EMBRACING MY GREY: WHY I STOPPED DYING MY HAIR
To start the first article in The Ashen Mane, I will discuss my experience and perspective on going grey. If you want to stop dying your hair and feel overwhelmed, I get it! When I decided to go grey, everyone in my inner circle was dying their hair. I found no one could relate. I was on my own.
I decided to stop dying my hair when I was 49. I had been thinking about going grey for a few years, but I was concerned it would make me look tired and older. I was worried about what people would say—the judgement. So I contemplated. I thought about this a lot and felt funny for overthinking it, as I’m well aware that in the grand scheme of things, it’s a small problem (that was a big problem to me).
It became necessary to dye my hair every three weeks and use root coverup powders in between, as my grey hair would appear within a week of dying it. My scalp became sensitive and started to itch, and I wanted to stop this cycle.
I remember the last time I dyed my hair was in August 2019. I was getting ready for a trip to Manhattan. My fresh hair color started to fade on my roots the moment I washed my hair in the shower. I honestly don’t know if it was me or the water quality from the region, but all I knew was that I was fed up and done.
I was ready.
THE PROCESS
My starting point. As you can see here, my hair was dyed dark brown and extended past my shoulders.
I had already decided to go grey, but now the question was, how? What route would I take? Would I buzz it off? Grow it out, cold turkey? Wear a wig? What would I do?
Luckily for me, my daughter had an appointment at a new salon, so I decided to tag along to check it out.
When I met her new hairstylist, I liked her right away. When I asked her if she could help me transition to grey, she didn’t seem phased at all. There was no judgment or hesitation on her part.
We decided ahead of time on a plan. I would grow my hair out for three months and have a head full of highlights to help ease the transition and blend the line of demarcation.
The best pictures to showcase my experience are ones from real life on my phone - unfiltered. You get to see everything.
This process worked very well for me. It required using bleach, and I was OK with that, as I could grow out my hair on my terms. I also had fun being a blonde for a little bit. Below is the grow-out process. I used a lot of purple shampoo and had frequent trims. The entire process took 18 months. I was OK with having it short. I was also OK with the grow-out phase - a process and a learning lesson on patience. The last two pictures are from 2024 - 5 years later.
If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing. This is real life—an incredible learning journey that I truly enjoyed. What amazes me most is how healthy my hair is and how quickly it grows.
Have you thought about embracing grey hair like I have? If you've already started this journey, what was your experience? Check back regularly for more articles on pro-aging, timeless beauty, and the empowering transformation of going grey.
