The FastDay Forum

Hi Zee @zamale at 64 i am still dark haired..mousy really..
My mum had jet black hair and had only a little grey in it when she died aged 79
I' m starting to get a fair bit of ( i hope ) silver..i won't be chasing the grey if i end up with silvery hair as i' d love to put streaks of pastel colours in it
Grey haired friends say i' m so lucky not to be grey but i wd swap my brown locks for their slim hips any day..x

I have high-lights and low-lights every six to seven weeks at my local salon. This gives a very blended look which is dark blonde. I have no idea how much grey there is in there as I have been dying my hair since I was eighteen ( I am now 63). The cost is an eye popping £100 a go, but the look and condition of my hair is really important to me.
Since I've got slim I have also grown it a bit....I don't hold with the idea that just because you're older you have to get it cut short. Short hair doesn't suit everyone. With longer hair I can also put it up easily and change the look.
I think if you're lucky enough to have silver white hair, rather than salt and pepper, it can be a good look if it's cut well.
The choice is yours: there are so many good techniques out there today and finding a good hairdresser is the key to looking great.
My mother always said that good grooming was important, it shows you care about yourself.

Interesting thread everyone, I've also dyed/had short/grown long/tried the lot over the decades. The current long undyed side plait is this years look, it may change again :0) (I'd refer you to my photo but its disappeared :0@ how odd).
It's certainly in better condition from coconut oiling once a week.

I have dyed my hair since I was about 47 (am 51 now) and I HATE having it done; I've never managed to do it myself with any success and I resent paying what it costs each month at the hairdresser. I see lots of women going grey gracefully and looking really elegant and wish I could be one of them but alas I am not. I am one of those strange women who dislikes having her hair cut and doesn't find it remotely 'relaxing'. I can't wait to get out of the place. I did try having the foils put on (so the line isn't as stark) and I do think it works - I did ask the hairdresser I have now if I could go a bit lighter (am sure it's possible) but she just said 'no'. Think it's time to find a new hairdresser!!!!

Looking really good there Bean!!!

As a token guy in this thread, I never considered coloring my hair. Mostly because guys that do only their hair and not eyebrows and beard (c'mon, every day!!!) are only fooling themselves. Dramatically dark brown or black hair with 'snow' everywhere else belongs on poodles or in horror movies.

My hair was originally brown with red highlights. I reckon it was the red that went white first. For years I dyed it various colors to cover the white. Then I coloured it ash blonde to cover the regrowth. I got tired of that and grew it out. Now it is various shades from brown to white. Folk who don't know it's natural ask me where I get it done so I reckon it looks OK. It's certainly less trouble and cheaper to let it be.

Oh I'm so with you @loversghost! I am really irritated at having to go to the salon. I have an appointment this Thursday and I'm already feeling grumpy at the interruption! I had dyed my hair rich dark red for years, loved the high shine and great condition, but have been going lighter over the past year as the grey line was on show by the end of the first week. My mother and gmother both had dark salt and pepper but I think I have much lighter at the front and darker at the back.

I currently have highlights and a dark blond root colour but I'm about to ask my hairdresser if just having the highlights and no root colour and let the grey grow through is viable as I have quite long hair. I can't see how our own natural grey can't suit us, what it doesn't suit is our perception of ourselves. If I don't like it there's always the dread salon and seeing as I've been a lot of colours, including blue this time last year, I doubt any one will comment! And I'd so love to find I had something exciting like a Mallen streak! ( I know I haven't got one but my first husband did).

I just had to google Mallen streak because I've never heard that term. I always think of Cruella Deville. sorry.

Yes @Lil thats true. My hair is currently like Candy Floss!

[carieoates]

@carorees, @nursebean
I buy this leave in conditioner from boots. As you can imagine with semi Afro hair, mine would frizz up in a heart beat. It's £6 a bottle but at the moment 2 for £8. It's my little miracle worker.

You can buy travel ones if you want to try before you buy. It's great for thicker hair - just like mine. But don't put too much on it's very heavy.

http://www.boots.com/en/Charles-Worthin ... r_1330137/

I've been going to the same hairdresser for nearly forty years! I have naturally wavy hair and he cuts it so well that I would worry if anyone else were to do anything to it. Since we moved twelve years ago I do a two-hour round trip, every six weeks, just to get my hair done! He's like a family friend now and I'm dreading he day that he announces that he's finally retiring!

@Zamale I agree some folks look stunning grey. A friend of mine is also mousey brown/grey and she is considering going further towards silver grey as she has seen some stunning styles. She has always spent a LOT on her hair.

I've no idea what my real colour is now, but going by the roots it's quite white! I'm fortunate my hair has a bit of bounce and curl so hiding roots is easy. My original colour was dark auburn and I have been highlighting auburn at home for decades. As the price of a cut in London is pretty hefty, I'll keep to home colouring auburn for now, though having read this thread I might ask Jo my hairdresser for future suggestions. Personally, I think for now my complexion can carry the auburn colour which makes me feel happy and colourful.

Let us know how you get on!

I can't say that I enjoy going to the hairdresser, especially post Bells Palsy and having to stare at myself in the mirror ain't my kind of fun.

But - the fancy schmancy salong I went to in the city was marvelous - they took such good care of me in many different ways and I came out feeling (and looking) good about my looks - better than I've done in ages. They are solid booked so finally, next next Saturday I have an appointment for roots and maybe a wee bit of the ends. Must confess that after years and years with shorter cuts and bobs, I really enjoy this longer style

My mom was mostly dark haired until she passed at 79, my dad - I don't remember his real hair color at all, a combo of turning white young and a butch haircut! (I think his was a sandy color.)

My sister has the Mallen thingy - and hates it. She colors all the time from blond to outrageous red!

I found my first white hair (in my dark brown hair) when I was 38 and decided to just let it go. Over the years, my hair has gotten curlier, but not too much whiter. I had a co-worker who once told me my hair gleamed - I said it was the sun sparkling off the white hair!

I started going grey when I was about 22 (now 52). Could never be bothered to dye it, but in recent years quite a few people have 'admired' my salt and pepper hair and wished they'd left their hair to go grey naturally.
Mind you, my best friend who is the same age as me, hasn't got a grey hair on her head and is still dark brown.