First of all, a little comparison for you - here's me approximately one year ago - about two months into the transition. :
And here's me today - new (natural!) hair colour, new hair cut, new glasses, (new wrinkles!) ;-) :
You can see then, what a difference a year makes - in fact, my transition to grey was complete waaaaaay back in November of 2013 (when I gave up trying to keep it longer and had the colour cut off in one fell swoop), and I've actually decided to stay with the pixie cut (at least for the moment). Turns out, I don't mind the shorter style, although I do miss the curls...lately I've been thinking that from here, I may try growing out a bit, to see how the natural colour looks with a bit more length. I don't think I'll ever be one of those people with a "signature" hairstyle - while I've been told the shorter length is flattering on me, I think I'd just be bored with the same constant hairstyle forEVER - but I will NOT ever tire of the natural colour! Gotta say, I'm still VERY pleased with the decision to go grey, and here are a few reasons why:
No more toxic hair dye!
After almost 30 years of dying my hair, I suppose the damage may already be done - but I'd like to think that it's never too late to take a step in a positive direction. It's a known fact that our skin absorbs everything we put on it, and sends it flowing through our bloodstreams. Goodness knows, there's already enough unavoidable toxicity out there in the general environment for my skin to absorb, without me eagerly adding to the problem by slathering my head with chemicals every other week.
A boost to the bank account
Whose finances couldn't use a little boosting? Even if money is no object for you, we can all use a little extra cash, right? Now, the money I would normally spend on salon visits and boxed hair dye from the drugstore can be put to much better use - for example, into a holiday fund, towards new camera equipment, and everybody's favourite....paying down debt. Yay! (Yeah, that last one isn't so fun, but in the long run, it's all good). :)
Self-acceptance
When I was dying my hair, there was nothing worse than reaching the point where you KNEW your roots were visible, but you hadn't had time to book a hair appt. or get to the store for a home touch-up kit. It was embarrassing - let's face it, we all have a little vanity in us, and when I was out and about with that tell-tale stripe at the roots, I felt...well, ashamed. Even if it wasn't the case, I felt I was either saying to the world that I'd given up and was just letting myself go - or that I couldn't afford to cover my roots. In hindsight, of course, that way of thinking was ridiculous - no one except me really cared, after all - but during the course of my transition, that way of thinking took a 360 degree turn for the better.
As soon as I consciously made the decision to grow out my greys, my whole way of thinking changed too. No longer was I ashamed to be covering up, I was actually excited about seeing the new growth. Who cared what people thought? I wasn't doing this for anyone except myself. Since then, I've read the stories of many women who experienced the same shift in thinking - going grey gave them the confidence to be themselves - in some cases, for the first time in their lives. For others, it may not be the catalyst to a major epiphany - but for me, I definitely believe it opened the door to acceptance - not only of the changing colour of my hair, but of who I am in general - especially at this time of my life. Ah, the wisdom of age! Turns out youth really IS wasted on the young... ;-)
So there you have it! Even if you SWEAR you will clutch onto that box of dye until your dying day (pun fully intended), you just never know if and when curiosity may get the better of you, and you will actually want to finally reveal those gorgeous silver locks you've been hiding all these years. :) Believe me when I say I was STEADFAST in my resolve to never give up the dye - and I mean N.E.V.E.R. Until one day - I wasn't! Perhaps then, if you've been thinking about it even just a teeny tiny bit, this post may help you decide to give it a go. Worst case scenario? You hate it, and dye it back! It's only hair! There are no rules. :)
In closing, a few resources that I found particularly helpful/motivating when I made my decision - this is the very first video I came across on when searching "grey hair transition" on YouTube - I dare you to watch it and not be inspired:
Other invaluable resources are the lovely Denise O'Neill's blog, "Grey Is Ok!", the Facebook group "Gray and Proud" (you may have to be signed in to FB - it's a private group, but just ask to join, they're a VERY welcoming group and a HUGE source of support), and the beautiful Louise Morgan's YouTube channel - to name only a handful. I also found the gorgeous (and grey-haired, of course!) model Cindy Joseph to be very inspiring - not to mention that I LOVE her BOOM cosmetic line - all natural ingredients and wonderful ease of use! Bottom line, there is a LOT of information out there - you shouldn't have any trouble finding a source of support that works for YOU! :)
A big THANK YOU to each and EVERY one of you who have taken even a fleeting moment out of your busy days and lives to take a peek at my little blog - this is the longest running blog I've ever started, and I must say, I'm enjoying it - I hope in some small way, you are too. Here's to the next 10,000 views! :)
You're beautiful! I love the smile in your eyes.
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