Gray hair was associated with knowledge and wisdom for a long time. And it is still there in this society. Now a day, women are shamed of having their gray hair and use many dye colors to cover it. The norm for women under the age of 60 for the longest time is dying your hair at the first sign of any silvery sprouts.
The new wave of women letting their silver locks flow is the same spirit of all the growing trends of body acceptance.
Martha Truslow Smith is 26-year-old and she has decided that enough was enough. She has created the Instagram page grombre to give support and positivity for those women who choose to embrace their roots.
Celebrities like Lady Gaga have certainly helped push the acceptance of gray hair along with the promotion of the silver/platinum ‘trend.’ Now it’s coveted and embraced to have gray hair rather than hiding it.
There are some women who have decided to ditch the norm of constant dye jobs and embrace their natural look.
Their stories have inspired many people to join this activity and do the same.
Martha said: “Don’t fret over other’s opinions, instead, follow your calling, and you’ll surprise yourself with how strong you are and where your path will lead you.”
“Deciding to let my white hair grow in was a moment of acceptance of who I am. My hair color does not define my youth! I feel young, healthy, & beautiful. Having white natural hair is empowering!! Love not being controlled by societal standards of beauty but my own. I have never colored my hair…I love not being a slave to dying it. Not to mention it is massively better for my natural curls.”
“I was 12 years old when the boy I had a crush on pointed out my first grey hair. He meant no harm, but I was mortified. Since then there were years of plucked hair and boxed dye.
It has now been 4 years of growing out of the roots and fully embracing the grey. 26 years old and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“My name is Lhin. I am 37 years old from Thailand. I have had gray hair since I was in high school. It keeps changing the color more through the years.
I had to dye my hair almost every month. Four years ago, I decided to let my gray hair grow out and embrace my natural color.
Despite some mean comments from neighbors, I didn’t care and went on with my daily life. Nowadays, I am asked by people all the time, “where did I get my hair done!?”
They love it and want to have this color too. I love my hair and I feel blessed that I embrace it and let this color become me. I am happy to see this grombre ladies out there.
Thank you for raising awareness of people around the world. I want to shoutout for someone who is struggling with a similar story like me; keep being yourself and embrace it.
Because you are absolutely beautiful in your own way!”
“I’ve been greying since the age of 13 and I’ve never dyed my hair. Furthermore, I’ve been growing it since 12 and I have entirely forfeited cutting it five years ago.
I’m profoundly happy with the way it looks. The color and length combined are one of my favorite attributes. Never have I ever felt like it made me look older!
Instead, it gets me the sweetest and most magical compliments, some of which I’m sure you’re familiar with: looking avant-garde, otherworldly or like a fairy, an elf, or Frozen-Anna.
My current life on an organic farm somehow resonates with my natural hair, and for me, it’s another way for my femininity to shine through. I hope to inspire as many as possible, to be brave enough to embrace and show who and what they truly are on the inside.”
“Born in grey and black hair. First female in 7 generations! I was teased incessantly because kids are jerks so I started dying it when I was 14.
When I had my first son at 29 I noticed the gray become white in the front so I began to just leave a streak out and dye from the streak back like a rogue from X-Men.
About a year and a half ago my stylist told me that all my gray was now white so we went for it. I feel like I found hardwood under the carpet! I’ll never go back.”
“Hope everyone had a Happy Mother’s Day!
I get it from my momma!”
“Think of all that living you get to do when you stop masking your true Self”
“I had been coloring my hair for fun and dramatic effect since I was 16.
When I started to go gray, coloring my hair stopped being “fun”. It felt like I was hiding something that I was supposed to be ashamed of.
About 5 years ago, I decided to go gray. All on its own, my hair became what I’d been trying to achieve for years through dyes — dynamic, unique, and vibrant. It feels so good to just be myself.”
“I am almost 47.
After coloring my hair for almost 25 years, I am embracing my transition to Wise Woman, part of which is allowing my hair to grow in with its natural color…silvery grey.
My hair has always been my vanity, and being a redhead has been fun and liberating, but spiritually and emotionally, I am deepening and ready to share what I am learning with others.
As a dear friend says, ‘I am connecting to what feels true inside over what society has given as the rule book.’ To everything, there is a season.”
“I didn’t always love my grey.
If I’m honest, some days Sheba (my mane’s name) and I have a love/hate relationship. Greying early was kind of a shock. Old people are supposed to be grey, right?
I couldn’t take it so I started dyeing it. I soon grew tired of it, because the greys always came back. One day I decided that I’d had enough.
It’s been about 4 years now, and I haven’t looked back. Allowing my silver tresses to show themselves has been liberating.
There are times that I wake up, and I’m over it. I want to dye it away, but I know that I never could. It’s mine; kind of like my trademark.”
“Hi! I’m from Guatemala City, Guatemala.
I started noticing grey at the age of 11. Now I am 30. Haven’t colored my hair in 4 years.
My mom, sister and I have the same hair color”
“I have had patches of grey in my hair since I was 13.
I have dyed my hair over 50 times since then (8 years ago!) and now I just embrace it, pretend I’m Rogue from X-Men and have a grand old time!”
