The day has finally come when gray hair is no longer associated with being old and unattractive, which truly is a hateful message to be associated with such a natural process as getting silver strands in your hair. Especially so when an average person starts going gray in their 30s! We beg to differ that your 30s are far from being ‘old’ and ‘unattractive!’ Of course, this healthy normalization of gray hair wouldn’t be possible without famous people endorsing it, so we found the pioneer celebrities with gray hair who are making society rethink their beauty standards and embrace natural looks. Ready to take a look?
What’s even cooler is that it isn’t only the guys who are rocking their natural hair color - it’s also the dames and even young female celebrities with gray hair who choose to flaunt their beautiful silver strands. Good for them and good for us! The more influential people normalize being and looking like yourself, the sooner unattainable beauty standards shift to positivity and inclusivity. Feels. So. Good! And if you’re wondering who these people are, you’ll, of course, have to check the list, but here’s a sneak peek - it’s Tia Mowry, Salma Hayek, Chris Pine, and Ellis Ross, just to name a few.
Now, ready to take a look at who else is wearing their silver hair proudly? Well then, scroll on down below until you reach the submissions! Give these people your love by ranking the pictures and share this article with anyone who still thinks that silver hair is reserved for grannies only.
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Jamie Lee Curtis
Andie MacDowell
Helen Mirren
Kids Health accurately explains that graying of the hair is a natural process of ageing. Without getting super nerdy about it, the roots of the hairs are surrounded by this tissue that releases the pigments that keep up our hair color. But as we grow older, these pigment cells die and so does our hair color.
As to the question of when that happens, it depends on your genes. Some grow gray starting at the end of high school, while others might never have to experience it. Though, on average, graying starts happening somewhere between early and late thirties. With varying results.
Jeff Goldblum
Emma Thompson
Diane Keaton
But graying isn't just a bodily phenomenon. Bored Panda has reached out to Kayleigh, hairdresser and hair extension specialist, owner of Diehard Stylist and co-owner of The Hair Shack based in Middlesbrough, UK, who elaborated that graying has a psychological aspect to it as well:
"There has always been a stigma attached to going gray, especially for women. We're brought up in a world so heavily opinionated on a woman's appearance. The thought of being 'old and gray' (as the saying goes) is something a lot of women fear as gray hair is associated with ageing, but in more recent years there has been a good movement on how women should see them selves," elaborated Kayleigh.
Pierce Brosnan
Keanu Reeves
This is just my personal preference, but I wish Keanu would stop being so scruffy. Is it so hard to keep your hair and beard tidy? Please don't downvote me, that's my personal opinion.
Idris Elba
Matt LeBlanc
To top it all off, there are different shades of gray (no, not that kind), and depending on how much your body likes to give you a hard time, you might end up with anything but what qualifies you as a silver fox or vixen.
Instead of something like silver or ash, there is a non-zero chance of developing yellowish gray hair, which is a complete bummer if you were looking forward to graying like Diane Keaton or Ted Danson. In fact, this is why there are discussions on the topic of why people hate graying.
But, at the end of the day, the best thing you can do is embrace it. Or dye it. But embracing seems like the healthier option.
Meryl Streep
Glenn Close
Morgan Freeman
Barack Obama
Jeff Bridges
"I'm The Dude. So, that's what you call me. You know, that or, uh, His Dudeness, or, uh, Duder, or El Duderino, if you're not into the whole brevity thing.”
So, OK, we understand why we take care of our young and beautiful hair, but once it grays, does that make it easier to care for it, or is it the other way around? Kayleigh explains:
"Yes and No. Colored hair will always need regular maintenance and upkeep, from root touch ups to refreshing faded colors, so depending on the person, this could feel like a lot of maintenance. Gray hair has a coarser texture when you compare it to non-gray, due to less sebum being created from the scalp. This could make hair a little more unruly to take care of from day to day. There are many brilliant products that are able to help with that."
Denzel Washington
Salma Hayek
Tom Hanks
Judi Dench
George Clooney
Omg I don't think it changed a thing for him he is still hotter then hell
"Going gray shouldn't be seen as a bad thing—it happens to everyone and it doesn't always happen at an older age. There are a lot more women going gray 'gracefully' and I'm totally for it! I think it looks cool," added Kayleigh.
"There are some characters in movies, etc. that have been going gray or had what's called the mallen streak: Sweeney Todd, Cruella DeVille, Bellatrix Lestrange, to name a few!"
The mallen streak is a streak/chunk of hair that has lost its melatonin and gone gray. It's been used in pop culture symbolism as 'evil' as it's taken from the Latin word 'malignus' meaning wicked. It's been used to signal female villains in some movies and has progressed into a popular style in witchy/alt girl culture."
Sam Elliott
Ian Mckellen
I'm not 100% sure what this refers to but I believe it is this. https://kafkadesk.org/2020/10/13/szfe-art-students-fight-for-independence-in-hungarys-intensifying-culture-wars/
Ted Danson
Rita Moreno
George Takei
Be sure to follow Kayleigh and her work on her Instagram here and here, but before you do that, this list continues past this point, so keep on scrolling for more lovely graying celebs, and let us know of your gray hair stories in the comment section below!
Mark Ruffalo
He seems like such a family man (have you seen the Halloween candy video with his daughters?)
Mara Brock Akil
Ryan Reynolds
Steve Martin
Patrick Dempsey
Tan France
Timothy Olyphant
Carole King
One of the most talented songwriters ever and an amazing performer. Talkin' bout a sweet season...
