Silver Sisters Archives - Page 2 of 2

Silver Sister Spotlight with Pilar

April 13, 2018 ·

I am a total stalker when it comes to Instagram and women showcasing their gray hair journey. I love that we can all connect on social media and share our unique stories. I found Pilar somehow through all my late night scrolling and I couldn’t wait to share her journey with you. Show Pilar some love and go visit her on Instagram.

Pilar is native Spaniard and has spent most of her adult years living and working abroad. She has a BA in Film and Media and an MA in Screenwriting, she has worked in the film, TV and theatre industries. In recent years she made a career move exploring some aspects of marketing, and she is currently on sabbatical doing what she enjoys most: helping raise awareness and funds for two charities she has been collaborating with for years, and acting as a consultant for one-off fundraising events. She resides in London with her husband and their two daughters.

When did you start going gray?

My last appointment to cover my greys was late June 2017. I had not planned it, it was a simple ‘what if’ scenario. What if I stopped dyeing my hair? What if I liked what I saw? What if it suited me? I talked to my stylist during that last appointment and to my surprise, he was all for it. Next thing I know is that we are exchanging pics of hairstyles for grey-haired ladies. Two months later he dyed my colored hair one last time adding highlights where my natural hair was lighter, and lowlights where it was still dark. I lost a bit of my new growth in the process, which is why I always mention two timelines when I date a picture of my hair, but it was definitely worth going through this five-hour long appointment at the salon.

How did you feel going gray in your forties?

I started seeing greys in my early 20s, and they kept multiplying until I first dyed them in my late 30s. I was familiar with living with a certain amount of greys and I knew I had a lighter streak at the front but I had never imagined that my hair would be so much more salt than pepper now.

I am the only one among my friends who has grey hair and does not color it. I initially thought that this might affect me, that I would feel unattractive and out of place when around them. Then there were the thoughts about work. Since the prospect of applying for jobs that will involve face-to-face meetings with clients is considerably high given my background, I also thought that my hair would be an issue when I start interviewing again after my sabbatical. It turns out that I am delighted with my decision of going grey and I do not feel that I am less just because I do not conform any more to the norm of hiding my silvers if anything this has made me stronger. And if my silvers are an issue to a potential employer, then that company would not be worth working for!

I have gifted myself three hours of my time every three weeks, and I do not have to worry anymore about calculating when to dye my roots so I would look on point for a certain event or holiday. I can’t wait for my hair to be all grey, but in the meantime, there are many ways of looking stylish. What’s not to like about this?!

What’s been your hardest challenge going gray?

In all fairness, the process is being a lot less challenging than I had anticipated. The first few weeks were certainly the most difficult. Getting used to the idea that my natural roots were here to stay took me a bit of time and a lot of staring at them in the mirror. I knew there would be no more color appointment so I made the effort of wearing my new growth with pride, and I only used colored hair powder and sprays on two occasions: a gala dinner and a wedding, both at the beginning of my transition. I attended family weddings on the third and fourth month of my transition and on both occasions I asked for a hairstyle that would bring out my silvers rather than hide them.

Also, I noticed early in my gray transition that if I wanted to succeed I could not neglect my hairstyle or my make-up on a daily basis. For someone used to air dry her hair and with zero make-up skills this has probably been the most challenging part, and yet I am enjoying it: it’s never too late to learn new skills!

What advice do you have for the woman that gets negative comments about her gray hair?

I have not received many negative comments so far, and I am certain that my extremely positive attitude about going grey has a lot to do with this. Transitioning to grey is quite a bumpy ride, and the key to success is to own your decision. Feel confident, and people will see beautiful silvers and the prospect of a healthy mane rather than grey roots.

You may get compliments from total strangers and the nastiest of comments from close friends or relatives. Your inner circle will have the greatest impact on how you feel during the transition. Be prepared for insensitive comments, and some funny looks, especially at the beginning of the process. My husband had never wanted me to dye my hair so he was very supportive, even when my roots looked like a hot mess. My children… well, that was a very different story: they almost cried! I was the cool mum all their friends wished they had and all of a sudden they were picturing me as this 100-year-old grey haired witch that children see in animated films… and they reminded me of it on a daily basis! Then there were my friends, most of them encouraging me to do this with just one or two friends telling me how old I would look and asking me to color my hair again, to do it ‘for them’… But the real shock came when my own mother, who has never dyed her hair and has a wonderful healthy silver mane, told me I should not stop coloring my hair because it would age me. Of course, determined as I am when I want to do something, I listened, smiled, and carried on with my business. Eventually, those who openly opposed to my grey journey, in the beginning, have now either come around or given up on me. Remember that there is one certain thing about novelty: it wears out!

