What does everyone think of grey hair?

[SilverDoublet]

Over the last 2 years I grew out my hair, it's quite grey but I just couldn't handle the regrowth reappearing every 3 weeks and didn't have time or money to deal with it. My hair was quite dark so I had been dying it dark brown. But now it's pure white in places, salt and pepper on top and still dark underneath. I asked a hair dresser if I should go blonde to hide regrowth but she said Im too dark. And I can't stand the regrowth with brunette. What do people think of grey? Or what does everyone else with hair like this do? I'm 45, don't like looking so old...

I let mine grow out on lockdown. I’m naturally dark brown and had been colouring it for years and years with a long blonde highlights period. I do think it’s aged me. It’s a nice colour but I look washed out in photos. If it’s cut too short I hate it as my hair is also quite thin now. If I let it grow a bit it looks unkempt as it is naturally wavy . I’m thinking of using a semi but have no idea what colour to use. Should I go for blonde? Can anyone recommend a colour that would work and not give me badger stripes when it grows back in?

I needed to rethink how I dressed and what makeup looks best to avoid looking washed out. I had my colours done years ago and found going back to that really helped. I also define my eyes, brows and lips more when I wear makeup (which isn't all the time).

I really wish by DM would grow out her colour. She's early 70s and has been using the same no. 8 box dye for at least 20 years, she takes it to the hairdresser who does it for her! So much faffing too about keeping it out of the sun, and planning appointments around holidays etc.

I am pretty sure from what I can see that she has amazing silver hair on top with dark underneath. Plenty of it too.

She won't pay to get a good haircut which I think could make all the difference. Her fair skin and blue eyes have faded over the years and now I think the colour just makes her look washed out. Doesn't help that she wears a lot of cream which is very draining.

When I've mentioned it to her she looks at me as if I have suggested getting her face tattooed. And my dad chips in, "... of course she's not going to do that, she doesn't want to look OLD!". I mean WTF dynamic is that??!!!

I'm in my 40s, my own hair was very red when younger - it's fading to brown and blonde now, with a bit of grey too. I used to have a red put in to boost the colour but I have completely grown it out now. I'm really just going with it.

The more I see women with beautiful grey hair, the more I think that dyed hair works less and less. It's all about the cut and the condition, choosing really flattering glasses if you wear them, and wearing whatever you choose to wear with confidence for me.

I think what frustrates me about people telling me that I should embrace the grey is that they always then refer to types grey hair that wouldn't look anything like my undyed hair. Some of us aren't going to be a nice all over silver colour.

My hair is dark and long with a bit of grey and a Mallen streak. I get a lot of compliments on it but I'm lucky enough to have thick healthy shiny hair.

Dyed hair can look really nice if done well. It usually takes a professional with a good eye for colours that suit and experience and a long time and a big chunk of change.

I'm seeing a lot more women with grey hair around than I did even ten years ago so there seems to be more acceptance of the grey.

I grew mine out about 6 years ago (early 50s) but went back to dyeing it mid brown. It was a patchy uneven grey and didn't do anything for me, just looked kind of untidy. I appreciate it may not look quite natural but it's how I like it.

Having said that nobody should have to apologise for having their natural hair colour or face or anything else.

What's even more ridiculous is people stating they've 'embraced' grey hair and how 'empowering' it is only to reveal they're now shackled by feeling the need to wear make up every single day. The relentless pressuring and badgering by some women to try to force others not to colour their hair simply because they're old is just bizarre. Not wanting/liking grey hair is nothing to do with marketing, misogyny or anything else - it's simply personal choice.

You sound very angry about it. Yes, it's personal choice, which is why I find it so strange that some people feel the need to come on and say that anyone who makes a different choice to the one they would make looks shit.
As I say, nobody comes on and says the same thing about not having botox to stop yourself looking older. If I choose to dye my hair, or have 'tweakments', it makes no difference to me if others don't and I don't feel the need to say they will categorically look worse for not doing it.

I am 32 and I have lots of greys against jet black hair including a streak.
I can't really dye my hair due to my extremely curly texture so I am embracing it : )

I think grey hair can be very beautiful, although on my hair type it just looks very witchy because of the length as well!

