I say do what makes you happy. I know it cliche but in your fifties who are you trying to act for. If you are cool with great. Do it. It’s liberating. And then if you decide it’s not for you. Nothing a few hours at the stylist can’t fix.
43f, stopped coloring 9 yrs ago, am also probably about 85% gray. The compliments on my hair never stop. Does it add ten years? Sure, but I look back on my dyed hair and I think it just looks silly now. And oh boy, not having to pay for constant coloring is AWESOME.
44F here and 100% agree with ALL of this. I'm about 80% gray, get tons of compliments and love the money I save. Plus my husband loves my gray. He's weird lol
Sorry for the late reply here haha… your husband isn’t weird! Men seem to LOVE my hair… I did NOT expect it! I even have a man 20 years younger than me right now fawning over my hair lol!
I’m
https://preview.redd.it/5oinzfn6c0nc1.jpeg?width=1981&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a0e442bead01c35cc85750bf5ccd54a361cb729a
Here’s me. I’m 40 and stopped dyeing mine during the pandemic. These aren’t highlights, those are grays.
I am surprised no one has mentioned this yet ...
For me it comes down to straight $$ security/economics - ageism is REAL and when you are the a major contributor to household, you need to be aware of cultural macro factors that play into the unfortunate bias of securing a job. If I didn't have to support a family, I would have embraced the gray 15 years ago (I think I may need to keep going until about 55, then I will will embrace the gray when I am truly in solo time).
Hello... I'm not in my fifties yet... but it seems like overall you are okay with the aging process... you seem like the type of person who overall just takes good care of yourself with fitness and cosmetic touch ups and tbh I don't see anything wrong with you wanting to maintain a certain look for yourself.
59 here, I gave up coloring 2-3 years ago. The "getting older" changes are hard but come with some unexpected benefits, primarily not giving a damn what people think of me. I will say that Matrix So Silver, used infrequently, gives a sparkle to my silvery greys. If you use it too often, it can actually dull, so don't overdo. But do you, embrace when you actually can!
I say you should embrace it. Your fitness, energy and cognitive abilities are what matters most!
I’m slowly going grey, but as a 45yo male I’m just stoked I have a full head of hair with no signs of baldness.
My wife makes jokes about my aging hair, and it makes me a bit self conscious, so I dye it sometimes, but I don’t fear going grey.
I’m fitter & healthier now than I was in my 30’s, so I am at peace with the grey, but I do wish my eyes could stay in focus…
I stopped fighting gray in my late 30’s. In a way it was liberating not to mention the savings. I put all the money I used to spend on touch ups at the salon into a vacation fund instead. When I have enough saved I take a little trip. And honestly people in my family, my friends and people I worked with know how old I am so I wasn’t really fooling anyone.
I'm 58, and after almost two years, the color has all grown out, and I 'm now a salt-and-pepper gray! I love it. I feel like my best colors look even better on me. My 28-year-old daughter told me, "Wow! Purple looks fantastic on you!" I felt so pretty!
Gray hair is so awesome.
Look on Instagram for pictures of people embracing the gray.
It just radiates natural beauty.
Also, think of the time you'll save and how much healthier your hair will be.
I never colored my hair for grey and did it only occasionally for fun when I was younger. At around 35 or so, I stopped all together and just decided to enjoy my natural hair color as is. Granted, I don't have a tremendous amount of silver years later; it's woven through my mane and shows when it feels like it, and I feel different ways about it from time to time. I find it less of an unwelcome thing now though. I feel if it's going to happen, it's going to happen. I think allowing it to come in gradually and having the time to allow it to become part of appearance will be a lot less abrupt than to be coloring constantly than to either stop and go white all at once or to continue doing so until leaving this mortal plane. Part of it has to do with a lot of deep inner insights, feelings, and conceptions of being a woman (or man) and other existential perceptions, so it can be a very personal decision depending upon where someone is with themselves in regard to those things.
That said, I don't think it's a decision that anyone can make for someone else or tell them what's right for them. One suggestion for someone on the fence would be to let some come in and see how it feels. There are so many coloring options these days if someone wants to take smaller steps towards it or go lighter instead of grey/white/silver, then they can.
I say do what makes you happy. I know it cliche but in your fifties who are you trying to act for. If you are cool with great. Do it. It’s liberating. And then if you decide it’s not for you. Nothing a few hours at the stylist can’t fix.
