What's less ageing?

[goldenbrownio]

Highlights (grown out 3 inches) or dying hair all over dark (I have a few greys, not v noticeable). I'm 36.

And a brunette

Don't go 3 shades darker or 3 shades lighter than your natural colour
You could have some hi-lights at the front to frame your face and darker everywhere else

Forgot to mention I'm poor at the moment, so really need to do it myself!

Also, I'm definitely at least 3 shades lighter with the highlights I have. Look so frumpy and awful

Ageing = bad?

If you go one colour you might look a bit Lego. Depending on the shade and your skintone.

I'm Mediterranean but not very dark skinned. Yeah I'm worried about the lego look.

Bit paranoid about looking old lately. Feel like I've aged all of a sudden and I look rough.

((hugs))

Go for a brisk walk. Lippy. Bit of 'peaches and cream' make up on your cheeks (can'tfor the life of me think what it is called - not bronzer, but... I want to say 'blusher'? Total brain fart!).

Are you feeling ok at the moment? Going through some shit? Put on/lost weight? Tired of your clothes?

I'm 42 and 'embraced the grey' at 38. If anything is going to be ageing, that is! But really it made me feel younger as I used to dye my hair all kinds of odd colours and get raised eyebrows. It's like my final rebellion!

A lot of hair colours have tones in them now so don't look too Lego.

I have mine done at a salon and pay around £90-100 for colour and foils but, recently, couldn't get an appointment and wanted it done before something so bought a Nice & Easy (got it a shade lighter than I thought I might need so I didn't look like a vampire) and got loads of compliments from people who all said it looked nicer!

I would suggest getting one of the old fashioned highlighting caps and crochet hook type things and using a dye colour nearer to your natural colour to try and blend. This is what I do and seems to work, you can be cautious and pull through very thin bits of hair if you are worried about it going wrong. Not exactly a salon experience especially if you do it yourself and take chunks of yr head out with the hook but seems to do the trick.

elQuintoConyo - thank you!

I do wear make up, it just doesn't do as much for me as it used to! I think I've gone massively downhill since having a child, who is 3.5 now. I'm sure it's aged me massively!

Nothing major has affected me really. I have been on antidepressants for a year and I'm going to come off them now (maybe that's aged me?)

Yes, I need new clothes, no money at the moment. I've put on a few pounds (I like cake), nothing major though. My husband fancies me, it's how I feel about myself that's the issue.

I've thought about not dying my hair at all and growing out my hair (with the grey I can see). Not sure I would be one of the ones who suit it. How long did it take you to grow out?!

I looked at Nice 'N' Easy but could only find permanent, do they do semi permanents as well?

Luckyaide - That's a good idea, it would definitely look more natural wouldn't it. I'm sure I could get a cap from a chemist. Then it would leave some of the lighter hair in. Thank you.

A-ha, that 'wrung-out dishcloth' feeling, i totally get you!

I box-dyed my hair for about 15 years, with the odd salon job in between. I found i could never quite get the colour right and it still made me feel washed out. I am super pale with blue lips and live in the Med surrounded by the olive-skinned locals not bitter .

I just let my grey grow out, i have a chin-length bob and it took just over a year for every last bit to go. No one commented on the hideousness i'm about 80% grey. It suits my skintone which has changed over the years.

I'm 42 with a 5yo and porked up after DS' hideous birth (damage has made exercise difficult). But weirdly going grey has given me an extra lust for life! I wouldn't recommend it for everyone, it's just my experience.

Would you go to a hairdressing academy and let some trainees have a go on your hair? They are super cheap and the 'teachers' fix anything that is slightly wrong for free. My mum swears by her place and pays about £25 for cut and lowlights every 6 weeks, she has been going for about 8 years. She is south-east coast.

I send

Yes, just that!

That's why I'm scared of using the box dye (bought it, not touched it). I've had highlights, then dyed overly hair on and off for years. It felt wrecked so I cut it into a bob recently. It feels a lot better now, although I don't like the way it looks. I hadn't actually thought of going to a college to have my hair done. I've had it wrecked a couple of times by so called decent hairdressers, so I would have to do my research. I'm probably only 10% grey (nobody can see it apparently), but because I'm dark haired, it stands out to me.

Thank you for your kind and helpful messages elQuintoConyo.

I have PM'd you goldenbrownio (private message)

I've never had a PM before, worked it out though! Ha have sent one back

I did it, dyed it dark leaving some lighter bits out and it actually looks alright.