From Dye to Gray: My Decision to Embrace My Natural Hair Color

I stopped coloring my hair. In the scheme of things this might not seem like a big deal but for me it’s monumental. You see, I started going grey in my twenties so coloring was more than a 30 year tradition, except for when I was pregnant with my daughter. I’ve definitely made a significant contribution to the $23.3 billion a year hair color industry.

Why did I stop? I’m not sure but I think it was turning 56. I always try to do something life changing on/near to my birthday. 38, decide to have a baby. At 50, I ran a half marathon. 56, say no to hair color. I wish I could tell you I’m as happy with this decision as I was with the first two, but not yet. There are many days when I look in the mirror and wonder who that old lady is. I’ve always taken secret pride in the fact that I’ve always been told I don’t look any where near my age, that’s why I proudly proclaim how old I am to all and sundry. On the radio, on social media and I get tickled pink when I’m carded when buying liquor. Exposing the grey hair means those days are over.

I’ve wondered if this would affect my image in the working arena, if clients/listeners/colleagues would now perceive me as a dinosaur. So far I haven’t detected any difference in attitudes and it’s been almost a year since I said “sayonara” to the color spectrum.

There are perks though.  People are much more helpful, patient and courteous to me now. My hair has taken on a new vibrancy, growing back in places where it was thinning. I was tickled pink when my hair stylist told me a client came to the shop demanding to get her hair colored like mine and refused to believe the grey roots and black tips were a natural phenomenon, not done deliberately.

So I’m bravely battling through the whole new world with all the greys on display. After all my 18 year old daughter, the arbiter of all things style in our household has given the greys her seal of approval. Wonder if I should do the next thing she has suggested? Shave it all off and be bald and beautiful. Hmmm…….57 is 2 months away.