Gransnet forums

Culture/Arts

Grey hair or colour it?

(119 Posts)
Jan09 Sun 15-Sep-13 21:40:49

I have noticed - mainly in magazines and newspapers but on the streets of London too - that more and more women are letting their long hair go grey rather than colouring it. I'm beginning to be tempted to grow my colour out and do the same. I hate the process of having it coloured and the expense and why can't grey be as attractive as blonde or black? What do other people think?

Galen Sat 02-Nov-13 20:26:31

Bandage? A student with toothache?

FlicketyB Sat 02-Nov-13 19:55:24

But what about the beard? No, he is not going to shave it off.

Galen Sat 02-Nov-13 17:43:47

Wig?

FlicketyB Sat 02-Nov-13 17:42:12

When you are singing opera you retreat into a world of suspended belief.

His local opera group are doing La Boheme by Puccini and he is one of the group of students. It is what happens when you are a tenor. Good tenors are few and far between so a tenor who can sing a role gets cast regardless of age. However hero and heroine are both young and convincing!!

However grey hair is a problem and as I only use permanent colour my knowledge of washable or semi-permanent hair colouring products is somewhat limited. the obvious solution was Gransnet.

Galen Sat 02-Nov-13 17:08:44

Fountain of youth sounds more like it!

FlicketyB Sat 02-Nov-13 16:48:50

Grey hair or colour it? Well DH needs to dye his hair for a theatrical, or rather, operatic performance. His hair is iron grey but his beard is much whiter. He is 70 and needs to appear about 25. He needs something, in mid brown, I think, and that will wash out after a week.

Any suggestions? Please not Grecian 2000!

Galen Fri 01-Nov-13 22:04:13

I'm staying with my (now long) white silver hair.

Nonu Fri 01-Nov-13 21:47:53

Each to their own ,Agree with you big time POLL .!!

Flowerofthewest Fri 01-Nov-13 18:08:44

Just had a nose at you profile glammamama you have beautiful hair x

Pollaidh Fri 01-Nov-13 16:34:46

I don't see why anyone should be judgemental on dyeing hair. Surely it's a matter of what suits you? I have mine coloured (dyed) regularly and have absolutely no idea what it would look like now if I left it. And i don't want to find out either! grin

Iam64 Fri 01-Nov-13 16:24:44

Tegan, a good friend had her hair cut very short, let the colour grow out and then grew her silver hair long, and it looked great. A couple of years later, she was involved in a 6 series tv programme. The hair and makeup folks accepted she wasn't Big on either, but very light blond highlights like the ones you're considering. It looked so good, she now keeps this up (4 years on). I have had mine cut much shorter, had highlights, and am gradually growing lighter as I feel I'm just beyond my original colour now. I agree with Bellasnan - each to our own. 3 weeks before my mum died, I coloured her hair. I'd tried to encourage her that she wasn't in the best of health and maybe a rest on the colouring, but she said if I wouldn't do it, she'd crawl upstairs and do it herself. Of course, I did it. She remained 'auburn' to the end.

Tegan Fri 01-Nov-13 14:08:59

Having grown out most of the colour I'm actually beginning to feel very 'grey'. I did have a very light blonde streaked into it and am starting to think about doing so again, just to give a bit of warmth.

Bellasnana Fri 01-Nov-13 13:49:49

I agree that it is a bit of a pain having to have the roots touched up every 4 to 6 weeks ( not to mention the cost), but I do think grey hair is very aging and I am not ready to go down that path just yet.

My dear Mum dyed hers until she was 80 and then let it go naturally white. It's each to their own really - what suits one person doesn't necessarily suit another.

gratefulgran54 Fri 01-Nov-13 07:16:22

Must confess to letting mine do it's own thing, and have been pleasantly surprised that I have silver and white streaks blending in with my natural mousey brown.

I've only ever indulged in a semi-permanent colour, as couldn't be doing with all the 'touching-up roots' stuff, but doing that meant I could be more adventurous with lovely purples or bright reds, without it looking a complete mess growing out...it just faded away gradually.

I am lucky that my silver and white is quite evenly distributed throughout, and I am often complimented on it, and have even been asked where I had it done lol.

One of my young charges at school is fascinated by it, and almost daily asks 'what colour?' while grabbing a handful (it's quite long too), and is always happy with my 'brown and sparkly silver' answer...bless smile

Anne58 Thu 31-Oct-13 23:46:21

As am currently "resting" also known as unemployed, I thought I would take the time to let my short, coloured hair grow out. (I had bought a packet of home dye stuff, just in case I got invited to an interview)

No such luck. M P, who very rarely passes comment on my appearance, said last Saturday " OK, so are we going to colour your hair tomorrow?"

I replied "Well, actually I was going to leave it and see how it went, you seem more concerned about it than me!"

His reply? "You don't have to look at it as much as I do!"

And I thought he loved me for me!

jeanie99 Thu 31-Oct-13 23:32:59

The fact that you have seen newspapers, magazines,news reports saying it's stylish now to not colour hair when it's going grey is totally irrelevant.

I have very long thick hair which I have trimmed and dyed every three to four months when most people my age 69 have short hair.

If you prefer to have grey hair that's up to you.

Why allow outside influences to control what you like it's your life and it can be short so make the most of what you want to do.

Flowerofthewest Thu 17-Oct-13 22:41:13

Hi-lights for me. and a few low lights.

Tegan Thu 17-Oct-13 17:55:05

Y'know, I never liked that song much at the time but listening to it now it's quite beautiful, isn't it...

annodomini Thu 17-Oct-13 16:13:23

Just going to see if I have any beads left!

NannaAnna Thu 17-Oct-13 15:09:56

And that Tegan is THE definitive song smile
flowers sunshine flowers sunshine flowers

Sook Thu 17-Oct-13 00:32:36

Love it Tegan flowers

Tegan Wed 16-Oct-13 23:55:02

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ_WG3d3GL8

Tegan Wed 16-Oct-13 23:52:02

Love and Peace NannaAnna smile.

NannaAnna Wed 16-Oct-13 23:13:02

Tegan totally with on on embracing my inner hippie who never really went away. I'm seeing earth mother once my hair has grown smile

Tegan Wed 16-Oct-13 22:42:25

envyenvyenvy No swishing for moi but have bought some bandana type things from Claires Accessories hoping to create a look of a grannified Keith Richards [hoping it's not a Gypsy Rose Lee look]. Have realised that, now I'm no longer working I can embrace my inner hippie self [which never really went away]. Once saw a lady at a supermarket checkout that had iron grey hair and was bowled over by how beautiful it looked; years ago this was but never forgot.