To be or not to be - gray

[Crankin]

Oh, I think it is an issue for men. They just don't talk about it...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

There's another factor here that perhaps has not been mentioned...

As women get older (starting in our 50's and then 60's, 70's), I personally think they begin to look really strange if they continue to dye their hair a darkish color with no grey at all. It can look oddly fake and harsh when paired with an older face. Some unusual women can pull off that look, but most cannot (myself included).

And what's up with the maroon thing anyway? LOL

[bmccasland]

There's another factor here that perhaps has not been mentioned...

As women get older (starting in our 50's and then 60's, 70's), I personally think they begin to look really strange if they continue to dye their hair a darkish color with no grey at all. It can look oddly fake and harsh when paired with an older face. Some unusual women can pull off that look, but most cannot (myself included).

And what's up with the maroon thing anyway? LOL

Not to mention when their grey roots show - the white stripe down the part? "skunk stripe" Looks sadly silly IMHO

[shootingstar]

As women get older (starting in our 50's and then 60's, 70's), I personally think they begin to look really strange if they continue to dye their hair a darkish color with no grey at all. It can look oddly fake and harsh when paired with an older face. Some unusual women can pull off that look, but most cannot (myself included).

Another reason why I'm not eager to keep my hair all-black into the decades ahead. Nor am I willing to turn it brown-auburn shades or whatever combos. My skin texture and tone has changed. So my hair over time must "blend" in with the times..

As for men not caring or really caring, the worried guys I've noticed tend to be ...those who are losing hair/balding in a wierd patchy way.

Nowadays the contemporary and temporary coverup INDOORS for some guys is a wool ski looking toque, jeans, ....kinda of hip like the young teens. But not healthy for the scalp at all. Any experienced hairdresser will tell you that.

[Tuckervill]

I've seen Jason Alexander on TV a couple of times recently, and his hair seems dyed unreasonably black. Then I saw him with a toupe on because of a show he's in, and I think that's why it's dyed black. But it really looked strange on the Jenny Craig commercial.

Karen

[dinabean]

37 here. Embraced the gray for a while, then got a bit sick of it. My next door neighbor happens to be a stylist/own a salon, and she recommended a semi permanent rinse. The nice thing about it is that it does not give me a line when it grows out -- it just fades after 6-8 weeks. So I just start going naturally gray again after a while if I forget/don't have time to go see her. Much better than a line. So far, so good. I am not disciplined enough to get in regularly enough to do a permanent color. I would be the dork with the skunk strip otherwise.

[Crankin]

Lisa, I think you're right about the black hair thing. You and I have the same blonde/blue eye coloring. I think it will be easier for me to blend the light brown/blonde highlights with gray, when and if I do that.
The huge color contrast between black hair and silver is really stark, which is why it looks funky when growing out.

[indigoiis]

I let my gray grow out this year. It looks light/mouse brownish. I used to dye my hair a sort of marroony red which complemented my skin tone. I was born blonde and in my teen years went sun-in blonde and then in college kept up highlights til I tried my first maroon experiment. Now my hair is a bit drab and sometimes I have broken hair on top from pulling it back. But it really does look pretty after blow-drying. I have my good and bad days with it and have considered getting a perm to let it kind of be a messy look. My hair is straight and thick and just hits the shoulders. It's mostly in a ponytail these days...

[beccaB]

I'm 48 and people are commenting on my gray hair, the silver that's mixed in with the brown, although it is mostly brown still. I think a person has to be exceptionally rude to comment on something like that, but I'm starting to think the people I must be associating with are of some low class trashy bunch. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but I personally would never comment on someone's appearance other than to compliment them! I like my silver actually, and it goes well with the silver and turquoise jewelry I like to wear. Besides, not coloring it means more money for beer! Good beer! Microbrew!

[malkin]

More money for beer!
Amen sister! (at BYU right now).

[featuretile]

I just don't like gray hair. I have always had long brown hair. Because it is so long, I can't do anything with a box of color. I go to a hairstylist about every 3 months. She puts in this lovely semi-permanent color called "Wella Dark Irish Red". It does not turn my hair red. Instead, the brown stays brown, and where the gray would be, it turns auburn. I get more compliments on my hair now than I did before. The color slightly fades after awhile, so there is no definite line. I'm 57 and everyone thinks I am in my late 40's. My hair went from completely straight to quite wavy.

Most of my biking friends have short gray hair. They are only a few years older than me, but tell me I am doing so well (I've only been riding for a year) because I am so much younger than them. Then I tell them my age. I'm not into make-up or plastic surgery, but I do like nice hair. It doesn't take all that much effort, so I wonder why anyone would want to look 10 years older. I suppose when my color no longer works, and I am very old, I will let it go natural.

