topic I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT in Beauty

I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

homedecor1 — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 01:18:34 GMT

pictures don't lie. Attended a family function and I take god awful pictures to start with but yikes seeing them was shocking ...🤦‍♀️
I looked "old"...I'm not vain but this really shocked me.

I called my stylist and said "that phase is over" I'm going back to coloring & highlighting.

Next, called my esthetician and made my appts.

I've put me on the back burner the last 18 months being a caregiver -- made the decision it's time again for ME!

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

Vivian — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 01:29:58 GMT

During Covid quarantine, when we couldn't go to the salon, my best friend and I made two opposite decisions from two opposite coasts. She stopped coloring her hair and I continued coloring mine at home. We live a continent apart but we're in daily communication. She sent me a recent photo and asked what I thought. OMG, what could I say? I couldn't hurt her feelings so I told her a 'fiblet' and said she looked very nice. I hope God will forgive me but I could not tell her the natural look provided her look with about 15 more years..

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

homedecor1 — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 01:39:33 GMT

@Vivian

Please know you did the best for your friend because honestly I always have a great tan & many thought my hair looked great "blonde".

I didn't color for over 18 months just some highlighting...ugh...I "thought" it looked great too😉

And not to mention the "extra 20 lbs" needing to be addressed next🙄.

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

spent2much — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 01:56:35 GMT

I've been coloring my hair since I was 16. I'm now 73. I don't EVER leave the house without makeup. I must say I see women my age (or even younger) who look 15 years OLDER because they wear no makeup and their hair is gray. I just don't wanna look like that. As long as I'm able, I'll be coloring my hair and wearing makeup!

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

Love my grandkids — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 01:59:34 GMT

@Vivian There's nothing wrong with a little white lie to spare someone's feelings. Not at all. Maybe she knows she looks older and wanted some reassurance. You did what a friend would do.

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

Kalli — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 02:02:59 GMT

I just decided to stop coloring my hair to see just how much gray I have. Hairdresser says it's not completely gray yet. I don't want the Cruella De Vil look. I want it to be all gray but not a fan of salt and pepper.

My sis went gray and hers looks great but she's got a silver color with almost no pepper.

Anyway, it's only been 2 months. Hairdresser says my hair is healthier. We'll see if I stick to it. I've seen many ladies with silver hair that's absolutely beautiful. If mine is like that, I'll stay gray.

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

homedecor1 — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 02:04:23 GMT

@spent2much

Love your attitude ...I need to get ME back...I never was like this in fact, I haven't worn make-up in awhile just a little blush...

I'm probably having a "good mid-life" crisis😉😉😉

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

Sooner — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 02:04:46 GMT

This discussion makes me realize how far my hair and looks in general have gone down on the scale of what is important to me. I am old. Nothing is going to make me look young, nothing 10 or 15 years younger.

Better maybe. . . but it's not worth what I had been spending on hair and clothes, not in time, money or effort now. We have been through so much that all I want is for life to be a little simpler.

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

Jacie — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 02:04:56 GMT

Good for you! I gave up coloring my own hair at home and now it's a treat to have it done by the pros! And frankly, I spent too much time doing it myself, it was a pain! I've decided that I am deserving of a "hair day"!!!

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

Kalli — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 02:07:46 GMT

@Vivian I think it's fine if you tell her the truth. Maybe she's already doubting her decision.

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

homedecor1 — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 02:08:09 GMT

@Sooner

do what you feel comfortable ...a lot of my decisions maybe that this past 21 months have been a "struggle" in many ways.

Seeing my family in person has reminded me (and them) I need to be "good" to me for my "mental & physical" well being...

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

Spacrazy — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 02:25:51 GMT

@homedecor1

Ditto everything you just said. Made by appointment today.

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

QVCkitty1 — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 02:23:15 GMT

One of my best decisions was to stop coloring my own hair, and leave it to my stylist. I was not doing a good job, and this is money well spent.

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

Jk9 — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 03:20:01 GMT

I am still coloring my hair and wearing makeup because I want to do so. I am toying with ending the hair coloring, but I still feel like "me" with my hair being the same. I don't mind aging and don't try to look "young" but I want to look like I want to look. @homedecor1 I understand your decisions and am right there with you. There are some things I maintain for me.

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

homedecor1 — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 03:49:08 GMT

@monicakm

I have never stripped my hair. I have low lights & highlites with light under color done. It's never been stripped.

