Gray Hair No Longer Means Old, So What Does it Mean?

Jennifer Aniston, Salma Hayek, Andie McDowell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ricki Lake, and other celebrities are leading the way to embracing our grays.

Most women remember their first encounter. An intruder that may not be visible to the naked eye but haunting, soon as it rears its ugly head. It isn’t uncommon to fear those grays, being it signifies the beginning of aging. Science doesn’t lie, right? The older we get, the less melanin we produce, leading to the loss of pigmentation that gives us our hair color. It is inevitable and part of the natural process of growing old.

We cannot stop nature, you have two choices, dye or go natural. There isn’t a universal answer that fits all. Personal preference is a major factor in how people deal with change.

During the pandemic when the world shut down including beauty salons. Women had to resort to different means of covering their roots. While millions decided to let it all hang out and be less shy about their newfound distinguished looks, the rest of us looked for alternatives. As stylists were banned from working, people went back to dying their locks at home. Thankful for the option, many opted for the do-it-yourself method after years of visiting expensive hair care establishments.

Home dyes have been around for decades, it’s become a big part of our beauty routines. If you are reading this, you probably grew up watching your mother use color home kits. So, who do we thank for such an invention? French chemist and Founder of L’Oreal, Eugene Schueller created the first synthetic dye around 1909.  We didn’t begin the real war against grays until the early 1950s when Clairol gifted women with their first home color kit. Since then, we’ve had a love-hate relationship with the chemicals. The tug-of-war between pocketbooks and vanity has been dominating many of us for years.

I discovered my first gray around the age of 40. It was the best and worst of times, I was assimilating into a new chapter of life. A divorced, single woman with a little one in grammar school. Returning to the dating scene was intimidating enough, adding the stress of beginning to go gray was not comforting for me. Certainly, not the end of the world but it did fuel insecurities. 

While millions of women continue to cover up. Nature continues its steady course while women continue to rebel against unwanted grays. The post-pandemic era changed things. Something different was unfolding, millions came out of the lockdown sporting new styles. Lots of ladies started to own their individuality and try out silver looks! Could it be that gray no longer meant old? It depends on who you ask.

The standards of beauty set by society are hard on women. Perception plays a big role in our day-to-day lives. While gray-haired men are perceived as wise or mature, we are judged and seen as washed up. Unfortunately, in Corporate America, similar to the Fashion & Beauty industries, gray can instigate discrimination among peers. 

The great news is that trends are evolving. We’re seeing positive movement, as silver foxes are empowering themselves by showing up in their favorite gray. The styles encourage women to go bold with colors like natural, platinum, ombre, gunmetal, purple-toned, witch, blue-gray, salt &pepper, and bright white among them. Glamour published a piece on the newest craze that breaks it all down. The article describes how to grow, and transition, as well as, explains the differences between gray and silver. So, if you have been considering letting your grays hang, this can be a great time to check it out.

I have met twenty and thirty-somethings with salt & pepper hair. If you are going by how many grays on a person’s head then anyone can appear old, no matter the age. Whatever decision you come to about your own looks, remember that it is your choice. The fact remains, everyone is getting older. We have various levels of comfort.  Getting hung up on what anyone thinks is a waste of time and energy. Unlikely to change how people feel about the look but you can load yourself up with confidence about who you are and the beauty that shines through each time you walk into a room, regardless of hair color. 

Don’t allow anyone to steal your joy or cause you insecurity. Instead, maintain a youthful spirit, kind heart, and do what makes you happy. If that means dying your hair, you do that! The choice is yours.

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