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Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,523
Registered: ‎09-01-2010

Re: Thinking of cutting my hair and going grey

This is one move I'm not interested in making; as long as I have hair, I want it to be red.

 

As a child, I hated my auburn hair!   Around the age of 17, I actually began to embrace the color and enjoy the difference of being "THE redhead" in a room of blondes and brunettes.   

I have been drawn to the color red my entire life, and it is the dominant color in my house.   I just love red, period, and am not letting go of the comfortable, satisfying feeling I get from my red hair.   

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,614
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Thinking of cutting my hair and going grey

[ Edited ]

Eleven years ago I stopped coloring I was 58 yrs old. The salon trips were starting to cost a fortune- as my grey roots were coming on faster, the coloring and highlighting had to be done more often. It had become a 3-4 week project for color and cut. $150 per. Not only couldn't I continue to afford it, I began to feel like aging gracefully instead of desperately. Have been happy with my decision. A haircut every five weeks costs $40    
I like the color of my hair-silver with lots of light and dark dimensions. Many ppl compliment me on it. It also took on more of a wave when it grew out grey. But is still fine in texture. I had to change my makeup and clothing colors to a more vibrant palette; rosier blush, more emphasis on eyes, colored eyeglasses frames to contrast with hair, more jewel tones and brighter colors in my clothes. I am Caucasian with neutral light-medium skin tone with a bit of Florida tan. However with silvery grey hair, any beige/tan/neutral colors make me look washed out, drained, tired. 
Hope my experience helps someone thinking about going grey. 


Harmonize the World
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,798
Registered: ‎07-24-2013

Re: Thinking of cutting my hair and going grey

Funny i was thinking about this for a few weeks.  i haven't colored since Oct because my Demi Perm shades were discontinued and i can only get an ASH shade now which looked bad on me. i won't go Permanent at my age as my grays are really getting chunky. and going lighter not an option, my hair does not like bleach unless itsa few hilights.

 

Short hair is looking better and better. takes me 3 hours to wash condition and style my very long hair and it only looks decent if i blow it dry with product and takes forever to dry it.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,056
Registered: ‎05-17-2010

Re: Thinking of cutting my hair and going grey


@Trinity11 wrote:

What counts is how you feel about grey, short hair. Some feel it ages a woman and others love it and call it authentic and freedom from dye. It is completely individual and probably why that saying "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"describes it best to me.

As far as short hair, there is a vast difference between a pixie and a mid length bob. A pixie will bring emphasis to your features and jawline. Some women need more hair because they don't want the scrutiny a very short hairstyle will bring.

 

Unfortunately, over the years this topic of to dye or not to dye often becomes heated. For myself, I think that's because people refuse to acknowledge there is a middle ground. Dark, dyed all one shade haircolor is difficult to pull off but highlighting and going a bit lighter can be an alternative to going grey. Short hair maybe but it need not be extreme. Extremes in color and length are where I believe a wig is easier before a drastic change @I am still oxox .


@Trinity11 @I am still oxox  If you remember my post when my stylist bleached all my dye out at once, I did say I had tried on wigs in the color of my roots first. That's not a bad idea if you plan on changing colors and going short. Try on a short pixie wig in grey. I went to several wig stores. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,056
Registered: ‎05-17-2010

Re: Thinking of cutting my hair and going grey

 


@SilleeMee wrote:

My hair is almost black naturally with no grays. I'm 65.  It's just past my shoulders and I cut it myself using a hair cutting guide clippy thing. I've thought about taking a pair of shears and cutting it really short, very close to a long buzzhead style. The problem with that is my hair is not that thick meaning I don't have a lot of hairs on my scalp. So if I cut it close to my scalp you'll see my scalp very easily and in contrast to my black hair, that could not be very attractive. But I still want to do it b/c that way it will be easier to take care of.


@SilleeMee  Many (I want to say most) women find their hair thins with menapause and continues to thin with age. That's why they go to a lighter shade, highlights, grey,etc. so the contrast isn't so strong.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,157
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Thinking of cutting my hair and going grey

I think Covid has given us time and permission to evaluate our hair choices.  Two of my sisters have decided to go gray. (12 years difference in age). Both have had misgivings, but have stayed with it.  My hair is weird.  It is medium/dark brown with strands of gray (age 63).  I let it go for awhile due to not wanting to be in the salon for too long.  The dark hair showed up more, which kind of dragged me down. So we are still highlighting, but with other colors to be closer to the gray strands (not streaks).  But wow, is it expensive!

I think we need to make our own decisions. As I get more gray, I anticipate keeping it.  I think. 😁

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,233
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Thinking of cutting my hair and going grey

@I am still oxox you could be nuts or sly as a fox, but only you will know that.  I refuse to believe there’s just one way that’s right.  Some people look beautiful with their well cared for gray or white hair- some people just look drab.

 

If you like what you are seeing of your roots and what they cast onto your face, I think you’ll be happy to go short and gray.  It seems to me as if that’s true. You’re 3 months without coloring.   I still go for color every 4 weeks because by the end of the 3rd week, my face looks gray and my hair just flops because it’s the color that gives me volume.  No shampoo, no conditioner, no mousse does.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,765
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Thinking of cutting my hair and going grey

I stopped dying my hair almost year ago ... mainy because of my face.

My face had aged, but my hair had not. I was still dying my hair "golden brown".  My face and hair just didn't "match".

Since February 2020, the grays have come out, and I haven't looked back.

I'm very happy with the way my hair looks.

The gray doesn't "age" me at all.

It just matches my face  better.

Frankly, it's a relief.  I don't have to keep trying to "pass" for 50 anymore.  Woman LOL

 

 

 

"The less you respond to negative people, the more peaceful your life will become."
Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,887
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Thinking of cutting my hair and going grey

What I started doing with my shoulder length hair is having it low-lighted and every other foil is left as my silvery grey.

 

So at a glance, my hair is an ashy brown.  Exactly what I want. 

 

After I started going grey, I no longer wanted to be highlighted as a blond.

 

My stylists would always try to *hush* me when I said outloud that I wanted my hair colored the muddy-est, ashy-est, mousy-est brown they could get.

 

I did that for a few years, and the year before the pandemic, I started with the low lights. 

 

So maintenence has been a breeze.  I do a toner (or maybe it's a glaze?) every other month.  I never see grey growing in, it all blends so well somehow.

 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,574
Registered: ‎06-19-2010

Re: Thinking of cutting my hair and going grey

[ Edited ]

@Shanus wrote:

 


@SilleeMee wrote:

My hair is almost black naturally with no grays. I'm 65.  It's just past my shoulders and I cut it myself using a hair cutting guide clippy thing. I've thought about taking a pair of shears and cutting it really short, very close to a long buzzhead style. The problem with that is my hair is not that thick meaning I don't have a lot of hairs on my scalp. So if I cut it close to my scalp you'll see my scalp very easily and in contrast to my black hair, that could not be very attractive. But I still want to do it b/c that way it will be easier to take care of.


@SilleeMee  Many (I want to say most) women find their hair thins with menapause and continues to thin with age. That's why they go to a lighter shade, highlights, grey,etc. so the contrast isn't so strong.


I'm 65 and my hair is just as thick as it's always been. No thinning whatsoever thank goodness. In fact, since I've let it grow out these past 6 months I have really started to enjoy my hair. It's a short thick bob in a reddish brown. Previously it was a shaggy cut that I started to hate. I wanted all one layer again.