Colour hair or gracefully grey?

[PeppermintPatty]

My hair is currently an even mix of dark brown & white. My beard is all white. (And no, the gent in the picture to the left is not me but sometimes it's how I feel. )

I view naturally gray/white hair as a sign of experience, endurance, and at least a modicum of wisdom. I've earned my white hair and would never think to color it.

That’s how I feel.
I’ve earned the silver grey.

Better grey than nay, I always say

A great saying.

 

[hearlady]

When my hair got to the point that the roots were the same color I stopped coloring. It grew in much more naturally than I thought and I got many more compliments on my natural hair color.
I've learned to protect it from the sun or it gets white and I use purple shampoo every two weeks to tone it down.
No regrets.

 

[Pepper]

Me too. I couldn’t stand it when my roots would show and within 10 days of colouring they’d show. It wasn’t an easy grow out but I’m glad I did.

Same problem. Before 2 weeks were up, the white roots would show. In order to conquer that, I'd have to spend a fortune. If I had bigger money I might not have gone white, but I don't; could only afford to do it myself and every 10 days was too much!

 

[PeppermintPatty]

When my hair got to the point that the roots were the same color I stopped coloring. It grew in much more naturally than I thought and I got many more compliments on my natural hair color.
I've learned to protect it from the sun or it gets white and I use purple shampoo every two weeks to tone it down.
No regrets.

Are you a natural blonde?
I think blonde or redheads transitioning to grey is much easier since it’s much more subdued whereas dark browns or blacks seem to have it the hardest. There’s far more contrasts in the tones.

Same problem. Before 2 weeks were up, the white roots would show. In order to conquer that, I'd have to spend a fortune. If I had bigger money I might not have gone white, but I don't; could only afford to do it myself and every 10 days was too much!

I purchased bulk henna and did it myself faithfully and for years. This was with 3 plus feet of hair. It was a royal PITA. The cost of going to the salon would have been outrageous plus then I’d have to trust them and you know me.

 

[Pepper]

Yep. I'm naturally blonde. Never went grey, went straight to white like both my parents. I kept my natural color for a long time before I dyed the white out, probably in my fifties.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Yep. I'm naturally blonde. Never went grey, went straight to white like both my parents. I kept my natural color for a long time before I dyed the white out, probably in my fifties.

Since I’d been colouring my hair with henna and didn’t realize how silver I was but did notice that some chunks of my hair glowed. Sure I noticed the different colours roots but it wasnt until I started growing it out that I realized how grey the top coat of my hair was.
The top layer of my hair was greyer than my moms hair at 86. What was great though, was that it picked up artificial temporary colours really nicely like blues, purples and pinks. Sometimes I’d highlight the entire streak and then braid it.

 

[BC Flash]

Never coloured my hair - too expensive to have it done professionally. Mother (and her generation) did "home colouring" and it looked ARTIFICIAL.

 

[hearlady]

Are you a natural blonde?
I think blonde or redheads transitioning to grey is much easier since it’s much more subdued whereas dark browns or blacks seem to have it the hardest. There’s far more contrasts in the tones.

I purchased bulk henna and did it myself faithfully and for years. This was with 3 plus feet of hair. It was a royal PITA. The cost of going to the salon would have been outrageous plus then I’d have to trust them and you know me.

No, but over the years I went lighter and lighter until it all blended in.I was blonde when I was little.

 

[Avon]

I thought Grey was the new choice of colour to colour hair.

 

[David777]

Have never ever dyed my wonderful hair and do not plan to. At age 74.7, my fine, light brown, top of head hair though still mostly brown is increasingly showing some areas of grey. Below is some hair I cut this week in natural diffuse color balanced blue skylight:

 

[Avon]

Have never ever dyed my wonderful hair and do not plan to. At age 74.7, my fine, light brown, top of head hair though still mostly brown is increasingly showing some areas of grey. Below is some hair I cut this week in natural diffuse color balanced blue skylight:
View attachment 296433

Brilliant, in nearly 20 years of posting, that is the first time a person has posted a picture of hair that they cut off last week. What are you using it for?

 

[Wren]

I henna my hair every 3 weeks or so, after chemo the top and sides grew back completely grey but the back was still very dark, that was 16 years ago, I’ve no idea if it’s still the same and don’t intend to find out !