“I stopped dyeing my hair at 33 and I have never entertained the thought of going back.My skin tone has changed; dyeing my hair just wouldn’t look right now.
It means that people rarely forget you and I’m quite comfortable with that.”
“My mom, my aunt, cousins, myself…anyone with my grandmother’s lineage has had early grays and I finally stopped dying. It has been the best decision of my life.
At first, my grandmother criticized me but I said this was us. This was our hair. She finally stopped dying this year. And tonight, she complimented my hair. Hers is platinum white.
She said I dyed it white. I said this was all mine. And she smiled. I’m 33 and she’s 78.”
“My mom said I always had a small patch of silver from a child but not noticeable (I don’t remember seeing grey hair as a child but my hair was thick and long so my mom would comb it and put it in really funky styles).
As a young adult, I had dreadlocks but I would dye them black so they would look “healthy” and shiny.
About 6 years ago, my hairdresser at the time said, “why are you dyeing these wonderful greys?!! People are paying to put grey in and covering yours up!”. I stopped and embraced my silver patch.
When I cut my locs off, my “mojo” (yes, that’s what I call it) burst forth in all its glory… Did I say how thrilled I was to find this community?”
“Well… let’s talk about funny stuff. Silver hair has its quirks too, right?
The one I laugh about the most is this one: do you remember when you had a hair tickling somewhere in your back after a bath and you couldn’t find it?
But then you would go to the mirror and bingo! there it was, you could see it.
Well, not the same anymore!
Now I pray that all the falling white ones find their way because they just stay there tickling and I can’t find them immediately because I can’t see them! The struggle is real #silversisters!
Tell me the quirks you found!!”
“It is the second time I do the « experience » of this transition. The first time was 3 years ago in 2015.
I let them grow but then decided to cut them very short, I didn’t find a real proper way to arrange them, neither a new style, then they grow again and I suddenly tied them with biological vegetal brown color, as I was feeling less sure about myself.
And also because I like to follow my desires even if I change my mind.
But somehow I felt sad to have covered my « inner light » again and decided this year, after months working on myself (meditation, reading and applying lots of self-development books, drawing, taking time for me out of my last job), to let them grow naturally, not only the color but the natural movement of my hair. And it matches perfectly with my state of mind and mindfulness.
I think it represents how every woman/human has beauty and light and freedom inside her. And I’m proud of being part of a movement that spread courage, a healthy lifestyle and self-acceptance around the world.
Others are helping me and I’d like to help others wearing that white (and grey) flag on their head and learn that patience really worths it. Time reveals treasure when you take it.”
“I’ve wrestled with grey hair my entire adult life. It was so much hassle keeping up with it, and I was also often embarrassed when I saw photos of myself with the grey roots peeking through!
I finally decided to quit the dye summer 2017 and embrace my authentic self. It wasn’t always easy at first, but the more it grows out the happier I am with it…
one of the best decisions I could have made.”
“Most thought I was crazy for giving up the dye at 44…at times I thought I was…maybe I am!
But if I could just let others “feel the freedom” that I have for just a few seconds…
freedom to pull my hair back…freedom to have healthy, natural hair again….freedom from the time spent on having to dye it every 4 weeks…freedom in my own skin…
freedom from what others think…then they’d know why!”
“One year ago I embarked on this journey: the journey towards natural hair.
I had no idea what to expect, both in terms of outcome and of the journey itself. Some of my friends almost begged me to go back to colour, as apparently I was about to commit the unforgivable crime of looking older.
I may look older now, but I have rarely been as happy with myself as a whole during this transition so far. I have learned to love me for who I am and just the way I am, and I owe it to my hair. I often hear that it is only hair, but the truth is that there is more than just hair involved.
To those of you on the fence, give it a try. If you do not like it you can always go back to colouring your hair! . 13 3/4 months into transition – 11 3/4 months post blending”
“Changes. Changes are normal.
The most normal in the world, but why are changes so difficult for us?
Is it the fear of not being seen by society, or the fear of losing oneself? ‘You’ve changed so much …’ A big insult these days that you jump right out.
But should not we be proud of ourselves when we change (positively)? It is good to change, to see the world with new eyes and to be seen by the world with new eyes.
Discover more and get to know each other from another side.”
“I started getting grey hair in college. From 2001-2015 I dyed my hair dark brown in an attempt to hide my natural hair. I’m not sure the exact moment I decided I was finished with covering up the real me, but it was the best physical decision I’ve ever made.
I was so afraid that it would make me look older, especially since my husband has such a babyface.
I would argue that at age 35 I look the best I ever have, and if that’s not true… then at least my confidence is the best it’s ever been!
I often get strangers asking me about it, or complimenting it.
Even without the compliments, I feel very natural, very true to myself, and my hair is the healthiest it’s ever been.”
“I got my first grey hair at 14. Despite being raised by my two silver crowned parents I quickly learned how to dye and have done so for ten years.
I found that with each dye I gained not identity and assurance but anxiety and a feeling of misrepresentation. I found an odd reassurance in the fact that I NEEDED chemicals and dye to feel beautiful. At 24 I’ve decided to go #grombre.
Join me on my journey of empowerment and acceptance as I look to build a community based on the natural privilege of silver beauty (at any age!) DM me to feature your own journey to platinum beauty.”
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