Hair quandary

Went from black to silver in approx 14 months really love the colour should have done it years ago. Got so fed up of dying it every 4 weeks as grows fast. Will never regret going natural really happy

Before I was born my then childless mum looked after her baby niece after her mother died in her early thirties. She loved her like she was her own daughter. Kath had lovely dark brown soft curls and when I was born, with dead straight blond hair, my mum did all in her power to give me at least waves, if not curls. I spent ages with those metal grabbers in my hair and hairgrips to make curls - but it didn't work. The straight hair developed odd kinks in places which as a teenager I used to iron!!!

My hair lost its blondness and became a mousy-brown which was very, very dull. I always coloured it myself with a semi-permanent slightly auburn colour (now Nice n Easy). It has been going grey for about 30 years (I am 72 - my dad's was the same) but the colour is a dirty grey, so I've carried on colouring it.

This year I've been having radiotherapy for oral cancer and not allowed to colour it for 12 months. The grey is now even duller and I can't wait to do it.

I had highlights for my first DDs wedding 14 years ago and whilst it was lovely there was no way I was spending that amount of money several times a year or putting myself through the utter boredom of sitting around in a salon for over an hour. Anyway, I didn't have the time then, working a 70-hour week.

I joined our local u3a on retirement 12 years ago and am a member of several groups and on the Committee, and whilst there are lots of ladies who look incredibly smart and stylish, I am not one of them. There are even more who are "natural" like me, who can't be bothered with make-up, don't paint their nails regularly and to be honest I simply don't notice who does what any more. They are just lovely people with whom I share many pleasant and interesting hours. I hope they think the same of me!!!

I hope to colour my hair again soon, 20 minutes in my own home, and am sure it will be fine unless the radiotherapy has done something terrible to it. I will let you all know in a few weeks!!!

Basically I think there's much more to life than your appearance, providing you look presentable and friendly.

I’m definitely not ready for grey hair , my sister has . Apart from our hair colour we look exactly the same despite 5 years difference in age and guess what - everyone assumes she’s the elder
It’s a personal choice grey or not grey as long as you’re happy it doesn’t matter

I also embraced the silver some years ago, and I love it. I get quite a few compliments on the colour (it's glittery silver not dull) and cut quite short . I do use make-up and an appropriate soft peachy blusher, which counters any washed-outedness.

I also get my hair highlighted two colours and am wondering the same thing. I don't know why the white/grey hair is left alone? Can they not tint it? I keep meaning to ask my hairdresser this. I'm fairly new to having white/grey hairs but I can see more and more of them.

Im not ready to embrace the all over silver look, but even if I did I would probably use wash in colours for fun.

I gave up colouring after covid but my hair colour is the envy of my friends a now natural ash blond at (68) saving loads of money too

What a great thread this is! Thank you to all the ladies who have written in - I found it very interesting. I have been colouring my hair a honey blonde for years, but now finding more and more grey (silver?) The sun has lightened the blonde now so I’m tempted to just leave it and see if my natural colour will blend in and look ok. I do prefer a more golden blonde, but if the grey gives me more of an ash blonde, it might look nice. It is a pain colouring it at home, especially trying to do with back with two mirrors. I could go to the hairdressers, but begrudge spending all that money when a box costs around a tenner or less! Watch this space!

My friend is an awful warning to me. She insists on dying her hair black as it was so dark when she was young. She's pushing 80 now and looks awful with a little pale face under a big black busby!

Nanna58

I’m definitely not ready for grey hair , my sister has . Apart from our hair colour we look exactly the same despite 5 years difference in age and guess what - everyone assumes she’s the elder
It’s a personal choice grey or not grey as long as you’re happy it doesn’t matter

I agree that grey hair is very ageing, if you don’t want an overall colour Aveline just ask the hairdresser to put two shades in your hair, a highlight and a lo-light?

I stopped having highlights when my hair was evenly grey. The back was the last to go. Now I use a special shampoo and conditioner for grey hair which is purple but stops the yellowing and gives a nice silvery colour. I do get some compliments on the colour which is nice

Sorry Aveline on re -reading your post I see you already do what I suggest.
I think your problem may lie with the fact that the junior doing the foils is doing them too fine.I would ask for a senior colourist to do them and ask for thicker foils, which means you’ll see the difference.

