To dye or not to dye

When I had my hair coloured, I never wanted a natural look!
I always wanted it to look 'done'.

I stopped colouring my hair a couple of years ago and I just love my silver/white hair now. Had I not liked the result, I would have been straight back to the hairdresser for colour. As it is, I get my hair cut every 6 weeks and always wear (light) make-up. At some time in the future I might try a wee fun streak of colour, but I’m a bit hesitant because I like it as it is.

I have posted before about my 4 hour session in the salon when I decided "enough is enough" when it came to dying my hair

I have never regretted it. I had my first grey hairs in my twenties (my biological father was silver grey by 30) and using henna or dye since.

My hair grows like a weed, and within a couple of weeks of colouring, the dreaded "roots" would be showing

So, now feel sooo liberated No more long sessions in the salon, or sitting at home with cold dye dripping down my neck!

Also discovering that colours that I couldn't wear with my dyed hair (purple, mustard, shades of pink etc) work beautifully with my silver grey hair!

As several posters have said - each to his/her own and I would never argue with those who do dye their hair.
Personally I have never dyed my hair and cheerfully say about my 'silver,' it has taken years of stress to look this good
I have a friend who has her hair dyed every six weeks by a retired hairdresser friend and pays £50 for the privilege. I could never justify spending that amount of cash!
But each to their own!

I am dark brown with some silver grey and some faded brown. I don't want to cut my hair short. Any idea how I could go grey and it look OK in the interim?. It's so faded by the sun now, not a good look. It's much easier for blondes.

It’s interesting that those of us who have taken the plunge and decided to rediscover our roots seem very happy with the result.

Like others, my family tend to retain their hair colour in old age. My father died at 82, with hardly a grey hair on his head. I'm 63 and have never dyed my hair, as it is still the original red. Albeit it is a nicer colour, as it used to be carrot orange, ? when I was a child. ?‍♀️
However, my very dark haired daughter went grey in her twenties.☹️ I do have a cut and blow dry every 5 weeks, as it is so thick and grows really fast.
I'm very lucky that is many different shades, people at work often commented on my " highlights", which were actually my own colour.?

Thankyou for such a wonderful array of responses. I may have changed my opinions a bit on why we do or don't colour our hair.
Next topic - make-up

Have dyed my hair for years, and will carry on makes me feel happy.
Only worn make up once, as a teenager, never bothered since. Felt like a mask that was hiding the real me.
And yes I know these two decisions are totally opposite to each other !

I used to streak my hair when I was younger, ash blonde and even burgundy but I don't bother now. I see nothing wrong with my naturally streaky grey hair, if others don't like it that's their problem.
However, I think that pink or red hair looks cheerful and if it makes them happy, etc, but yes, is it causing pollution to our rivers either in its use or manufacture? I suppose it must do, mustn't it? But each to their own.

I've just started dying my hair grey and I absolutely love it ! Had lots of compliments too.

Seems it's very trendy as well !!

I've also found some shampoo for silver hair... it's a vivid violet colour in the bottle... which makes the colour even nicer !

As I mentioned before on the thread about "balayage", I've stopped colouring and am letting my brown-to-grey roots emerge. After decades of colouring, I wanted to see what my "natural" colour looks like; I feared it would look awful but it doesn't. (For a few years I've only had highlights so the "merging" of colours is OK.) I've also started to use Lush''s "Daddy O" shampoo, which is helpful.

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I am 76 and I have been dying my hair for years, it has been all colours, ie, pink, lilac, blue, green and in the last couple of years I started to go to the local college and the students do a very artistic job. Although I don't think it shows very well in the pictures they had used about 4 or 5 different colours and just used a few strands or hair for each of the colours.

Haven't used a dye for a while now pepper and salt but well distributed. OH of course has lovely white hair.

Did anyone see Emma Thompson on bbc Breakfast this morning? Silver hair looking stunning. It looked natural too.

I let my hair go its natural silver two or three years ago and haven't looked back. So easy to maintain and as others have said, colours that didn't suit before now do. I'm loving the grey (or silver).

Never heard the expression "bottle blonde" since about 1966,i am one of those then,, i dont want grey hair, nothing to do with looking younger, just feels better than dull grey

Bit harsh grammarretto. I'm a natural blonde gone grey. Not all dyed blonde hair is yellow, My hair is highlighted blonde and definitely not yellow. Think we all need to do our bit to clean up the planet and I certainly do my share. But so much in our modern lives is contributing to pollution I'm afraid we all make our choices as to what we are prepared/able to give up.

I can't be bothered to go to the trouble and expense of dying my hair. Although some people look great there are many I've seen with dyed hair which looks awful and especially when roots show -Im sure that would happen to me!
My hair is now a sort of silvery grey which has been admired as it is quite thick too so I'm not inclined to change.

I let my natural grey hair grow this year and felt depressed every time I caught sight of myself in the mirror. I felt old before my time. I've since dyed it light brown and feel much better. Each to their own.

'Bottle' blonde here too. Actually pretty much my original colour when young and I'm not about to go grey. My real colour now appears to be a motley selection of greys and browns and a bit of red, so no thank you.
My mother was a 'blonde' until she went into a home at 85 and they let it grow out - she was a lovely silver white, so maybe when I get to that stage .....

I seem to have touched a couple of raw nerves with the expression "bottle blonde " I am sorry to cause any offence. It was really to distinguish a hard peroxide look from a natural colour. I am quite old so in 1966 I was a hippy flower child with long flowing locks . Now it is short and grey with a few brown bits, unfortunately not white.

Where I live it is almost obligatory to have blonde hair and tanned skin if you are female of mature years. I am digging myself deeper now.....
I love the variety of skin and hair shades and wish there wasn't so much pressure to conform.
Someone reminded me of the long-term effect of chemicals into the bloodstream of hair dye too so go for it Emma Thompson!.

My hair is muddy blonde now which I am not particular keen on but it started thinning a few years ago and I don't want to make it worse. Regaine did reverse it fairly well but I don't want to undo the benefit.
Grey hair does suit many people but not everyone and looking good can help to ward off depression.
It is a good point that there are enough chemicals going into our rivers and oceans and there is usually a lot of plastic involved so I can feel good about not doing it but I can't honestly say that that is the reason.

I decided to let my hair go it's natural silver about six months ago. It seemed pointless being careful about the food I ate and the skin and make up products I used when I was still using 'nasties' on my hair. I have found a shampoo that is vegetable based and am really loving experimenting with blues, pinks and any combination of them. The money I save on colouring my hair I use to have my it cut more frequently.

?I have virtually no hair so wear a wig, have done so for the last seven years....the colour depends on my mood at the time?

I always had fairly nondescript hair until it started to silver-up about 20 years ago when it gave me lovely highlights. It's now silver all over and I love it - it's short and spiky and really suits me; I wear makeup and colourful clothes and jewellery and far from making me feel and look old it seems to have had the opposite effect.