Welcome to Beauty Reinvented Blog By Expert Nikol Johnson

Silver Sister Spotlight with Roxanne

March 12, 2018 ·

I was beyond excited when I reached out to Roxanne and asked if she would be a part of my Silver Sister Spotlight Q&A. I have been following Roxanne for some time now and loved following her career. It’s not common that you get a response from a direct message on Instagram but every time I would respond to Roxanne’s Insta stories she would take the time and write back and then say something nice about my profile. I thought to myself who does that? A genuine thoughtful woman that cares and is not caught up in all of the “social image hype” that’s who. I knew Roxanne would be the perfect woman to share her insight on going gray and rocking her life. I know you will be inspired by her kind soul and desire to help coach women on their self-confidence.

Born in Hollywood California, Roxanne had her first job in the industry at the age of 3 years old and hasn’t stopped working since. From 1981-1990, Roxanne lived in Europe and her exciting modeling and acting career has taken her around the world. She appeared on the cover of French Vogue, and many editorial pages in German Vogue, Greek Vogue, Italian Vogue, German Harper’s Bazaar, L’Official and many other covers and editorial spreads for important and relevant fashion magazines. A regular model for Haute Couture shows, Roxanne modeled exclusively for Jil Sander and Joop! for many seasons. Roxanne has acted in many award-winning commercials and film. In her career, Roxanne has worked with the industry’s top photographers such as Ellen Von Unwerth, Pamela Hanson, Jean-Loup Sieff, and Sante d’Orazio, to name a few. Since 2007 Roxanne has owned a successful coaching business which builds teenagers and women’s self-esteem through modeling, movement, mindset, diet, exercise, and self-image. She has a natural, organic, vegan and gluten-free makeup line called Roxanne Makeup. Roxanne holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Parapsychic Science from AIHT.

PC: Dress Barn

You are a powerful force coaching women with their confidence, what interested you to help women in this way?

For ten years I have coached women how to boost their self-confidence through teaching them about modeling, image, health, and mindset. Like the Dali Llama said, “Western women will change the world” and now those words ring true even more. I feel honored and blessed to help empower women, to help them reach their goals and to show them their self-worth. Women hold so much value and can contribute to society in meaningful, powerful ways once they realize that they actually can. For me, helping women is helping to heal and balance our world.

How did you develop your unique style?

Developing my unique style took time. I always pay attention to how I feel. The longer I live, the more I want to feel that my outfit is a true, outer reflection of my inner feelings. For example, I prefer to feel comfortable, fashionable, and authentic instead of being trendy. There’s nothing worse than wearing something all day that just doesn’t feel ‘right’. It’s courageous to put together an outfit that looks unusual but feels right to you. The truth is, if you dress to please yourself, your energy will flow smoothly which helps make you look great, happy, unique and stylish.

As a working model did you find the beauty and fashion industry embraced your gray hair?

It’s been nearly twenty years since I let my grey hair grow in and, at the time, I honestly thought that having grey hair would end my career because there wasn’t a strong interest in grey-haired models back then. But over time this category has exploded and now I work more nationally as a grey-haired model than I did as a brunette. I’m one of the longest working models in the fashion industry today, and I’ve found that over the years the diversity of different body types and ages in the fashion industry has been embraced more and more.

Many of Beauty Reinvented readers are just starting out in their gray hair journey. What advice would you have for the women who are struggling with the gray hair change and lack of self-confidence?

Kudos to all the readers who are just starting out on their gray hair journey and also to those considering it. Please know that if you struggle with people’s criticisms, judgments and/or your own self-doubt, remember that you are more than your hair. You are more than other peoples judgment of you. Be grateful that you have hair. Know that on the other side of fear is exactly what you want. Effectively, it’ll be your state of mind which will support you and carry you through any hardship you might think you’re facing. This journey is temporary and once your grey hair has grown in completely, the feeling of being the ‘new’, authentic and liberated you will be worth it!

How did you feel going gray? Were you all in from the first gray hair or did you fight it?