Brad Pitt
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Stewart
Tia Mowry
Harrison Ford
Adriana Lavat
Tamera Mowry Housley
I love grey hair. Why is Taika Waititi not on this list? He has gorgeous grey hair.
I was wondering the same thing about Mark Harmon.
Load More Replies...Why you were downvoted is a mystery...here is an upvote from me.
Load More Replies...Most of these people are 60 yrs or (much, much) older, like Judi Dench and Harrison Ford. Of course they look good at their age but it’s not really ‘letting their hair go grey’ at that point anymore, is it? Love to see younger people where this actually applies (who are mostly men in this list, like Reynolds, Olyphant and Ruffalo). Are there women around 40-55 who are visibly letting their hair go grey?
I noticed that too! I started going gray at 21, and now in my 40s I don't dye it anymore. But I always took great care of my skin so people always assume I'm 10 years younger and just highlight my hair to be this color!
Load More Replies...My grandmother and aunts went grey in their early 20's. I always thought it was beautiful. I couldn't wait for my hair to change, but I must not have gotten that gene.
My dad had an aunt who went grey in high school and her brother was severely balding by 20. That wasn't a gene that was passed down to him or me.
Load More Replies...Mostly men, who are never shamed for going grey. Lisa LaFlamme, Canadian journalist should be on here, she lost her job for going grey and a man got it, for getting hair plugs and dying his hair.
I looked this up. Likely untrue. The accusation she was fired for going gray was from an uncorroborated anonymous source cited by the Globe and Mail who claims he overheard it. She never corroborated the story, including to a watchdog specifically tasked to uncovering what made CTV a "toxic work environment" in the wake of her firing. She got CTV successfully sued for false reporting that toppled the Tory party leader. At the time, CTV claimed that she had a different philosophy about how CTV should adopt to the changing nature of the news cycle. "X had a different philosophy" usually means "X thinks they run things around here."
Load More Replies...And the fine lines … let ‘em happen! Nothing wrong with fine lines and wrinkles!
Thank you. From someone age 74 who is all grey. They call me The Silver Fox
I'll wager that every one of those people has a $$$$ hair stylist/colorist to get to a pretty gray color. My own hair is turning brownish gray which is reminiscent of a rat or field mouse. Bleh! Gotta color it.
Mine is naturally silver. However, my cousin's was not, so she uses a purple shampoo that minimizes yellowish tones and her hair looks great. Just ask for it at your local pharmacy or general retailer.
Load More Replies...I hope I live long enough to see people 'who now dye their dark hair blond & let the dark roots show' are older to see when they 'dye their gray hair dark' - will they let the gray roots show?
People should just let their hair go grey. Except all these child actors. It pisses me off whenever I see child actors from when I was already an adult who have gone grey. (Yes, I'm sorta joking)
Not only older people, lots of younger folks are prematurely grey.
Load More Replies...I love grey hair. Why is Taika Waititi not on this list? He has gorgeous grey hair.
I was wondering the same thing about Mark Harmon.
Load More Replies...Why you were downvoted is a mystery...here is an upvote from me.
Load More Replies...Most of these people are 60 yrs or (much, much) older, like Judi Dench and Harrison Ford. Of course they look good at their age but it’s not really ‘letting their hair go grey’ at that point anymore, is it? Love to see younger people where this actually applies (who are mostly men in this list, like Reynolds, Olyphant and Ruffalo). Are there women around 40-55 who are visibly letting their hair go grey?
I noticed that too! I started going gray at 21, and now in my 40s I don't dye it anymore. But I always took great care of my skin so people always assume I'm 10 years younger and just highlight my hair to be this color!
Load More Replies...My grandmother and aunts went grey in their early 20's. I always thought it was beautiful. I couldn't wait for my hair to change, but I must not have gotten that gene.
My dad had an aunt who went grey in high school and her brother was severely balding by 20. That wasn't a gene that was passed down to him or me.
Load More Replies...Mostly men, who are never shamed for going grey. Lisa LaFlamme, Canadian journalist should be on here, she lost her job for going grey and a man got it, for getting hair plugs and dying his hair.
I looked this up. Likely untrue. The accusation she was fired for going gray was from an uncorroborated anonymous source cited by the Globe and Mail who claims he overheard it. She never corroborated the story, including to a watchdog specifically tasked to uncovering what made CTV a "toxic work environment" in the wake of her firing. She got CTV successfully sued for false reporting that toppled the Tory party leader. At the time, CTV claimed that she had a different philosophy about how CTV should adopt to the changing nature of the news cycle. "X had a different philosophy" usually means "X thinks they run things around here."
Load More Replies...And the fine lines … let ‘em happen! Nothing wrong with fine lines and wrinkles!
Thank you. From someone age 74 who is all grey. They call me The Silver Fox
I'll wager that every one of those people has a $$$$ hair stylist/colorist to get to a pretty gray color. My own hair is turning brownish gray which is reminiscent of a rat or field mouse. Bleh! Gotta color it.
Mine is naturally silver. However, my cousin's was not, so she uses a purple shampoo that minimizes yellowish tones and her hair looks great. Just ask for it at your local pharmacy or general retailer.
Load More Replies...I hope I live long enough to see people 'who now dye their dark hair blond & let the dark roots show' are older to see when they 'dye their gray hair dark' - will they let the gray roots show?
People should just let their hair go grey. Except all these child actors. It pisses me off whenever I see child actors from when I was already an adult who have gone grey. (Yes, I'm sorta joking)
Not only older people, lots of younger folks are prematurely grey.
Load More Replies...