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OK, this is just more of a rant/vent, don't really expect too much advice. I am just depressed with my hair. I am late 60s now, and my hair has gotten much finer and thinner than it used to be. I also let it go to my natural color, which I thought would be all silver by now, but it is actually a mix of brown, blonde and silver which sometimes looks OK when it is freshly washed but tends to look ashey and dull on subsequent days. Texture is somewhat dry and mostly straight but can get frizzy. I really don't want to dye it with anything anymore - I did that for decades and it caused many problems, so not going that route again.
Length is just past shoulders, all one length, it doesn't seem to grow much past that now - I used to wear bangs (most of my life) but hair is thin on top now, and I just don't think I can deal with bangs - I live in Florida and it's way too hot for bangs. I can put it up with some added "hair" and it looks pretty good, and when freshly washed it doesn't look too bad, but honestly it's all just really a struggle. I am not the type to want to fuss with it too much. Does anyone here have hair like mine, an if you do, how do you cope?
You aren't alone with your frustration. My hair is finer and thinner now, and I am only wanting to work with what I've got and keep it simple. I had somewhat thick, healthy, and low-maintenance long hair for many years. Near the time I turned 40, it morphed into corkscrew curls for 5+ years, which were completely baffling to me--what do I do with these?!--then gradually most of the curls fell out, leaving me with finer, wavier, and usually frizzier hair and a cupboard full of products I've purchased in the attempt to help my hair look stylish or at least groomed! Add to the mix the challenge of finding a talented hair cutter who doesn't butcher my hair into an unflattering, impractical haircut as we moved every 2-3 years (military family). Twice I had my hair cropped into a pixie cut because I was so fed up with dealing with my hair, but that too was a challenge because to maintain a pixie it has to be trimmed every 4-6 weeks.
I like the web site "The Right Hairstyles" because they have pictures of many different hair cuts on real women. The key seems to be finding someone who is exceptionally talented at hair cutting and working with one's natural texture. No easy feat! At the moment, my hair is in a bob just below chin length and I do very little to style it. But I love the cute pixie cuts on women of all ages. A great short cut really shows off one's face in the best way! My husband prefers short hair on me, so he's always been supportive of me getting it cut very short. And he understands how one's hair changes over the years, so I have never felt pressure to keep my hair long for him.
I'd cut it short....best for thin and fine hair, IMO.
Have it cut so volume is increased...lots of layers...blow dry!
ITA, I have fine & thin hair & it always looks better shorter, especailly as I age. IMO, long hair does not look good on seniors ( male or female ) Maybe condition it once a week, ( not every wash or it tends to be heavy & flat. ) A good cut can really help.
OK, this is just more of a rant/vent, don't really expect too much advice. I am just depressed with my hair. I am late 60s now, and my hair has gotten much finer and thinner than it used to be. I also let it go to my natural color, which I thought would be all silver by now, but it is actually a mix of brown, blonde and silver which sometimes looks OK when it is freshly washed but tends to look ashey and dull on subsequent days. Texture is somewhat dry and mostly straight but can get frizzy. I really don't want to dye it with anything anymore - I did that for decades and it caused many problems, so not going that route again.
Length is just past shoulders, all one length, it doesn't seem to grow much past that now - I used to wear bangs (most of my life) but hair is thin on top now, and I just don't think I can deal with bangs - I live in Florida and it's way too hot for bangs. I can put it up with some added "hair" and it looks pretty good, and when freshly washed it doesn't look too bad, but honestly it's all just really a struggle. I am not the type to want to fuss with it too much. Does anyone here have hair like mine, an if you do, how do you cope?
I know you said you didn't want to dye it but I have you thought about going the Henna route? It puts keratin back in your hair to make it really healthy and thicker. The worst thing it is an eight hour or so process. Also, people somehow are able to put brown natural something in the henna to keep it from being neon orange.
I so empathize gypsychic. What bug me the most is no matter how it's cut, styled, long or short, the slightest breeze whips it up and out and leaves it there, looking as if it had been styled by Mixmaster while around me, women have thicker or coarser hair that just lays back down in place.
My personal feeling is when we get older hair that is longer and all one length is not flattering on most women. I would definitely get it cut in a cute, shorter style with layers. If you have a small face and ears, you could probably even do a pixie. I look horrible in long hair because I am short and have a short neck. The only way it looked good on me long was to have it pulled up and I figured if I was going to do that I may as well keep it short.
As for the color what about the semi-permanent colors? Did those bother you also?
Hi everyone - thank you for all of your comments. For those who suggested very short hair - for me that isn't going to happen. I cut it short twice in my life and liked it for a week and let it grow back out Requires way too much maintenance for me and I like to wear my hair up, and do so often (it's actually my "go-to" style most of the time) I also just don't look or feel right with very short hair.
Re: dyes and henna. Tried henna several years ago and it was a disaster! Turned my hair a very brassy clown orange that clashed horribly with my brown eyes and golden skin tones. It did wonders for condition, however. I have also done the "demis" but they are actually permanent (they never washed out), built up on my scalp causing a basal cell cyst, so - no chemicals for me.
I may end up doing what I did a few years ago - I cut my hair just brushing my shoulders in a sort of "lob" - it looked thicker and it was still long enough to pull up into a tiny bun. My hair does look a lot thicker at this length because strangely the under layer of my hair grows much slower (maybe even terminal) and so the top layer ends up being very thin and wispy ends. The depressing thing is..... I am wondering if it will deteriorate even more as I age - I guess by then I will be forced to go the wig route.
It often looks pretty good when freshly washed and I rinse with lemon juice and "scrunch" it to get some body and wave. Waves fall out pretty quickly though and as someone else mentioned, the least bit of wind makes it look like a mess of tangled spider web! lol
Oh well, I tell myself it could be worse, at least I still have some hair.
The first link is for the album with medium short haircuts (the longest short cuts he has done). The second link is the salon's home page. I have never been to this salon, but if I lived close to New York City and had a wonderful friend to go down there with me, I would definitely make an appointment for a cute, gamine pixie haircut here. He really knows how to cut hair well! It amazes me how a great shorter haircut can transform a person's whole appearance and outlook.
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My hair is finer and thinner now, and I am only wanting to work with what I've got and keep it simple. I had somewhat thick, healthy, and low-maintenance long hair for many years. Near the time I turned 40, it morphed into corkscrew curls for 5+ years, which were completely baffling to me--what do I do with these?!--then gradually most of the curls fell out, leaving me with finer, wavier, and usually frizzier hair and a cupboard full of products I've purchased in the attempt to help my hair look stylish or at least groomed! Add to the mix the challenge of finding a talented hair cutter who doesn't butcher my hair into an unflattering, impractical haircut as we moved every 2-3 years (military family). Twice I had my hair cropped into a pixie cut because I was so fed up with dealing with my hair, but that too was a challenge because to maintain a pixie it has to be trimmed every 4-6 weeks. 