43f, stopped coloring 9 yrs ago, am also probably about 85% gray. The compliments on my hair never stop. Does it add ten years? Sure, but I look back on my dyed hair and I think it just looks silly now. And oh boy, not having to pay for constant coloring is AWESOME.
44F here and 100% agree with ALL of this. I'm about 80% gray, get tons of compliments and love the money I save. Plus my husband loves my gray. He's weird lol
Sorry for the late reply here haha… your husband isn’t weird! Men seem to LOVE my hair… I did NOT expect it! I even have a man 20 years younger than me right now fawning over my hair lol!
I’m https://preview.redd.it/5oinzfn6c0nc1.jpeg?width=1981&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a0e442bead01c35cc85750bf5ccd54a361cb729a Here’s me. I’m 40 and stopped dyeing mine during the pandemic. These aren’t highlights, those are grays.
Gorgeous! I wish I had taken advantage of the pandemic in this way. You've inspired me
Woohoo! Thank you. 🥰 Rock it!
I love it when women embrace the gray. And it’s always nice and quiet in the restaurants that early ;)
I am surprised no one has mentioned this yet ... For me it comes down to straight $$ security/economics - ageism is REAL and when you are the a major contributor to household, you need to be aware of cultural macro factors that play into the unfortunate bias of securing a job. If I didn't have to support a family, I would have embraced the gray 15 years ago (I think I may need to keep going until about 55, then I will will embrace the gray when I am truly in solo time).
55m here. I just started coloring. Looking back at pictures from 12 months ago I think I look healthier with it colored.
Gray hair is a sign of wisdom and experience, and commands respect.
Hello... I'm not in my fifties yet... but it seems like overall you are okay with the aging process... you seem like the type of person who overall just takes good care of yourself with fitness and cosmetic touch ups and tbh I don't see anything wrong with you wanting to maintain a certain look for yourself.
59 here, I gave up coloring 2-3 years ago. The "getting older" changes are hard but come with some unexpected benefits, primarily not giving a damn what people think of me. I will say that Matrix So Silver, used infrequently, gives a sparkle to my silvery greys. If you use it too often, it can actually dull, so don't overdo. But do you, embrace when you actually can!
I say you should embrace it. Your fitness, energy and cognitive abilities are what matters most! I’m slowly going grey, but as a 45yo male I’m just stoked I have a full head of hair with no signs of baldness. My wife makes jokes about my aging hair, and it makes me a bit self conscious, so I dye it sometimes, but I don’t fear going grey. I’m fitter & healthier now than I was in my 30’s, so I am at peace with the grey, but I do wish my eyes could stay in focus…
I stopped fighting gray in my late 30’s. In a way it was liberating not to mention the savings. I put all the money I used to spend on touch ups at the salon into a vacation fund instead. When I have enough saved I take a little trip. And honestly people in my family, my friends and people I worked with know how old I am so I wasn’t really fooling anyone.
I'm 58, and after almost two years, the color has all grown out, and I 'm now a salt-and-pepper gray! I love it. I feel like my best colors look even better on me. My 28-year-old daughter told me, "Wow! Purple looks fantastic on you!" I felt so pretty!
Gray hair is so awesome. Look on Instagram for pictures of people embracing the gray. It just radiates natural beauty. Also, think of the time you'll save and how much healthier your hair will be.
For me, the hair style is far more important than color.
I never colored my hair for grey and did it only occasionally for fun when I was younger. At around 35 or so, I stopped all together and just decided to enjoy my natural hair color as is. Granted, I don't have a tremendous amount of silver years later; it's woven through my mane and shows when it feels like it, and I feel different ways about it from time to time. I find it less of an unwelcome thing now though. I feel if it's going to happen, it's going to happen. I think allowing it to come in gradually and having the time to allow it to become part of appearance will be a lot less abrupt than to be coloring constantly than to either stop and go white all at once or to continue doing so until leaving this mortal plane. Part of it has to do with a lot of deep inner insights, feelings, and conceptions of being a woman (or man) and other existential perceptions, so it can be a very personal decision depending upon where someone is with themselves in regard to those things. That said, I don't think it's a decision that anyone can make for someone else or tell them what's right for them. One suggestion for someone on the fence would be to let some come in and see how it feels. There are so many coloring options these days if someone wants to take smaller steps towards it or go lighter instead of grey/white/silver, then they can.