The henna covers really well leaving a nice auburn shade

 

[Gaer]

Since I’d been colouring my hair with henna and didn’t realize how silver I was but did notice that some chunks of my hair glowed. Sure I noticed the different colours roots but it wasnt until I started growing it out that I realized how grey the top coat of my hair was.
The top layer of my hair was greyer than my moms hair at 86. What was great though, was that it picked up artificial temporary colours really nicely like blues, purples and pinks. Sometimes I’d highlight the entire streak and then braid it.
View attachment 296421

Wow! You have thick, healthy hair! Beautiful!

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Wow! You have thick, healthy hair! Beautiful!

Thank you!

 

[hearlady]

Since I’d been colouring my hair with henna and didn’t realize how silver I was but did notice that some chunks of my hair glowed. Sure I noticed the different colours roots but it wasnt until I started growing it out that I realized how grey the top coat of my hair was.
The top layer of my hair was greyer than my moms hair at 86. What was great though, was that it picked up artificial temporary colours really nicely like blues, purples and pinks. Sometimes I’d highlight the entire streak and then braid it.
View attachment 296421

Gorgeous!

 

[Marie5656]

I have gone all grey. My mom, I am sure, is rolling in her grave, LOL

 

[palides2021]

Since I’d been colouring my hair with henna and didn’t realize how silver I was but did notice that some chunks of my hair glowed. Sure I noticed the different colours roots but it wasnt until I started growing it out that I realized how grey the top coat of my hair was.
The top layer of my hair was greyer than my moms hair at 86. What was great though, was that it picked up artificial temporary colours really nicely like blues, purples and pinks. Sometimes I’d highlight the entire streak and then braid it.
View attachment 296421

Is that your hair, @PeppermintPatty ? If so, it's beautiful!

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Gorgeous!

Thank you.

Is that your hair, @PeppermintPatty ? If so, it's beautiful!

Yes it’s my hair.
Thank you.

 

[Jamala]

Since I’d been colouring my hair with henna and didn’t realize how silver I was but did notice that some chunks of my hair glowed. Sure I noticed the different colours roots but it wasnt until I started growing it out that I realized how grey the top coat of my hair was.
The top layer of my hair was greyer than my moms hair at 86. What was great though, was that it picked up artificial temporary colours really nicely like blues, purples and pinks. Sometimes I’d highlight the entire streak and then braid it.
View attachment 296421

Love your hair ... it's beautiful !!

 

[ElCastor]

My hair color will be what it will be, but I can’t stand a bright white mustache, so mine gets a modest touch of color to tone it down.

 

[chic]

I thought Grey was the new choice of colour to colour hair.

It has been. Even young women in magazines were coloring their hair grey but it didn't seem to catch on very well. I never saw it IRL. I keep mine brown which was my original color. I'll probably die with a box of hair color in my hand.

 

[Muskrat]

Boy can I relate to coloring hair. I started getting grey in my 20’s. Started coloring my own hair then. I quit in 2016. My hair is almost totally white. I sort of hate it. But have had more people comment on my hair since i went white than ever before.

 

[BlueVilla]

I got tired of dyeing the roots and finally let my very long hair go gray about 6 years ago, when I was 62. The first year it looked awful. After that, the gray started to even out, which was helped with regular trims. Now I absolutely love the gray and get so many compliments!

 

[Lewkat]

When women reach a certain age, if they color their hair, it looks ridiculously phony. Especially is her face is deeply wrinkled. Likewise, if she lets it grow too long, natural or dyed.

I began turning silver shortly after 50 and my son wanted me to have it dyed to its natural honey blonde. I told him that I earned every grey hair on my head and I intend to keep it. It actually turned pure white shortly after and looked good, except that it was too long. I began cutting it and that set him off more. Well, the shorter I made it, the better I liked it. Easy to style and it was wash and wear hair. I have since saved a bundle on hairdressers, since I cut my own hair.

But I would advise any woman to go with whatever she feels comfortable with.

 

[Warrigal]

My dark brown hair didn't turn grey ... it became completely WHITE.

I had to tone it down by going platinum ... and that is my look forever more - love it

Actually, no-one goes grey. All hairs turn white when the pigment is lost.
My white hairs started in my mid 30s and when they became noticable I embraced highlights.

Later I used home semipermanent treatments until a hairdresser told me that my natural colour was quite good and since then I ceased worrying about the colour. I'm totally white now except for a stubborn patch at the top and back of my head that still has a bit of pigment (medium blonde) Since I never look at the back of my head, I only see it in some photos. It's OK.

Additional - I'm now 80 and this photo was taken at our 60 year marriage anniversary celebration in March this year. It is obvious that I did my own hair so this is how I look on a good day.