Tags
beauty, fashion, Going Gray Gracefully, Gray Hair, hair color changes, Hair Dye, New Year's Resolutions, style
I’ve toyed with the idea of giving it up for at least six months, but in the end I always end up reaching for that bottle one more time. It is a socially acceptable form of addiction but I have decided that, for me, enough is enough. I’m giving it up…and I’m going public with it.
I am a member of a minority group. It is a hereditary condition but you won’t hear about us on the news. Out of politeness, when people catch a glimpse of the truth, they pretend not to notice. I always find that amusing, “Come on, people! That’s about as genuine as telling Rudolph you really couldn’t tell his nose is red!” But I am no longer going to live in shame or hide behind the bottle (which I have had to rely upon with greater and greater frequency.) It’s a habit I simply can’t keep up with anymore.
The truth is: I HAVE GRAY HAIR. (Gasp!!! Say it isn’t so! You’re so young!) Yes. I have gray hair and not an insignificant amount. I got my first gray hair some time in elementary school. I couldn’t tell you what percentage of my hair is currently gray because I have dyed it for so long I’ve never let it grow out enough to know how much of it has turned. But I’m now going to find out.
I’m done with the chemicals, and mess, and endless roots that need to be treated…well that part might take a little while until it is fully grown out to my natural color, but I’ll suck it up because I believe the end result will be worth it…A totally natural me. Don’t mistake this for “letting myself go.” As I have begun research for how to go about embracing my silver and white strands, words like “gloss coats,” “leave in serum,” “deep conditioning,” and “specialized shampoo,” are everywhere, as well as the need to get a consult for new make-up as the new hair color changes your entire palette. But I fully intend to “own it” as a friend put it when I announced the news. It will be my own fashion statement, if you will.
My mother has had a gorgeous silver mane since I can remember. As far as I know she has never dyed a hair on her head but gets more hair compliments than anyone I know. Society, who tells me I “shouldn’t” have gray hair until I’m at least 60 can suck it. (Excuse the language). I’m embracing it now at the ripe old age of 34 and will, from time to time, catalog my transformation here on the blog. That’s my confession: the naked truth about my hair color, and I suppose I have just stumbled upon my resolution for 2013!
Here’s a picture of my mom at my wedding. I have a ways to go before I get there but it’s something to aspire to:
sarahsjoys 
G!ood for you! I admire these young women with the beautiful silver hair and have always wished to have that myself. Now that I am at the “right” age for silver hair, it won’t turn! It is about half and half. My mother never was gray so I suppose there is not much hope I will have the beautiful silver
Thanks! Now that I’ve made the decision, I’m just anxious for it to grow in all the way! And I’m hoping there’s a lot, which is funny considering how long I’ve spent fighting it. 🙂
Go for it! I love Faith’s grey hair. Heck, you can use various wash in colors for a bit as you transition over (roots and such). I think it will look beautiful. I know friends even before 40 that are now doing botox – I think it is time for us to all rise up and fight the notion that we all are supposed to look 29 years old FOREVER.
Amen, sister! Besides….My 30’s have been FAR better than my 20’s were!!!
I had just made the decision [I thought] to stop coloring my hair and own my grays, but gave up about a week ago. Partly because of color, but mostly because of cut/shape of my ‘do. My grays [that I’ve had since my late 20’s] are so spotty – maybe if they started coming in more fully I would be a-ok with letting them shine. I admire you + your decision. I don’t know what my mom’s grays look like because she’s died her hair blonde since she was in her teens, and my dad’s thinning so I can’t get an accurate picture there. If my parents had hair like your moms, though. Wow. SO lovely!
Thanks! I say ‘go for it’ whenever you are ready. Maybe you’ll love it! But it is decidedly a personal decision for every woman. I know the hardest phase when be when it is halfway grown in. I’ll probably be tempted to get a pixie cut just to be done with it. It looks super cute on my sister but I know it would look terrible on me!!!
Wow! Thanks Sarah. I guess I never even considered coloring my gray because my mom always fussed over Dad’s beautiful head of silver so much–and he had a full head of it until his dying day at 81. Dad’s beautiful hair was always something to be proud of in our family. He got it from his mom, my Grandma Lee. And when attending his older sister’s funeral a few years ago, I discovered that it was family trait long before Dad got his first gray strand. “Oh, you got the Schultz hair,” (Grandma’s maiden name) a long-lost cousin told me (in a room full of long-lost cousins I might add, half with the family locks). Well, who knew? So, welcome to the Schultz clan Sarah. We have a long line of silver heads in our history. I kind of think that’s something to celebrate.
Thanks mom! Me too! 🙂
Hey, you aren’t alone in your grey. Hope and I are younger than you and are each steadily getting more and more grey. Mine actually seems to be coming in straight white. I kept hoping since I had Dad’s fine hair I wasn’t gonna get the “Lee” hair, but now that I’ve stopped highlighting it and the grey’s coming through, I actually kinda like the shine it gives. Now if only it wasn’t quite so coarse! It stands out against the rest of my super-fine hair… Oh well. 😛
We need a cousin’s picture featuring all our ‘Lee’ white hair! 🙂 Mine is super fine as well…shorter hair tends to look better on me. I’m interested to see how the texture comes in. I’ve heard that occasional ‘gloss’ treatments or deep conditioning can help it not be course and can help with ‘flyaways’ and ‘frizzies,’ I’ll keep you posted whenever I end up trying anything!