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9 Reasons to Stop Dying Your Hair: You Know You Want To

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I stopped dying my hair last year. I have not seen my real hair colour since I started experimenting with box dyes and Manic Panic in grade 6 and it was a mixture of things that have me back au natural. Sharing reasons to stop dying your hair in our latest post.

I stopped dying my hair but that does not mean I will never dye my hair again or that I judge you for dying yours. Quite the contrary. I love how colour can help you enhance or completely change the way you look. If something makes you happy and makes you feel like your best self then you need to do it. You probably should have already done it. Girl, take care of yourself and your happiness.

But if your roots are already what is considered a reasonable length for roots and happily settled into what I like to call ‘mombre’ this post may give you the push to stop dying it.

9 Reasons to Stop Dying Your Hair

You Can Get Adventurous With Cuts. Once my ‘mombre’ got so big that I reached a point of no return I chopped off a good 6 inches in one cut. I knew that I was going to have months when my hair was shorter than I was used to because I wanted to get rid of the blond as fast as possible. I chose a blunt bob or a ‘blob’ and just went with it. Was it scary? Yes! Did I hate it? Yes (as did my husband). But hair grows back and now it’s hitting my shoulders and I can almost get it into a ponytail. Once you get to the point of no return each and every cut gets you to your goal. Maybe you’re a total risk taker and get the pixie cut you’ve always secretly wanted. Or you play it safe and just trim a couple inches here and there until its all gone. I prefer ripping the band-aid off and going the dramatic route.

Growing It Out Ain’t That Bad. I love the look of a good ‘mom bun’ but when you are growing out your roots you can experiment with all sorts of different hairdos. My personal faves are messy braids that combine the perfect mix of messy chic.

It Looks Good. Genetics know what is up and you were given the best colour to match what you are already packing. My daughters were actually a huge push in me breaking up with hair dye. I love their hair colour and I don’t want them seeing me dye my hair another colour because I wasn’t satisfied with the one I (and they) have.

It’s In Better Condition. My hair has natural sheen now and it is so soft. I have about an inch left of blond hair at the ends and it is a mess of split, dry ends. I can’t wait to chop it off and have a completely natural look.

Your Hair Dries Fast. When I wash my hair I can almost completely towel dry in minutes. If time is of the essence then au natural is for you.

Saves You Money. Maintaining coloured hair is expensive. I don’t care if you are splurging for monthly visits to keep your tresses in tip-top shape or buying boxed hair colour off the clearance rack at the grocery store, it’s still costing you money. Add in all the fancy shampoos and hair care products to keep them coloured strands looking good aren’t cheap either.

Saves You Time. How long does it take you to get your hair done? When I was doing all over colour it took a couple hours but sometimes when I was feeling fancy I could easily spend half the day at the salon. Colour, highlights, trim, treatment, style and then you have to peel yourself out of a chair and do something. You can’t let a fresh ‘do go to waste so you know you were going out to show it off, even if it meant taking an extra lap around the grocery store.

Bed Head Is Not So Bad. When my hair was colour treated I used to wake up with a MANE of bed hair. It needed constant washing and styling to look good. Now I can straighten my hair in minutes and go on with my day.

It (Surprisingly) Helps With Your Self Confidence. Being comfortable in your own skin (and hair) gets easier as you get older. I always felt like having blond hair made me visible to others but I realized that I am visible to those who matter no matter what my hair colour is. Currently, it’s a beautiful shade of mouse blond.

Whatever your situation is there are some real benefits to stop dying your hair. Or not. You do you. You do what makes you happy.

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Aneta Alaei
Aneta Alaei

Aneta is a Toronto-based mom of four that loves a good meal, great company, and learning something new. In her free time, you can find her trying to keep yet another plant alive.

