http://www.care2.com/greenliving/real-beauty-gray-hair.html
Real Beauty: In Celebration of Gray Hair
By Cait Johnson, Assistant Producer, Care2 Healthy Living Channels.
When I was a girl, women like my mother never revealed their age because they feared being diminished in what was truly a youth-crazy culture. It followed that most women in the suburb where I lived dyed their hair at the first sign of gray, so my friends and I grew up never knowing what forty or fifty or sixty really looked like, or how beautiful natural gray hair could be.
Before you reach for the nearest bottle of hair-dye or call for your next salon appointment, read this: The idea of “moon hair” may change the way you think about gray.
Things are a little different now than they were when I was growing up. The graying generation is now a significant proportion of the population, with significant buying power. And while we could use that power to buy hair-coloring products, many women of my acquaintance are letting their gray hair show. In fact, two of the most vibrant and beautiful women I know have manes of silver-gray hair, of which they are justly proud. I look at them and think, “If this is what fifty-something and sixty-something look like, that’s fabulous!”
For several years now, I’ve thought of gray hair as “moon hair.” Moon hair is silvery like the moon, and it glints like moonlight. It speaks of all those sleepless nights we spend worrying over beloved children or companion animals or the state of the world. Those of us with moon hairs have earned every single one of them. They are a badge of experience, of caring and courage, and of the wisdom that comes from having lived. Together we form a sisterhood of the moon. Whenever I lie awake at night, I think of all the other women lying awake as the moon shines down on all of us, women who are sending the force of their loving concern to the ones they cherish, earning a few more moon hairs. And I am proud to let mine show.
related stories
-
(4 comments)
-
(52 comments)
-
(11 comments)
Robyn
Melissa
Deepak
Eric
Dave
Dr. Brent
Isha
Susan
Delia
Michelle
Wendy
Megan
Hilary
Ann
Judi
Ronnie
Kelly
Lily
Terri
Betsy
Cait
Andrew
Jana
Annie B.
Veronica
17 comments
add your comment »Christine- Congrats on giving yourself the gift of your real hair color! Consider Chazz Levi, a beautiful model, who, for her 40th birthday, gave herself the same gift! Only her hair is snow white! You can read about Chazz & so many other women who have transitioned or in the process of returning to their "roots" at http://www.goinggraylookinggreat.com. Here you will find the support you need to make this journey a fun & stylish one! Good luck!
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
Christine- Congrats on giving yourself the gift of your real hair color! Consider Chazz Levi, a beautiful model, who, for her 40th birthday, gave herself the same gift! Only her hair is snow white! You can read about Chazz & so many other women who have transitioned or in the process of returning to their "roots" at http://www.goinggraylookinggreat.com. Here you will find the support you need to make this journey a fun & stylish one! Good luck!
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
I am pleased to say that after my 60th birthday I too will not be dying my hair anymore. It just isn't worth it in the long run. My husband has moon hair, and looks better than he did in his youth. I began to dye my hair when I was working with children, and kept it up after wards. I am not comfortable with just being me. My white hair is coming in fast, and I will be removing the dye soon. I am hoping to have brown salt and pepper hair, for a while, then maybe white like my grandfathers and my uncle. All I can do is hope right now.
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
What lovely images you've created. I couldn't agree more. I have found the sisterhood you speak of at www.goinggraylookinggreat.com. It's run by beauty author and expert Diana Jewell. I highly recommend it. Right now, Ms Jewell is organizing a gathering of Silver Sisters in New York, in June. Three days of fabulous activities and events designed specifically for gray haired gals. Free prizes too! All information is on her site---please check it out. You'll love what you find.
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
A linguistic anecdote:
In Hebrew (my second native language), the word "levana" is the feminine form for "lavan" meaning "white". "Levana" is also one of the names for the Moon. So the term "moon hair" sounds even better in Hebrew...
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
I have been commenting for a couple years that as a teen my hair was sun streaked but now it's moon kissed.
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
Never dyed my hair, never liked it when other women did to make them look like someone they wished they were or like someone they used to be.
At 42 I have a few grey hairs here and there and I'm fine with it.
Not only is painting your hair bad for you, it is a symptom. Either you turn grey more-or-less when you "should" and accept that change in your life, or you turn grey "too" early which means you might have too many worries or some nutritional deficiency. Artificially changing the color won't change what lies beneath it.
Loved the "moon hair" image. Thanks!
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
There is a website devoted entirely to women with gray hair and women transitioning to gray. Really worth a look
www.goinggraylookinggreat.com
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
Thank you for such a wonderful article which finally tells the truth about grey hair. I myself have fabulous grey hair and never did it shame me. But my 'friends' were rather ecstatic about it, thinking it was a sure sign of aging. Now that I'm reaching fifty they are depressed because my radiant hair never had been an obstacle for people thinking that I was still under thirty! I love my grey! Grey hair is fresh and natural. I even love it more than my former brown color!
That is why I want to take the opportunity to advice young women who have greyed early. Don't let wicked jealous friends make you feel bad about your grey hair. Take care of it and it will never ever make you look old or ugly. I am living proof of that! And by the way, hair colorings are really bad for your health and hair. Even henna, henna will dry out your hair completely in time. Don't waist your money or time with that!
My grey hair is simply beautiful and has given me dept and character..and beauty.
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
I have to write...it's been nine and a half months since I stripped my hair. I still keep it short, and now all I have to do is wash and go. I get nothing but compliments about the color. People actually ask me if I dyed it this color, as it looks platinum. If you are thinking about it, go for it...if you still don't like it after 4 months, then go back. But give yourself a chance to have an adventure. Get to know the "true" you. You may be pleasantly surprised.
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
Facebook account: