Is Gray the New Blonde?
Is gray the new blonde? Some influencers seem to think so. Reflecting on this, I thought how a subtle, cultural shift has taken place in the past few years. Fueled by COVID, many women were forced to abandon their long-standing hair color appointment. With COVID shutting salons nationwide, most had no choice but to ditch the dye. Without options, I stopped coloring too and abruptly ended my thirty-three-year consecutive streak of cut and color appointments. It could not have happened any other way. It was COVID that made me do it.
Brainwashed at an early age by my own mother, she warned me of the dangers of showing my grays. “You’ll look old,” she cautioned. Not one to mince words, my mother never left you guessing where she stood on things.
The ancient Egyptians mastered the art of hair coloring, but the systematic cover-up of women’s grays was pure Madison Avenue. Major corporations and beauty brands built their reputations and fortunes convincing women their gray hair would age them. Colored-treated hair kept a woman looking youthful. So effective was the messaging, that for many women, their grays have never seen daylight. I know this to be true. At ninety-three years old, my mother had a regularly scheduled cut and color appointment in the books.
Growing out your natural hair is not for sissies. I speak from experience. It takes true grit to endure the curious stares of strangers, eyeing your hairline, as I went about my day, sporting a hideous head of calico colored hair. Comments were equally disheartening. The two ladies chatting nearby, who spoke just loud enough for me to hear one of them say, “What better way to age yourself ten years than by going gray?”
Not everyone, however, was clutching their pearls. A wave of social media influencers displayed their beautiful gray locks. True, these glamour girls would look gorgeous with paper bags on their heads. Nonetheless, they gave me hope. It challenged my greatest fear that once grown out, my hair and I would resemble Sheriff Andy Taylor’s sweet Aunt Bea. If that does not ring a bell, think of Queen Elizabeth for the picture. But these fit and attractive women did not represent your typical “grandma gray” and they certainly did not look old.
During the long COVID restricted months, I came to enjoy my newfound freedom from the expensive and time-consuming dyeing process. And without the chemical processing, my hair felt healthy. With one good chop away from ridding myself of color treated hair, I thought deeply about what reflects my age.
Regular exercise and a nutritious diet contribute to your visible appearance while a love of learning and a willingness to embrace new ideas are the hallmarks of staying young. Hair color plays a role in outward appearance but does nothing to enhance overall health or vitality. Still, hair color is a personal preference. It reflects individuality and self-expression. Although once used exclusively to cover gray, these days, men and women use all hues and shades to change the color of their hair.
I just knew it was time for me to say goodbye to the dye and the process that had been my routine for so long. A taste of life without coloring had quelled my fears. I liked my natural dark hair with plenty of silver and white highlights sprinkled throughout. This was not a matter of letting myself go, but a way of letting me be me. A youthful appearance is a function of good health and attitude. And I planned to work on both with a full head of my natural-colored hair.
Bit by bit, that’s all she wrote….