To dye or not to dye

Indeed. I have no dislike of dyed hair or a problem with it, and there is room for everyone, whatever their tastes.

However, there is a heck of a lot of pressure by advertisers, magazines, tv, etc, on people to look a particular way, to look younger, with the message that unless you do, you are somehow inferior, letting yourself go. It’s that that I dislike. Those adverts for women’s hair dye more often than not suggest that being grey is the most terrible thing you can allow yourself to be - that’s how they make their money.
Yes, dyeing hair or not should be personal choice, but I would hazard a guess that there are many out there who have it done because they think society will look down on them if they don’t. That’s the thing that is wrong.?

I had the brunette/caramel dye bleached out of my hair on a whim just three days after retiring and two days before my 66th birthday. It was a bit yellow at first, but once that grew out my hair is now silvery white, and I love it! I have it cut well, and I have changed my makeup and the colours I wear to suit it. No more hours spent in the hairdressers, and no more expensive visits either! I have my hair cut every couple of months and pay £30, and I never have to time dyeing visits to fit in with holidays, weddings etc. What’s more, my family say my white hair makes me look younger!

I had mine cut and dyed every six weeks at the hairdressers for 20 years or so once I could afford it (did it at home before that) but now I'm no longer working (apart from looking after DGS), I no longer dye it or have it cut, just let it go grey and pin it up. I no longer wear make up either, just can't see the point in the over 60's - I do spend a lot on moisturisers though, I don't mean I want to look like an old hag ?
My natural dark brown hair is now striped blonde and white, which is interesting....

I think there are plenty of ads with young women sporting wild coloured hair, along with others showing women who are natural (dove ads) with wrinkles, grey hair and a few extra pounds.

I think it is nice to have a change and, unlike a tattoo, it isn't permanent so no harm done if you don't like the colour.

Highlights are wonderful because you don't get such an obvious problem of regrowth of natural hair colour near the parting.

Like many others on here, I've been dying my hair since my early teens and have long since forgotten what my natural colour is or was. I like being able to choose what colour I have and, apart from the dreadful time I decided to go deep red, I've always been pleased with the results. As for the time at the hairdressers being boring or expensive: that couple of hours in the hairdressers chair is the only time I ever get completely to myself and I love it. As for the expense; its my money, I earned it and I'll spend it how I like!

I have always dyed my hair. About 2 years ago I suddenlybecame very allergic to hair dye and developed psoriasis all over my body. This is now under control but the only thing I can do now is have some streaks put in making sure that the dye doesn't touch my scalp. I hate the look, grey with a few blondish streaks. I don't think it would be so bad if I had lovely thick hair, but unfortunately mine is thin and limp. I think it's very ageing.

Frankly I do not give a toss about the pressure by advertisers, magazines, tv, etc, on people to look a particular way, to look younger, with the message that unless you do, you are somehow inferior, letting yourself go. or society will look down on them if they don’t. I colour my hair because I have always loved my natural colour and want to keep it as long as possible.

As another poster observed, the hair of many women with grey/white haired depends as much on the colouring skills of a good hairdresser as those who change the colour. My sister spends far more time and money keeping her grey hair looking immaculate with subtly colouring, highlights and extensions than I do.

I dye my own hair (couldn’t afford to have it done at the hairdressers, plus the least time sitting in front of a mirror the better for me) .

I keep finding a dye I like and get used to and then they discontinue it which is annoying as I have to try and find something similar. Nothing exciting just as close to my original light brown as I can get.

I used to do mine and was very happy with it. Nice and easy by clairol gave me what I thought was a good colour. Didn’t affect my psoriasis either.
However I got fed up of doing it so stopped last year. I wasn’t sure if I’d like the result but it was easier than I thought and now I love it. White at the front and pepper and salt at the back. I have a really good cut every 6weeks in (I think) an up to date style and I don’t think I look any older at all. Did I mention that I am totally unwrinkled, have a fabulous figure and am immaculately dressed?!!
I think dyed hair that hasn’t been done very well makes some people look older. The very flat, dark hair that one sees quite a lot of. Of course, no one on here would go for that look?

Just to say to those who dye their hair and hate the grey parting when it is growing out - those coloured sprays to cover the grey are amazing. I use the Charles Worthington spray when my roots are showing. Spray after shampooing and don't give it another thought until you wash it again 10/10 from me!!

I’m another one from a family who keep their hair colour to a late age. I’m 78, and my hair is still mostly darkish brown. It has white streaks at the sides, sort of underneath the brown. People think I dye it, but I don’t and wouldn’t. I rather like the white streaks. My 44 year old son says he’s greyer than me.

My father was only partly grey when he died at 94.

My daughter-in-law began to go grey when she was about 40, and she does dye it - so would I have done at that age. It’s beginning to look unnatural now, though, too blonde. It’s really difficult to get dyed hair right. It makes a lot of people look older than they need.

