“One year ago today I decided to stop coloring my hair. At the time it seemed like a BIG decision because I couldn’t conceive of letting my silvers shine free. I’d been fighting/hiding them for so long (every two weeks to be exact) I didn’t know any other way of being. The superficial side of me worried about what people would think? Would I look older than my 46 years? Would I look like I had “given up” and didn’t care anymore? I kept having visions of my Grammie’s silver hair in rollers and wondered if that was where I was headed?
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I started thinking about hair dye and why it is we even do it? When/where/who said our natural hair color isn’t good enough or that gray or silver hair needs to be hidden. It’s strange if you REALLY think about it. Mind you, I’m not judging anyone who dyes because I did it for 20+ years and nothing felt better than a freshly dyed do. And I get wanting to mix things up out of boredom. Because let’s face it, it’s FUN to change your hair color. But when it gets to the point that it’s a drag and it feels like a have-to then I think it’s time to reassess the reasons for doing it.
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People say to me all the time “if mine looked like yours I’d do it.” How will you know until you try? I had no idea what mine would look like but I knew I could always dye it back again! I say have fun with it. Going gray/silver doesn’t mean you’re old or going to look like your Grammie. It’s all perspective and how you choose to rock it.”

“I’m Angela and I’ve been going gray for as long as I can remember. Throughout my 20s I got a lot of ‘Oh dear! But at least your face looks young!’ and, ‘That’s not real!’ or, ‘Wow, your job must be really stressful.’ But I never started to dye it! It just seemed like too much hassle, and I don’t think my hair looks bad! Recently I’ve gotten many compliments and people have asked me if I get my silver highlights done professionally.”

“My hair is not only a reminder of physical transformation but one of internal growth and transform and the journey to my true self! It’s completely freeing to embrace and display the natural and authentic person I’m becoming! I no longer want to be boxed in by societal pressures! No more hiding behind masks and hair dye! I’ll be 40 in a month and couldn’t be more excited to show the real me... almost a year into my going grey journey and I’m not looking back!”

"In many ways, this feels like a 12-step-program. 'Hello, my name is Shan, and I'm a colour-holic. I'm thirteen months dye free'. Might seem a funny way to think of it until I tell you my coming out story. A year ago spring, I was hit hard by vertigo. While vertigo isn't a life-threatening condition, it stopped my life in its tracks for nearly three months. But it didn't stop me coloring my hair. I remember sitting on the bathroom floor, head spinning, hair saturated with dye, waiting for the timer so I could rinse and return to bed. God forbid anyone see my roots. And It was then I realized how crazy what I was doing was. And why? Why was I hiding the silver? Who was I doing it for? What possessed me to do this every two weeks?! I didn't have the answer.
A little googling led me to @ericahjohnston a woman in the midst of her silver transformation and her story of serving in the military, being deployed overseas and making sure she packed her box of hair color. This was a woman going off to serve our country, braver than I would ever be, also afraid to let her roots show. She eventually made a decision to quit the color and share her journey. If she hadn't, I may not have stopped coloring. So now, thirteen months later, I would like to do the same for someone else. Pay it forward as it were -- to the ladies considering seeing what lies beneath. And to say thank you -- not just to Erica, but to the other women who’ve inspired me"

“Today is my 2-year of ditching the dye anniversary! This little picture is specially dedicated to all the women hesitating before taking that decision, or the women struggling during the transition and who'd like to know what a 2-year "silver growth" might look like. It's both an extremely long and extremely short process. To keep a memory of this special day, a picture with my mom who has come visit me for a few days. She's my main hair inspiration (and so much more!) and for the occasion, we've put on some red lipstick (we both never put on makeup) to rock this picture a little bit more! I had posted a similar #silvermotherdaughter picture about two years ago already. Time flies!!! "

“Getting closer to that full head of grey. I still get asked occasionally if I’m going to let it stay this way. I laugh because I can’t see getting this far and going back! It’s been almost 2 years since I made the active decision to stop dyeing and 2 1/2 years since the last time I did. 2 years ago, I was not at all comfortable with the idea, but I was less comfortable with the time it took to dye my hair, how quickly the grey returned, and most importantly, that it took away from time with my baby girl. I struggled with going back to coloring my hair for a good year after that. But now? I have an occasional thought of, “I would look younger with colored hair” when I see an old pic of myself or someone with dark hair who I thought was in their late 40s/50s who turns out to be in their 60s . But then I think, but why do I need to “look younger”? I look like me and I love my hair (most days) and what it is becoming. If I ever did want to change it, it’s not more than a box away. But this hair here? This shows I put in the work and I’m proud of that. I was always someone who was VERY comfortable in her own skin and dancing to the beat of my own drummer, not caring what people think as long as I was happy. This grey journey made me realize that I wasn’t as confident in my authentic self as I thought. It made me very uncomfortable, sad at times, down on myself. But I’ve come out on the other side and here to tell you, if you are on this journey, be patient and kind to yourself. Others may judge, but trust the process and yourself, and you will find your beauty, confidence, and resolve stronger for the journey.”