But on the ones posted on here, they look quite classy and put together

Of course it's down to personal preference, grow it out for a while, if you don't like it then all it takes is a trip to the salon or a home dye kit to change it up again x

More amused at the tribal behaviour. If someone started a thread on pink hair, it would be perfectly acceptable for a poster to state they don't like it, with a valid reason. Grey hair should be no different, particularly as the OP asked for an opinion. Why are people so afraid of being told they look older if they're comfortable with ageing, as they claim?

63 and only a few white streaks in still reddish brown hair, cut into a layered style. I focus on good cut and condition and for me hair colour is not aging, bad dye jobs fighting with skin tone and dry / poor hair condition is far worse, alongside not wanting to sticking chemicals on my head. Personal opinion like so much and do what makes you feel better, I just don't think grey is aging.

Let me guess, your dad has grey hair? My dad makes similar comments about my mum keeping her hair long, and whenever it's been shorter over the years he's been quite rude about it. It really would suit her more a bit shorter but she doesn't want to deal with the fallout. They're a similar age. It's a really horrible dynamic to see.

(The only time I've ever had compliments on my hair from my dad is if it's long and straightened. Probably one of the reasons I wear my hair in its natural wavy state.)

Im in my early 30s, noticed gray hair coming in and I hate it so much.

I was about 24 and I don't think there is any shame in being vain and not wanting to look old at that age.

I am 47 & I found my first grey hair at 12. It’s hereditary. I gave up dyeing about ten years ago because of the expense and I did a bad job once at home which needed growing out and chopping off anyway. I have a youngish face so can sort of get away with it. All my grey hair is at the front, and I’m mostly natural brown at the back. Recently I have been tempted to dye again because perimenopause has made my hair dry & frizzy. I’ve been trying to counteract this with supplements and quality shampoo. Hair masks are good.

I think it depends on the skin tone and the shade of grey.

I think silver hair on people who have a peaches cream complexion is really lovely.

I think grey can look nice. People who have thick iron grey hair or long pure silver white or even a streak or two of grey can look stunning.
Sadly most of us go grey in dribs and drabs (emphasis on the drab!).

I dye my hair because my greys look horrible. Although TBF my natural hair colour is horrible too!
Im a kinda of mousey, dirty, ashy blonde/brown. When you add the grey it just looks faded and dull. Id much rather just use semi permanent dye, that way I can be blonde, brunette or red depending on how I feel (most mid tones suit me so I can play about with my colour).

But how do you know they look older? Somebody with grey hair, but with a slim, toned body, with good skin who dresses well, won't necessarily look older than someone of the same age who is overweight, flabby and wrinkled, just because the latter dyes their hair.

It is a difficult question to answer, it suits some people, but not everyone. You have to be able to carry it off. I quite like the grey quiff style with modern glasses and bold lipstick. But it is not for me. I have thin mousy coloured hair that is highlighted regularly. I intend doing this until I am at least 60, but have always had this colour combo. I know someone who has four children in their late thirties/early forties. They have light brown or dark brown hair with various amounts of white and grey. However their mother still dyes her hair dark brown, she is in her late sixties. The contrast is marked. It never looks natural as people age as skintone changes as well as hair.

For the posters who believe grey is 'ageing', they definitely will. Many people make a judgement based on a very quick glance.

Of course it’s acceptable to sat that you don’t like grey hair. It’s the comments such as it looks witchy or it shows that you have let yourself go which are frankly both unpleasant and unnecessary.
perhaps I look older with silver hair, don’t care in the slightest. However, am quite certain that continuing to colour my dark hair didn’t make me look younger!

I absolutely agree, that orangey red glow given off by a brunette dye is not attractive imo. I'd rather be 50% grey with my naturally very dark hair than dyed black which is too flat a colour or with the glow as above.

Well kept, styled grey hair is very attractive and not necessarily aging.

Grey can look good on some people especially if it's all grey. But it is definitely ageing. A colleague I knew slightly was a stunningly beautiful woman with dark hair. I assumed she was early to mid 40s. I didn't see her at all for a couple of years during covid, and when I next saw her she had gone completely grey. She looked 20 years older. Actually it turned out she was 58. Still good looking, but way older.