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58 Comments

  1. LisaM
    March 27, 2018 / 6:46 am

    I’ve had grey hair since my early teens. I find it funny people think I dyed it this way lol

  2. Leanne
    March 27, 2018 / 8:55 pm

    I’ve been thinking about letting mine grow out . It’s so hard to keep up with and costs a fortune .

  3. Joanne C
    March 27, 2018 / 9:10 pm

    I don’t think I can stop dying my hair. I have grays everywhere. I’m going to look really old. LOL!

  4. Aneta Alaei
    Author
    March 27, 2018 / 9:16 pm

    Its not for everyone that is for sure!

  5. Aneta Alaei
    Author
    March 27, 2018 / 9:17 pm

    If you’re on the fence maybe try highlights and go longer between visits. Makes the regrowth not so bad

  6. Quirky Homemaker
    March 28, 2018 / 1:59 pm

    I stopped dyeing mine in 2012 and became a Silver sister. Best decision I’ve ever made (about my hair anyway!)

  7. Maggie C
    April 1, 2018 / 11:51 am

    What a great list you have here. I have been dying my hair for years and now that I’m getting older, I find that I need to stop since my hair is not as in great condition as before.

  8. Florence Cochrane
    April 6, 2018 / 4:43 pm

    According to my roots when my hair grows a little I am totally grey. I would love to stop dying it but not sure how to go about it.

  9. John Mc
    April 7, 2018 / 12:26 pm

    Interesting article.

  10. Sandi C Tymchuk
    April 7, 2018 / 5:35 pm

    I was curious about my natural colour, so I let it grow out. I learned that my natural colour is very uneven, unfortuantely, and have elected to re-colour it, at least until the silver/gray comes in a bit more. It was interesting to wear it naturally, with varied reactions but generally support. I found your article interesting–thanks for sharing it.

  11. Erin N
    April 7, 2018 / 6:24 pm

    Good read -thank you! My hair has become so damaged from all of my at-home dye jobs :/

  12. Wanda Tracey
    April 7, 2018 / 10:41 pm

    I have tried to grow my hair out and keep cutting the ends to get back to au natural but haven’t succeeded yet.It is at a stage where it is slowly turning grey and showing too many colors. Thanks so much for the awesome feature though. I have not completely given up trying.

  13. Sara
    April 8, 2018 / 1:04 am

    I thought this article was about NOT DRYING your hair. Lol I am trying to embrace my natural color and I try not to blow dry as well 🙂

  14. AD
    April 8, 2018 / 2:33 pm

    I was never allowed to dye my hair when I was young; first time I did it, I was 22 years old and in retrospect I know that is one of the main reasons I have such an amazing head of healthy hair. I employed the same rule with the kiddos and they have a perfect scalp. I am starting to show white now, and I really do want to hide it, but I am careful how often and with what.

  15. Shirley OFlynn
    April 8, 2018 / 3:14 pm

    I have been thinking about letting my hair grow out. My hair is so dry from coloring.

  16. HEIDI C.
    April 8, 2018 / 10:18 pm

    After many years of getting highlights put in, I decided to stop and see what my actual hair colour is! I may succumb to getting some coverage again when I start to grey but for now I am going au naturel.

  17. Darren Scurbb
    April 9, 2018 / 11:13 am

    Great information that many people need to hear.

  18. Darren Scrubb
    April 9, 2018 / 11:13 am

    Great information that many people need to hear.

  19. Terri Baker
    April 9, 2018 / 12:45 pm

    These are all good reasons to stop dying my hair! I think I may give it a try and see how it looks

  20. Debbie White Beattie
    April 10, 2018 / 4:26 am

    I had because brown hair when I was a teenager but I wanted to put in blonde highlights but in the end I just ended up blonde and for many years I just loved it until 6 months before my wedding it all broke of at the back. After my wedding I dyed it back brown but eventually the grey started so I’m back to highlights again but I really take care of it now with good shampoo and conditioner plus I try to use good styling products and now my hair is really healthy and it looks great.