My personal journey of going grey is documented on my Instagram account. You can see how I went cold turkey and chopped off my long hair to very short hair. After I did that I had three different colors in my hair-red, brown and grey. As it grew out I would cut it until my hair was all one color, then I grew it long. But until it was long, I just shrugged my shoulders and felt there is nothing I could do to hurry the process so why fret. At least I was free from paying the salons to dye my hair, free from covering up who I was naturally and free to show the world my truth. It was a big deal. At the same time, while my own positive transformation was happening, I was inspiring other women to do the same thing and become bold enough and courageous enough to say “Enough is enough”! Don’t get me wrong-if a woman really wants to color her hair I think that’s great. But if a woman colors her hair because she thinks she needs to or has to please someone else, then I think she might want to reconsider why she’s coloring her hair in the first place.

If you would like to be featured on Beauty Reinvented spotlighting your gray hair journey send me an email and let’s get this beauty started!

Don’t Look Down

March 9, 2018 ·

I find it very curious that the more I encourage women to allow their beauty to be whatever that is, gray hair, wrinkles, a bold lip color I get passive aggressive comments, nasty comments or just ridiculous negative comments. This post on negativity is going to be my first and last post about this nonsense.

I cycle three to four times a week, and I am an animal in these classes. I have been cycling since 1996 yes, I know can you believe it? And I honestly am obsessed. It has always been a way for me to release stress, get mental clarity, think and come up with the best business ideas and blog posts. The music and beat just hits me in class in such a profound way that if I were listening to the same song driving, it wouldn’t have the same impact. In this mornings class, there was a song on that just ignited me to write this post.

I didn’t put a lot of thought into how women would react to my Beauty Reinvented website or message, but it seems that it does ruffle some wrinkles out there. Let’s be clear I am not driven by what others think because if I were, I would never have gone gray at forty. I am not here to please everyone, I am here to share my journey, to be bold and fearless in a world that dictates what beauty means, what beauty is and what beauty should be.

Going gray is like walking the line some days you are on point and don’t fall off and other days you can’t get your balance. It’s all about your mindset, and YES everyone can go gray, but if you don’t change your makeup, hairstyle or wardrobe than you are right, you can’t go gray. Women write all over my videos saying how they can’t go gray or that gray doesn’t look good on them. I am not sure what that means. Would you decide to be blonde and not change up your style? Do you think you can just rock blonde hair and not change up your makeup? If you are looking to make a significant beauty change and feel that it’s easy and there is no effort required on your part well then I have nothing else to say.

Life challenges you in ways you never thought possible, and I am not just talking your beauty. Living and having it all together is hard ladies, we all are dealing with something so the next time you say you can’t do something, start complaining as I have been for the past week that has altered my flow take a step back and whip out that gratitude journal. Writing down what is going right in your life will change your vibe and energy. Focusing on what is happening right this second will give you a new perspective and a fresh outlook.

To all the women out there that are lashing out at my bold, fierce message take a look inside and figure out what is lacking in your life. Where is that energy coming from, how can you change? Be a light in this beauty darkness, self-acceptance, self-love journey. You are only bringing yourself down, making your vibe run low.

I only have time for like-minded women in my journey, and I thank all of you that have commented and been so supportive! You are my strength to keep going. I will NOT alter my message because it doesn’t sit right with whoever. I am here to be a bold, unapologetic force of beauty.

Take your focus from looking down and set your eyes on what’s right in front of you.

Woman Interrupted

March 8, 2018 ·

There is a definite feeling being a woman right now. Independence, power, boldness, opportunity, freedom, options, rocking gray hair right this minute at forty. I understand that International Women’s Day is about social, economic and political achievements of women but I feel celebrating your unique beauty and confidence is just as important. Self-love is significant and shouldn’t be overlooked. I never considered myself a feminist, but I have always had a bold personality with little filter. Being raised by a Greek father (need I say more) my defiance for control started at a very young age. I have a strong sense of independence maybe being an only child promoted this independence, at eighteen, I was on a plane headed for Europe to further my modeling career and determined to succeed.

Starting my own company in 2006 with less than the ideal savings to start a business, I was always pushing for more, expecting more and wanting more. Celebrating my ten years in business this year I was unapologetic about my decision to go gray at the age of forty and to reinvent my beauty. I wanted to empower women. What does that mean precisely “Empower?” It says to me that you do it first and share your experience, you encourage women to take the fear out and crush it. You blaze the unchartered dye-less hair strains and show other women that they can do it too. You lift women up and celebrate them. Until I broke out on the social media scene with my gray hair journey I didn’t think about the impact gray hair would have on others. The negative comments from women, the looks of disapproval or shock was a surprise to me. How could a hair color provoke such reaction? Its amazing to me that women will write negative comments on a daily basis on my YouTube channel voicing their disapproval of gray hair, aging and shaming another woman in a time when women empowerment, women supporting women is so relevant.

