Color your hair?

[Jani]

After much thought, I have decided not to color my hair. It’s been going white for some time and from the front it looks almost 100%. The sides and back are still mixed but changing rapidly. Since it grows a half-inch every four weeks if I color it I figure I’ll be stuck looking at natural roots, which would need to be regularly attended to. That sounds like too much work, not to mention expense. I also think that letting it be natural is sort of a badge of honor, that and I’m afraid of how the wrong hair color might look if it didn’t go well with my complexion.

I recently spoke to a friend who’s colored her hair for years. After her daughters upcoming wedding she’s done, no more color! When I’m out and about, I see a lot of women with silver or grey hair. So for you “older” girls with white or grey hair starting to show, what’s your thought? Hide it or wear it proudly?

Jani

[Guest Clair Dufour]

I find this is a very complex mixed bag and very much how us older folks see ourselves. Women who no

longer color their hair have accepted that they are now Crones or Wise Women who are no longer slaves

to their bodies as my late feminist bi wife would not only say but write in her stories. Of course she

and other crones carried the scares, sags and such that they had been there and done that. Others,

Joan Rivers being a good example, take fashion, facelifts and makeup to their grave. Some men do the

same thing. Don Johnston comes to mind. Now, I wear my hair long and even if a bit thinner has not

receded at all and no bald spot. I dye it, and get compliments of how nice it is even if they compare

me to some rock stars our age! NB, I need to move on to spray on makeup like them? Also, with a skirt

or shorts, they love my legs. Bless them! To be very honest, I don't want to be an old man or an old

woman but rather, one of those LGBT Gender Bending Acepting Kids who are our future! So far it seems

to be working.

[Charlize]

Unfortunately i have no hair to dye, style or let be natural. Well i could let the few hairs lurking at the edges grow but a quick shave keeps your question moot. I've played with different wigs and at one point got a gray one. I put it on for a cis female friend and she howled a big No. Since then i've stuck with a sale and color the makes me much younger than i am. Can't say i find that undesirable.

I think i would color my hair if i had any. i transitioned late and looking younger gives me a glimpse of a life i missed out on.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Guest]

I color mine. Nothing expensive.

In fact my wife does my coloring for me.

We color our hair the exact same color.

(Natural medium blonde.)

Im not willing ro go grey and neither is my wife.

[VickySGV]

My color is naturally red, and naturally, I go to my colorist every 5 - 6 weeks. It is relaxing and fun to be taken care of, and I have the plus of a stylist / colorist who has an MtF sister and accepts both of us wholly. At 68, the roots are the same color they were at age 60, so I don't know what color they would grow out to. I still have a whole slew of wigs from my pre-transition days and since my hair is a fine as it is, and will not under any circumstances whatsoever hold curl longer that 3 minutes, I still wear the wigs from time to time. Maybe in 10 years I will go for another color, or go natural, but at the minute my motto is "I would rather DYE than go gray!!

PS, even at my age, wearing a purple, or day-glow pink or a light pink wig is a lot of fun depending on the event I am going to.

[SoSarah]

When I was little I so wanted to go to the salon with my mom, my 3 sisters were the ones that got that option. My option was a butch hair cut by a male barber. I had no choice in the matter. I color my hair because I can ! (currently redish brown) along with getting my brows done and a good manicure it is such a gulty pleasure for me. My hair dresser of 10 years has become a good friend and has gave me many tips. I have to really budget for this, but the idea of completely changing a new style to fit my mood is fun and brings a big smile to me. Now let's go shoe shopping. Smile's... Sarah

[Cosmo]

It's a question of how much time and money do you want to invest. True white hair Imo Isla maintenance nightmare. Within a week there is a white line of demarcation traveling through the hair. I'm a stylist and my wife has the advantage of being able to have her hair colored and/or cut at her whim for virtually free. Big advantage.

For me, I'm nearly as white as a snow bank in Montana. I'm not into the high maintenance routine. I just started using the purple shampoo to remove the brassiness from blonde hair more than I should. Gives my hair a nice platinum blonde tone. Shampoo my hair, maintain my color.

[Guest Ladyinker]

I'm 45 and starting to get some grey, so I color my hair to match my natural color.

Erin

[tracy_j]

My hair had gone white and grey and really was a mess. Very course as well. Several years ago I decided to do something about it so coloured it.

The dye I use is Henna based and it has really softened my hair too. I absolutely love it and am willing to sit with a mud pack plastered on my head under cling film for an hour every three weeks or so

I have been complemented on my hair quite a bit and being a natural dye the colour looks natural too. I do find though that it is getting a bit more complicated of late as I have grown it.

Tracy

[StephanieVikingGirl]

My hair is a mix of white, white/grey, and blonde. From a distance it kinda passes for just blonde. I do occasionally color it, but I am still in the off season, so I am letting go natural for now. My boyfriend Alex is going to help me color it before the season starts. I like looking blonde, athletic, and young (never mind my 60's slang).

hugs,

Stephanie

[Guest Astrosmurf]

Don't forget semi-permanent dye is an option. It's not as harsh on your hair. It washes out in 2-3 weeks, so a good way to go if you're not sure on the colour. If you want to go black hair, you should definitely try semi-permanent first to see how it looks IMHO. Another advantage is that, depending on your natural colour, since the applied colour fades over time you probably won't get that sharp, obvious line of roots appearing as your hair grows.

My partner has white/silver hair which she intermittently colours blonde, and she uses that violet shampoo Cosmo mentioned too. It's a good effect, if not overdone she looks platinum blonde and the roots don't show as much. Too much looks like a pink/purple rinse has been applied, but that could also be a look someone might want to go for without having to apply permanent colour.

I think from observation the majority of older cis women dye their hair, and interestingly there's not usually the 'vanity stigma' that older men get for doing it. Many mature women don't dye their hair though of course, and I think that looks really beautiful sometimes, especially if the hair is long or woolly-curly. Since it's less frequent though, I think it actually draws more attention -- something you might (or might not) want to consider if you're transgender.