Early forties - blonde or brunette?

[Newbrummie]

I have quite dark hair naturally with a couple of greys, could still pluck em out, that stage.

However I've been blonde for 20 years now. I used to be able to get lovely highlights done but the last 4 or 5 times frankly they've been stripey and shit and runined my hair.
I love the idea of shiny brown healthy hair but think I look a bit non descript, mousey with brown hair.
Trying to decide whether to find someone to sort the highlights out I guess or go natural.... is either less ageing ?

I have shiny brown hair (with a few greys - too many to pluck now but still not noticeable). I think healthy looking hair is more a sign of youth than colour. Have you had a colour consultation? My hairdressers are great at that, and are honest about what would/wouldn't work.

I have had a substantial amount of grey since my mid 30s (now early 40s). I have naturally mousy/ fair hair and was brunette for a long time. As the grey increased keeping it hidden became impossible as even a tiny bit of root regrowth highlighted the grey immediately. Blonde highlights have worked much better as the greys just blend in and I can go around 8 weeks before getting colour done instead of 4.

Arghhhhh 50/50 so far. This always happens. My colouring works for both tbh. My preference would be blonde if it didn't keep getting stuffed up. And I am growing it so maybe natural is the way to go

I'm mid forties and brunette (natural). I have lightened the brown as I've got older though as my skin seems to be paler than it was when I was younger. I'm olive skinned and look really fake and dodgy with blonde highlights.

I use a semi permanent colour, L'Oreal Creme Gloss to cover up my greys

In your case I'd stick with blonde. I do think blonde hair stands out more and generally looks more glamorous.

I think it entirely depends on your colouring and what suits you best.

Any chance of a photo? Would be easy to say that way.

If you're trying to look youthful....brunette is probably better isn't it? Everyone opts for blonde when they start greying....

Sounds like you need to find a new colourist. Ask people with great looking blonde hair where they go for colour. I finally went grey after a disastrous colour job where I ended up with orange stripes after four hours at the hairdressers. Left it to nature then and rocking my own platinum highlights now.

I'm a couple of years behind you & my hair textures definitely coarser & prone to little flyaway bits mid length which I mistook for breakages but is actually similar to how mums hair went.

I use swartzkopf q10 shampoo etc for fragile damaged/aged hair and it's sorted it right out.

Yy to new colourist though.