To colour your hair or not

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Wow - yet another cutting edge topic for you my dear readers!

I've been going grey since I was 22 (first year of teaching - I blame that bottom Year 9 class) so this is a topic I've been thinking about for a while.

I like watching the TV book review show on the ABC called 'The First Tuesday Book Club' and I've noticed recently that one of the panelists, Marieke Hardy, is going grey and doesn't appear to be doing anything about it.  She's the 'young' panelist (she's 34) in comparison to the other contributors.

I feel so heartened every time I see her grey hair that I think, 'oh maybe, I can let my hair just go'.  But then I look around and watch the world passing me by and so few women have grey hair.  The only ones that seem to have noticeably grey hair are those with a beautiful full head of white hair.  Not many patchy, in between people like me wandering around.

My personal theory is that if suddenly all the hair colour ran out and nobody coloured their hair then we wouldn't even notice.  We'd all be going grey together.

Today my friends are going slowly wrinkly together.  But if every second person started getting botox when they turned 30, then those who didn't use botox would look considerably older and more wrinkly. It feels the same with grey hair.  When I don't colour my hair I look older because not many women my age have grey hair.

I'd love to see more women with grey hair on TV.  Male news readers can go elegantly grey.  Women just don't.  Men must have more free time and more money without the whole hair thing.

Comments

charissa said…
At least people are pleasantly surprised to realise that you are a lot younger up close than you look at a distance!! My problem is I often do a double take when I catch my reflection unexpectedly because I still think of myself as having dark hair!
July 26, 2010 at 4:32 PM
Michelle said…
I'll be 32 on Friday and have quite a few greys...and I have long hair. I often feel the same as you. In some ways I like the greys. They are a very obvious reminder that we do live in a sinful world and that my body is getting older and dying. But I do also look at everyone else with their lovely coloured hair and want the same!
July 26, 2010 at 5:25 PM
Deb L said…
Yep. This is a current question for me. Not very profound, I know. But I'm 34 and my hair is now lightly streaked with greys. The next year or two are probably the decision time: will I dye or just grit my teeth and go grey? At least the choice is "dye" not "die". Could be worse. I personally would be fine with going grey. But I do feel I'll look like the odd one out. And I don't want my kids being the only ones with an old-looking mum. It's becoming less and less common to see natural hair on anyone over 30. What to do! At the moment, I'm telling myself I'll hang in there and go grey. But that resolve will get harder to keep, I know.
July 26, 2010 at 8:36 PM
Kath said…
I have a box of hair dye on top of my bathroom cupboard. I get it down periodically and consider using it. Last time I even opened the box. Regrowth and all its hassles puts me off...And a stubborn wish to be the one who doesn't succumb.
The weird thing is that I used to dye my hair a lot in my twenties, and all sorts of shades. But now I just feel like it would be giving in.
Then last month, my neighbour alluded to the fact that I would be pretty if I didn't have greying hair. Which makes me want to dye it and also (emphatically) not dye it.
What to do?
Indeed you have picked a cutting edge topic. I love it!
July 26, 2010 at 8:58 PM
Pip said…
Decision time for me too. My concern is partly the expense to maintain a good colour. Spending money on 'beauty' treatments just isn't something I can justify.
July 26, 2010 at 9:02 PM
Beck said…
Here's what you need to do. Work out how many years younger the braces make you look and take it away from the years you figure the greys add on. If you come out about even then go for it! (Also subtract several more years for having the body of a young thing who looks nothing like she's had 5 kidlets.) Love you - you gorgeous thing :)
July 26, 2010 at 9:53 PM
Jenny said…
Aww - thanks Beck. The braces mean that it's hard to justify spending any more money on my face/head. So maybe I'll just go grey with my dodgy teeth and then in a couple of years, when I have sparkling new teeth, I'll pay to get my hair done. I'll be unrecognisable ;)
July 29, 2010 at 10:27 AM
Motherhugger said…
Jen, I'm just going to go grey. Couldn't be bothered dying it (the chemicals aren't exactly wholesome). Curious to see what happens. And I've earned these stripes!

Funny how I dyed my hair and wore makeup when I was younger, freshfashed and darkhaired, but now I'm older and probably could use the deceptions to greater effect, I just don't care.
August 6, 2010 at 6:59 PM
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