Brunette, black, red, blonde. Your hair gets its vibrant color from a pigment produced by the hair follicles called melanin. As you age, those hair follicles make less and less melanin, and your hair loses its color.
The most obvious sign of that decreased amount of melanin: gray hairs. Graying the hair is a natural, typical sign of aging. What’s more, that process may begin earlier in some people than others. Your genetic makeup also partly determines when your hair turns gray, so it’s completely normal to notice a couple of gray hairs before your 20s or 30s.
Gray-hair journey: I let my hair naturally go gray when I was 45. I’d been dyeing it for years and hated the time and expense of maintaining the color. It felt like losing the battle against nature because I always had roots. Now I never have to think about color and the chemicals I’m adding to my hair, which suits my low-maintenance lifestyle perfectly.
Transitioning tips: It’s an incredibly humbling experience. The stark contrast made me feel like I was airing all of my dirty laundry. I would put it up in a bun or ponytail to hide the line where the color changed. But if I were to transition today, I’d dye my hair a fun color, like pink, so it’ll be a look when it grows out.
Why I love it: The comfort of knowing I am being true to my natural self is a huge bonus. I am the youngest I will ever be in my life right now, so why not count my blessings, do what I want, and not be afraid to tackle challenges?
Advice: One thing that did surprise me once I went natural is how many compliments I receive, especially from women. They all say the same thing: how much they love my gray—on me. They’d love to go gray too, but they work in such an ageist field that it’d hurt their career if they stopped coloring their hair. I know we live in an ageist society. Still, instead of going along with it, I always encourage people to challenge norms and let their natural color come through.
Beauty tip: Defined eyebrows are really important. I like using Glossier Boy Brow and a little gold eyeshadow. Wearing heather gray clothes makes me feel washed out, so I wear pinkish-mauve colors—it adds a nice glow.
Source: health.com
