Rather tempted to do something radical!

Phoenix if that's what you'd like to do, then just do it! Maybe get it done professionally first time, and semi-permanent, just in case you don't like it. But if you'd really like to try it, try it. You will probably feel great. Hopefully you will share a pic with us - dark glasses or mask if you want to stay anonymous, just as long as we can see the hair.

I actually had mine done at the hairdresser. Went semi permanent at first. Just in case! Loved is so now have permanent highlights of cadbury purple through my blonde/grey hair. Absolotely love it. Have a block colour of purple on the underlayer and then its highlighted through the layers with fine highlights through my fringe. Go for it x

Henna...it looks lovely, is cheap and easy, smells lovely, gives a beautiful shine...I have been henna-ing for years!

so not to

I've used the LIVE products this last six months so have gone bright red and purple. I love them. If we can't do it now, then when can we? Go and buy one and put some music on doing it and enjoy! Have fun phoenix, you deserve it after giving up smoking and doing to well.

Someone told me that the chalks mentioned above can be bought in party shops - think I may give one a try just to see what colour looks like! Agree with others who said go for it, but perhaps a temporary colour first just to see what it looks like.

www.funkystreaks.com/manic-panic.html
This is the range LucyGNHQ was talking about. They look fun.

There is a retired local librarian lives near me (not the woman in the picture) and she always wears her hair short and it lies close to her head. It is dyed in this sort red shade. It looks great and it makes no attempt to look natural.
My hair is too frizzy to look good done like that.

You & Mr P sound great, phoenix. Hope Scarlet Power lives up to its packet picture!

I have colored my hair several different wild colors(I'm a hairstylist).But I'm raising my great neices and they're getting older 11 and 12, and have asked me to go back to blonde. I think at their age they get embarrassed easily, it's not easy to take out these colors, i'm just cutting and bleaching a little at a time, my hair looks horrible, I wear a scarf or hat when I'm working. Faded pink and grey hair is my look, I miss my bright raspberry hair and might not be able to do this.

Go for it ! I recently started re-dyeing my hair and it is a dark shade with purple hues, I love it! Life is too short to not ' go for it' !! Good luck
Ps I'm 62

I am doing it! Have wanted purple accents for ages and yesterday my hairdresser said they finally had a product in to do it for me, so am treating myself next cut! Roll on June!

Well, went to look at colours (ok, only in Morrison's, but couldn't justify going to Barnstaple, and Bideford no longer has a Boots) and the purple that I had my eye on said it was not recommended if you have lot of grey

So I was going to go for a safe/boring reddish one which I've used before, and does suit my skin tone, but Mr P talked me into L'Oreal Feria in the Scarlet Power colour!

It does say that if you have a lot of grey, the result will be very intense

BTW, to the poster with dark hair who thought that these colours might not "take", according to the packet, they should, even the purple one

I fancy a few green streaks to match my complexion too

I live in Canada. At my Dollar Store, in the kids aisle, you can get "hair chalk" in fabulous purple, pink, light blue and lime green. Washes straight out. So you can try the colour first. I say go for it!

You can buy those spray on/wash out ones that people use for parties, to see if you like it.

When I was out shopping a couple of weeks ago I saw a woman 'of a certain age' who had short, very well cut hair that was bright purple, deepening to a dark violet at the nape of her neck - she looked FABULOUS..!
I was very tempted - DD took one look at my face and hissed, 'Don't you dare' loudly... She's such a spoilsport
You go for it OP..!!!

Please do it but put a photo up ! I bought a zany blue to put through my dark hair but chickened out !

went very pink loved it world changing life enhancing attention grabbing son FIL disapproved now naturally creamy white .DO IT

Go for it !! My hair has been a variety of colours in my life and I am a retired Infant Teacher. At the moment my hair is magenta red with a few black streaks and I am 66! I would always use a permanent colour. I think my next colour is clled pure copper.

persistentdonor I use L'oreal Excellence creme.

My hairdresser showed me how to apply the dye so I do it properly.

Mix the solution up as directed and make a parting in your hair, add some of the lotion directly from the nozzle and paint it on with a stiff brush.
www.esalon.co.uk/products/v/308/coloring-tool-color-tint-brush/

Make another parting and continue like that over the whole head. Admittedly it's a little difficult around the back, but I've been doing it for years now and have it nailed.

If there's any solution left I sometimes comb it in here and there. This gives the overall colour a different dimension - thus producing highlights.

I alternate between numbers 5 5.3 and 6 and even 7 if I feel brave. If the lighter colour gets too much or I become bored I go back to a slightly darker shade.

never add too much of the solution than is necessary. It can have a drying effect on the older hair. I always have some left when I finish.

When I'm away on holiday I always apply the conditioner you get in the box to my hair and tie it up during the day, washing it out in the evening.

Their conditioner is simply the best I have ever used.

The trick is to use a colour that does not make your hair look red. At the moment mine looks natural. I'm white tho' not grey.

I re-apply when the roots appear probably once every three weeks or sooner if I'm attending a wedding etc..

I find when I add colour it improves the appearance of my hair, and is easier to style. I don't find it to be a chore. It takes me about an hour in all from applying to rinsing off, and I enjoy seeing the results.

Give it a go.

I had fuchsia pink highlights just over 30years ago when I first became a step granny, so I got it out of my system then! Now happily mostly brown at 70. Go for what you want say I.

Oh yessssss.... definitely go for it! As above, my own hair is very,very dark but with white chunks in the front - I'd love to go 'Lavender' but it won't take I have some purple hair chalks which I put on the white bits at the front now and again and I love it!!!

I don't have enough of my own hair left so I wear a wig, which gives me more choice. I'm a fashionable shoulder length "bronde" this year and a long haired dizzy blonde for parties. I haven't worn a crazy colour yet but I will if I find a suitable occasion. When's the next rave ... ?

Nonnie1
Which L'Oreal product are you using?

My natural hair colour used to be really black with red lights in the sun.

Now I am almost 65 it is quite a lot grey/white but black hair does the salt and pepper thing which I find less than attractive, so I have been using various colours for many years. The problem is I always think light brown /dark blonde comes out very dark and harsh. Though any lighter goes lurid yellow almost instantly.

I am so fed up with it I am on the edge of letting it go properly grey..... but still hating the idea.

I really wish I could find an alternative which looks natural, but it seems nothing works for me. I did try salon colouring while I was still working but I always felt that looked harsh and unatural too. (Also wrecked the texture of it and made it frizzy!)