Has anyone grown out the grey and then gone back to dyeing?

[balzamico]

My hair is completely natural now, it's virtually white, but I have a suspicion it's really ageing me. I'm only 52, and I don't want to look like a well preserved pensioner!
I dyed it for years as the greys started early but the recent years ended up with some gingery/ brassy colours that were terrible.
I've been with my hair salon for 20 years and I love them but I wonder if I need to change. I've tried and failed to attach a photo, I'll try in a new comment box

I agree, Head and Shoulders Classic Clean is great for grey hair it's what I use too, it doesn't leave any lilac deposits like some purple ones do.

Interesting responses though quite split thank you!
It has only been cut once since the pandemic so is a bit longer than usual but I hadn't perceived the style to be ageing .
I do use a purple shampoo and conditioner, think I need a few light brown highlights putting back in maybe.

@Cocolapew

Grey hair doesn't add 10 years, nobody thinks I'm in my 60's

It does age a lot of people. Maybe you're one of the lucky ones. Or, don't take this the wrong wa,y but people are maybe being kind? It's different on an anonymous forum where people are possibly a bit more truthful.

@Cocolapew

I agree, Head and Shoulders Classic Clean is great for grey hair it's what I use too, it doesn't leave any lilac deposits like some purple ones do.

Head and Shoylders shampoo is hugely underrated. I love their conditioners too.

Of course they're just being kind. Obviously I'm a wizanded, deluded old hag 🧙

I'm not sure wizanded is a word

I'm a very dark brunette (cool and not warm tones), with very salt and pepper grey. My hair was in such bad condition from all the colouring that at 48, I had a cropped bob and grew the grey out........ only I had bad advice from my then hairdresser about using lots of highlights to blend it. The reality was that yes it did blend well but also absolutely ruined the condition of my hair which just went to fluff.

I went to another salon, and they were horrified at the condition...... so again I had to go short, and they went back to using an all over colour to get the condition back and no highlights. It's lovely, and far less ageing but my god, the colour process is driving me mad. I haven't been since January and have got horrendous fading and roots. I've got an appointment on the 17th and am seriously considering starting all over again with a crop and just letting the colour grow out again.

I wish I'd never put a dye on my hair

Highlights haven't turned my hair to fluff, and I've been having them a few years.

I'm 53 this year and my hair has patches of salt but is still mainly brown. My problem is that I don't like the irregular colour, with patches of grey in a couple of areas. Plus my colour where I have it has started to fade and I look washed out as I'm pale with blue eyes.

So I have two colour highlights in my T zone and once a year a semi perm toner as well. I don't get root regrowth really.

Due for cut and colour 17th, was last done early Dec.

I’m 57. Mines nearly white all over. I do not look 67.

I don’t even look 57. People think I’m in my 40’s. How you dress counts too!

Ooooh I’m going to try ahead and Shoulders. I bloody hate purple shampoo, it gets everywhere!

I think changing the cut might help. I like it when the front of the Bob is slightly longer than the back... though mind gone blank on what that’s called.
With white hair I always think a red lipstick looks amazing.

Or, don't take this the wrong wa,y but people are maybe being kind?
It's different on an anonymous forum where people are possibly a bit more truthful.

I have seen photos of Cocolapew on previous threads and she does not look in her 60s.

Personally, I think if I had continued to cover up my grey with dark brown some people might have guessed I was a few years younger than they would now, but I don't look older than my actual age.

The thing is, it's nearly always those who are against natural hair that say it makes you look older, rather than people who have stopped dyeing themselves saying that they look 10 years older than when it was dyed.

To get back to the OP's question, I think a lot of people who go back to colouring do so because they don't like the colour, often because there is not as much white as they thought there would be.

I've been growing mine out during lockdown. It's completely white at the sides but I've discovered that other areas aren't nearly as white as I thought. I really don't want to go back to dyeing it after all this time, but if it looks awful after my next cut (next week, yippee!) I will. I should have a better idea then. OP, see how you feel after a decent cut. I know plenty of people who look younger rather than older when they go grey, due to poor dye jobs - blocked dark brown, or brassy orange, plus the half inch of grey every few weeks.

I stopped dyeing about 5/6 years ago. I do not look 10 years older and I am not a deluded hag either thanks. My hair is in the best condition it's been for years due to not being dyed.
I'm gonna get me some Head and Shoulders though. Is it for dandruff though? The adverts seem to shy away from that word.

*I think changing the cut might help. I like it when the front of the Bob is slightly longer than the back... though mind gone blank on what that’s called."

Inverted bob. It's a bit 1990's to be honest.

I have a bob, always have done, and a centre parting has made it look more up to date than my previous side parting.

I think it's the cut that's aging rather than the colour, although I appreciate you probably haven't had it cut in a while
I always think silver hair looks fab in a really sharp short cut.

I don't think grey hair adds 10 years either. If it were a choice of natural youthful colour or grey, then I'm sure no-one would choose the grey. But, that's not the choice...
You look to have such a lovely colour OP - I agree with others that maybe you should try a different cut before you decide whether or not to start colouring it again.

Thanks@DietrichandDiMaggio
@Lambside the Classic Clean doesn't say anything about dandruff I don't think, there's loads of H&S products now.
Another great product is White Hot Hair shampoo. I got the illuminatng one and wasn't overly impressed but their Brilliant shampoo is excellent, it even brightens up my darker bits.

Really striking silver there OP, looks to be in decentcondition too. In my family we go gray from our 30s but stay salt and pepper forever, much less cool. Hard to tell if it is aging without seeing your face. Agree with those saying try a new, sharper cut before going back to dyeing.

Your hair is a fab colour - def keep it . I do agree with others that it's the style that's not working. I also think a much shorter style will zuzz you up !

I’m another who thinks grey on relatively young people is aging. Often stunning photos of what I would not consider grey (more blond) are shown here to counter this but in real life I have never seen someone who went grey in their 40’s , 50’s that I didn’t think it aged massively. 60+ I think it can work well. Looking at that photo yes I would think you were well in your 60’s. People with sallow skin can get away with it and , super cool funky etc but I just don’t think a lot of people can pull it off without looking older than their years ..

I’m 44 with a sharp silver pixie crop. I don’t look like I’m in my 60s or 70s
One chemical burn when I did a full bleach the last time put me off for life. And brown with bright silver roots is god awful.

Oh and I asked my mum what she thought and she approved. She’d be honest. V honest

I'm 56 and grew my dark brunette out seven years ago. I will say I did spend the first year mourning my dark hair but that was my perception, everyone else loved it . I almost gave up but I'm so very glad now that I didn't . It doesn't age me at all . It brightens my skin and brings out my eyes . I'm not trying to be an age I'm not so I don't worry about that at all . I have never had so many compliments in my entire life as I've had since ditching the dye .

@VanGoghsDog - not as extreme as an inverted Bob, more an angled lob!