I am not interested in concentrating on the negative, giving life to this dated thinking and comments anymore. My mission is about lifting women up and helping them Own Their Beauty no matter what the reaction.

There is a rebirth within yourself when you allow. Allow your beauty to be what its meant to be to defy all beauty limitations and do YOU. I felt a rebirth, reinvention if you will when I stopped fighting. Fighting to force my body to get pregnant despite seven babies transferred through seven IVF procedures. Quit fighting the white roots with my black hair, stopped fighting against the flow of my life. The beauty, freedom, and acceptance started when I decided to let go.

“It’s not easy to let go, but until you do, you will always stay stuck.”

Women face incredible pressure to get married young, get pregnant at the right age, have the perfect career. Women are demanding more from societies limited thinking and beauty rules. Now more than ever women are feeling liberated with their age. Women are allowing wrinkles to be part of who they are, honoring gray hair as a power move, not an age-related stigma. Living authentic and accepting themselves.

Woman Interrupted - On Air Makeup Artist Nikol Johnson

Photo Credit: Rick Gomez Photography

On a day like today make it a point to give another woman a compliment, a smile, a positive comment on her social media feed. Together we lift women up; united through our unique beauty and acceptance.

Look in the mirror today and tell yourself, You are worth it! Tell yourself You are beautiful, Tell yourself You are Fierce and believe it.

Silver Sister Spotlight with Melanie

March 6, 2018 ·

Hey, beauty industry hear us ROOOOAAARRRRR! That’s right next up is our beautiful Melanie a thirty-nine-year-old retired Social Worker turned full-time wedding florist and part-time beauty YouTube guru. She is a Mother of a precious six-year-old daughter, married to her best friend and loves all things beauty, specifically makeup and skin care.

Melanie like most of us is trying to figure out how to care for her new gray hair situation. Melanie started going gray in her mid-twenties and fought it for years until in her mid-thirties she decided to finally let go and embrace the new her by letting her gray grow out. She comes from a long line of strong German women who went gray very early in life. Both her Mother and Oma have the most beautiful silver hair and they were her inspiration to finally give herself permission to “let it go.” Melanie feels it was the best decision of her life and has not looked back. She loves the journey that she is on and she is so excited to see so many Silver Sisters embracing their natural beauty when it comes to their hair.

Follow and show Melanie some love on her social media outlets here: Instagram, YouTube

1. Tell us why you made such a powerful video titled “Why is My Hair Gray on Purpose.”

For the most part, the vast majority of my regular subscriber base was really supportive of my decision to let my hair transition. They were super encouraging. But others, not so much. I decided to make a video about why I chose to embrace my gray hair because while I received a lot of support, I was also constantly getting comments on my video from people as to why I would ever even consider letting my hair go gray. People told me I looked 20-30 years old than my actual age. It honestly got to be frustrating either deleting or constantly responding to these comments that were clearly aimed at making me feel like I was making the wrong decision. Comments like “You’d be so much prettier if you didn’t have gray hair.” really started to anger me. My decision to go gray was based on a personal choice. A choice I did not feel I needed to get permission for from anyone. My gray hair actually made me feel 1000 times more confident and beautiful than my “fake blonde” hair ever did. My gray hair was me. I stopped fighting the inevitable and embraced a new version of me and I loved it. And the negativity from others surrounding that decision honestly just irritated me and I wanted to address people’s “concerns.”

2. You decided to stop covering up your gray, how did that make you feel? Were you liberated or did you feel like it was a mistake?

I felt amazing once I finally decided to take the plunge. I guess I had a little confidence boost from the fact that so many younger girls were dying their hair gray at the time. I figured, no better time than now! I went to my hairdresser and we came up with a game plan to transition my blonde to gray. There was never a single ounce of regret. As soon as I saw my hair gray in the mirror, I knew I had made the right choice. I loved the way it looked! I knew it would take time to grow everything out, but I knew I could do it. Having the help of a talented hairdresser really made the transition much easier for me.

