face works.

I should add that my hair is now white in streaks but still pretty dark in patches and the semi ties it all together without making it look all the same and "flat" like a wig!

Yes, some people do look fantastic with grey or white hair. But sadly, not me. I'm 64 and I have tried to let it go grey a few times but it looks awful, patchy, mousy in places, and the hair itself looks wiry and dry and in poor condition, no matter what I put on it. It looks so much better when I dye it, better condition too. And I definitely look younger. I use Olia medium blonde. On me it produces a dark blonde/light brown colour which I like.

I use a dark blonde semi-permanent, which is really a light brown. It's a little too dark immediately I've done it, but fades wash by wash. I like warm tones so occasionally use a copper wash-in colour from Superdrug as my colour starts to fade, to make the greys tone in more. I suspect that if your hair is different greys you may find that it looks high/low lighted anyway. The only problem would be if your grey was very colour resistant and wouldn't take a semi, as a permanent colour gives the same colour all over so more flat looking.
Semi permanent dye colours vary, I prefer Casting to others which are often a darker brown.
To be honest I think I do the colour better than my hairdresser where I often had a pink tinge which I didn't like.

I am lucky to have silver hair. I have put a metallic silver on it in the past but not for months now. I don't think grey hair makes you look any older. I will never go back to putting ash brown on it. Get used to your grey hair....maybe have silver highlights put in it to lift it.

I had a mix of lowlights for years but decided to give up about 18 months ago. I do use light make up every day, makes me feel better. Just a tinted moisturiser, eye pencil and a lip gloss, or salve. I must be 100s of pounds better off but more than that it was the time taken up every other month.

I colour my hair to its natural brunette as going or in my case white just makes all my anxieties about growing old worse. Like you I feel and look better with my hair coloured.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I got fed up with the time and expense involved with hair colouring and decided to go grey. I actually prefer it and feel quite liberated! It's varying shades of grey which I like. I have it cut every 5 weeks.

cornishpatsy

I have just had different shades of grey highlights, slate, silver, smokey and metallic. Blends well but looks modern. The pic is not me but shows what I mean.

My hair is white but I certainly might consider having this done I think it looks great ?

Another vain one here so still colouring. If I didn't it would be in that inbetween stage which is awful.

I am grey at 63 and have been for a while. I have never dyed it and almost feel an aversion to hair dye, for me anyway! I hate it when roots show. I think it is that which puts me off dyeing hair.

Mine is naturally a dark mousey colour with a couple of white bits at the front so I dye it a mid blonde colour . Sometimes I have it done professionally, sometimes I do it myself. It is curly so I can get away with the roots untouched for quite a while.

I would have left my hair grey after lockdown, but DH still likes the auburn hair he has always known me with, so I colour it myself at home ever few weeks. Anyway even grey hair needs maintenance, people I know who have gone grey still visit the hairdresser for highlights and rinses. Besides long grey hair made me look like an old hippy!

I too am a bit vain, and colour it myself every couple of weeks

Many folk look quite distinguished / attractive with grey hair.
make the most of it. Remember a lot of men don't even get the opportunity!
Like taxes and death, it is feature of life, so make the most and best of it.

I am 67 and have been naturally grey, well white mainly, for about 10 years. Have received many compliments on the colour. I think as OP said, a lot depends on the colours you wear and the hairstyle. Sometimes longer grey hair can look ageing I feel.

I quite like mine being just black and white.
I agree with the comments regarding skin tone, make up and clothes that wear being important. If only I followed the mantra haha. My face is certainly lifted and brighter when I do!

I have had all those thoughts, grandtanteJE65.
Except for the last paragraph. My hair is brown white and grey now and make me look old, but I don’t feel that old at 75.

The advice about finding different shades of clothes and make-up is sound, if you want to remain grey haired.

If not, there are various points to consider.

Do you really want to dye your hair regularly from now on?

Are you sure your hair colour will suit your skin tone as you grow older - it does tend to change too.

If you do not adapt to grey hair now, when will you?

We all tend to look in the mirror and think "Who is this old woman?" or look at old photos and think how much nicer we looked then. I have just done so, but then I remembered that I didn't feel pretty in the summer of 1988 when that photo was taken!

My hair is red, brown and grey, all natural shades, right now. I just wish it would hurry up and settle for one colour!

I was advised not to colour my hair while having chemotherapy, when it was all over I was left with a sensitive scalp so that was it as far as I was concerned. It didn't take long for the grey to take over as I have my hair very short.

I spent many years and a small fortune disguising the grey in my dark hair, going lighter with caramel shades then highlights and lowlights, ending up blonde. Eventually I tired of the time and money I was spending at the salon not to mention the feeling that chemical laden hair couldn’t be healthy.

After a couple of false starts I managed to grow it out. My hair is now a mix of white and steel grey. A hairdresser in my town stopped me in the street to tell me how stunning it is, I haven’t had so many compliments in years. I do find that I wear more colour now and I’m quite fond of a bright lipstick!

My thinking was that if I hated it I could always use toners or semi permanent colour. I’ve never felt the need to do so though and the freedom from the tyranny of roots is wonderful.

Mine is very grey now. Have had it coloured many times at the hairdressers. Always happy with it , have foils in . Result ,a very soft and natural light brown. Very much like my natural colour. However it costs a fortune! My hair is fine and short and tempted to colour myself. Can anyone suggest an off the shelf colour , perhaps semi permanent ( washes out after a period of time ) Need a soft natural looking colour. I often see others with grey hair and they look amazing!