Fifty shades of gray…

Fifty shades of gray…

Why is it that men can look distinguished when they turn gray but most women just look old?  At this minute I am looking at Kevin Costner sporting a graying head of hair and facial hair, as he graced the cover of a recent edition of AARP magazine.  As far as I’m concerned, Kevin just keeps looking better with each added wrinkle and gray hair!  I was first awed by this incredible actor when he played a floundering Iowa corn farmer in the classic movie Field of Dreams.  I must say that I still get a bit giddy when I see pictures of him or watch a movie in which he plays.  Another actor who looks great with his “peppered” hair is George Clooney, an original cast member of the television series ER.   Again, he has aged in front of the camera over his career and still looks great and is extremely attractive, according to this middle-aged, colored-haired woman.  Sean Connery, Anderson Copper, Ted Danson , Richard Gere, Harrison Ford, Michael Douglas and Sam Elliott are also celebrities whose careers and stardom don’t seem to have been impacted by the number of increasing gray hairs upon their heads and just seem to get better looking as they age.

If you remember the Clairol commercial of yesteryear that went, “Only her hairdresser knows for sure”, then you are probably an age where you have a regular appointment to “get out the gray”

. Out of the dozens of middle-aged women I know well enough to ask or discuss hair color, at least 75% of us partake in a regular regime of covering the gray.  I know for myself coloring my hair is one way I can partially control my physical aging image without taking any major steps or going bankrupt in the process!

 My own sister-in-law, Vicki, decided to “ditch the color” about 10 years ago, as she had been covering her gray hair since she was in her twenties, a trait she inherited from her own mother.  My friend, Sandy, also made that decision as I have known her for over 15 years and have never seen her without a head full of gray hair.  Both of these ladies look attractive going “natural”, and personally, I admire them both for not fighting the “aging process”.

I asked my own hair stylist the best process to use if you have made the decision to “go gray”.  Her favorite approach is to continue with a a smaller amount of highlights and more low-lights (darker base color).  This process will need to be repeated in 4-6 months, continuing to get haircuts every 6 weeks or so and will eliminate the line of  “growing out.”  The second way is to color your hair back to its natural color and allow it to grow out.

Going gray is the result of genetics, not diet or stress, and happens when the hair follicle stops making melanin.  If you decide to go gray, it’s important to understand that the hair components actually change so knowing which hair products to use to enhance the hair is vital.  According to Lois Joy Johnson, beauty/style editor of VibrantNation.com, she has recommended certain products/steps in her article, How to do gray hair right: 10 tips for going gray beautifully, to make a smooth transition.  Some of her ideas include; trim/cut your hair as you are growing out to gray, prepare for a long transition (4-8 months), use a high quality conditioner which will create a “soft” look and update your makeup.

In Alice Smellie’s article, From high tech blue rinses to “hair varnish” the products you need to make grey locks look glam, in DailyMail.com.uk (August 11, 2013), she describes problems one might confront with gray hair, and has included remedies for this look.  Alice points out that women may encounter trouble with their new “color”, as it can be dry and dehydrated but can be corrected by using Argan oil nourishing conditioner.  Lack of protein in gray is another problem as each strand becomes thinner and lacks body but can be fixed by using volumizing products such as John Freida luxurious volumizing thickening mousse.  Dull and lifeless hair, a result of lack of pigment, can be repaired by using optical brighteners which creates a shine to the hair.

My intention of writing on this topic was not to say that all women who are gray are dowdy or unattractive; not at all.  Helen Mirren, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Emmylou Harris are stunning celebrities with gray locks so employment opportunities and stardom are still possibilities regardless of hair color.  But if you do make that image-changing decision, you need to know that your hair texture and components have completely changed by going gray and if you want your hair to look its best, it’s imperative for you to do your homework and seek out the hair products that accentuate your “crown of glory”!

Certainly, deciding to go gray is a personal choice and is a decision that most women need to mull over for some time.  While I respect women who are confident enough to go gray, I can say with 100% certainty that at this point in my life, I’m not one of them!!  Are you?

                                                                                    Until next time,

                                                                                    Judy