“Last week I had a working trip abroad and to my surprise, some people stopped me midway to ask whether this is my real hair colour and they complimented me for it (one even asked to take a picture with me, like oh-wow-I'm-flattered!). It's nice to know that more and more people are embracing their natural hair colour, the all grey and come what may. My daughter (left), along with her older sister, thought that I look nice with grey hair and they encouraged me from day 1.”

"Story time: I wasn’t originally going to be named Martha.

My parents had a different name in mind, but they never felt at peace and couldn’t figure out why. “Martha” wasn’t their favorite name, not even close... but it was the name of my mother’s mom, and my mother’s sister. My parents recall God leading them to name me “Martha,” and with willing hearts, they listened.

When I was six years old we lost my Aunt Martha to skin cancer. I was just a kid, but vividly remember her vibrancy and warmth. She was beautifully and uniquely complex, and at the time, no one knew that I’d grow up to become so much like her: an art lover with a knack for the eclectic, a woman with a heart for others and with a deep love of horses. Even the nuances of my eyes resemble hers more than anyone else’s. Apparently I look just like her when I’m mad, or when I chew. I have grown up to have more of her mannerisms than I’ll ever know. And as for my Mimi, my grandmother Martha, both aunt Martha and I have her distinctly fair skin (we were the only ones to get this in the family). I have her scent when I wake up in the morning, her same air-dried curls at the back of my head, and her emphatic love of dancing. ..

My mom gets glimpses of both of them in me. She says God knew just what He was doing in naming me. I miss them both, and I know my mom does, too. My name is a constant reminder that I don’t know the bigger picture and I don’t need to know (thank goodness for that). My concern is in honoring that which I’m called to, just as my parents did in naming me, even if I’m unsure. My name reminds me that I’m a part of an intricate design that’s more beautiful than I could ever realize. And guess what? You are, too. So if you’re feeling unsure (with your grey hair, your capability of doing “that thing” you’ve always dreamed of but are scared to...or whatever may be on your heart), deep breath because life is bigger than what is in front of you. Train for that half marathon, go for the promotion, or give those greys a chance. Hold your head up and follow your callings with peace."

“My gray hair under the evening light.”

“From ‘self-consciousness’ to ‘self-esteem’

“I started pulling my hair out (trichotillomania) when I was in 5th grade for many reasons, which very generally include the culturally- and personally-loaded significance of hair as a signifier of beauty and value for women. As I grew older, getting positive attention around appearance-related things can feel more than embarrassing; it can feel unsafe for me— as it does for many women who have survived trauma involving sexual violence. And it isn’t a coincidence that I started growing my hair out at the same time as I started confronting past traumas and undergoing treatment for PTSD. Letting my white shine has paralleled my winning battle with unjustified shame. My hair has also grown right along with my ability to practice radical acceptance and self-compassion, both works in progress.”

“I got my first silver hairs when I was 15. After health issues in my early 20’s, I stopped coloring my hair because I could no longer keep up with coloring my roots every other week and the dying was increasing my hair loss. Although it was an emotional rollercoaster in the initial stages of growing my silver hair out; things like being fearful no one would want to date me, or want to hire me based on societal norms. I was wrong! It’s been a journey of self acceptance and embracing. A silver lining in the end, literally. It’s been one of the most liberating decisions I’ve made!”

“My grey hair is what makes me unique. I get asked all the time who my stylist is. I’m proud to say that my hair is healthy and thicker because I chose to leave it alone. If you’re thinking about making the transition in your 20’s, I encourage you! Now is the perfect time thanks to recent trends in hair color.”

“I've always loved grey and silver. Beautiful women that I admired growing up were so to me, these colors represented the beauty of these great women. I'm the only female in my family who does not dye their hair (including my grandmother) and I'm okay with that! I'm embracing my natural color and I'm loving it.”