  21. Calvin
    April 11, 2018 / 12:53 pm

    Very helpful. I stopped dying my hair back in elementary school. I like leaving as it is in it’s natural form, it’s for the best

  22. Nate
    April 11, 2018 / 7:52 pm

    I do not use dye at all

  23. John Mc
    April 13, 2018 / 9:24 am

    For those who dye, information that many people need to hear.

  24. Tammi L.
    April 14, 2018 / 9:42 pm

    I only colour mine now when we are going away on holidays somewhere special, like a cruise! So that means that I can go a year or more in between. It is just a money issue for me!

  25. Treen Goodwin
    May 10, 2018 / 8:09 am

    I’m too scared to dye my hair lol , i dyed it once and it turned out horrid , never again lol

  26. kathy downey
    May 24, 2018 / 1:05 pm

    What a great post,I have decided last year I won’t be dying my hair anymore. I have grays everywhere but I have come to realize I can’t do this forever and all those chemicals can’t be good on my body!

  27. Tammi L.
    October 3, 2018 / 8:01 am

    I stopped dying my hair for financial reasons… If I am going on a special trip I may do it, but that’s the only time. It is just too much money and trouble.

  28. Shirley OFlynn
    January 12, 2019 / 12:30 pm

    My hair is becoming so damaged from highlighting. I’ve been thinking about just going back to my own natural color.

  29. cathydryade
    January 16, 2019 / 5:51 pm

    Dyeing hair certainly damages it. Much worse if you don’t use professional dye.

  30. Deborah
    January 25, 2019 / 7:30 am

    I have been using the demi permanent color it is easier on my scalp and fades gradually so there are no roots.

  31. Linda Bragg
    January 25, 2019 / 10:41 am

    I would not know how to act or feel not colouring my hair. All our family had premature gray and that goes for me also. It has been probably 50+ years I have been colouring my hair one way or another but mostly retouching my white roots dk. brown and then high lighting or streaking with blondes and reds. I still do the retouches but for the past 4 years not so much high lighting. Just because I get tired of doing my own and its way more expensive that I want to pay to go into the salons. (I am a retired stylist) When I lived in my home country, I had hair stylist friends that did for me so I got spoiled trading off services for each other…. since being here in Canada, I don’t have those “hair stylist” friends that I can do that with and since being retired its even harder. So I still do my own. Once in a great while I will treat myself and go out to the salon. I have always taken care of my hair with conditioning treatments so I’ve never been one concerned with the health of it going bad. And I have always had thick, manageable locks that pretty much do what I want it to do…. only wish I could snap my fingers and it would be long without having to go through that growing out stage…..lol thats why its kept shorter rather than long.

  32. Erin N
    April 29, 2019 / 1:51 pm

    I should probably stop dying my hair.. But I started going grey around 30 and I feel too young to have grey hair, so I tend it dye it every month or so. I do notice my hair is getting very dry and damaged, though 🙁

  33. JoKing
    May 1, 2019 / 8:50 am

    I have never been big on dying my hair. I’m usually just a highlights kinda gal.

  34. Lara
    July 1, 2019 / 5:50 pm

    Thank you for your post! I’m trying to regain my natural hair color after about 20 years of dying it.! Not an easy fix but much of what you posted rant very true! Thanks for your support and inspiration!!

  35. Elizabeth Matthiesen
    November 30, 2019 / 10:05 am

    I started dying my hair when I was about 45, that’s when the grey started to really overtake my natural colour (runs in the family). Dying it did make me look more like my age instead of 10 yrs older. I dyed it myself for the longest time and it took 2 hours from start to finish but as I got older I found it more and more difficult to keep my arms up for long enough to finish the dye job. So about 10 yrs ago I stopped, no way was I willing or able to splurge on a hairdresser to do it for me. I am now silver and I don’t mind at all now. 🙂

  36. Shirley P
    December 3, 2019 / 9:10 am

    I have only dyed my hair maybe five times I think that its very hard on the hair I would like to try highlights sometime