[Tuckervill]

My hair went from completely straight to quite wavy.

I don't really want to hear that. Mine has become wavy only in a strip down the back. (I'm 48.) Before it was straight all over. I wonder if it has something to do with hormones. I recently had a Mirena IUD put in and it doesn't seem like I'm struggling with the waviness in the back like usual. it's been three months so all that hair back there is "new". It is also cut short but I haven't had a hair cut in at least 3 months, so it's grown out a bit. When it was long the waviness was definitely noticeable. Short...it just seems lumpy back there at the base of the skull. But not now. hmmmm.

Karen

[beccaB]

I grew my hair out from being really short a few years ago, and now you can really see the gray. I figure I'll probably cut it short again when it goes completely gray because I think that's a cute look- like Jamie Lee Curtis. I can't really explain why I decided to grow out my hair, except that I decided not to cut it anymore after we got back from visiting Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons and something about that changed me.

[Laterider21958]

I'm 51 and have long (heading toward waist length) thick curly hair. For the past 3 or 4 years I've resorted to Clairol Natural Medium Brown permanent colour in an effort to blend in an irritating top-notch of almost solid grey. I only do the regrowth line (have to do the whole head) each 4 - 5 weeks as I usually keep my hair up in a French roll and it's not all that noticeable until about week 4. I have very few greys at the sides and back, although just recently I notice a few dye resistant hairs beginning to appear in the fringe area.

I'd love to give up dyeing as I worry about what the chemicals are doing to my health, however, I hate that "skunk" look and it would take years and years to grow out the dye line. I refuse to cut my hair as short hair frizzes and is uncontrollable. Would going to a semi-permanent colour (as a transition to going natural) work for me do you think? I'm hoping that the greys will even out and look more presentable soon. I once saw a woman, with similar textured hair as mine, who was a lovely all-over silver grey and she looked wonderful.

[Hairfixr]

Greetings Ladies ~

Lonnie Morse here - USA Champion Hairstylist - semi retired

Regarding your discussion of whether to hair color or not.

My forty years of being in the beauty industry has shown me that when a woman is uncomfortable with her looks - then do something about it. Professional/Retail Hair color is "safe" hair color. I've had my hands in it for years. Hair strands are dead keratin cells there fore hair color cannot seep into your blood stream - even if it did by skin staining, the FDA would not allow it to be sold on the retail shelf

When to color - - you have the rest of your lives to wear gray hair later in life. Some women really never accept gray hair because it simply does not look good "to them". They are the ones that have to live with the look. Yes - sometimes they are the ones that sometimes use their own judgment and apply a color that is too dark - hence the black widow look "wink" Over compensating is a common error with home applied hair color. Professionals always suggest going lighter with color as you age. To put it nicely - it softens the ageing skin process


The topic of men came up a few threads back - - The reason many men wear skull caps is they get cold or chilled easily because they do not have sufficient hair for warmth. I have really never come across a guy that worried about going grey prematurely. This probably the reason men’s hair color still hasn't taken off like women’s hair color has. I find that most women compliment a guy about his "distinguish look" so men adjust much more easily than women do. Yup - another unfair mother nature move

Note: - The reason some women grey gracefully into salt and pepper is because of the contrast of silver grey in contrast to natural dark brown/black hair color. Those who have lighter dark blond/brown "especially red" hair will fight the yellowing tone value during the grey transition. Why Brown reddish hair that turns grey doesn't go totally silver most of the time - I know - it's not fair - blame mother nature again

So - for those of you that are not ready yet to go al-naturallel - hang in there a few more years with applying hair color. Do what you need to do to feel good about yourselves.

For those who are totally OK about turning grey - that’s OK too. My favorite client is prematurely Silver Grey - I wouldn't talk her into color at all - She is a Silver Fox - however - she is always in a smart classy haircut. This is an important factor - if you want to keep the sassy look while you age gracefully then keep up with a current trendy haircut that fits your lifestyle. Most on this forum are bicyclist - there are many short classy trendy styles to pick from. For those who wear long hair - ? ? ? Just expect more maintenance because there is more material "hair" to maintain. Longhair styles are generally simpler by reason of control. It is a choice that you are comfortable with, nothing wrong with that. Just know that long hair styles don't age well unless styled carefully. It is also important to accessorize appropriately for the event attended and be confident that you look - "not good enough" - - - - BUT GREAT.

Hope I have not infringed up on this forum that is for women - I will not enter anymore comments unless I'm invited. I felt I had something of benefit to offer.

Buy the way - I am an avid cyclist also

hairfixr ~