Am I too old for rainbow hair?

[LookAtTheFlowersKerry]

I bleached and dyed my long hair yesterday. It was previously an acceptable shade of burgundy. It's now a rainbow of aqua and pink with some gold bits. I love it.

My mum has made a catsbumface at me and told me I'm too old to muck about with my hair like this. She thinks it's too long anyway and that women of a certain age should have much shorter hair (she's been saying that to me for the last ten years).

I'm 37. Is she right? Does it look desperate and sad on a mother of teenagers, as she thinks?

(FYI I don't actually care, but I'm interested to see whether people agree with her...)

Looks good. It is only your choice!

ok, just saw you weren't being rude to me before! no problem.

Look, bold color in your 30s and 40s looks amazing. Your mum is wrong. And the thing about dyeing hair is that generally you improve at it so you will get better at it if you decide to keep doing it. Please look on youtube, there are some amazing tutorials. Otherwise, agree with AprilSkies44.

but regardless, please get a trim on your hair. i know what it's like to hang on to scraggly bits but any style always looks so much better on a nice clean base. just even an inch would do wonders (3 would be better).

Embarrassingly, I only had it cut a few weeks ago. I think I've frazzled the ends with the bleach.

I'll see if it perks up after some tlc, and if not I'll get some more lopped off.

Yours looks great, Bathsheba. The colours are far more vibrant than op's (sorry op). I imagine it's to do with the condition.

Igood on you! If it makes you happy then sod everyone else.

I have dark brown (natural), and bright purple streaked hair. I'm 41 and everyone says it really suits me (the purple doesn't look as bright in this photo as it actually is)

oops, bleach can do that though, it's nbd. in that case coconut oil, and maybe a protein treatment. I was able to rescue my ends with a cheap protein reconstructor. i think they sell them in boots. make sure to follow up with a moisturizing conditioner though.

That's gorgeous, Hushabye.

Hushabyelullaby. You hair is similar to mine colour wise but mine is shorter. Im curious what you use for the purple bits? I just use semi-permanent or even wash-in wash-out (but I leave it on a long time). It makes it easy to keep the colour bright.

I like using a purple wash-in wash-out colour as the reds wash out before the blues so my hair changes colour from purple to blue over a week or so when I top it up again.

No, you're not. Didn't need to read the thread. :)

I think rainbow hair can look lovely if done professionally and cut well. Rainbow balayage is beautiful and polished.

I don't think the home dye looks good, sorry. The contrast is harsh and the bleach has frazzled it.

Thanks for the lovely comments MrsMeeSeeks and Polisee.

I use Schwarzkopf Live purple for my hair (it's a semi permanent but one tube lasts about 5 applications on my hair (so would last you longer Polisee).

I tend to redo the purple after about every 4th wash (I wash it every other or every 2 days). My hair is in very good condition though, I get it trimmed every 5 weeks and my friend (who is also my hairdresser) did the bleach and purple the first time. I just maintain the purple with the Schwarzkopf - which she recommended I use as it's better than any other purple dye she reckons. For me personally conditioner is massively important to keep my hair in good condition.

I mean ... it's your hair , so your choice. Embrace it.
If you want my personal opinion, yes it looks tacky and desperate on non-teens. Then again I also think burgundy looks tacky on anyone so we clearly have different taste ! X

OP your hair is not horrific. It looks like normal hair with fun colours in! Can't believe the rudeness of pp's. Carry on having fun with your hair!

' yes it looks tacky and desperate on non-teens'

Excellent! Even more reason to do it

No.

I have a friend who think she's too old for some outfits and activities. She's younger than me. She's missing out. I have way more fun.

Rainbow hair all round. Next time you hear a similar comment flick your hair in their general direction and say "taste the rainbow".

I have seen people in their 60's and 70's with rainbow or galaxy hair and they look great with it. I don't think it's a matter of age, just what style suits you. I can't imagine all those women and girls who were punks in the late 70's are going to be wearing thick felt boots, scarves tied under their chins, and padded woolly coats like the 70+ somethings used to do when I was young.

I thought you were going to say you were in your sixties! No way are you too old, enjoy it.

I think you should ignore your mum. People can be really funny about what they consider non-natural hair colours, yet there are plenty of women out there happy to sport frazzled straw/canary yellow with black roots and that's considered ok.

I think more people should consider more vibrant colours. Back in the 80's I used to love to see the little old ladies with blue or lavender hair.

I had a tutor at college who had a grey bob with lots of multicoloured highlights in shades of grey, blue and purple. And Betty bangs. And wore those cool 50s cats eye shaped glasses. This was about 16 years ago so before the current trend... I thought she was just the coolest and when I start going grey I will take full advantage of that fact and get some groovy colours in there!

Hairdressers - is grey hair more/less porous than non-grey hair? Does it hold bright colours well?

OP I think you're hair looks awesome! My mum too has a special gift for commenting on my appearance in a way no one else will... I love her to bits but she hates when I had dreadlocks even though the vast majority of people said they really suited me, she preferred me with a nice sensible hair cut!

My hair is currently bright blue. I am in my early 40s. It looks great, really funky. It is my hair and I don't really mind if others don't like it

I dislike people who make personal appearance negative comments. My mother does it too OP - every time I see her, but it is always about my weight - apparently I am fat. I am a size 12 and 5'9''. The woman has issues.

I feel great!

I have bleached blonde hair, and I dye it pink every holiday (teacher). I am 10 years older than you, and get loads of compliments. My mum also frequently tells me to stop dyeing my hair and get it cut short. I am adding lots of extra pink in my hair before I visit her this weekend- looking forward to how much she will hate it

Beautifully coloured hair is wonderful (I spent 3.5 hours having my black hair turned purpley pink this morning) but there comes an age when it needs to be done by a professional to make you look good and save your hair. Box dye disasters are for teenagers. Op your hair itself is lovely but the colour looks like mine did at the in between stripping a new colour stage this morning. I'd strongly suggest investing in a great cut and colour from a good stylist, it'll make you feel brilliant. I tried "normal" colour but it just made me feel shit, it's not for me. The colour opportunities now in hairdressing are endless and anyone who wants to explore them should go for it no matter their age.

This was DD's Summer holiday hair last year done by me.

She's decided on purple and blue for this year's colours .

Looks great! Was just saying to DP this morning that I fancy having holographic hair next time I get mine done - and I'm 39. Like this... sadly my face doesn't quite look like that