As for my esthetician I used to have deep clean/ facials w/massage every 6 weeks. My skin was always nice not so much now.

I cannot wait for my appointments. Tomorrow back to my walking routine (which stopped as it was just to hot & humid even 7:00 in the am to walk). We have a great workout room here -- so I'd been going there but not as good as a brisk walk😊

As for your comment re: stopping coloring or makeup-- never say never because I never thought my perfectly healthy spouse would be as sick as he is & god bless every caregiver because one "losses" themselves in the process of caring for a loved one.

I did not see your post regarding you are facing tough decisions too☹️

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

vsm — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 03:56:19 GMT

@Vivian wrote:
During Covid quarantine, when we couldn't go to the salon, my best friend and I made two opposite decisions from two opposite coasts. She stopped coloring her hair and I continued coloring mine at home. We live a continent apart but we're in daily communication. She sent me a recent photo and asked what I thought. OMG, what could I say? I couldn't hurt her feelings so I told her a 'fiblet' and said she looked very nice. I hope God will forgive me but I could not tell her the natural look provided her look with about 15 more years..

@VivianI think God will not only forgive you but bless you...

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

smoochy — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 04:21:50 GMT

@Sooner I'm with you. When I stopped coloring my hair 12 years ago at age 58, it was in response to how the women looked at my high school reunion. I didn't think I had mistakenly stepped into the wrong event, these women didn't look like thirty somethings. They looked like 58 year olds with dyed hair.
I decided that my version of aging gracefully would include looking like the woman I am- a woman with grey hair, fifteen extra pounds and a few sags bags and wrinkles. I use minimal makeup. Enough to conceal/enhance and make myself look alive 😋

Like you, I also feel like we've been through a lot in the past couple years. I have streamlined my life and my thinking. Things that once seemed terribly important aren't at the top of my list now.
I'm reasonably happy with my life. Everyone has to do what they are comfortable with. I am old and I'm ok with being old.

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

Emma Bunting — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 04:27:55 GMT

Well as they say, "You can dye your hair but you can't dye your face". I think nature knows best. Most older women who go natureal look so much softer and prettier in my opinion.

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

Shanus — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 11:15:15 GMT

@homedecor1 wrote:
pictures don't lie. Attended a family function and I take god awful pictures to start with but yikes seeing them was shocking ...🤦‍♀️
I looked "old"...I'm not vain but this really shocked me.

I called my stylist and said "that phase is over" I'm going back to coloring & highlighting.

Next, called my esthetician and made my appts.

I've put me on the back burner the last 18 months being a caregiver -- made the decision it's time again for ME!

I stopped coloring my hair after 4 decades..first I could do it at home and then when all grey, it was too difficult to get every hair colored. The hair color around my face, in particular, was gone after a week of face cleansing, skincare, and acids that removed the color.

I made the choice to never give up on "me" as far as taking care of myself, so I never felt "old" being grey. At 73, it was time to match my hair with my age and the fading skin coloring that goes along with turning grey even if under the hair dye.

Of course, makeup changes to be brighter and more intentional. If not willing to do that, than yes, going grey may add years, but IMHO, not making the effort to wear makeup, tweeze brows and define them, use good skincare....what's coloring your hair going to do to substract years?

Each person decides what's right for them. I've just seen too many women my age who have dyed hair, but don't look any younger. Sometimes, the artificial color makes them look older.

Re: I took the plunge and stopped coloring & highlighting my hair BUT

Shanus — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 12:09:00 GMT

@Emma Bunting wrote:
Well as they say, "You can dye your hair but you can't dye your face". I think nature knows best. Most older women who go natureal look so much softer and prettier in my opinion.

@emma bunting I agree and will add that keeping grey hair, often a different texture, shiny and in a current, youthful style makes all the difference.

I've seen grey haired women who don't deep condition their hair, wear it long and stringy even though it has thinnned. Sometimes they don't use bue or purple shampoo and the hair's yellowed instead of bright and full of shine. They may have also stopped wearing makeup, especially blush and lipstick which is necessary with grey hair. That will definitely age a woman who is grey.

I will add that I've also seen women w/ colored hair that go w/o any makeup (even a touch to add color to their faces) and have been wearing the same style for years that may or may not still be flattering as our faces change. They may also look older than their actual age.