# Should I Dye My Beard? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 13, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346 "2011-06-13T19:21:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ethelbert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@ethelbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ethelbert)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/1 "2011-06-13T19:21:54Z")
At age 61 I need to be on the job market again. I would like to look a little younger. While my hair is salt & pepper, my beard is all white. I will either dye my beard (and possibly my hair as well) or shave it off (the beard, not the hair). Anybody out there do this? Know someone who did? I like my beard & it is an important part of my self image, so I would like to keep it. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/2 "2011-06-13T19:28:59Z")
Word. I’m turning 49 in July. I’ve started using Touch of Gray on my head and dye on my beard. I simply hate how white my beard was getting. 80 % gray, and I look older. Now I feel a bit better about the look. Downside? Touch of Gray keeps some gray. The beard, well, I look like a GI Joe doll for the first few days because of how very uniform and dark it is. Tempted to try Touch of Gray in my beard even though it warns against exactly that. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/3 "2011-06-13T19:38:05Z")
For the record, I’ve used regular hair dye on my beard, and have had no trouble at all. I’m seriously contemplating taking it up again, since my beard’s now gone almost completely gray. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/4 "2011-06-13T20:22:17Z")
Clean shaven is the best way to appear younger and compete. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/5 "2011-06-13T20:29:25Z")
I’m 65, and have a gray goatee, while the hair on top has only a few gray hairs. Back when I was in my 50s, when the goatee started to turn gray, there was a period in which I dyed it, to match my head hair. It looked fake. I finally decided to either shave off the goatee or leave it gray. If you want to look younger, shave it off. If you want to keep is as part of your character, leave it gray. Anything but dying it. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/6 "2011-06-13T20:33:23Z")
> [@Al\_Bundy](#): > > Clean shaven is the best way to appear younger and compete. +1 I see older guys at our company dyeing their beards and it is very obvious. It says, “I’m insecure about my appearance!” That’s the last thing you want to communicate. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/7 "2011-06-13T20:35:33Z")
Guys, guys . . . where are the pictures? Scarlett, who rather likes her hubby’s graying bread, and so does he ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/8 "2011-06-13T20:41:15Z")
Soul patch, definitely. And get yourself some of those rectangular coffee-shop hipster glasses and a Bluetooth earpiece, and be draining the dregs of a Red Bull just as you walk in. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/9 "2011-06-13T20:43:05Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Soul patch, definitely. And get yourself some of those rectangular coffee-shop hipster glasses and a Bluetooth earpiece, and be draining the dregs of a Red Bull just as you walk in. Why does an image of Billy Bob Thornton keep popping into my head as I read this? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/10 "2011-06-14T00:45:27Z")
Dye. I look younger without the white patches. Don’t do it too dark. Better too light. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/11 "2011-06-14T00:58:43Z")
Shave it. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/12 "2011-06-14T01:13:04Z")
It seems to me that most men get grey hair in their beards either before or at the same time as grey hair on the head. So some grey on the head and no grey in the beard would look rather weird to me. Also, most 61 year olds look old enough that some grey hair - especially in the beard - is expected, and hair dye is obvious, and doesn’t often look all that good, since it’s rather obvious that it’s dyed. I’d like to think that this doesn’t play a role in companies deciding to hire qualified employees, but unfortunately, I think it does, and I think that in many men, hair dye is obvious enough that people may react negatively to it. Then again, dying a beard doesn’t cost all that much, and if it looks weird, you can always go with option #2 which is to shave it off anyways! So despite my first paragraph, I say go for it, see how it looks, and go from there, assuming you are willing to shave the beard in the first place! I’m also a little hypocritical, as I dye my hair, though I’ve done so continuously since I was 15 because I hate my natural colour and I’m (only) 30. I have no idea how much/or any grey hair I have! Though to, I guess, reiterate my first paragraph in different words, a man with salt and pepper hair and a grey beard looks normal to me, and, often, _good._ ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/13 "2011-06-14T02:21:07Z")
I have been dying mine for years. Trick is, use little and go much lighter than your hair normally is. I use a medium light brown…so even should I apply it for too long, it still doesn’t look like Tom Selleck’s ridiculous black dye job in the TV show Blue Bloods. One application lasts about two weeks. The whole kit lasts me about 20 applications. Put in a drop about the size of a cashew of the color, and the same size dollop of the conditioner (white goop). Mix with brush and apply on beard. The longer you leave it on, the darker it will get - five to seven minutes is usually enough - then shower and wash with soap. Don’t freak out before you shower because it looks so dark - it washes out. Remember - go LIGHTER - always buy at least one color lighter than your original hair color. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/14 "2011-06-14T02:50:19Z")
If you decide on the dye job be sure to do the skin patch test. Google “just for men reaction” for some horror stories. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/15 "2011-06-14T03:41:06Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > Dye. I look younger without the white patches. Don’t do it too dark. Better too light. If you’re going to dye it, absolutely this. Always dye a couple of shades lighter than your natural color. This helps to keep it from looking as fake as some dye jobs. That being said, I agree with those who say shave it off. Then get a tan 😃 Roddy ---
**Author:** ![unigeezer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/2acd7d/32.png) [@unigeezer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unigeezer)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2015, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/16 "2015-02-14T22:24:04Z")
I’m 60 and don’t dye my beard. Party because I’ve always looked at least 20 years younger than my age anyway, and also because I think it looks ok being gray. Just took this pic today. That’s a unicycle btw. I ride everyday to keep in shape. [http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii296/unigeezer/terrybeach.jpg](http://s267.photobucket.com/user/unigeezer/media/terrybeach.jpg.html) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2015, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/17 "2015-02-14T23:20:57Z")
> [@unigeezer](#): > > I’m 60 and don’t dye my beard. Party because I’ve always looked at least 20 years younger than my age anyway, and also because I think it looks ok being gray. Just took this pic today. That’s a unicycle btw. I ride everyday to keep in shape. > > [http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii296/unigeezer/terrybeach.jpg](http://s267.photobucket.com/user/unigeezer/media/terrybeach.jpg.html) Four year old thread, so you’re a bit late to the party. ---
**Author:** ![unigeezer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/2acd7d/32.png) [@unigeezer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unigeezer)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2015, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/18 "2015-02-14T23:38:28Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Four year old thread, so you’re a bit late to the party. I don’t like parties anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2015, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/19 "2015-02-15T02:31:56Z")
At 58, I tell people I dye my beard platinum. My brother dyed his beard, and it looked fake; originally we had red beards, and we dubbed his new shade “Aztec Sunset.” ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2015, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346/20 "2015-02-15T12:00:07Z")
> [@ethelbert](#): > > At age 61 I need to be on the job market again. I would like to look a little younger. While my hair is salt & pepper, my beard is all white. I will either dye my beard (and possibly my hair as well) or shave it off (the beard, not the hair). Anybody out there do this? Know someone who did? I like my beard & it is an important part of my self image, so I would like to keep it. Shave it off. If after you get the job you want to grow it back after you have established yourself there, then do it. Nice thing about beards is they grow back. If you want to look younger, shave it off. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-dye-my-beard/585346.md?page=2)