Darlings, If you’ve struggled with whether to keep dyeing or to go grey once and for all – I hope my story can help you. It’s time to stop hiding your natural hair and embrace your authentic self. To tell you the truth, I embraced my grey hair ‘doin what came naturally’! I’ve always been an empowered and enlightened woman who dances to her own drum and likes it that way and going grey has truly been a natural progression of that!

My going grey story

For years I dyed my hair, using various hair dyes to streak my natural brunette hair with golden streaks of blonde. One day, on a whim, I allowed a hairdresser to give me a crew cut (don’t forget to have fun with your hair and switch up your style friends!). I watched in the mirror as my blonde streaks fell to the floor. You can’t imagine how mesmerized and shocked I was when I saw myself as a natural brunette with a few natural grey streaks!

Truth be told, I am fortunate that my natural grey came in white and bright, as not all grey does. And I was really lucky that the grey started in the front and center of my hairline giving my new short crew cut an artsy look! That was the point when I started noticing more gray hairs and realized I was turning gray, which made me reflect on my entire life of dyeing and the time I had wasted on maintaining a certain look.

After wearing my hair in a crew cut for a few years, I decided enough was enough with short-short hair. By chance, I happened to accompany my mother on a shopping trip for a wig.

To my surprise, the woman servicing my mom took note that I was trying to grow out a crew cut and came back with a wig for me! At that point, I decided to go cold turkey and stop dying my hair, fully committing to go gray. The wig was thick and long and made of gorgeous natural salt and pepper hair – my exact natural colour, perfectly matching my own. I bought the wig and loved it; adding another one just a few months later.

If you haven’t gone grey because the idea of growing out your dyed hair in front of the world has you panicked, try a wig! My gorgeous wigs saved me that initial stress and aggravation of growing out my crewcut, and in just two years I had a head full of hair with natural silver highlights. As my gray hairs became more visible, I started embracing them and decided to embrace my silver hair as a symbol of authenticity and self-acceptance.

Looking back, I realize how much wasted time and energy I spent on dyes and hair dyes, and how liberating it felt once I stopped dyeing and started embracing my natural colour. Deciding to stop dying my hair was a turning point that changed my entire life, allowing me to celebrate my silver hair and the beauty of turning gray.

My grey hair can look different depending on the light – sometimes more white, sometimes golden blonde, but I love it all the same.

Why I have embraced my natural grey

Don’t be afraid to embrace and celebrate your natural grey hair! Age is just a number after all! I believe confidence and self-acceptance are what truly make you beautiful – at any age, and across all ages! Embrace the wisdom that has come with those shiny gray locks! Don’t let people’s opinions influence your decision to go grey—choosing what feels right for you is what matters most.

I have taken the path of seeing my grey hair as having a look all its own. It’s a silver accessory. It suits my inner and outer styles. There is so much freedom in letting go of expectations and embracing your natural hair.

Embracing it may not come overnight, so give yourself grace. Haven’t we learned after 50 that life is full of new adventures? Just as we’ve experimented with a new style, a new haircut, or new decor – going grey can feel like an exciting new journey for life! This decision can positively impact the lives of women who choose to go grey, bringing greater confidence and authenticity.

Preparing to go grey

When you get the urge to go grey, prepare yourself mentally and give yourself some grace. The first six months are the most difficult. You will have to learn the art of patience! If you’re naturally impatient, consider my above thoughts on purchasing a wig (I started my journey by purchasing two, but this was just my experience). For those with long hair, growing out your natural hair colour can be especially challenging due to the length of the transition, but it also means you’ll benefit from fewer chemical treatments and less maintenance in the long run.

When I was preparing to go grey, I found a great and experienced hair stylist who had taken many other women through the growing-out process from bleached or dyed hair colour to their natural grey, and I saw her regularly! A knowledgeable hair stylist can offer advice on transitioning your hair colour and help you blend new growth with lowlights and highlights in shades of silver. During this process, you may find that you can go several weeks—sometimes 6 to 8 weeks or more—between salon visits, which saves both time and money. Over time, the money saved by reducing or eliminating dye appointments really adds up.

As your grey hair grows in, you may notice that it can appear darker or lighter depending on the lighting and the depth of your natural shade, giving your hair a new dimension and contrast.

I also knew I needed to update my diet and beauty routine to accommodate this new change.

How I updated my diet and fitness regimen

I began eating more omega-3 fatty acids, especially avocados and oily fish! Staying hydrated was also essential. Hydration is key! Drink drink drink water. Consider buying a stylish water bottle or adding things to your water to make it more interesting! My favorites are lemon, cucumber, lime, mint, sparkling Pellegrino to half a glass (who doesn’t love the bubbles?!), or even cubes of frozen fresh fruit juice. I saw going grey as an entirely new change in lifestyle and worked on my posture at a pilates studio (I still do!) where I learned to adore my core! I got plenty of sleep! Cells repair themselves during sleep and the body rejuvenates – including your hair.

How I updated my beauty and style

Since going grey was a change mainly in my looks, I wanted to elevate the rest of my beauty and style routine as well. At one point, I even considered blue-black hair as part of my style journey, embracing different shades to express my individuality before settling on grey. I began rubbing a small amount of argan oil in the palms of my hands and through my hair to give it a shine. I elevated my skincare routine by purchasing a new foundation, a different shade of blush, and lipsticks in shades of pinks, burgundies, and reds. Consider seeing a trained makeup artist who can help you find new shades that perfectly complement your new grey hair! Or try a great gift set like this one to find the perfect shade. I even purchased a few new pieces of clothing in grey and white and added some very cool silver and pearl earrings, too. Silver has become a new core color in my closet!

