BRIGHT red hair in my 40's. Can I get away with it?

[PatchworkPerson]

Ok I know this is probably a classic mid life crisis. But I really want to dye my hair crimson. It's waist length and poker straight but I'm 41! Will it be completely ridiculous? I have always been a bit of a hippy chick. I had purple hair in my youth and piercings but felt the need to conform when I had kids and was working for other people. Now I'm starting my own business, children are almost grown and I would really like to get a bit of me back. I just don't want to look desperately sad!
So opinions please would you find a 41 year old woman with crimson hair a bit tragic? Be honest I can take it

I linked to her blog once before on S&B and it got slated. Still, she's won awards and everything... or perhaps just been shortlisted for them, I forget. Anyway she makes a living out of it!

Back to the point... OP, you have to upload pics to your profile please! Your hair now and also someone with the same shade of red.

Makes a living!
Hey, nice work her :o

Yes yes pics please OP!

Im jealous. Firstly i wish my hair was as long as yours, OP.

And secondly, i need to grow a pair as i've been dithering as to whether to go back to a flaming copper shade. My hair is 'just' brown at the moment, nothing wrong with that, but i'm bored and have this desire to be a redhead again (ginger not red red) And i'm 40.

My natural colour is auburn. My hair isn't in the best of condition so i can't make it suffer another colour just yet or am i just chickening out?. The more pics i see of copper hair the more i want to just go and get a box of colour B4 and Feria Mango!

So i think yes go for it, if you don't like it, there is always Colour B4!!! But with a striking shade i do think you have to wear make-up as going bare faced can make you look washed out if you are pale skinned like myself.

I have been henna-ing my hair for the last 18m and am 39 - I say go for it

henna is a lovely dye but is an arse to get rid of so you have to COMMIT I do get a bit fed up about the regular dyeing I have to do (and the fact it takes hours and requires cling filming my head!). But I do like the result - I am pale, freckly and green eyed and don't suit heavy make up and I don't think I look washed out. I do wear heavier eye make up on a night out but I think I looked more washed out when I was sandy haired and going grey. There are loads of lovely dyes available - (Henna is pretty unusual) - I am sure you will find a shade and brand that suits you op - good luck.

have attached a pic for your info

actually that is emabarrasing - I might remove it

I'm not sure if this is true or not but I read that henna reacts with other hair dyes, so it's difficult to dye over if you don't like it . That's why I decided on Vegital "Henna Red" instead

www.herbatint.co.uk/herbatint/about/vegital-colour-chart.php

I am 37 & dye my hair with Manic Panic in Vampire Red. I'm naturally grey quite dark, but I feel much more like myself with red hair! It does fade very quickly - I top it up once a week - and the first time I wash it after colouring is like the end of Carrie! I look like absolute shite without my make up on but there's a pretty good chance that this would be the case whatever colour my hair was...

Bigm, fab hair colour:o
I had henna'd hair from my late teens to my mid 30's, I loved the colour and never found a red dye which was quite the same, henna seems to give a richer colour?

It was a bit of a pain though, what with the 4+hours of processing time!

I dyed over it with black eventually, there were no adverse reactions but the red sort of shone through for a while giving a sort of two tone red/black effect in certain lights

bigmouth, I love your red hair - fab colour. And your username fellow smiths fan

Do it, I have recently dyed mine bright pink and I am 38. Like the others have said you can always change it if you don't like it. Would also recommend the hair crazy website to buy dyes and for dips on dying. I bought a Special Effects dye as I was told it would last longer without fading, so far so true