Gransnet forums

Culture/Arts

Grey hair or colour it?

(118 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?

simtib Sun 15-Sep-13 21:47:24

Maybe I am rather odd (many people have told me so), but I think natural grey hair looks much more attractive than dyed hair.
Personally I would settle for hair of any colour.

thatbags Sun 15-Sep-13 21:48:27

I'm letting mine go grey. I've never dyed it and never intend to. Grey is fine. Dying is usually obvious anyhow.

thatbags Sun 15-Sep-13 21:49:03

oops! I think that should be dyeing!

Anniebach Sun 15-Sep-13 22:12:14

Grey hair for me.

Grannyknot Sun 15-Sep-13 22:13:30

This subject comes up every so often. I've never regretted letting my hair go grey after dyeing it for years and years. Firstly, I discovered that my hair was not "grey" at all, rather a fab silver shot through with dark - and I liked it! Secondly no more sitting in the hairdresser's chair for hours, mentally drumming my fingers and finally, my hair is healthier again like it was before I started colouring it. I get compliments on my hair nearly every other day.

And - with my son's wedding less than a week away, I've just put a conditioning rinse through my hair called 'Powder' which has given it the most gorgeous fashionable sheen (it washes out and is just to enhance the colour for the wedding).

Grannyknot Sun 15-Sep-13 22:14:06

That should be "... my hair is healthy".

ninathenana Sun 15-Sep-13 22:30:23

I've been lightening mine for years. Originally because it was mousey brown but for the last couple of years to hide the grey.I asked DH if he thought I should stop and let the grey through. He said no. It's most unlike him, the usual response would be "It's up to you darling" so for now I will keep dyeing it.

Granny23 Sun 15-Sep-13 22:33:35

That Bags Dying is usually obvious anyhow. Well yes, but then so is lipstick, or nail varnish - is that not the point? I don't suppose for a moment that anyone believes that my honey blonde hair (nor my perfect teeth for that matter!) is natural at my age. Nonetheless, my hair WAS that colour until I was about 11, went mousey and has been blonde again since I was 15. I would not feel like ME without it and do not grudge £5 plus an hour's time every six weeks to keep it that way.

Each to their own smile

vampirequeen Sun 15-Sep-13 22:38:43

I've never dyed my hair and so my grey is the next natural progression. At the moment I still have more dark hair than grey and tbh I quite like the lighter streaks that shoot through it.

Ana Sun 15-Sep-13 22:43:24

I've hardly any grey at all, except at the temples where it's just a sort of paler brown. I'm hoping it'll go the same as my maternal grandmother's, which just faded until it was very light brown...

Galen Sun 15-Sep-13 22:46:43

I'm not doing anything with MINE!

Gorki Sun 15-Sep-13 22:50:12

I'm quite happy to be grey/white .

janeainsworth Sun 15-Sep-13 23:04:59

Agree with you granny23
I realised about 8 years ago that not only was I was the oldest person in the establishment, but I was also the only one who did not colour (note: not 'dye') their hair. At the time my dark hair was beginning to be streaked with grey, particularly at the temples.
This coincided with preparations for my son's wedding, and DH cautioning against wearing a fascinator because it 'makes your hair look drab'
shockshockshock
I sought professional advice from my lovely hairdresser and am very happy with the result.. I really don't care whether people guess it's coloured or not smile

glammanana Sun 15-Sep-13 23:16:57

granny23 I'm agreeing with you on this I use a colour every 6/8 weeks and have been light blonde for yrs now,I always make sure I use a good shampoo & conditioner to keep my very long hair in tip-top condition and do keep it covered when in hot climates.I am also this next week taking extra care with my hairs appearence as my DS2s wedding is this coming Friday and a girl has got to look her best even though the tears will be streaming into the tissues.smile

suggs123 Mon 16-Sep-13 02:15:54

Message deleted by Gransnet for breaking our forum guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

thatbags Mon 16-Sep-13 07:21:22

Indeed, g23, each to their own. Whatever works for each individual.

thatbags Mon 16-Sep-13 07:22:38

But I'm glad that naturally grey hair is becoming more fashionably acceptable again.

Marelli Mon 16-Sep-13 07:42:58

Mine is white now and long'ish. I stopped lightening it when I realised I could no longer see the new growth when it was due to be dyed again. My own hair colour had been dark brown, turning grey, then to white in my 50's. It's very healthy and not at all dry.

JessM Mon 16-Sep-13 07:49:39

i used to have blond highlights. Then i got a little patch of dermatitis - really itchy patch on my scalp that took months to settle. Vowed no more expensive and boring hair colouring sessions.

thatbags Mon 16-Sep-13 07:50:45

The expensive and boring part is part of what puts me off but mainly it's CBA.

Iam64 Mon 16-Sep-13 08:39:31

At age 14 I took my mother to task for dying her hair - why not grow old gracefully, I sniffed. Wise woman that she was, her response was for me to wait and see what I decided to do when I reached my 40's. Well, I was a henna queen for a while. As the grey came in, henna meant I had bright orange streaks, which I didn't like. I began to have my hair coloured every 6 weeks when it's cut. The same person has done my hair for 27 years, we continue to discuss when I'll stop having colour on it, and let the grey come through. He says now isn't quite the right time - so there we are then! I love the trend towards older women letting their silver/grey come through, and will no doubt join the clan at some point. Mum continued to colour her hair until her death. As infirmity began to set in, I was designated to wash and roller her hair every Sunday, and every 4 - 6 weeks I'd put a colour on it. Two days before she went into the nursing home where she died 3 weeks later, she insisted I do her hair. When I said maybe it wasn't top of the agenda that day, she told me firmly it was top of her agenda, and if I wouldn't do it, she'd do it herself. So, I did it. We're all different thankfully

tanith Mon 16-Sep-13 08:46:55

I too had hi-lighted hair for years and then I decided to stop.. never regretted it for a minute saves me money and time and people are always commenting on what a lovely colour it is. Various shades of silver and white. Its just wonderful to just wash and go never have to think about dyeing again EVER!! Of course hair dressers will advice you to continue dyeing its their livelihood after all but just do whats right for you.

Grannyknot Mon 16-Sep-13 08:52:05

I agree each to their own! And grey hair is not 'in fashion' everywhere! I am very much the 'odd woman out' when I go on holidays - the blondes in the US blondes, those Italian women with their flame coloured hair, and in SA too, everyone helps nature along.

flowerfriend Mon 16-Sep-13 10:46:14

I have my hair cut every five weeks but I have never coloured my hair which is now not grey but silver. If women wish to colour their hair it's up to them but I think people should be careful that they don't use too dark a shade for their skin colour, which is usually paler than when they were young. Summer tans apart that is.