Dye gray hair or not?

Dear users, dear authors,
do you dye your gray hair or not?
What I’d really like to know, though, is: do you prefer to buy hair dye or bestsellers? ;-)

I’m pretty laid-back about this and don’t dye my hair, because every gray hair is well-earned ;-) :-) Besides, I think it’s ridiculous when people in their 70s or 80s still look just as youthful and blonde, red, or brown as they did at 20. Plus, constant dyeing damages your hair—it really takes a toll on it over time.

Best regards, Inge

And I still dye my hair—or have it dyed—I’m not ready for gray yet. Some people have a great shade of gray that I’d wear too, but mine just looks shabby—so I’m still blonde, just like before.

Veronika, my first mother-in-law was already gray at 30, just like my ex, and my daughters inherited it to some extent—the older one was also gray in her mid-30s, then dyed her hair, and the end result was that she was almost bald, so now, at just under 53, she’s completely gray, My middle daughter stopped dyeing her hair at 50 and said, “I’m not taking the risk like my sister—I’ll end up with a bald spot.” She’s also completely gray by now, only the youngest, at 47, still dyes her hair—but in her natural color—and thankfully, she doesn’t have that intense gray like her sisters do.
Thankfully, I inherited the genes from my grandma—she was still a brunette with just a few gray strands when she died at 78.

Best regards, Inge

I still get highlights so my hair isn’t completely gray.

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That’s why I still have a professional dye my hair, so it doesn’t suffer more than necessary. It hasn’t been that long, either—I was already a good 60 when the gray started taking over.
But I’ve also been thinking about gradually working my way into it with highlights at some point....

@ Veronika, highlights are a good way to “ease into it” :)

Right now, that question doesn’t arise for me. I don’t have any hair because of chemo. 😂 I didn’t dye it before, and I won’t start when my hair grows back either. I embrace my gray. Dye isn’t good for hair or skin. 
So I’d rather buy yarn, fabrics, and patterns.😇
Best regards, Marita 

Well, then you really have other things to worry about. All the best to you!
My best friend went through this a few years ago, and her hair has been more beautiful than ever since. In the meantime, she’s tried out different hairstyles and colors with wigs, and she was often pretty funny amid all the negativity whenever she showed up with a new look.

@ Marita, that’s really a different matter for you. You’re going through a difficult time, and then it doesn’t matter at all whether it’s gray, blonde, brown, or whatever.
I wish for you that it grows back beautifully... no matter what color ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

@ Marita, that really is a different matter for you. You're going through a hard time, and then it doesn't matter at all whether gray - blonde - brown -
or whatever.
I hope they grow back beautifully... no matter what color ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I can only agree with that word for word, all the best to you

Best regards, Inge

Just curious—depending on the lighting, my hair looks either very gray or not gray at all. Both photos were taken

one right after the other a little while ago. Love, Inge

Thanks for your kind wishes.
My grandma dyed her hair for a long time. Because that’s just what people did back then. At some point, she got tired of it and stopped. What can I say—she looked much younger with that soft gray than with that harsh black.
I think everyone has to find their own way to feel comfortable.
Best regards, Marita 

As a redhead, my hair doesn’t turn gray—it just fades.
And I don’t do anything about it.
I like my chipmunk look.

Hello,
I already had a lot of gray hair by my mid-20s. I had it dyed regularly at the hairdresser’s and dyed the roots myself in between. 
In my mid-50s, I woke up one morning with a swollen face and blisters on my scalp.
The allergist then found out: an allergy to hair dye and the black dyes it contains.
Two weeks of treatment with cortisone helped very well. However, I’m no longer allowed to come into contact with black dyes, e.g., jeans, bicycle grips, etc.
Now, at just over 60, the color has finally grown out and my hair is only gray now. But it doesn’t bother me, and I own it and actually like it now.
Plus, the positive side: no more dyeing means more time for handicrafts, and I can spend the money on yarn and fabrics :-)
@Marita: I wish you all the best and hope your hair grows back well and you get through everything okay.
Best regards 
Marina 

I was already pretty gray by the time I was in my late 20s. At that age, I thought it was still too early, so I regularly dyed my hair my natural color (dark brown). My hair always took the dye well because I have strong hair, but over the past few years, it’s become a hassle. At first, it felt very strange, and it took me some time to get used to the new color. Not so much the gray itself as the fact that I suddenly had light hair. That opens the door to a whole different range of colors. But by now, I’ve gotten used to the color. It doesn’t bother me in the least, and I really like it. And what does “gray” even mean? I’m rocking silver!