3. As a Mom with gray hair, how do you encourage your daughter to embrace her beauty and self-confidence?

I have always encouraged my daughter Stella to be herself. I have never imposed a certain beauty norm on her. She has always naturally gravitated towards being more of a girly girl. Her style is definitely feminine. As soon as she could choose her own outfits, I let her pick her clothing. She was under the age of 2 the first time she showed me a preference in the way she wanted to dress and how she wanted her hair. She didn’t like pigtails or ponytails, so I never made her wear them. She liked accessories like necklaces and I let her style all her accessories by herself. She is always so proud of what she comes up with. While it doesn’t always “match” it makes her happy and that is all I want. I also make sure she knows that beauty is more than just someone’s outward appearance. Being beautiful on the inside by being a kind and caring person is far more important than any outfit or the lipgloss you wear. I’m proud to say that my girl is one of the kindest more generous little kids I know. I’m so so proud of her!

4. How has your personal style changed with gray hair?

Honestly not a ton. I think the season of life I am in, the mom to a super busy 6-year-old season doesn’t really allow me much focus on style. I am a classic soccer mom leggings/yoga pants and tunics kind of girl right now. Fashion is really not at the forefront of my mind at this point in time. I hope it gets to be again someday, but I’m ok with where I am at right now. I work for my job and my current lifestyle. My makeup has changed a bit. I do tend to gravitate towards cooler colors now that my hair is not blonde any longer. Warmer tones don’t always look best so I have to be careful. But I will still rock a rusty brown eyeshadow if I feel like it 😉 I don’t think your hair color should really dictate your personal style necessarily. You may need to make some tweaks to feel like you look your best, but that is 100% up to you.

5. What advice do you have for women just starting out in their gray hair journey?

My biggest piece of advice for someone starting out on their journey is to ignore the negativity that some people may throw your way. Don’t let “well-meaning compliments” like “You look so much better/younger/healthier with your blonde, brown, red hair” faze you. If you think that now is the time for you to start on your journey, then do it! And don’t look back, unless YOU want to. Do not let other’s dictate your journey in life. If you want to be gray, be gray. If you don’t because you are just not personally ready, then wait. But do it for you! It’s not necessarily easy to grow your hair out. While a good hairdresser can get you started, it’s a very different reality to wake up in the morning and see yourself with such a drastically different color. It can feel like you are having to let go of something big. But look at it as a new, exciting journey where you get to be the new you. Wiser, bolder, more adventurous. Embrace this new look and just go for it. Just don’t listen to others. No one has the right to tell you how to rock your hair. That’s up to you 😉

It’s Not So Black and White

March 5, 2018 ·

Not everyone goes through a gray hair journey with jet black hair and white roots, but that’s what my gray hair journey looked like for me. I want you ladies to know that it’s not a smooth transition, besides the way it looks you will second guess your decision almost every minute of the day. Here is my very first photo shoot with the gray February 4th of 2016. It was right before my first PGS tested embryo transfer in Colorado. Not only did I have this gray hair issue I had bruises all over my stomach from all the shots. I remember feeling embarrassed changing with the stylist because I didn’t want her to see my estrogen patches and all the discoloration from the bruises. I was also heavier from the past year of five IVF rounds with synthetic hormones. I had mental trauma and physical not only from going gray but the layer of infertility on top of it all.

I was flying out to Colorado the next week for the transfer. Ladies, just imagine walking into an infertility clinic with this hair and fighting with doctors about “advanced maternal aging” enough said.

I have been working with my fantastic photographer Rick Gomez since I was twenty so when I called him to schedule this shoot I felt very uncomfortable that I was coming back on the fashion scene with gray hair. He told me not to worry about it that he was also gray. Now, I don’t know if that made me feel better or if I was thinking well, gray hair always is acceptable for men.

As a model since the age of fifteen “testing” as we call it in the industry means taking pictures for your portfolio always came easy for me. I loved creating and putting together looks but this particular shoot I felt so off and out of touch I had to talk myself out of it. I had to get my mind in the right place or else I would walk off the photo shoot. So what’s the big deal that I have tons of gray? Does that make me a different person? Do people view me differently? If so, do I care?

These were some of the thoughts I had but kept moving forward with the shoot. I had to keep repeating positive mantras to keep going. “You are beautiful,” “You can do this.”

I know looking at this shoot my confidence level was rock bottom and you can’t lie to the camera. The camera picks up everything so even if you think you are tricking the camera it screams what you are feeling. As the shoot went on, I started to feel a little more like myself. I had to keep telling myself; this is who I am there is no reason to cover it up. You can see that I was gray in the front and black in the back. As time passed the black seemed so out of place in my life, it was as if my authentic self was saying enough is enough.