How I treat my gray hair

My weekly hair ritual involves visiting my lovely hairdresser, Colette, at Salon Duo in Chicago for a wash and style. During these visits, we sometimes use low lights to help blend my natural and transitioning hair colors, creating a softer, more dimensional look. I then follow up in the middle of the week with a wash at home. I have several shampoo and cream conditioners I use but at the moment, I love the Hair Biology silver shampoo and silver conditioner.

Inspiration from Other Women

Stories and Wisdom from the Silver Sisterhood

One of the most beautiful surprises on my journey to embracing my gray hair has been discovering the incredible community of women who have chosen to stop dyeing and let their natural gray hair shine. I lovingly call them the Silver Sisterhood. These women, from all walks of life, have shared their stories of going gray with such honesty and grace. Their experiences have shown me that embracing my gray hair is about so much more than just hair—it’s about self acceptance, confidence, and celebrating the beauty that comes with aging.

Listening to other women talk about their first gray hair, the moment they decided to stop dyeing, and the pride they feel in their natural gray hair has been truly inspiring. Some women transitioned from dark brown hair or black hair, while others let their blonde or brunette locks give way to stunning silver strands. Each story is unique, but the common thread is a sense of freedom and authenticity. These women have taught me that going gray is not about giving in to age, but about embracing who we are, right now, and finding beauty in our natural selves.

The Silver Sisterhood is a testament to the power of community and shared wisdom. Whether it’s tips for caring for gray hair, advice on handling other people’s opinions, or simply encouragement to keep going, these women have made the journey to natural gray hair feel less lonely and so much more joyful. Their stories remind me that beauty is not defined by hair color, but by the confidence and self-acceptance we carry with us every day.

How Their Journeys Empowered Me

Hearing the journeys of other women who have gone gray has been nothing short of empowering. Their courage to stop dyeing, to let go of harsh chemicals, and to embrace their natural gray hair has inspired me to do the same. I realized that I didn’t need to hide my gray roots or keep up with endless salon appointments just to meet outdated beauty standards. Instead, I could age naturally, celebrate my authentic self, and feel beautiful in my own skin.

The practical benefits have been just as rewarding. Many women in the Silver Sisterhood have shared how much money they’ve saved by ditching hair dye and skipping frequent trips to the hair salon. The time and freedom gained from not having to worry about roots growing in or scheduling color touch-ups is truly liberating. I’ve found, like so many others, that I have more time and energy to focus on the things I love—my passions, my friends, and living life to the fullest.

Perhaps most surprisingly, I’ve received more compliments on my natural gray hair than I ever did with dyed hair. Other women have told me the same: going gray has brought them more positive attention, more confidence, and a renewed sense of self acceptance. The silver strands that once felt like a sign of aging now feel like a badge of honor—a symbol of wisdom, experience, and the beauty of living authentically.

Being part of the Silver Sisterhood has shown me that embracing gray hair is not just a personal choice, but a powerful statement. It’s about rejecting the pressure to hide who we are and instead celebrating every stage of life. Whether you have dark brown hair, dark hair, or any other hair color, I encourage you to consider embracing your natural gray hair. You might just find, as I did, that it’s the most freeing and empowering decision you’ll ever make.

Going grey is a personal journey for every woman

As I sit in my ‘apartment in the sky’ watching the sun come up over Lake Michigan, I think of several friends and their choice of hair color. I would guess that 75% are bleached blondes. 20% are dyed brunettes, and 5% are naturally grey. What does that tell you? Darling, it is obvious. Grey hair is associated with growing old. Trust me, darling, just because embracing grey may make you feel older, you can embrace the wisdom that has come with your life journey, and of course, you can still be sexy and young at heart! Choosing to embrace your natural hair can be a positive and empowering decision, reflecting authenticity and self-acceptance. Many women find that their husband or partner is supportive and encouraging when they decide to go grey, appreciating the confidence and authenticity that comes with embracing natural hair.

Every woman, especially a woman over 50, has earned the right to strut her stuff; walk her walk, talk her talk, smile, be candid, and above all stay interesting. Whether she has gray hair or not is her choice. She still has earned this right!

In actuality, a grey-haired woman at any age may appear younger than their bleached blonde or brunette girlfriends because they have come to terms with their authentic self. She has decided to age gracefully. This woman can be over 50 or under 50, who can tell?

How do I feel after going grey?

I feel more powerful! I feel more honest and confident. I feel I can be more opinionated, and that others will listen to me because I have wisdom!

And truly, darlings, my hair suits me. I feel more comfortable now with stylish grey hair because I know am not pretending. My hair is salt and pepper just like my personality!

Having grey hair, for yours truly, is about attitude and authenticity. It is also emotionally appealing to push back against society’s idea of what makes a woman after 50 look beautiful. I feel I am paving the way for my friends, though I must admit no one has followed my lead! Still, I remember how one friend encouraged me at the start of my journey, reminding me that embracing my natural hair could inspire others. Oh well, la de da. Different strokes for different folks. I still love them anyway!!!

Now that I think of it…am I the only one of my friends who is naturally grey?!

 

Are you taking on the natural grey? Have you struggled with how to transition? What other societal norms for women after 50 are you fighting against? Comment below and share your story!