I’ve never felt any urge to dye my hair - I like the grey it is - but I have no objection to anyone else doing so, though I do wonder about the effect that long term use of hair dye has on the system. DD has been dyeing hers since her early thirties to cover increasing premature greying and says she is in no hurry, at 47, to grow it out. She has it done by a good hairdresser.

Beau why is there no point in over 60's wearing makeup? That really threw me,I dont even put the bin out without my face on and I'm 64 .I have no intention of going bare faced any time in the forseeable future .

I admire people who can be bothered - it just feels pointless to me ☺️ I never went to work without make up, now I am free and never have to wear it again ?

Thanks for the tip dannii.

By my mid-50’s my hair which in my younger days had been dark chestnut brown, was unevenly streaked with grey and had lost its chestnut tints. I didn’t care as I’d always thought I would ‘go grey gracefully’.
Then DS announced his wedding. I bought a lovely fascinator at the second-hand shop in the village, made with rich antique feathers. I took it home and proudly showed it to MrA, thinking he would be delighted at the large sum of money I’d saved by not buying a new hat.
He took one look and pronounced that it was ok, but that it made my own hair look ‘rather drab’
That was it.
At the same time, I realised that not only was I the oldest person at my place of work, but also the only one who didn’t colour their hair.
That was 12 years ago & I’ve had my hair coloured ever since

Have had highlights and lowlights every couple of months for the last 40 years, no way am I stopping.

My dear Mum managed (with my help) to get to the hairdressers so she could have her roots done 4weeks before she went into the Hospice. She always wanted to look the best version of herself.

I agree paddyann, and I laughed at “I don’t even put the bins out without my makeup on” because that’s me too!

I do sometimes go barefaced as it doesn't bother me I have very good skin, it goes with the dyed hair but the remark about not wearing makeup over 60 stunned me too. When I go barefaced or a full face of makeup it's my choice not dictated by what those at work might have thought or whatever. Real freedom is pleasing yourself without a thought as to what others may think

Some dyed hair really looks 'dyed' - especially black which I think is draining. I use a 'rinse' for my hair which brings out the 'highlights' ie limits the grey [it's still there but not so obvious] by bringing out the shades of my normal hair. People think my hair is natural which is a lovely complement.

I've been colouring my hair forever. My "real" colour now is white which washes me out, so I colour it a nice soft beige which looks just right. I haven't worked for 9 years so it's nothing to do with looking younger for that reason - I just like to have some colour on top, which suits me .

Colouring hair and wearing makeup is such a personal choice - nothing to do with your age or your work status. Just do your own thing and enjoy being the best version of yourself.

Which 60 does Beau mean? The older we get the wider the differences in how we look. Look at the various ages we go grey. We had a friend who was grey at 25, I have very little grey at 75.

The same with skin quality, wrinkles, shape, size. What version of 60 was Beau talking about? I think this talk about looking young, worried about how you look in the office, is an obsession of a noisy few.

I was brought up to believe that taking an interest in how you looked was all part of one's self-respect. This doesn't dictate the colour of your hair or whether you wear make-up. But even if you dress by randomly picking clothes off the bedroom floor with your eyes shut. How you look and conduct yourself, tells the world how you expect to be treated.

One of the signs of depression or cogitive decline is frequently a lack of interest in how you look.

I never wore make up to work because of pressure within work or pressure to feel young - just that all that travelling 3 to 4 hours on the tube as a 'commuter' every day for 22 years was enough time for me to be 'putting on a mask' (not that I ever wore that much make up, I have very good skin). Now I look after DGS full time I would never have time to put make up on even if I wanted to. I am only 61 and I literally have no interest any more in make up or hair. However I am thrilled to have lost 3 stone since starting to look after DGS and back to a size 10-12 so as I say, it's just hair and make up that I can't be doing with. Once my granny annexe is complete and I have my own bathroom again I think I will have all my hair cut really short to save even more time ?

Grammaretto you sound like whatever the female equivalent of 'old fogey' is!

Bottle blonde is such a dismissive phrase - and I'm sure you pollute the planet in other ways.

Jane I also recommend the spray-on colour - currently using L'oreal, dark blonde. I'm a natural brunette with various high/lowlights and grey. Instead of constantly having the roots tinted (expensive) I just do a quick spray along the parting …. brilliant!

It lasts until the next hairwash but you do get a bit of 'product' build-up if you do an extra whoosh!

It lasts until the next hairwash but you do get a bit of 'product' build-up

Oh no the dreaded product build-up ?
Thanks Riverwalk. I shall definitely get some before the next trip to America which will be nearly 3 months long? and by the end of which my roots will not be a pretty sight. I haven’t yet plucked up the courage to try an American hairdresser and we usually get home and 12 hours later I’m at the salon ?