  37. Karen Evans
    December 3, 2019 / 2:29 pm

    I started dying my hair when I turned 15 years old (back in the ’70’s) off and on for about 30ish years I was every color under the sun. 😃😃 When I turned 60 I noticed several hairs. Although, being less Grey than many of my younger friends, I started dyeing my hair, but this time staying closer to the real colour. 😄 I find that twice a year is fine for me. Thank you for sharing your input on Hair Dye. 😁😁

  38. kathy downey
    December 4, 2019 / 9:45 am

    I an dye free almost 2 years now . It’s too much working trying to keep up with the gray and honestly I would rather spend that time doing something |I like !!

  39. HEIDI C.
    November 22, 2020 / 12:00 am

    I haven’t had the opportunity to get my highlights redone in over a year and, after reading your post, I’m not sure that I ever will! Thanks for the info.

  40. Darlene Burns
    November 24, 2020 / 10:41 pm

    I have not dyed my hair since i was in my 20s and now i am 50 .I just told my daughter the other day I’am gonna rock my greys when i get them .

  41. nicky
    November 24, 2020 / 11:10 pm

    I find this especially true these days. I stopped dyeing my hair (and let’s face it, even getting it cut) at the beginning of the pandemic, and it feels great.

  42. Cynthia B
    December 4, 2020 / 9:27 am

    I have also stopped dying my hair. I save a ton of money and I don’t have to worry about fading.

  43. Janet M
    December 5, 2020 / 5:21 pm

    I did stop dyeing my hair and am glad I did.

  44. Lynda Cook
    December 7, 2020 / 10:04 am

    I stopped colouring my hair for a few years now and I am so happy I stopped, my hair is so much healthier in fact it’s so long, I have never had long hair before, it would just stop growing, but I did get a perm because I need that extra body but with the help of my hair dresser my hair is doing wonderful! and I am never going to colour it again

  45. Shirley
    April 3, 2021 / 8:23 am

    I don’t dye my hair very often It does save money

  46. Florence Cochrane
    April 9, 2021 / 12:45 pm

    I got my last dye in my hair last week. I am going gray so I got foils and my hair lighted so the grey mixes in. I don’t like a skunk.

  47. Sandra McG
    November 8, 2021 / 7:19 pm

    I usually only dye it once a year….when the gray takes over.

  48. Aneta Alaei
    Author
    November 9, 2021 / 9:48 am

    It’s such a hassle

  49. Linda H
    November 11, 2021 / 1:58 pm

    I quit dying my hair a few yrs ago for all the above reasons and am happy that I did.

  50. Victoria Ess
    November 16, 2021 / 8:50 pm

    Agreed with a lot of these points — I used to dye my hair all the time when I was younger though. I couldn’t imagine being able to find the time nowadays.

  51. Kristin C
    November 30, 2021 / 8:27 pm

    I stopped coloring my hair during the pandemic and I do not miss the upkeep.

  52. Debbie S.
    November 24, 2022 / 2:07 pm

    I do highlights. But it is pretty expensive to keep up.

  53. Kathy downey
    November 26, 2022 / 8:48 am

    I stopped for years but after looking at the sad greys I went back to the bottle sadly.

  54. Suzie B
    December 8, 2022 / 6:43 am

    Wonderful points – I dont know if *I* am quite ready to not color yet… I dont know if I would FEEL like me without my dyed color!

  55. Kelly M.
    July 8, 2023 / 7:00 pm

    The word “more” made me laugh; thanks for that!

  56. Kelly M.
    July 8, 2023 / 7:03 pm

    Sigh. My comment was supposed to say “mombre” not “more.”

  57. Kathy Downey
    July 12, 2023 / 11:59 am

    Some great tips. I only blow dry in Winter….gives it a break !

  58. Janet M
    February 25, 2024 / 5:58 pm

    I enjoyed reading this to improve hair health.