Would you ditch the dye?

[thesoundofthepolice]

Im 37 and my hair is so white, not even grey, it's pure white. i take after my mum who was the same, so much so I can't remember her with anything other than white hair. I need to dye it every 3-4 weeks and it's just such a chore.

The other issue is my hair is so dark and cool toned going lighter isn't really an option that won't be just as much hard work.

What would you do? Part of me wants to embrace the grey but I don't want to look old and haggard.

I think I'd give it a go. White hair can look great (if it's in good condition of course, but yours looks ok even dyed so should be better undyed). And it's too-dark hair which can often make women start to look a bit haggard as they get older. How did your mum look with white hair?

Am 30 and I have so many strands of white I hate them but I dnt pull them out I seen there's henna shampoo would u try tht ??

I'm 60 and for approx 40 of those years I have dyed my hair, and you're right, it is SUCH a chore and a pain!

Like you my natural hair colour was a very dark brown but with red tones, and on allowing it to grow out at the roots for a couple of inches I can see it is pure white with silver strands.

So, I've decided to go the whole way and let the natural colour shine through, and I'm really excited about it.

You have to decide if it is the right time for you to do this. Up until this past couple of months I would have said 'no way would I stop the dye', but now I can't wait. New hair, new clothes, new me - is my new mantra!!

Good luck with whatever you decide.

I’m 35 and let my greys grow out a couple of years ago. I’ve two big streaks from my temples and then lots of strands through the rest of my hair which don’t really show up in photos.
I just couldn’t be bothered dying it, I wasn’t dying it for me, I was dying it because I thought women my age shouldn’t have grey hair, which is ridiculous!

Is the grey only down the middle? Mine is like that and I let it grow out for a while but I couldn't bear it so went back to dyeing. I think if the grey is evenly spread or at the sides it's easier to grow out.

No I wouldn't. I've gone lighter - took a while and several appointments and lots of highlights but it's been worth it. Grey's are much less noticeable now. I feel my 30s is too young to go fully grey.

I tried going lighter and loved it but my hair didn't!
I was having to dye every 2 weeks and using touch up spray within days. I've decided to embrace going grey now for a couple of months.
Like you I'm dark with red toners. Someone recommended this to get rid of the red tones. Haven't tried it yet so can't comment. Also decided to wear my hair curly to try and break up the demarcation line. https://store.toniandguy.com/product/2615/wella-invigo-color-recharge-cool-brunette-conditioner?oftid=MFRWG5B5GI2CMZTFMVSESZB5GYTHA4TPMREWIPJSGQ3TC&adGroupId=111550805642&device=m&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpe3w6eSf7AIVAWHmCh3o3AraEAUYAyABEgJgHvDD_BwE

I quite like grey hair - I only have a few but they are increasing. It looks like you are confident and it's your CHOICE to be natural.

But it's a very personal choice.

Off topic but I LOVE your diamonds! :)

I am in the minority here as most people on MN seem to think grey is not aging but I think in most cases it is. I think 60 + fine but you are still a v young women and I do think yes it will age you to go grey this young.
So to answer your question, you won't look haggard but yes in my opinion you will look older. I have never met anyone in real life who didn't look a lot older from going grey
People will give you photos of these amazing grey/silver haired models and but I think they are the exception, not the rule

I agree workshy. Grey can look good if you're 20 and thin and gorgeous and again when you're 70+ but on the whole aging for those in between

I'm going grey/white. I did go lighter first which made all the difference.

I have to dye mine every 4 weeks too, so boring

Embrace it! I'm growing my grey out and fortunately it's coming through in fairly even streaks. I've had so many compliments! I am allergic to dye and got fed up with using henna that became ineffective.

A couple of years ago I paid £250 to get that white colour you've naturally got. I would go for it, it's the inbetween stage most people dont like, once the dye has grown out/cut off it will look good. Find a nice headband/scarf type accessory to cover your roots while you grow it out.

Do it. I've never looked back!

It's really hard to photo my own head....

Lots of people for it, I'm just a bit nervous. I don't want to look old and washed out (the greys/whites are pretty evenly spread so it would be a big change!)
I'd need to change up my wardrobe too as I wear a lot of grey and black which would look rubbish with white hair.

I have been lighter a few years ago and my hair hated it. My hair is naturally curly and on the dry side so it ended up a frizzy mess.

DH screws his face up when I mention going grey but that wouldn't really put me off doing it just wonder if his reaction would be the same as everyone else's 😬

@Wheytaminute thanks! I'll let you into a secret....they're not real 🤣.
I wear these rings for work incase they get damaged so just they're QVC specials

I have talked about this before on here. I have now stopped dyeing it (since before lockdown started actually) and have had a few attempts at removing the 'already in there dye' using 'Head and Shoulders' mixed with equal parts of baking soda; but I have to say it has an almighty drying effect so I give my hair lots of conditioning treatments in between.

I now have two inches of roots showing and my family say it looks OK but my bloke calls me 'Cruella DeVille'........... Hmmm.

I'm sticking with it. When I have a good length of it, I'll decide whether or not Grey is the best colour for my complexion or maybe Ash Blonde, and then I will get it cut and coloured. That is my long term plan. I will never dye it brown again. Too much maintenance and too much like hard work - plus the white hair goes ginger/orange when I dye it brown.

@ivftake1

I have to dye mine every 4 weeks too, so boring

I had to do mine every two/three weeks. It's a pain isn't it

Your skin looks dark enough to embrace the grey or stay dark.

Could you part your hair so that the grey shows less?

I'd be tempted to touch up the roots for a few years as you are still young.

I don't dye my hair, but am tempted to. The usual comment is that I have very little grey for my age.

I stopped dying mine when I was 43. It honestly didn’t make me look older - plenty of my friends said it would and admitted they were wrong. No wardrobe changes here, I’ve always worn lots of black and grey and still do. I had to change my make up, though. I look washed out without blusher and a brightish lipstick but suspect that, since my skin tone has changed, I probably would anyway.

I was silver grey when I met my bloke and he loves it. The first compliment he ever paid me was about my hair.

People are hardly going to tell you it looks awful though are they if you are determined to do it. I have a friend that went grey, fabulous hair, she looks so old now , like her husbands mother. She asked me what it thought and I said I preferred it before and she said I was the first person who didn't think it was AMAZING. At the party every other person who had raved about it to her admitted to me that they didn't like it and did it had added years to her.
If people want to go grey they should and shouldn't be concerned what anyone else thinks but if people think going grey "young" isn't aging they are delusional. Nothing "wrong" with it but I have yet to meet someone in real life who doesn't look older from it. If you are older anyway I don't think it matters as much and can indeed look great but any examples on this thread do not look good.

I should add this is "in general". There are always exceptions to the rule

I don't think I look 37. I recently changed jobs and new colleagues put me at 30ish which was nice. I do think because it's so white and because it quite evenly spread throughout it could easily be draining/aging and I really don't want to look old before my time.

I might need to consider going down the lightening it up route first. It's just such a contrast as Im so dark it's almost black so get it a nice light colour will take a lot of dedication and I'm not sure it's worth it.