Anyone gone grey then dyed back to a darkish brown ?

[Odessafile]

I'm 56 and I've grown all my hair dye out. It's a steely grey at the front and sides but brown underneath at the back. My hair was destroyed a few years ago after I had a head of cheap highlights put in and parts of it literally broke off. I ended up having a pixie cut and basically starting all over again. My hair is now shoulder length and I tend to wear it up in a messy bun. Partner likes it, DS 14 says it makes me look older but still attractive 😂. Sadly every time I catch site of myself I just look washed out. Hate to say it but also older than I am (which I appreciate is a bit irrational and ageist). Initially I quite liked it, wore the archetypal bright lipstick, headband etc but now I just feel it's dragging me down. Doesn't help that I've not had a haircut for ages.
I'm going away at the weekend so really want to look nice. I'm so tempted to just shove a brown hair dye on and be done with it. Anyone gone back to dyeing after a period without ?

Yes I did, I just got bored of grey and we've brown with highlights. You can always grow it out again. It's just hair. Go for it.

I personally wouldn't try going dark brown again in your 50's. It just won't be flattering and you'd have grey roots showing in no time . I'd suggest getting a good haircut, and looking at colouring your hair in a lighter shade , light brown or dark blonde, maybe get some highlights in a darker or lighter colour. Your grey roots won't be so obvious over time, and the lighter shades are always more flattering as you get older.

I agree with pp that dark brown might be a mistake. It will likely be a shock how dark it is after being grey, and might not suit you. And of course yes to the roots straight away. A lighter colour would be better imo if you’re decided against the grey

Thanks everyone ! Some good ideas.

Yes, though I'm only 40 but 90% grey in patches, probably 60% throughout. Grew mine out and then decided it washed me out, I just didn't look like me.

I now have it dyed a lighter brown than before, and am thinking about adding highlights because the grey shows so quickly. It's a pain but it's my choice, I just prefer how my hair looks darker.

I did I'm early 40s. Spent 2 years growing it out grey (I'm about 90%grey). Once I'd finally done it I just hated it and felt it really aged me. Died it brown again and much happier.

I keep thinking this. My fronts are pure white but the back is dark original brown. I get bored and I hate the cliche of red lipstick and big earrings etc on me.
I'm extremely lazy though.

I did but got very fed up with roots showing within a couple of weeks (my hair grows very fast), touching up was tricky and eventually after a few years I chopped the lot off and when silvery white naturally.
It was a lot of faff and I hated the regrowth.

I’m 50 and in the same sort of ‘should I or shouldn’t I?’ place.
I really like how Paulina Porizkiva went from dark hair to silver with platinum/lighter bits. I’d like her colouring. Problem is… I don’t look like Paulina Porizkova.
But I get you, OP. I want to look chic, distinguished grey but the reflection in the mirror is telling me a harsher story. 😳
And I’m just not a bright lipstick, purple rimmed glasses, eccentric artsy type. Inside, yes. Outside, nope. I’m just blah. If I were food, I’d be Smash.

I did this, OP - let my grey grow out and fully, 100% grey for around a year. Hated it, felt much older than my years so one day just went back to dark brown.

Not only did I feel so much better and more myself but practically every single person I knew then said to me, "I did like your grey but this suits you so much better, you look so much younger." 😂 Grey was alright for a while but I'm more 'me' with colour

I’ve gone grey three times! Over a period of about fifteen years. I kept thinking the grey would look more natural with what I presumed would be altered skin tone, and then getting fed up with looking so….washed out.
It’s grey ( well, actually Swedish blonde according to the packet) at the moment, but I’m getting quite itchy about it. The problem is that it is not elegant streaks or that very fetching well mixed sort, it’s still got dark roots in patches. I’m thinking of just darkening the sides where it is darker. Though that might make me look like a skunk🤭
I agree it’s better to go lighter, but ash rather than auburn lights if you want to stay dark.

What about a different haircut? Quicker to grow back than the colour 🤷🏻‍♀️

Well I’m dark brown in sixties and about to embark on embracing the grey, simply because I’m sick to death of seeing roots, I’m looking forward to doing it, yes it will take months to get the colour out, and if I don’t like it then I will go lighter.there’s always more than one way, going to have a pixie cut soon

I was once almost black, but I started going grey in my thirties. I have been using box dyes ever since. Every few years I go a shade lighter. I am currently using L’Oréal ultra ash. This comes out streaked as my grey hair is made up of black and white and they dye differently.

My friend who used to be naturally brunette let her hair grow out so that she was grey and then she had really a lot of blond highlights put in. Well she looks absolutely fab, the regrowth just isn’t a thing anymore. It looks like she’s 75% or more blond with a bit of grey and this is the best hair she’s had. She uses a sort of sun in spray thing on her roots every so often but hasn’t had anymore highlights added. Im
really impressed.

If I were food, I’d be Smash.

😂😂😂

I agree very few people can carry off almost black hair as they approach their sixties especially if have pale skin, I’ve tried most colours but now want to embrace the greys, if I can see it through that is 🤪

I went fully grey (and became a right bore on here about it) but eventually went back although not to a dark shade as I realised that a lighter shade was much more flattering on me.

I looked older than I was. Simple as. There's only so much red lipstick can do. I fully accept that might be social conditioning and that it makes me a shit feminist but I felt like an absolute crone without a full face of slap and nice clothes on.

I'm a strawberry blonde now and so SO much happier even with the upkeep.

I went totally grey, took me two years from 2019 and after around 6 months of full grey just absolutely hated it. I only looked good if every morning I did a totally made up look, otherwise I liked totally washed out. Used to have dark brown but have gone for a lighter brown with some blond highlights. Yes I have to have the roots done every 6-8 weeks but I only have to put on a bit of lipstick every day not the whole made up look and feel fab.

So I say go for what makes you feel good.

Will also add I have a grid who went grey the same time as me and she looks amazing, she’s got deep blue eyes and the grey makes her eyes pop. My dark brown eyes do not pop with grey hair!

*friend

LizzieSiddal can I ask you said it took two years to go grey, I presume you had long hair, mines a Bob style chin length so I’m hoping around 9 months to a year, I want to go cold turkey! I’m saying that now and hoping I can do it, I’m not really a fan of the snow on the mountain top look. 🤣 which I know has to happen! I also have blue eyes like your friend , good job I’m a fan of hats! Or in my case I probably will invest in a balaclava if it gets too much.

Ash brown highlights would be a good middle ground, and less root problems with highlights

I'm fully grey after red. I prefer it to the hassle of peeking roots which really felt ageing, but finding a hair style that works is really hard with frizzy wavy hair. Curls don't work anymore so I have ore fluff.

I'm not sure why people think they need to go mad art teacher with earrings and glasses etc when they go grey 😆.
I'm grey now at 54, with chin length hair, but the first time i did it I was in my 40's and had very short hair which looked very patchy because of the darker bits, I ended up bleaching it for a few years.
I agree with others going too dark would be too much I think.

@CambsAlways yes I did have long hair! I was very silly as I thought it was too much for me to do the sensible thing and cut my hair short and also go grey, so I kept it long. I cringe when I look at photos as it looks dreadful! I should have had the chop!