If you are on fb there are a few grey hair groups where women support each other

Oreo the highlights and lowlights are OK. I just don't like the colour any more and don't think the final outcome is worth awful hours at the hairdressers to achieve as well as the significant cost.

About 7 years ago I stopped colouring my hair, I have mainly grey hair with some darker hair at the back. I really like the silver parts of my hair and I do get compliments, including from hairdressers. A good style and use L'Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Silver Shampoo, keeps it bright with no dull or yellow tones. It is also easy to look more vibrant with the colour of clothes that suit grey hair and your skin tone.
It is a great freedom give up colouring.

Take the plunge. I gave in and stopped colouring mine several years ago and love the grey - well white actually!!. I get so many compliments. I have an excellent stylist and my hair is in so much better condition.

I also stopped colouring my hair about 9 months ago. Took a while to grow out as I always coloured it a rich plum colour. Now it's like a silver/ blonde and my hairdresser remarked how good it looked and that people pay her good money to have their hair dyed my colour. So liberating not having the 4 weekly battle with the dye.

2oaktrees

If you are on fb there are a few grey hair groups where women support each other

I went on one of those groups once, but they were so determined to be grey that I left. I was looking for the best way to stay coloured!

I have a good cut every 5 weeks and a blow dry, as for colour I do it myself at home every 2 -3 months and I get lovely comments from friends on how nice it looks.

Been colouring mine since 1964, mainly blonde but I’ve been a redhead too, in December 2019 I decided to let whatever colour was there naturally to grow through, which was lucky as Covid appeared soon after, I’m now a mixture of white, grey and silver and I love it, I still go for a cut and blow dry every 5-6 weeks which costs me £35 rather than the £75 I was spending and my hair is in great condition.

I finally grew my grey hair out in COVID. Not entirely thrilled by it so I have black streaks for a more dramatic effect. It only needs doing about every six months as opposed to root cover every six weeks. I also can’t bear sitting for a long time so have it done separately from having it cut.

MissInterpreted

I would happily have left mine alone if it had gone pure white or even silver, but it was a horrible salt and pepper grey which really did nothing for me whatsoever. I see women with beautiful white or silver hair and think it looks so beautiful. I would definitely embrace mine if it would only go like that.

My hair is the same. Salt and pepper. I also look at and admire people with silver or white hair.

I’m in the process of lightening my hair at home to a lovely platinum blonde. I’m not quite there yet. It’s a long process but hopefully it’s not going to take much longer.

I’ve always coloured my hair blonde. It’s not about denying growing older it’s the colour I always feel comfortable with.

I’ve been red, purple and orange but the colour I feel suits me the most is the lightest of blonde.

Aveline

Oreo the highlights and lowlights are OK. I just don't like the colour any more and don't think the final outcome is worth awful hours at the hairdressers to achieve as well as the significant cost.

I see 😁
I use Nice N Easy to keep the grey hair at bay, cheap and very good results always looks well conditioned.A great variety of colours, but if you have loads of grey better to choose a lighter look.

For starters if it was a junior doing your colour obviously she’s going to be a lot slower than a senior stylist, she’s learning. Maybe you could ask your stylist to colour your hair in future if you wish to continue colouring it. If you decide to let your grey grow through my advice would be (as an ex hairdresser) to either get your hairdresser to put a toner on your hair or buy one yourself from a chemist to do at home or use a coloured shampoo on it ie Bleach London do silver shampoo and conditioner or iridescent shampoo which is a beige colour to give it a slight colour which is flattering. To be honest if you’re swimming 3 times a week I personally would not bother colouring it but would use a shampoo especially to wash chlorine out as it can give hair a green tinge with build up of chlorine.

Sounds interesting Bluedaisy. I'll seek them out once my latest lot settles down.

I really don't enjoy having my hair cut or styled (my hairdresser is lovely but it just isn't my thing). I stopped home tinting my hair about five and a half years ago and let my short hair grow. It is actually quite a nice colour. I did mention getting foil highlights but my hairdresser said not to bother. She said I don't need them and people pay good money to get hair my colour - a streaky ashy golden blonde. Even if it wasn't I really don't rethink I could bear sitting with foils on my hair and stumping up so much money. Now if there was a treatment guaranteed to thicken my fine hair which has got even thinner due to meds I am on I probably would try it!