Colouring hair

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I can't remember exactly when I started getting grey hairs, probably in my 40's or 50's, I just know that by the time I reached 70, I decided all the bother of dyeing it was not worth the trouble. I find I now have silvery grey streaky hair to the front and sides, but am still quite dark at the back. I am not in the least vain, and am going for the pink streaks for a bit of fun and because I like to be non conformist.

But how grey were you at 70 caz? So much of whether you colour or not depends on how grey or white you are. I suspect that a fairly clear line can be drawn between those whose hair is almost completely grey/white, who do not dye their hair, to complex and time consuming and those whose hair is much less grey who do not like the effect and prefer to stick to colouring and streaking their hair for a uniform effect.

Perhaps everyone contributing to this thread should start by a declaration about how grey they are and how quickly they are greying/went grey.

I stopped colouring my hair when I reached my 70's, too much trouble and the roots showing through too quickly, so now I am a streaky silvery grey........it is aging, but people say they like it. I am just about to experiment by adding a couple of streaks with a pink highlighting spray which can be washed out with normal shampoo. Time to be different :

I read this last week feeling that it was about time I did mine, I have greys sprinkled through my naturally mid to dark brown hair, which I colour light brown.,
Then, on Friday night, shortly before going out, I saw in a very well lit mirror just how much grey was really in my fringe.
Not a good look, honest.
I had no time for a full head dye so used half a tube of brown eyebrow dye that I'd been sent to review last year. Ten minutes on, rather than thirty and crossed fingers, before washing out.
That worked quite well, being essentially the same chemical formulation as hair dye, at goodness knows what times the price.
I don't recommend eyebrow dye as an everyday choice of hair dye of course, but for those of us whose genes give us Mallen streaks/the piebald look/pepper and salt and heavy on the salt, dyeing with a decent hair dye really isn't such a bad option.

My hair is quite short, so I decant the unmixed hair dye and developer into a plastic bowl and use just half a pack at a time, when I dye my hair conventionally. Carefully resealed, the separate tube of colour and bottle of developer lasts until next time. (Usually 3 months for me, but maybe 6 weeks from now on.). I use Aldi colours, as they total 100 ml of product, and give excellent results.

Well I've coloured my hair and it looks fabulous, I am delighted and have had so many people say, it takes years off me/you no longer look washed out/etc etc.....
One happy bunny!

I have two shades ( sometimes three) put in as highlights, this happens two times a year usually.In between that I use a shampoo for blonde hair, eventually the highlights fade into a general blondness which hides any roots.Having lots of layers put in also helps with the look, and gives body.
If anyone thinks that grey/white looks good on themselves, then great, but equally great for anyone who feels they look better with some colour put in.I don't have any grey friends ( who will be the first to crack?!)

All those photos of gransnetters with full heads of grey or white hair proudly (rightly) showing how nice their hair is. I am waiting for a photo of someone with hair like mine that looks as if I spilt paint on it, bits grey or white, other bits still their regular colour to say how nice it is and how everyone admires it.

I admit if I had to go to the hair dresser for dye and highlights every six weeks I would be a bit daunted, but is that what most people do? I only dye my hair every three months or so and do it at home with products bought in Superdrug. I did discuss it with my hairdresser and she said since what I did always looked natural there was no point in having saloon clouring

J52 Men ...hey

I have read this thread with great interest. I have dyed my hair for years, going lighter and covering up the grey, which started in my 40s.
Due to selling and moving house, I have not been to the hairdressers since January.?. My hair has grown to my shoulders and the roots are a couple of inches, ( don't show much due to blond coloured hair) but they are much whiter than I expected.

Now in a new place I have made an appointment with a new hairdresser for a cut and I hope, tonal low/ high lights so that I can at last move away from a whole head colour and allow the silver to shine through! I'm a bit apprehensive!
DH can't understand why, after all you go in, they cut, you come out with shorter hair! ?

X

Well, as a newbie to Gransnet, I might as well stick my oar in too!! I've been having my hair coloured at the hairdressers for years. Last week I had the normal colour then went wild with some highlights! Today a shop assistant told me she loved my hair! I was really touched - that doesn't happen every day does it? I'd love to let it go to it's natural grey colour but while I can still afford it I want to keep on the colouring path. So, Lizzy53, do what you want to do, what makes you feel good. Alea, you look lovely just as you are too!

