Defrumpifying or mid life crisis... should I dye my hair pink?

[eatsleepfeedrepeat]

Feeling fed up as body is unrecognisable after having my DC. Youngest is nearly six months so am coming out of the fog and started on a diet exercise routine. This evening have had sudden urge to dye my (increasingly grey) hair a nice dark magenta. Have only ever used semi permanent before with extremely subtle effect as I'm naturally dark. I'd probably have to dye it back to natural when back to work in 6 months time. So, as a total novice, a few questions:
Is magenta hair just a terrible idea on a chubby nearly 40 year old?
Could I do it myself out of a packet or would it really take a salon trip?
How much of a problem would dying it back be?
Also I last used semi permanent about 6 weeks ago, so would I have to wait?
Please advise or talk me out of it if it's a big mistake! Fwiw this is my last time off work til retirement so of not now it will probably have to be when I'm 70!

[JapaneseSlipper]

I'm a fan of coloured hair.

You won't have to dye it back in 6 months. If you don't bleach it, it'll be loooooong gone by then. However, if you don't bleach it, it won't be very vibrant - more of a tint.

[eatsleepfeedrepeat]

Ooh interesting slipper, I obviously really don't understand how it works! I thought permanent dye sort of removed your natural colour and replaced it with the colour on the packet, is that not the case? And if so, what your would it end up after it faded? Naturally I'm very dark brunette, would I have to bleach to make it show?

[eatsleepfeedrepeat]

*what colour would it end up? Argh autocorrect

[JackandDiane]

is your style a bit Indie anyway? if so yes
If White stuff then NO

[eatsleepfeedrepeat]

Bit 90s indie still, converse, jeans, band tshirts. So not totally out of character but I'm definitely not young and cool anymore!

[JackandDiane]

i would do say a BIT of it a bright colour - a strand

[eatsleepfeedrepeat]

That definitely would be 90s! Like a thick chunk at the front? I have a longish Bob

[SapphireSeptember]

Yes! This is what I'm planning on doing when all my hair turns white. Get some manic panic stuff, I've seen the results of people who have dyed their naturally dark hair using the bright pinky shades, and it looks amazing! (Which I may end up doing, my dark bits of hair will still look lovely, my white bits will be bright!)

[LazyCake]

Oooh, I love pink hair!

Before you take the plunge, could you try out the look by using hair chalk to create pink streaks?

[HappyGirlNow]

Depends what you're after.. If you're trying not to appear middle-aged and in denial then in my opinion it's the wrong way to go. Nothing says middle-aged and midlife crisis more than 'wacky' hair..

[Pyjamaface]

I say do it! But then I currently have blue hair, after having galaxy hair, rainbow hair, red hair and pink hair

I'm naturally very dark so I had to bleach my hair first, once this colour fades then it's back to normal for a bit so my hair can recover/grow out the bleach.

Do you have a Sallys near you? They have everything you'll need and usually have hairdressers about to talk to as well

[burnishedsilver]

Primark have cheap pink wigs. Perhaps but one try it on with different clothes to see it you like the effect. Personally, I think pink hair would make me look older and fatter.

[Liiinoo]

I was out in London today and saw many women of all ages with brightly coloured hair. It's not a look I like on anyone as it quickly starts to look lifeless and dry but on older people it can also look a bit desperate - a bit ' ooh look how hip and wacky I am' and that can be aging in itself.

What does look lovely (although I have no idea how expensive/easy it is to do) is dark shiny hair with flashes of bright colour through it. One girl had quite deep blue black hair with peacock blue flashes through her fringe. Could that be achieved with semi permanent home dyes and some clip-in extensions?

[eatsleepfeedrepeat]

Thanks for the input... having slept on it I think I am too old and fat for bright pink hair, but was thinking something a bit more subtle could liven up my look, was thinking Schwarzkopf pure purple? Or a similar tone but a bit pinker? As a novice is it safe enough to have a go with permanent dye at home or should I invest in getting it done at a salon do you think?

[eatsleepfeedrepeat]

I wouldn't bleach first so it would probably be darker than on the box btw

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

There isn't an awful lot of difference in application between a semi and a permanent dye so it should be easy to apply. If you're putting it over dark brown hair, it should give a subtle tint that would show up in bright light.

Even though it's called a permanent dye, be prepared for it to fade a lot over time with washing and in the sun.

I say go for it but be careful not to dye your ears, forehead, sink and bath mat purple!

[eatsleepfeedrepeat]

Great thanks, will give it a go! Does it matter that last semi permanent hasn't totally faded?

[IJustLostTheGame]

Do it. I've got that many greys coming through my dark hair now I'm going to start using the schwarzkopf purple temp dye. I'm going to look so punk with purple streaks growing through. Plus I can just bung a bit on before showering very week so it will be easier than permanent dying it brown

[ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe]

I'll disagree.
Nothing says midlife crisis louder than pink hair.

[ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe]

Purple might be marginally better.

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

No it doesn't matter if you're putting it on top of a semi permanent dye, in fact if you don't like it, you can always cover it with your normal dark brown dye.

[JamieVardysParty]

Agree Chardonnay. Part of me even thinks that only dyeing a section is possibly worse because you're not fully committing

Next time I'm home, I'm getting my grown out balayage/ombre re-done in rose gold. Could be an option.

[user7755]

Just go for it. Bollocks to the people who don't like it. It's your hair, do what you want to it - if you don't like it, it'll fade.

FWIW I did the red version of that brand and it went bright red (almost pillar box) even though my hair is normally dark - note not naturally, it's naturally grey but coloured dark

[HoneyDragon]

Why is is considered "look at me" and "wacky" if it's on a person another perceives as old/middle aged, but fine for young people?

[exWifebeginsat40]

I've had neon pink hair for donkeys years. I'm 43.