I want you ladies to know that I felt very uncomfortable being just forty and choosing to let my gray hair take over. It didn’t start out as being a rebellious statement but the deeper I pushed into my gray hair journey and the more ridiculous comments I received I felt that I had to do it. I wanted to represent women in a new light, a new unique beauty without limitations. Why do we still think that gray means old? Every time I see a woman writing negative comments on my YouTube videos saying words like “old” “older” “ages you.” I think to myself “Poor thing she’s so dated and out of touch.” And that is precisely what she is, dated with her thinking, with her words and not to mention she is vibrating at a shallow level. If you find yourself wanting to say negative statements about another woman’s beauty or hair choices NO ONE HAS TIME FOR THAT. Take that energy and start sending women light. The beauty world has enough negativity we don’t need more of that especially when gray means Power, Fierce, Bold and Confidence.

If you are thinking about going gray, there is no better time to do it than now Allure magazine has named 2018 the Year of Gray Hair. I have started a beauty revolution with this website for encouragement, a private Facebook group and fierce gray hair videos on YouTube for you. I have a Silver Sister spotlight on this blog to help share other women’s stories and to ignite your passion for yourself. So stop thinking you “look old” stop listening to everyone around you and start listening to yourself. What do you want? What do you want to represent? That’s what you need to do. Be so obsessed with your life, beauty, gray hair and encouraging women that you don’t have time to focus on anyone else.

Photo Credit: Rick Gomez Photography

Silver Linings | 10K Subscribers | GIVEAWAY Thank You

March 4, 2018 ·

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” – Oprah Winfrey

We did it, ladies! You helped me achieve over 10,000+ subscribers on YouTube! 10,000+ subscribers is a milestone for my video career and thanks to you for all your support, comments, good vibes and love I have achieved this goal. I have a picture frame on my desk at my home office that says “Dream It. Plan It. Live It. and that’s precisely what I am doing. It’s been a long time coming with lots of twists and turns in my YouTube career. I started out with just a flip camera, not knowing what I was doing with video, filming, lighting, and editing just the desire to help other women with their beauty and share what I knew as a licensed Esthetician and multi-media makeup artist.

Fast forward to eight years later, over a hundred of videos, a supportive visionary husband that raised my video game I now have a full professional filming studio. If you told me eight years ago that I would know how to edit on Adobe Premiere Pro, do slider shots, B-roll, shoot with two cameras, boom sound mic, and in 4K I would have told you to keep on dreaming sister. This is now my reality, and I am obsessed with bringing you the best level of content I can film. I read all your comments and listen to what you want to see, learn and put into practice in your beauty routines so keep them coming.

I had a little derailment from filming when I went through infertility in 2014 which I thought would last maybe a month or two (how silly, but hopeful lol) but instead lasted four years. I thought I could keep up with my studio and seeing clients on the hour AND filming videos each week all while going through daily doctor appointments not only in Florida but also in Colorado for IVF. Sounds a little unrealistic but my desire to keep up was so strong but in the end, I just couldn’t. I was so taxed with the emotional and physical aspects from infertility I couldn’t drag myself in front of the camera plus my spirits were so down I don’t think my beauty videos would have been that inspiring or entertaining. I wasn’t too far from my channel; I started a second YouTube channel vlog style to document my infertility journey. Not only did my professional career take a beating so did my YouTube career. YOU ladies helped me get back into the swing of things with all your positive comments and encouragement.

Photo Credit: Rick Gomez Photography

I feel very connected to my message about Owning Your Beauty and not conforming to what the beauty industry or society says is beautiful. My channel is for the woman that wants to feel confident in her skin.

I usually don’t do Giveaways,’ but I felt that this was an extraordinary milestone and I wanted to send out the love to you. To enter you need to have an Instagram account, here are the rules to enter my giveaway.

Make sure you are following me on Instagram @freshbeautystudio
Tag 2 friends in the comments, I love meeting new Fierce women that are owning their beauty.
Share in your Instagram Stories tagging me for an extra entry! (DM me a screenshot).

That’s it, ladies, I will draw a winner one week from today March 10th, 2018. Good Luck and happy tagging.

