Community Chat

[cotton4me]

There’s no real answer.  I think it’s whatever makes one happy.  I tried dying my hair for a couple of years and it wasn’t for me.  I found it to be unhealthy for my hair and body.  Going natural has been very freeing and my hair is much shinier and healthier.    

[tansy]

I think you should do whatever makes you happy.  There's one exception though:  some women have thinning hair and when the hair is dyed a darker color, the scalp shows through more than if the hair was gray.

I decided I didn't like the expense or time required to keep mine blonde so I went natural maybe 10 years ago.  Sometimes I get some foils put in.  I'm still not all the way gray.

[DiAnne]

---

@SuzieGarnet wrote:

I let my hair go "au natural" once and said, NO more.. it aged me so much and I looked so washed out.  My stylist is a wiz with natural coloring- wink wink wink- we do mine a light color and highlight with a lighter blonde and platinum so when my natural white starts showing, it isn't as noticeable. If you do color don't go dark, go lighter, that's what I've always been told.  Works for me!!  

---

Going lighter always looks better and less like shoe polish!  I went from dark auburn (natural color) dye to blonde.  I really did not like the blonde so  from there I grew it out to grey.  I think having a good hair cut is the key for grey hair not to look dowdy.  I wear it short and get it cut every three weeks. 

[SeaMaiden]

I went totally grey by age 30. The white silver grey. I fought it for years....Coloring it a light ash brown.  It got to the point where I was doing my roots all most weekly.... I finally gave in to the grey about three years ago. I cut my hair short, and grew out the left over color. No more chemicals, mess, hassel.  I am growing it back out now.  I am  a 60 year old woman. No shame in having white hair. In fact I have strangers now come up to me and compliment my white locks!  You should do what your heart tells you to do. No shame in coloring or going natural. Do what makes you happy.

[DoneTryin]

Huh?  Did I somehow take a ride on the Way Back machine?  Is this 2016 or 1946?

Edited to add:  I love my grey hair, especially because it'easier to do brilliant purple highlights which are not just for the young crowd.

[millieshops]

What color your age is is not an age issue - it's a hair issue. 

Some people have beautiful gray hair or white hair that is pretty and thick and goes well with their skin color.

I have close to all white hair now, but it's gotten quite thin and coloring it does more anything else to give me a decent texture.  Pair that issue with my very orangy skin and a tendency to yellow-orange in my white hair and you might understand why I hope to continue color until I don't know who I am any longer.

As a young woman, my hair was close to black.  I do not color to that natural shade because very dark hair is what looks most ridiculous on me - and is extremely aging.  I'm not trying to fool anyone about my age.  Anyone who knows me well at all knows how old I am within a year one way or the other and the rest of the world doesn't give a petunia and I don't care what they think.

Natural is not always beautiful -  not any more than nature is always gentle.  Pick what makes you comfortable with yourself.  There are few rules, maybe none.

[Perkup]

My hair has been a silver white since I was about 34 or so.  Truth is, I love it and would never think of coloring it. I frequently get compliments on my color and I've had people ask me what I do to make it so clear and shiny.  I've had short hair for years, and just wash, comb out and go.  No desire to make a change.  I don't think I'd look any younger if I dyed it, and I'd feel like a phony if I did.   I'm really proud of my age anyway, and have no wish to pretend otherwise.

[RoughDraft]

I've never been able to find a guide book on what people "should do" when they reach a particular age, except there should be a birthday cake involved.

[SahmIam]

I don't know and I DO ask myself this question.

I'm gonna be flamed:

  I see women with hair dyed whatever color and who have heavily aged skin and body... it does not look good. It's.. obvious that the hair is dyed. To me it looks.. hard? Harsh? Whatever it is, it isn't flattering.

Like I said, I don't know the answer. I don't know when I'll say I'm done with the color. I DO know I will want it to look good in it's natural state and I think the cut is a big part of looking beautiful with grey hair.. heck, with ANY hair.

It's one of those questions that ONLY the woman herself can answer.

[sabra]

Here's how I answered this question for myself.  My sister and I went to a wig store and tried on grey wigs and we can both say we definitely will not have gray hair!  My face was so washed out looking and it was horrible.  Guess I'll be coloring my hair forever.