Naturally go gray or do some sort of dye?

[Anonymous]

For twenty years, I dyed my dark hair. Eventually, I needed to do root touch ups every three weeks. This was annoying. Ialso had to schedule meetings around my hair situation because I hated exposed roots.

I do think grey hair is not a career asset. Ageism. So at the latter stages of the pandemic, I let it grow out and retired. I was 68.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am asian with very long dark hair. Not for vanity, mostly because I am lazy and have young kids and don't have time to get my hair cut or styled. Hair usually is somewhere between my lower shoulders to my high waist (when I go a long time without cutting). I usually wear it in a braid, bun or ponytail. Again I am lazy and have 3 young kids and don't have time for a lot of self care.

I am 41 and starting to go gray in a few spots - just long random gray hairs. Would you dye your hair or just let yourself go naturally gray? The hairdresser when I go said I probably have another 8+ years before I am all gray. I just don't want to look super old but am also hesitant to dye my hair since I have never once put any sort of chemicals in it (no perm, no dye, nothing) in my whole life.

I would absolutely ignore a few long silver hairs. They're not worth the trouble. I'd think harder when you're moving from 10-20% gray. But not for a few highlights.

I have a scattering of grays now at mid-40s and have opted not to touch them. My mom is only 50% gray in her 70s so it will be a slow roll. I'm not in any hurry to start coloring, but will consider it if my hair starts looking more gray than dark while I'm still working.

[Anonymous]

I’m letting mine go gray naturally. I have waist length, virgin, curly, dark brown hair. In the past 10 years, I’ve had maybe 10 gray hairs show up and they just grow with the rest of my hair. I don’t want to start dying it and have to handle the upkeep and I prefer a slow, natural transition as the grays come in compared to dying my hair until it is mostly/all gray and now I have to grow it out and look dumb for a few years.

[Anonymous]

I have dyed my hair my whole adult life and never get why people think it's hard. It's incredibly cheap and so worth the very small time commitment. Gray is really aging. And yes, with gray hair you do have to touch up more. Not a big deal if doing it at home.

[Anonymous]

I think you and I have a similar vibe op, and I plan to go grey naturally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have dyed my hair my whole adult life and never get why people think it's hard. It's incredibly cheap and so worth the very small time commitment. Gray is really aging. And yes, with gray hair you do have to touch up more. Not a big deal if doing it at home.

Because it looks bad to have dark all-over color when you’re obviously older than 30.

[Anonymous]

You could try an at home semi-permanent dye to see of you like it. It is easier on the hair and washes out after awhile, so if you hate the look it’s no big deal. But with long hair, dyeing is going to be time consuming for you or expensive. So you could also just let it go grey. You can always decide later to dye it when there is more grey if it bothers you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could try an at home semi-permanent dye to see of you like it. It is easier on the hair and washes out after awhile, so if you hate the look it’s no big deal. But with long hair, dyeing is going to be time consuming for you or expensive. So you could also just let it go grey. You can always decide later to dye it when there is more grey if it bothers you.

Getting a natural black shade isn't that hard compared to blonde in my opinion. Dyeing your hair in a salon is probably what you would consider expensive, but if you don't mind strands of silver getting in there after a few months, there's no need to get to a salon monthly for touchups.

[Anonymous]

Few gray strands - leave it. See how it goes next few yrs.

Once it's more or around your face, can try a semi-permanent, salon or at home. It fades out nicely and doesn't leave a like at the roots.

I tried salon stuff and now like Naturatint from Whole Foods or online. Easy to apply and matches my natural color exactly so I only do the front around my face and can't tell I even dyed it. I don't mind the gray showing a little as it fades out so I wait to dye until it's more gray or I have an event, so usually coloring 3-4x/year. Super cheap, easy, and fast. Doesn't smell bad. I don't like chemicals either so I avoid touching it to my scalp as much as possible. I just hold my hair out and wipe on the dye outward.
Again, I don't mind a little gray showing here and there. I'm late 40s and in my profession, being/looking a little older is a good thing.
Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Few gray strands - leave it. See how it goes next few yrs.

Once it's more or around your face, can try a semi-permanent, salon or at home. It fades out nicely and doesn't leave a like at the roots.

I tried salon stuff and now like Naturatint from Whole Foods or online. Easy to apply and matches my natural color exactly so I only do the front around my face and can't tell I even dyed it. I don't mind the gray showing a little as it fades out so I wait to dye until it's more gray or I have an event, so usually coloring 3-4x/year. Super cheap, easy, and fast. Doesn't smell bad. I don't like chemicals either so I avoid touching it to my scalp as much as possible. I just hold my hair out and wipe on the dye outward.
Again, I don't mind a little gray showing here and there. I'm late 40s and in my profession, being/looking a little older is a good thing.
Good luck!

I looked up Naturatint. How is it different from regular demipermanent dyes? They add in seed oils for some reason...

[Anonymous]

It doesn’t sound like you want to do it so don’t, I guess.

Agree with the poster who said it’s incredibly aging. Despite the social media trends esp during COVID, .001% of the female population can pull off gray.

It will age you and make you look frumpy. If you don’t care, live and let live. If you’re in a corporate workplace, you may want to dye it.

I am vain and want to look polished, so I’d dye it. Also, gray hair has a tougher texture than non-gray hair.

[Anonymous]

Get a wig.

[Anonymous]

You seem like a very natural person, not obsessed with decoration.

Does the grey bother you? Does your partner comment on it?

[Anonymous]

Some of you are very triggered by women going gray naturally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t sound like you want to do it so don’t, I guess.

Agree with the poster who said it’s incredibly aging. Despite the social media trends esp during COVID, .001% of the female population can pull off gray.

It will age you and make you look frumpy. If you don’t care, live and let live. If you’re in a corporate workplace, you may want to dye it.

I am vain and want to look polished, so I’d dye it. Also, gray hair has a tougher texture than non-gray hair.

Bad dye jobs showing roots and destroying hair texture is more aging than grey. “Dimensional” balayage jobs with touch ups every 3 weeks are better but cost like $400/pop. I’m OK with looking my age. PS women with gray hair can look polished.