Welcome To Beauty Reinvented

February 28, 2018 ·

Welcome to Beauty Reinvented where women are encouraged and live a life free of beauty stigmas. I am so excited to launch this website and create a safe space for women to connect and feel empowered. This website is dedicated to YOU the woman who is going through unexpected beauty changes at any age. Dealing with aging, gray hair, hormone issues, beauty overwhelm? Maybe you have lost yourself and want to feel beautiful again. This website is for You.

If you have been following me through my life and beauty challenges from infertility to gray hair you know, I don’t sugar coat my content. I tell you how it is right from the very start because being authentic is extremely important to me especially in a time where social media makes everything look perfect which it’s not. I am a beauty expert that keeps things real; it’s not about trying to be something you are not. I got to the point where I felt so disconnected from beauty when I was going gray that I told myself I have two choices. (1) I could allow my gray hair in my thirties to dictate how I thought about myself and my self-confidence or (2) I could embrace and accept what was happening and let other women know it’s OK to be different. It’s OK to not look like everyone else. Celebrate yourself, your hair, your difference because THAT ladies is what is beautiful.

I am on a mission to break through the gray hair stereotypes, the “You will look older,” “Gray hair is not flattering,” “Gray hair ages you.” ENOUGH with the dated thinking and comments. 2018 is the year of Gray Hair according to Allure magazine, the year you take back control of your thoughts on aging and who you are inside. Beauty is subjective, and I want you ladies to celebrate yourself each and every day. Social media doesn’t tell you what’s right and wrong with beauty; YouTube doesn’t tell you what beauty is, YOU say to yourself what beauty is and means to you. I want you to empower yourself and to embrace your age. It’s essential that you support other women going through beauty changes also.

Gray hair is not a solo journey but a journey worth exploring together. No judgment, no cattiness, no negative comments, no jealousy. Try it, ladies, try complimenting another woman something authentic and meaningful that will boost her day.

Photo Credit: Rick Gomez Photography

We all get our heel stuck in the groove of the pavement from time to time, but we don’t stop. Join me in the Beauty Reinvented conversation over on my private Facebook group; this is where women get BOLD and Fearless about their beauty with no apologies. I think it’s about time ladies that we get this beauty started.

Feel The Thunder

February 28, 2018 ·

Aging and acceptance are not easy because if it were than I wouldn’t need to create a movement about it now, would I? How many times have you looked at a magazine, social media picture, cosmetic counter beauty image and thought that you were not good enough? That your beauty wasn’t good enough? Wasn’t your body good enough? Hell, your fashion sense was off? I hope you start feeling the thunder of your inner beauty rising just reading this blog post.

Photo Credit: Rick Gomez Photography

If you don’t know the song Feel The Thunder, you can listen to it here. Just put it on and continue reading. I love this song because I hear it every morning when spinning and the lyrics are on point:

Not a yes sir, not a follower
Fit the box, fit the mold
Have a seat in the foyer, take a number
I was lightning before the thunder

You don’t fit the mold ladies; you are a beauty leader, you are not one to fit into a box, a hair dye box that is. You are the lightning before the thunder. Start stripping away all the nonsense you keep telling yourself. Infuse your day with positive mantras, if you struggle with mantras I am going to give you three to write on post-its, write with lipstick on your mirror, record your voice on your phone and play or better yet my favorite is to set your mantras as a reminder on your phone so each day without thought they pop up and infuse your day with positivity.

I am beautiful and love that I don’t look like everyone else.
Gray hair is empowering; it gives me special beauty powers.
Aging is something I accept with grace and gratitude.

Reach deep down and find what makes you tick, what makes you happy about yourself. The time is now ladies, not tomorrow because we are only given today so make the best of it and don’t look back.

Silver Sister Spotlight with V.

February 28, 2018 ·

Each week I am going to feature another woman that has boldly decided to go gray. If you would like to be featured send me an email!

This week I am featuring V. a gorgeous silver sister that not only has her Master’s degree in professional writing but also her own YouTube channel to inspire you and one glamorous Instagram feed. I met V. through YouTube and we share not only our gray hair journey but the same Greek heritage.

V is a first-generation Greek-American who is three months into her gray hair journey. She has spent the last two decades developing and publishing digital content. She is also the voice behind Grit & Glamour, a fashion and lifestyle blog that she began in 2006. V. has served as a panel moderator and panelist at Independent Fashion Blogger conferences, and has been featured in The Sydney Morning Herald, Grazia Magazine Australia, and on dozens of other blogs. V. calls the Southeast home, and loves entertaining and spending time with her Aussie husband and dog Macy.

