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To dye or not to dye?

(66 Posts)
Leah11 Tue 03-Feb-15 16:13:54

Hi. I am 65 and have let my hair go silver, as I am allergic to the PPD found in most hair colorants. However, I am constantly being told that it is aging and that I would look much younger with my hair coloured. Indeed, my Grandchildren think I am the oldest of their Grandmothers, because the other is "blonde". Does anyone have any news of a safe hair dye, as I am beginning to feel that they are right, and perhaps I am looking older than I need to?

Leah11 Sun 15-Feb-15 13:43:05

I think I will leave my hair the colour it is, and be proud of it. A new hairstyle, and a new hairdresser I think. Anyway, onwards :- I am campaigning, along with others, because a local farmer has "gifted" a piece of land to the Villagers. It is in a very sensitive spot, in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Please sign and support our petition. It is important to stop building on this green field land and keep it for future generations. Many thanks, #new lease of life smile
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-31452633

etheltbags1 Sun 15-Feb-15 15:07:57

I see many older ladies with the same old grey perm, I wonder at what age do we get the desire to have the perm. Its the same with beige blouson jackets and beige trousers, elasticated and tapered to the ankle. As my daughter would say 'like your budgie has died'.
also as the fine weather comes back so many women wear a blazer type jacket with a summer flowered skirt it is so ageing. What on earth hap pens to our self esteem and when does this happen. I wonder. I cant see me wearing these sort of clothes, but neither will I dress like a teenager, I will just dress like I do now.

GillT57 Sun 15-Feb-15 15:27:38

Hello Ethel how are you getting on with the treatment? Well I hope. I think the problem with the clothing you so accurately describe is that some women dress the same for decades and dont move on. I know it is tricky changing styles, and I also assume that nobody wants to look silly in teenage clothes, but surely a look around, a look at some magazines, just stopping and considering before buying and wearing the same old stuff. I find it tricky buying clothes myself, but as a guide if I find someone of the 'blue rinse'brigade(beige elasticated waist) browsing the same rails as me, then I move away. grin

GillT57 Sun 15-Feb-15 15:30:22

Oh and I do colour my hair, every six weeks good cut and colour, stylist young and very helpful with suggestions of colours for highlights. I think that the cut is possibly more important than the colour in many cases, nothing more ageing than straggly hair, irrespective of its colour.

Elliebeth Sun 15-Feb-15 15:44:20

Growing mine out at the moment. Had it in a bob for years but now it's sort of Bob shape at the front but cut short at the back. Still have lots of dark hair at the back but a mixture of the blond dye l had and grey so it looks sort of streaked !! My hairdresser puts foils in the top but does less each time. She says when it's grown through l could have dark ones put in the front. Unless l give up and go back blond !

Elrel Fri 04-Mar-16 11:21:38

Programme about the grey hair/coloured hair dilemma on Radio4, started at 11am. Interesting, presented by, surprisingly, classicist Mary Beard, she of the flowing grey locks!!Enjoyed her tv programme about Pompeii last evening too.

Elrel Fri 04-Mar-16 11:31:48

The announcer has just implied he's a silver fox, smooth voice too ...
The title is 'Glad to be Grey'!

wot Fri 04-Mar-16 11:35:03

Super programme on BBC- "Glad to be Grey" just been on. My hair went from nearly black to white and it's long. I don't have a problem with the colour but the length as I hate short hair on myself but feel self concious about wearing my hair down. And being mistaken for a witch!!

wot Fri 04-Mar-16 11:37:05

Or being mistaken for a young woman until I turn round!

Alea Fri 04-Mar-16 11:41:52

Thoroughly enjoyed Mary Beard! As you may know I am a total convert since I achieved my present silver hair. Last night somebody complimented me on my hair "colour"grin and said it brought out the blue of my eyes smile [smirk] emoji
Mind you, Mary could do with a cut, a sleek bob would look fantastic.

wot Fri 04-Mar-16 11:59:50

I( probably shouldn't say this but Mary Beard l;ooks SO much older than 61!

Lyndylou Fri 04-Mar-16 12:22:36

I thought the radio 4 programme was excellent and I quite expected to be shouting at the radio after seeing Mary on Newsnight the other night. I hate the implication that I should let my grey show purely because I'm 64 now and that I colour it because I'm a silly female who won't admit to getting old.

Anyone who knows me knows I am the very last person to give in to any advertising pressure, my makeup regime consists of a face cloth and soap with a bit of foundation if I'm going out of the house, a manicure is getting the gardening dirt out from under my fingernails and I haven't owned a skirt or a dress for about 10 years!

The programme actually vindicated my choice of hair colour, saying that, if you are going to dye, the best colour is a very light blonde. I've always found that works better with my sallow skin that my natural grey.

On a slightly different note, am I the only one who hated turning 64 more than 60? I think it must be the damn Beatles song.

Totally agree with Alea about Mary could look much better with a decent cut. I don't think her hair colour ages her as much as the length. It just looks untidy to me.

Elrel Fri 04-Mar-16 12:52:54

Mary does have a new mac to replace the red one in Pompeii and some unusual shoes I wished they show in closeup! I think I heard her considering pink streaks.
Author Anne McCaffery once turned up to give a talk at a Sci Fi meeting with the front of her snowy hair pink, purple and blue. She said: 'The hair - I'm over 60 but didn't want to look like every other old lady on the plane!'

wot Fri 04-Mar-16 13:12:34

I stopped dying my hair when it was nearly all hacked off for brain surgery and that was when I realised it was white! The dye used to make it itch anyway. I got some pink powder with a sponge which is purely temporary to use just for fun!

supernanauna1 Fri 04-Mar-16 19:43:42

I'm 69 and I wish my hair would go silver. At the moment it's a mix of brown and grey and though other people say it's nice, I'd far rather have it all silver. But I don't want to go down the road of expensive hairdresser appointments, or start bleaching it at home - with my luck, it'd probably come out in pink and green stripes.

So if you've got silver hair, be glad of it - I think it can look so elegant.