“Some women gradually start going grey. My temples and hairline went white overnight. Well, not literally, overnight, but it felt like it and from the comments I got from friends and family who noticed my roots under dye jobs, they agreed. I wound get asked all the time if was okay or under a lot of stress. I tried everything, at any cost to cover the white and my hair looked terrible and unhealthy all the time. When I was 42, it was my husband who suggested I stop the insanity and just leave my hair alone. Best advice I ever got! Now, I am the happiest with my hair I have ever been in my whole life. It’s all natural. All me. The freedom you feel is indescribable. And if you think for one second men exclude grey-haired women from being among the most attractive, pretty or beautiful ones, you are dead wrong! Go fo it!”

“‘Don’t be ridiculous!”’
‘Why would you do that to yourself?’
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Just a couple of comments I received in the beginning stages of letting my gray grow out at the age of 38. Funny, because now the comments sound more like:⁣
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‘Where do you get your hair highlighted?’
‘Omg, I can’t wait for my hair to start graying.’
Or the one I just received checking into my hotel, ‘Do you get your hair colored that way? It’s amazing!’
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Something that wasn’t so popular from the get-go has created a following of close to 5K on a Instagram account I started less than a year ago just to have a place to document without spamming my main social account with my hair progress. ⁣
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It’s a great reminder that people will always question you for being different, going after what you want in life or not living up to society’s standards but later deep down they wish they had the courage to do the same.”

"Honestly, it's taken me a couple of times to finally make the decision to stop dyeing my hair. I lost my hair to Alopecia last year and when my it started coming back, it was mostly white. My first though was "how cool is this!" But I let negative comments influence me to run to Sally's Beauty and dye my beautiful white hair back to dark brown. I almost immediately regretted my decision, especially within 2 weeks when I already needed to touch up my roots! I'm totally committed and excited each day in seeing my true self!!”

“12 months feels like a real achievement. Not only have I gone a full year without dyeing my hair but I have gained a new perspective on myself, ageing, self-esteem and confidence. Embracing my natural colour and texture has given me the power to say ‘this is me and I love it’. You would think hair dye would create confidence but it did just the opposite for me bringing anxiety as my roots would begin to show. With my silver hair, I feel unique and also as if I am part of a secret club. Ever see someone else with silver hair across the room and your eyes meet and you just sort of nod at each other in recognition? If you are just starting out on this crazy journey and are still unsure; it's so worth it, keep going! Oh and welcome to the club!”

“Last week was my 24th birthday and marks a year since I ditched hair dye. I started going grey at around 14 and always hid it, never speaking to friends or family and pretending the little silver streaks didn’t exist. Always thinking it would make me seem old or somehow not as beautiful. All the women I saw around me, on the TV and in movies had flawless coloured hair which made me think that was the norm.

It was not until I met my boyfriend almost 3 years ago, that I realised this “flaw” was actually a gift. Our grey hair is a beautiful highlight, a natural gift that only accentuates and not deters from our beauty. I can’t wait for the day that my hair is a radiant, beautiful array of grey and silver.

The Grombre page helped me so much in accepting my natural hair, letting go of my dark brown locks and embracing this new and exciting change. It’s still hard to be grey his young but I am trying my best to rock it confidently, I hope other girls my age feel they can do the same.”

"I’m 6 months into my grombre journey, and I’ve never been happier in my own skin. I started getting grey hairs at 18 years old, and I was taught to be ashamed of them. I started fighting against them - my hairdressers appointments went from every 8 weeks to 6 to 4, and even then I noticed silvery roots atop my dark brown locks in every photo taken of me in the last 10 years. It got to the point this year that I couldn’t afford the maintenance, so through necessity I had to embrace them. But that’s when my whole perspective transformed, because it was then that I found the grombre community on Instagram and it was such an inspiration. I wasn’t prepared for how liberating it would feel, to be able to sweep my hair back and not be frozen in self-loathing because of my “roots”. That feeling has completely vanished and in its place is self-acceptance, love and pride. I have found it so exciting to discover what my natural hair looks like and - especially when it’s shimmering in the sunshine - I can’t believe how lucky I am to have naturally silver, unicorn hair!"

“Uniqueness is a gift, and it is one that I’m happy to receive from my late father. It’s taken a great deal of patience to love my hair the way I do now, but the wait is WORTH IT! At 29 years young, I’m happy to serve as an example that a lack of pigmentation does NOT define your age or place in life.”

