...to think dyed grey hair looks shit?

[FourBagsOfMiniEggs]

I’m so fed up. I’m 30 and have been going grey since about 22. I’ve got frizzy, wiry greys sprouting out all over my head and I just feel so sad about it. I scrape it up in a bun or use a headband a lot of the time, but I hate all of these wispy greys. I feel like I look so scruffy. If I had straight glossy hair it might be different but I’ve always had very frizzy hair.

Anyway, I’ve been thinking about dying it and then I realised...dyed grey hair always seems to look shit! You can always, always see the grey regrowth shining through and the colour looks unnatural. I also think maybe it’s more ageing to dye it, particularly for me aged 30?

Has anyone managed to dye their grey hair successfully and NOT have it look shit? Anyone else gone grey early? Any tips on embracing it? I hate this frizzy streaky grey in-between. I feel like it’s too early to just give up on my hair but I just feel so low. It’s no fun going grey early 😣

@pandarific

If you have dark hair op and want to stay your natural colour I have heard excellent things about the use of henna (seriously) to cover greys and have it in lovely condition. Have a google see if it could be for you?

I started greying at 23 and used a chestnut henna for years until there was too much grey and the grey looked pink. Maybe one of the brunette shades will work better.

Started using a box dye until my mid-30s when I started reacting to the dye so grew it out.

Now totally grey.

If you go for the grey dye (which I think looks amazing but I suspect is high maintenance and costly) make sure you get the right shade for your skin tone. Mine is sort of goldy so the true silver-grey that most people have wouldn't suit me at all.

My hair is goldy - not my skin. That would be odd. Or jaundice.

For those of you fully grey, would you think about cutting out any natural coloured dye, using a lightener if required and doing an unnatural colour? I mean if you have the light base anyway, then you could do all kinds of nice pastels/brights?

Not everyone’s style I appreciate, but I love seeing people with brightly coloured hair, always makes me smile.

I briefly had peach coloured hair and loved it - was great!

I have dark brown hair with lots of single grey strands, especially around the front. I'm happy to embrace being properly grey once it happens, but this inbetween stage looks a bit of a mess so I've been using John Frieda's Defy Grey range which is henna based. Been using it for 6 months and the greys are now a sort of golden colour and blend in much better, and the conditioner stops the frizziness. Can really recommend if like me you can't be faffed with trying a proper dye job.

@pandarific

For those of you fully grey, would you think about cutting out any natural coloured dye, using a lightener if required and doing an unnatural colour? I mean if you have the light base anyway, then you could do all kinds of nice pastels/brights?

Not everyone’s style I appreciate, but I love seeing people with brightly coloured hair, always makes me smile.

No. But only because I might react to the dye (cba to patch test) otherwise I'd be all over it. Actually I wouldn't, I'd still have dyed chestnut hair

One of my best friends does though and it looks brilliant.

@pandarific

For those of you fully grey, would you think about cutting out any natural coloured dye, using a lightener if required and doing an unnatural colour? I mean if you have the light base anyway, then you could do all kinds of nice pastels/brights?

Not everyone’s style I appreciate, but I love seeing people with brightly coloured hair, always makes me smile.

No, I stopped colouring due to reactions though. I have used the colours that wash out first time though and had a pink streak

I started going grey at 15, so I dyed it all my adult life until a few months ago at 43.

Got into a hardcore feminist phase and thought if I show my real self, other women will realize how they are is ok.

There's nothing wrong with how we really look and we shouldn't feel we have to do all these things to look acceptable.

Since I've made various changes like this I've felt so much better about myself and my appearance.

Would recommend.

If you can go into it thinking this is something that reflects a belief you have about women's liberation or whatever you want to call it, you'll feel more comfortable with it and it's easier to stick with it.

started going grey in my teens and have been completely grey for last 10 years or so. Have been dying my hair for many years. You get the best results with a hairdresser no doubt about it and the cost does mount up I grant you. I have very thick fuzzy hair and it takes the dye very well. I'd be wary of using henna on the grey - tried it and turned the grey orange and, trust me, that is not an easy look to carry off.

I've chosen not to embrace the grey as my hair is white and with very pale skin, I look unwell, so the colour continues.

