I’m trying to get the nerve to put some non-traditional color in my hair. I’m sure I’d have done it in my early years if such a thing had existed. But something is holding me back - not money at this point. Maybe a little worry that it’ll look stupid. I dunno. Maybe I’ll let my granddaughter choose for me.
I swore I’d never dye my hair, but did it once on a lark and liked the result well enough to continue. I went gray during Covid, then started dying it again, and after a few times decided I’d had enough. Now I’m through the yucky in-between stage where it looks like you’re behind schedule on re-coloring - my next haircut will get rid of most of the dyed parts.
I do want to try purple hair, or at least a purple stripe, and maybe that light turquoise that I see a lot of. I gather those weird colors wash out pretty quickly, so if I’m appalled by the result I won’t have to endure it for very long.
My grandmother continued to dye her hair through her late 80’s. Although at one point someone took her aside and mentioned that the black she was using might be a bit much at her age and suggested she try something lighter. So she spent her last decade or so as a redhead, which suited her just fine.
Then there are all the old ladies I see now with pink or purple or green or blue or multi-color - you do you.
Or stop coloring your hair.
We’re fortunate to live in a time and place where we have so many options.
Depends on the dye used. Some dyes are permanent, some wash out over time.
isn’t that typical for “getting older” (both male and female) … less time/effort spent on being beautiful, because why fight the obvious…
My wife’s hair went from long and lush to shortish/easy to do over a period of 2 decades (and a couple of kids in between) … most of my male friends are now “+50% free” in size … and I replaced the hair on my head with nothing.
so yeah … I guess there IS a reason, why people as they get older become “invisible” to others. you spend less (both dollars and non-dollars investment) … and get less of a return for that on “looks”.
Some dyes are meant to be permanent, but it depends on your hair. They all wash out when i try them. My friends use exactly the same brands of dye, and have even dyed my hair for me, and it lasts indefinitely in their hair.
I have myself a people streak four times, and liked it, but i gave up. It was just going to take too much maintenance.
In my journey to explore my own internalized misogyny, I think a big part of the issue is the whole concept of “attention seeking” behavior. This is a lot like “bossy”: it’s a word that is applied to small children of both genders, but once people start school, it’s used almost exclusively to describe girls and women, and it’s always very negative. There’s so much to unpack there: why is it bad for a girl or woman to want attention, or to be motivated by a desire to impress? When applied to a young woman, there’s the connotation that she wants sexual attention not out of libido but for some sort of validation she shouldn’t even need. When applied to older women, there’s a connotation that she’s pathetic and child-like. On one hand, I do think it’s good to be socialized to be willing to share being the center of attention. The world would be better if more men had been taught the art of gracefully sharing or transferring the spotlight. On the other hand, it’s gross that women are taught that their internal desire to sometimes be the center of attention is pathetic.
All of that is related to the language we use to describe women who modify their appearance, including beauty products. Blending into “normal” is fine, but anything designed to make you stand out is “attention seeking”.
What’s the cost to enhance one’s beauty in Dollars per milliHelen?
I started experimenting with makeup in junior high (70s). I’ve been wearing makeup every day since. I think my makeup is fairly natural looking. I don’t use fake eyelashes. I use foundation to even out my complexion, eye liner and mascara with a very light, beige shadow, a light blush and a tinted lip balm. I feel better with my makeup on. My face seems brighter and I look more awake. (I can’t explain it really.) I get my shoulder length hair cut every 8 weeks. I also have a skin care routine - eye cream and moisturizers. I don’t spend much on makeup. What I use lasts a very long time. I probably spend under $100/year on makeup and skin care. I don’t see what’s wrong with feeling and looking nice.
Say no more!
Sigh.
Why are you sighing? She didnt say it was the only way to feel and look nice.
This was an awesome typo.
I love that look!
Go for it!
I waited years after it first became a trend, and only regret I didn’t try it sooner.
The nifty thing about hair dye is, even if you don’t like the results, you can’t see your own head except by looking at a mirror.
It’s not like, for ex. getting a horrible manicure and then having to see your own hands all the time.