What made you want to share your gray hair journey on social media?

When I started this journey I found stunning grey-haired ladies who inspired me, ladies whose hair made me dream that one day perhaps mine would be half as beautiful. As a matter of fact, your Instagram account was one of the first relevant accounts I followed, and it’s not just your incredible grey hair that I love.

I am not a model, nor am I a fabulous photographer or even have decent equipment (I mostly post iPhone selfies), and I certainly do not have a glamorous life… at least not always! I am just a girl next door many women could relate to, a practical woman who is consistent with her lifestyle choices, and I created @silverlocksshining with that in mind. Instagram is the ideal platform to quickly share the ups and downs of my everyday going-grey life, and other women who may be considering taking the plunge can see what I am experiencing: the challenges, the changes (some of them deeper than just hair color), the hair growth at every stage… Lots of headshots, which may help others overcome a rough phase or maybe picture themselves with grey hair. Even if every journey is different, seeing that someone has been there too and has managed to go through it can encourage others to stay the course.

Sharing my journey on social media also helps me keep focused and see the evolution myself. We all have days when we think nothing has changed in weeks and this visual record proves me that my hair is indeed growing and that it is now stronger, healthier and much shinier than all those years I was throwing color at it to cover those silvers I am now in love with.

Silver Sister Spotlight with Elisa

March 19, 2018 ·

I feel it is essential not only to share my gray hair journey but hear from other ladies that are just like you going through this uncertain beauty transition. I am so excited to feature Elisa, a 52-year-old Italian-Canadian woman. She is a college educated professional working in an administrative field with international companies where her ability to speak five languages gives her a cutting-edge advantage in the business world.

What made you decide to go gray and how old were you?

I had such a fantastic and wonderful life from birth to 50. Fun, parties, traveling, living life like from a magazine or nowadays from Instagram. If Instagram were available in my youth, I would have been an IT girl. Always willing to take up challenges and just be everywhere at once with tons of laughter and just complete and utter happiness. And then I turned 50! And it hit me like a brick. I WAS NO LONGER YOUNG. I was no longer young. I was no longer young. And I spiraled into a depression that lasted a full year if not more. During this depression, I had gone to color my white hair roots, and while I was looking at myself in the salon mirror with sagging skin, etc. I said to myself “really? Like really? What are you? Who are you fooling? Stop it now and start accepting that you are no longer young” I was exactly 51.

If you could change one perception of gray hair what would it be?

My whole channel is about changing white hair perception Albeit all the great support I get from my fellow grey haired ladies the rest of society is just not accepting it. Grey hair perceived by most is the end of the line. Period. I genuinely believe that only when the marketing machine starts working on making women with grey hair sexy, cherish-able, desired, valuable, vital, well everything they do for dyed hair but natural grey hair, only then can society be brainwashed to accept grey hair. Because on our own, it is never going to happen, love.

You seem to have a funky style who and what inspires you?

LOL. For me funky style means crazy. If I look insane than all I can say is that I don’t emulate anyone to look like this. I just take my risks while following proportion rules. However, when I see anyone anywhere with a particular outfit that attracts me, I will explore the possibility to interpret that look with what I have in my closet.

How do you encourage other women to accept their gray?

I don’t. I am not a white hair advocate. I couldn’t care less how anyone looks as long as they are happy. I get many many many comments asking me if they should go grey. My response is always going grey is not a hair issue at all. It’s all about acceptance. If people ask what it means that letting go of the grey is not what they need.

How has your YouTube channel changed since going gray?

I sincerely owe it all to V from Grit and Glamour. V had seen my first video on transitioning to grey, and because she followed my progress she gave my name a shout out in one of her videos, and I went from 160 subscribers to 1K within a month. Initially, I was not planning to do videos on my hair transition but instead focus on style. However, seeing the tremendous response, I got from the first video I just kept on doing development update videos. Still today they are the ones that generate the most traffic. I also changed with the transition. Whereas before my focus was on how to get a specific look now my attention is on how to accept how we choose to expose ourselves to the world. The fastest and easiest way to happiness is acceptance of oneself and that of others.

Like to be featured as a Silver Sister, please email me at [email protected] or leave a comment below.

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!

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 😉

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.