I’ve been dyeing my hair sky-blonde for 30 years because that was my natural color until my mid-20s. My mom and my grandma had beautiful gray hair that eventually turned white. I wanted that too (since my hair was getting more and more damaged), so I walked around looking like a zebra for a year. Now, no beautiful gray—just street-dog blonde with a few silver streaks—but my hair is really healthy again. That’s how I’m staying now that I’m 60.

@ Marita, I wish you all the best!

I’ve been dyeing my hair since my early teens and have tried every color under the sun.
My first gray hairs started showing in my early 20s, though even now at 49, they’re not really noticeable since I’m a natural blonde. I don’t switch up my hair color as often as I used to, but I still like to wear bold red and mahogany shades.
I don’t have to worry about brittle hair, since mine is very strong, and unless I get a sudden urge to let my hair grow out (which happens less and less as I get older), I keep it short.
I’m not afraid of my gray hair; I just can’t quite bring myself to accept the idea of wearing a light hair color, whether it’s blonde or gray.

Is gray hair generally more delicate? Does it generally require more care, whether it’s dyed or not?

Well, I don’t do any more hair care than usual.
But I’ve had a dry scalp and dry hair since I was a kid.
Some of my hair is as stiff as wire.

For me, hair care means applying oil to my scalp and hair overnight before my weekly hair wash.
I use either jojoba oil, almond oil, or coconut oil—whichever I have on hand.
Right now, I wash my hair with a solid shampoo, followed by a solid conditioner.

I don’t take care of my hair any differently than I did before. Unfortunately, because of my allergy, my scalp is still sensitive and will probably stay that way. I can’t use hairspray or styling products at all anymore. To wash my hair, I use a mild shampoo and a conditioner with almond oil.
About every 4 weeks, I do a hair treatment, also with almond oil. 

I’ve been dyeing my hair light brown for years. My natural hair color is “mongrel blonde” (medium ash blonde), and I just don’t like it. To be honest, I don’t even know if there are any gray hairs in there. 

It’s good to get into the habit of viewing hair care—with all the trimmings—as “me time.” It’s a way to treat yourself. However, you really have to pay close attention to WHAT you’re putting on your hair and scalp.

I used to dye my hair all the time. But everyone knows that hair grows back, and then the regrowth at the roots draws even more attention to the fact that you’re dyeing it. So once you get caught up in that cycle, you have to dye it regularly. That costs money and exposes your body to a lot of chemicals.

After going through cancer and subsequent chemo, I didn’t want to do that anymore. But since I was just over 40, I didn’t want to walk around with gray hair either, so I looked for plant-based dyes as alternatives for coloring my hair. These are mostly dried and ground plant parts that, once mixed, have to be left on the hair for hours like a “mud pack.”
A certain amount of heat is needed for anything to happen at all. So I’d wrap plastic wrap around my head and put a hat on top.

What chemical dyes can achieve in 15 minutes takes at least 2 hours with plant-based hair dyes, and the result isn’t nearly as perfect. The gray roots often aren’t covered, and if you’re unlucky, the color turns a bright orange.

But what bothered me the most was the smell of wet grass. It just wouldn’t go away, and it came back whenever the weather was damp. Sometimes the smell made me feel really sick.

Eventually, I decided: that’s it—I’m done with this. From that day on, I stopped dyeing my hair. The transition was a bit “colorful.” But once you get past that, it’s perfect. Never dye my hair again. What a relief!

Today, I’m silver-gray and have no problem with it. Instead, I wear glasses and clothes in bold colors. A beautiful, well-maintained silver-gray can look really great. But as always, it’s all a matter of personal taste.

By the way, my scalp is always dry, so I can only use Linola products. All the dyes and fragrances in other shampoos and conditioners give me problems. The fewer chemicals, the better.

Best regards, Ina

I used to dye my hair all the time, usually bright red or jet black.
I stopped doing it during my pregnancies. Now I like my hair the way it is. The first gray hairs are slowly starting to show.

I see it as a new stage in life ;).

I don’t want to dye it anymore—I’m actually looking forward to having gray-streaked hair. Among my friends, though, I’m pretty much the only one; they all still dye their hair, but they’re already much grayer than I am.

Warm regards and all the best to you, Marita!

Sonja