How To Embrace Gray Hair

For decades, people, especially women, have been told that going gray is something that should be hidden and covered up immediately. You’ve probably seen the commercials of an unhappy woman looking at her gray roots in the mirror, only to find happiness when she is introduced to a root cover-up. Forget every negative stereotype you ever heard about going gray. We’re here to tell you that going gray is not a negative sign of aging, nor should you shame yourself or let anyone else shame you for having one, a few, or a full head of gray hairs!

A TikToker recently went viral for sharing her praise for the Sarah Jessica Parker (aka Sex in the City Legend) wearing her naturally graying hair while out for brunch with friends. While there were people who showed distaste for the actress, many people, including the viral TikToker, absolutely loved how gray looked on SJP.  

Scientifically speaking, hair transitions to gray when the cells in the hair follicles become unable to produce melanin, which is a pigment that creates your hair’s color. This transition can happen at any point in a person’s life, not just when they reach thirty or forty. In addition to the varying ages when the transition to gray begins, the shade of gray differs from person to person. Some people may have more of a silvery gray, while others have a gray that’s more peppery. No matter the age or the stage of gray you’re in, it's gorgeous and we have a few tips to help you get through the transition smoothly.

Embrace the Early Stages 

Like we mentioned earlier, turning gray can happen to anyone at any moment in your life. I mean, we all saw that Cruella was born with her gray hair! Okay, so it’s not super likely to be born with gray hair, but you know what we mean. 

The early stages of gray can happen in your teens, twenties, thirties, or not until your 60s and beyond! No matter what age your gray kicks in, you should embrace the early stages instead of running away from them! Just look how much fun the natural beauty Tracee Ellis Ross is having with her new arrivals! Take this time to try out new fun hairdos that show off your gray roots, while still maintaining your hair’s health. You don’t have to switch to a purple shampoo just yet, but keep your strands strong with Wella Professionals Invigo Nutri-Enrich Deep Nourishing Mask. 

The narrative is changing, and you no longer have to fear the gray!

Cut It Short

One of the most difficult parts of going gray is maintaining patience throughout the transition phase. It takes white hair a long time to fully come in, so we don’t blame you for disliking your unexpected, and often uneven two-toned hair. If that’s the case, take this as a sign for you to finally get that short haircut you’ve been wanting forever, but have been too nervous to get! 

Depending on how far your gray hair has grown out, you can get a number of different cuts. You can get the classic pixie cut like Jamie Lee Curtis if your gray is fairly new, or opt for a sleek bob if you’ve been in this process for a little while. Style your new cut with a little bit of KEVIN.MURPHY SUPER.GOO sculpting gel to keep your hair chic while short! No matter what style you choose, you can’t go wrong with a short haircut to get a fresh start!

Let it Grow

If there was a model for how beautiful going gray could be, we’d expect it to be Andie MacDowell. She looks absolutely radiant in her natural transitioning hair! Not only is she showing that the process can look imperfectly perfect, but she’s also showing the world that salt-and-pepper gray is just as gorgeous as any other type of white, gray, or silver hair!

Embrace your inner Andie Macdowell and allow your hair to transition however it comes out naturally. Though, once you do hit this phase, it is time to reconsider your wash-day necessities. For this phase and all of those afterward, we recommend using the Keune Care Silver Savior Shampoo and Silver Savior Conditioner duo.