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Real Beauty: In Celebration of Gray Hair

posted by Cait Johnson Apr 9, 2002 3:34 pm
filed under: True Beauty, Body Image
Real Beauty: In Celebration of Gray Hair
11 comments

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.

More on Body Image (8 articles available)
More from Cait Johnson (396 articles available)

11 comments

11 comments

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11 Comments       add a comment »
Shanni P.

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!

Lisa Baker

There is a website devoted entirely to women with gray hair and women transitioning to gray. Really worth a look
www.goinggraylookinggreat.com

Luna L.

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.

Peggy Pieroway

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.

Going Gray

Gray is beautiful! Please view a new blog I think you will love!

www.goinggray.wordpress.com

Going Gray

Gray is beautiful! Please view a new blog I think you will love!

www.goinggray.wordpress.com

Lisa Baker

I too am letting my grey grow in (at 42 I'm about 70% grey)and wishing I could speed up the process. However, I had lowlights once and a colour wash once, and found they very temporarily blending the grey. I think I will just keep getting regular trims and be patient...I'd rather not spend any more time and money on hair dye of any kind. I am loving the silvery colour growing in and can't wait to see how it looks all over!

Lisa Baker

I too am growing out my dyed colour and finding it a very slow but endlessly fascinating process...I am loving the emerging grey and wish I could speed up the process. Originally I followed advice I found online that said "lowlight your hair to help the grey blend", well the lowlights were hardly noticeable and not worth the money. I think just getting it trimmed regularly and being patient is the only option for me. I don't want to cut my shoulder length hair too short.

Janette Mcswiney

Im growing my old colour out its taking so long to have shoulder length grey hair.Any tips

Sarah Lovelidge

I am 51 and have a silver mane already. People want to touch my hair as it is soft and shiny. I love being different. My family is so proud of me - I would never dye my hair. Thank you very much for the "moon hair" sentiment. I appreciate that very much.

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