Follow V on her social media outlets here: Blog, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

1. Tell us why you decided to go gray.

I’ve been dyeing my hair since my late 20s. I used to get away with many weeks between touch ups, but as the years passed and my grey multiplied, the time between root touch ups got shorter and shorter. Finally at age 44 (after two failed attempts to grow out my grey the previous year), I decided enough was enough. I was tired of trying to time touch ups around holidays, events, and vacations. I was tired of worrying about people seeing my grey roots…and using eyeshadow and mascara to hide the silvers two weeks after coloring. I was tired of knowing within four weeks, I’d HAVE to make time to color my hair. I was tired of my scalp being irritated by the dye. I felt like it was time to accept who I was under the dye, come what may.

2. Who is the woman or women that inspire you in the gray beauty revolution?

The catalyst for my change in perception of grey hair is the model Kristen McMenamy. After modeling in the 1990s, she kind of disappeared for a while, then she showed up in Vogue in 2010 with this incredible, waist-length mane of silver hair. I was dumbfounded. And captivated. And I guess the seed was planted in my mind then.

Then when I saw U.K. Vogue editor Sarah Harris’ never-been-dyed, natural white-grey a few years ago, I had the same feeling. These were women in fashion who chose to embrace their natural grey hair at a time, an age, and in an industry where this was definitely not the norm. They are mavericks. They made me feel like going grey in my 40s was a kind of rebellion (I’ve always been a little rebellious). It takes so much courage to choose to go grey at any age, but especially in your 30s and 40s. And it tells the world, “Hey, I’m not playing that game anymore. Here I am, like me or not.” I started to see that being youthful and sexy has zero to do with your hair color and age. It all comes from within. It’s how you carry yourself.

Kristen and Sarah definitely got the wheels turning in my mind. Then when my mother gave up being platinum blonde and grey out her stunning natural white hair, I was sold.

3. Do you feel the beauty industry is embracing the gray movement?

I do. It has taken a ridiculously long time, but better late than never. I do see the tide changing, and I think we kind of have Millennials to thank for making dyed grey hair a thing. But I think perspectives on aging (and age, in general) have shifted significantly in the last 50 years. We are healthier, smarter, and more active than ever. So it makes sense that women like Carmen Dell’Orefice and Maye Musk are enjoying huge popularity well after traditional retirement age. I think the beauty industry is just starting to wake up and see that women are at all ages are relevant.

It’s about time we expanded our perspectives and product lines to accommodate the massive spectrum of ages, appearances, and ethnicities that exist today. I love Christie Brinkely, but in the 80s, even I felt the sting of being a freckled, brown-haired, hazel-eyed girl in a world of blonde, blue-eyed beauties. I’m elated that the beauty industry has made such incredible strides over the last several decades. There should be room for all of us at the table.

4. What is your favorite hair product?

Man, I couldn’t live without Living Proof’s No Frizz Nourishing Styling Creme. My grey is a mixture smooth and wiry. The only thing that keeps me from looking really, really bad on humid days is the No Frizz. That and coconut oil. Absolute miracle stuff, it is, especially for long-haired ladies.

5. How has your personal style changed because of going gray?

There are several colors I feel like I can no longer wear, and consequently, have had to let some beloved pieces go. Off white, rusts, browns, and beiges really don’t look good with my cool salt-and-pepper roots. Since my hair is in transition (and will be for years to come), I have salt-and-pepper roots, and reddish-brown ends. I feel like patterns outside of stripes are a no-go, and I never wear more than two colors at a time. It’s just too busy with my already busy-looking hair. I tend to stick to black, white, grey, pink, or cool-toned colors like blue and lilac. But really, it’s just mostly black. Black was my default color, even before the grey.

In terms of style, I’ve always classified my style as sophisticated with an edge, and that still holds true. But I do maybe dress a little edgier or more rocker than before; I don’t mind looking a little older because of my grey, but I do mind looking frumpy. Also, at nearly 46-years-old, I feel that it’s important to invest in quality pieces…a good handbag, quality shoes. At this age, I don’t think one gets away with wearing a lot of cheap things. When everything is lower quality, you project low quality. I don’t mean to sound harsh. Obviously, people should wear whatever they want. But from my perspective, I’ve been working for 20 years in my career and I want my persona to project that. I want to look like I have my you-know-what together.