Eyes absolutely look bigger - and more alert-looking - with skillfully applied liner and mascara.
Anyone who doesn’t believe me can look up the myriad half-and-half pics and videos, where someone does The Full Monty (love that!) on, well, half their face, so you can see exactly the effects.
I wish some of the naysayers in this thread (esp. the men saying they prefer the “natural look”) knew that on the majority of those faces, they are wearing makeup. You just don’t notice it.
You notice the bad makeup, overly done or sloppily applied, but lots of good makeup blends (ha!) seamlessly into the background.
Kinda like how Olympic athletes or professional violinists or whatever make it “look easy” when it’s not.
I like the way you think!
I’m totally aware of that. I still like the natural look. One of my ex girlfriends had a natural look (with a little eye liner) but she didn’t put stuff on her face which I loved because she had the most beautiful freckles ever. One day (like fifteen years ago) we were in Nordstrom and walked by the makeup counter and one of the sales clerks offered to apply make up on her part of which was powder and blush(?) on her cheeks. Totally hid the freckles.
The clerk asked me what I thought. I honestly replied, “I liked it much better before”. The clerk was annoyed and said, “he’s a guy. What do they know?” Um…I’m her boyfriend.
I retired about a year and a half ago. That day was the last day I applied makeup. I packed up all the foundation, powder, blush, and eye stuff into a box and put it up onto my closet shelf. It’s doubtful I’ll ever open it again.
My only beauty expense nowadays is a slightly better quality shampoo (generic from Sally’s Beauty Supply), and, ummm . . . that’s it. Unless you count a haircut every three months or so a beauty expense?
Well aren’t you extravagant!! If twice a year is good enough for me, it should be good enough for everyone! And it’s Great Clips all the way - no foo-foo salon! 
I hope it was clear that I didn’t start this thread to judge. As a non-makeup user, non-fashion follower, I was truly surprised to learn what some women spend to enhance their appearance (for whatever reason.) I could say similar things about the cost of undergarments or jeans or shoes. But if I’m not having to pay for it, I don’t get a vote and in the grand scheme of things, my opinion is worth exactly what you pay for it!
Ha! My hair is long ( to the bottom of my bra) and I cut it myself every few months.
Not a thing! I also wear makeup (primer, eyeshadow, concealer) and I think it’s really fun to apply it. I look forward to that step of getting ready in the morning.
Not necessarily. I started coloring my hair 37 years ago and get it done every 3 months. It gets cut every 4 weeks. Yep, even through COVID. My hair will be highlighted when they send me through the crematorium. I’m not vain except about my hair. I do wear makeup, foundation, blush, and mascara. Used to wear eyeshadow, liner, and lipstick when I worked.
Oh, I understand it’s different for everybody. For me, I’ve very fair, and as I age, lighter hair color suits me better. I think I actually look better with the grey/white (I’ve some cool white streaks). My hairdresser had a high proportion of older ladies as her clientele. I used to cringe seeing some of these 80 and 90 yr old ladies with raven hair or Titian tresses. I think they’d have looked better with purple!
I personally don’t wear makeup, and there are several reasons why, which is neither here nor there. I definitely think I would look better with it, and more professional (for city council - work is not an issue), but it’s not in the cards for me.
I actually appreciate well-done makeup and think it is beautiful on both women and men. I have watched a good number of makeup videos and marvel at the artistry, like I do when I watch videos of people drawing or painting or creating other art. I also really appreciate when people find and nail their personal style and are able to keep themselves looking like “themselves” in the manner they prefer.
The only thing I do to myself is to keep my toenails painted. I like to go barefoot a lot, and wear sandals, and am barefoot in martial arts classes, so I keep pretty toes. I was doing pedicures for a while, which are nice, but it’s cheaper for me to take care of it myself.
I was in Ulta the other day and I just marvel at the “sales” of it all. There are so many beautiful, cute, stylish, sexy things. I’m not - and have never been - a “girly girl” yet I am drawn to all of it. I pick up so many things just to see what they do, how they smell, how they feel. I don’t want, don’t need and can’t afford any of it yet I still am very drawn to it. The marketing of cosmetics is something to behold!