Agree with others about even permanent box hair dyes not lasting v well.

I’ve just ordered L’Oréal Majirel and peroxide as I’ve heard good things and this is used in some salons. I’m going to give it a go, but would expect to be superior to any home dyes that you can buy. You can get it from Sally Beauty.

I've chosen not to embrace the grey as my hair is white and with very pale skin, I look unwell, so the colour continues.

@DPotter Your natural, normal hair and complexion have nothing wrong with them, they're ok as they are. The more women show their natural selves, the more other women will realize they're normal and ok.

Most men don't feel they have to do this stuff, after all.

Dyed mine once, such a faff I haven't bothered since. Dp doesn't mind what colour my hair is, I'm embracing natural

I'm 57 and have had my hair coloured and cut for years. I go to an up market hairdresser and Have it don every four weeks. It is my treat in life I do not smoke or drink but do enjoy having my hair done. In lockdown it has shown people how much grey I actually have! I think it looks nice and is fairy low maintenance x

When I started to go grey in my 40s I initially dyed it myself - mid brown. Once the roots became more obvious i had dark blonde highlights put in every 3/4 months. As time went on, I had more and more highlights until I was totally blonde. Then I decided to embrace the grey so my hairdresser just used a semi permanent rinse every few weeks for about a year. Eventually I stopped all colour. I’m completely grey - have been for 5 years. The whole process took about 10 years though!!!
The texture of grey hair is different to it pre grey, and dyeing it a different colour wont change that much. You need to use an appropriate shampoo ‘ conditioner to combat this.

Personally I think people's natural colour is better as you get older but I'm biased because I'm totally grey .
I'm very very pale but still have dark eyebrows, my natural colour used to be very dark brown, but I look better with grey hair now, there are lots of different highlights in it and it's white at my face so brightens it up.
It might but be for some people but having to go to the hairdresser every 4 weeks isn't for me.
There's nothing wrong with aging.

Cocolapew

Totally grey sounds beautiful. Unfortunately I am more of a dappled donkey naturally.
Some areas of my hair are totally grey, others are dark brown.

I actually get darker towards the back of my hair, I meant totally dye free

I'm also much whiter underneath so push my hair away from my face a lot more. One thing about ditching the dye/bleach is I didn't realise I had such greasy hair! Its awful, I also have to be careful to not use a coloured shampoo or it can stain it

One thing about ditching the dye/bleach is I didn't realise I had such greasy hair! Its awful, I also have to be careful to not use a coloured shampoo or it can stain it hmm

Same here, like being a teenager again with greasy hair. When is freshly washed though, so much softer and silkier. I am very wary of the purple shampoos too, they do help but only in small amounts and not very frequently.

Head and Shoulders Classic Clean is good, it's a pale blue and will brighten without going lilac and it isn't drying like some of the purple ones.

I am very wary of the purple shampoos too, they do help but only in small amounts and not very frequently.

@Aunthe I heard the shampoos are really drying. Instead, I just ordered 'Touch of Silver' in a conditioner and a hair mask.

What colour is your hair? Mine is light-mid brown and I get blonde highlights, I find you don't really even notice grey hairs among the blonde

@Cocolapew

I'm also much whiter underneath so push my hair away from my face a lot more. One thing about ditching the dye/bleach is I didn't realise I had such greasy hair! Its awful, I also have to be careful to not use a coloured shampoo or it can stain it

I love yours. it needs to all go grey though for it to look good I think

I started going grey at 19 and that was nearly 30 years ago.

I'm naturally dark brown so the regrowth is obvious. And now, my greys are white.

There's no perfect solution, but over the years I've found a brown base colour and blonde highlights are the best combination though I'm so grey/white I usually have the roots done every 5 weeks at the salon.

In lockdown I've had to dye it, using Majirel 7A, looks a gingery blonde and I do the roots every 3 weeks. Still preferable to grey. My hair is frizzy, my skin sallow and my eyes dark. Wiry grey/white hair would not suit me.

I have always dyed my own hair. I Dye it only one colour and I have some greys at 46. Only noticed odd ones around 4 years ago and my hair looks perfectly fine when it's dyed.