I would definitely go to a professional as gray is difficult to color. Or you can try one that says 100% gray coverage. Blonde looks very natural once hair has lightened on it own and looks nice too.

Always colour my hair, feel old with grey and I think the highlights thicken it up a bit. Yes it is a matter of lack of confidence to go grey with me. I agree with janey sister its personal.

What about a splash of pink?

Recently, I got fed up with my salt n pepper hair and decided I wanted to become a "silver fox"... I used a pre-lightener and ended up a bit yellow-blonde and all the customers at work said they liked it, but personally IMHO, it was a bit "brassy", so I used a silver toner on it today and it's now a pretty ash blonde, silvery colour which I'm much happier with.

I've had short hair for over 25 years because it suits me, not because I'm pushing 60!! Personally, I'm sick of neutral shades and have decided to wear brighter colours and stay away from grey/beige this year.

Maybe I've entered a rebellious phase? I do think that you should do whatever makes you happy or more confident and not listen to what others say...

Lynne - what's a flash mob? We don't seem to get them in our supermarket.

MY friend is only in her fifties and has long grey hair which looks gorgeous. She was just going to let it go grey naturally but didn't like the mallen streak look she got! Her hairdresser has instead given her low lights mixed through the grey and it looks fabulous. So much so, I asked for her hairdresser s details. Mine is still being coloured at the moment as I am not ready for grey yet but the rate at which it grows, costs a fortune! I have salon colours four times a year and then inbetween touch it up with Nice and Easy

Hey Lizzy53, I stopped colouring what I thought was mousy hair about two years ago. My hairdresser suggested we cut it really short and see what colour it was naturally. Well, it turned out to be almost white, I was quite thrilled! Such a relief not to have to colour it every six weeks.
I know white hair is associated with getting older, but honestly I think it's all in the mind. I still think young and make sure a wear makeup if I'm going out. Don't know about you, but these are some of the best years of my life!
The picture shows me singing in a flash mob in our local supermarket!

Oh! Oh! Oh Dear!
Not boasting - I wouldn't mind it going silver like DB's did, but it stubbornly refuses to change colour.
However, the last hair cut was disastrous.

orthopaedic sandals
Oh dear, I am going to have to buy some of those before too long

But my hair is still brown (naturally)

PPP, what a lovely elegant style. There's no way your silver hair could be said to be ageing. My sister used to have her hair dyed back to her natural brunette colour, leaving a flash of silver at the front. However, she now has a mop of naturally silver curls which I envy just as much as I ever envied her brown curls!

M0nica, if I ever find out where the moral high ground is, I'll also find a way to bypass it. I gave in to my silver locks when having whole head and highlights every four to six weeks became just too expensive once I had retired and had to get used to being a pensioner. I use Aveda blue malva shampoo to avoid that yellowish tinge

Hi all, fairly new to gransnet,so thought I would add my comments whether to colour hair or not. Well I went for lunch yesterday with 2 friends, and we had the very same conversation, one friend is blonde with a bob style, and she said she will carry on as long as ever possible to keep her hair blonde(she is naturally light mouse/grey) as she feels dowdy otherwise, The other friend has long brown hair,and her views are the same (she us 69 and looks 15 years younger,also with the help of a bottle).I have collar length chestnut hair, with just the odd wisp of grey which is natural ,I follow my grandmother who kept her hair col our well in to her 70s, (lucky genetics) I am 65, and only put a semi permanent col our on to enhance it usually Nice and easy brand about every 4_6 months or so.I have another friend who has steely Grey hair ,she also looks lovely and tries the occasional coloured hairspray for a different look,wash in wash out. Sooooo in a rather long winded way,do what ever you are happy with,and experiment

Silver me!

I'm 62 and my hair has been so many colours over the years I've forgotten what the original should be I'm off to the hairdressers right now for my monthly roots. I went from dark to fair to disguise the grey better as i got fed up of it showing through the week after it was done and feel it does look better now I'm older. I have a friend who went grey very young and she looks fabulous now in her late 60's with it very short and spikey silver. I'd say go with whatever takes you fancy - but it might be wise to do it gradually as suddenly going dark chestnut after years of grey might be a bit too much of a shock! A few highlights to start with perhaps?

For the first time in my life I love my hair1

It's a mixture of light grey/white/silver, straight and shoulder length. A pity it took 60+ years for this event to happen but such is life. I let the grey grow through about five years ago and never looked back.

One of the benefits of getting older is that finally I have made peace with my body and my mind. I like me.