"The journey has been extremely liberating and made me realize that beauty completely lies in aging gracefully ... no point in trying to artificially cover up!"

“I decided 2 years ago to let my sparkles shine. It was really by default because we moved and I could not find a hairdresser who could get my color right. In hindsight, I was simply ready to embrace my true self. I never realized how much I would love my natural hair color. Nor did I realize how much better it would look with my complexion. I normally keep a pixie cut but decided to grow it out to see all the sparkles shine. I'm not sure how long I'll let it grow, but I'm certainly enjoying the journey!!”

“I started going gray in my early teens and spent over a decade coloring my hair every three weeks. About a year and a half ago, at the age of 28, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and lost my dark brown hair to chemo. When it grew back in, I realized that I actually loved my silver hair and resolved to never hide it again! It has been SO freeing to embrace this unique gift God has given me.”

“I’ve come a very long way and got to the point that I say no to any dying offer from my family without even getting hurt and believe that my confidence has changed point of view of some of my family and friends as I see more and more grey hair recently (with no shame or hiding) and that’s what makes me happier! I used to feel trapped in the fate of my hair color genes but now I feel the opposite. It has opened doors to the world that would have never experienced it if I didn’t have these greys. So yeah, I enjoy them all the time and can’t be more satisfied with my decision to let them grow grey!”

“I found my first grey (or silver as I’d like to call them) hair strands at the age of 17 and kept dyeing it dark brown or black until I was 34. As I then got pregnant I realized that I wouldn’t want any more chemicals in my hair or on my skin, so I stopped. This is me, three years older, all natural silver and very happy about it. And the funny thing is, I get more compliments for my hair now than ever before.”

“I am going to embrace my grey/ silver/ white what ever color this new hair is. Not because I want to prove something. Not because I am against chemicals.

Simply because it’s a hassle to dye my hair every 3 weeks. I was also embarrassed by the grey roots that would sprout out and nearly impossible to hide longer than a week or so.

It’s exhausting, I am exhausted!”

“I'm so proud of every woman (and man) who decides to leave their hair as it is. To let the gray, silver, white in all its tones simply be shows we are embracing a natural part of ourselves that many societies have deemed less than ideal. I've received so much positive feedback since letting my hair just be how it naturally wants to be. We are rewriting the story and seeing just how easy it can be.”

“In February 2019 something just clicked. I was done. I was ready to accept whatever was under the dye and make it work! It also helped that there is so much support and inspiration online. I read a lot of blogs, articles, and watched a lot of videos that helped give me courage. The two biggest things I have learned (and am STILL learning) are patience and self acceptance. This demarcation line isn’t my best look but I have to live with it before I can have the long silver hair I want. I also realized that my biggest fear wasn’t how others would see me, but how I would see myself. I was scared of feeling old and frumpy. But, grey hair doesn’t make you old! It’s just a color! Happiness and confidence is what’s beautiful! My biggest hope is that I can help inspire someone else to do the same. I still get the urge to color my hair sometimes but I just visualize how it will look a couple of years from now (So. Much. Patience.). I just have to get through this awkward grow out phase with a sense of humor (and maybe a little red lipstick).“

“This IG page was my inspiration to start embracing my grays. Last time I dyed my hair was on November, 2018. I remember feeling nervous about showing the world the real me at 26 years old, once I’ve been hiding my grays since I was 15. But seeing so many powerful women share their stories and their natural hair color, made me feel like a ‘normal’ person again and I didn’t feel so lonely in this going gray journey. This process of going gray is not only helping me (re) build myself but also boost my self esteem. I feel beautiful. You should feel too.”

“All my friends told me I was crazy, but I couldn’t care less.
The beginning was a little hard, but I never had second thoughts, even though I was constantly told that I would look prettier if I dyed my hair
My only regret is not having started earlier!
Happy to be free from the routine of going to the hairdresser every month and spending 2 or more hours of my precious time there.
Nowadays some of the friends that told me back there that I was crazy say that I actually look nice, while others still try to convince me otherwise. What really matters to me is that I am happy as I am!”

“I love my silver hair and feel that its an act of singularity to keep my natural color and wear it as a badge of wisdom and grace.”

“I just got married last month and had my silvers poking up front and center and I absolutely loved it. I felt so confident and comfortable being myself. I wish we could all embrace natural beauty and the natural aging process more.”