The Sentiment Of Silver Strands

Going grey and getting the silver look is not an easy decision for all. But whichever way you lean when the greys start showing, what’s important is being comfortable in your skin.

And the silver in her hair shines in the cold November air…

Everyone should feel confident in their choices, including embracing natural colour or texture. Actor Jennifer Aniston, 53, the global icon for envy-worthy hair, told Vogue in a recent interview when the conversation turned to going grey.

Confidence in herself and the tedium of colouring prompted Pune's Dola Sen, 58, to stop colouring her hair over a decade ago. "I started greying early in my 40s. I loved colour and salon experiments, so I continued colouring my hair. It has never been about covering up my hair," she says. "My decision to stop colouring was based on convenience. We moved to a remote village for some years, and salon visits became infrequent. I realised I liked the slight white and black look and decided to stick to it."

You may have come across media articles like grey is the new black with terms like 'greying and gorgeous' thrown in. While more women globally are embracing their greys and going natural, it isn't always an easy transition. "There was a point during my grey transition when I almost gave up because my hair looked frizzy and patchy. If I had been in Pune instead of the village I was in, I'd have caved in and rushed to my hairdressers," Sen laughs.

Most people begin to get grey hair in their 30s and 40s. The hair follicles' pigment cells gradually die and cease to produce melanin, making grey hair a natural part of ageing. 

Unfortunately, grey hair is also connected to ageism. 

"I dyed my hair well into my 60s," says Sudipta Ghosh, 73, from Pune. "In my time, there was a lot of peer pressure about this. A bit of grey, and my friends or people who saw me would point out, you are looking old. My young kids would say ma, don't start looking like dadi!" Ghosh is saying this in the context of her daughter-in-law Bidisha's decision to go grey at 50. "There is much less judgement, and women are embracing their greys nowadays boldly. E are more inclusive now,” she adds. 

Growing older can also mean reaching a life stage where you feel free of judgements and inhibition, despite our society being quick enough to label people by appearance. 

Nyla Masood, 61, is a Mumbai-based costume designer and actor who also sees a lot of humour in going grey. She often gets mistaken for being much older than her years, given societal perceptions but takes it with a good dose of laughter. Masud feels her greys have increased her confidence. She wears it short and asymmetric, and the unusual style even got her a role in the Netflix hit Liftboy at 58. "Grey hair is now part of my look," she chuckles. 

While women were and are still judged for going grey, with many looked upon as older or past their prime, men and their greys are looked at differently when their hair grows silver. "Sexy salt and pepper" and "silver fox" are some of the terms used to describe grey-haired men.

Think Richard Gere, Milind Soman and George Clooney, and you'll know what we mean. The stunning Nafisa Ali has hugged her greys close for the longest time, and actor Ratna Pathak Shah looks lovely in them. But you rarely hear complimentary terms applied to women who have gone grey. Only recently can grey-haired women be spotted in advertisements and popular culture without an allusion to their age, though the numbers remain small there.

No wonder then that for many women, the decision to go grey isn't easy. 

British actor Dame Helen Mirren hit the nail when she told Marie Claire, "I think women were just so terrified of having white or grey hair because it immediately put them into a different category." Make greys a positive thing as opposed to a negative thing, she asserted.

Thankfully, we may be on that silver-streaked positive road.

Going grey is in vogue now, and hashtags like #silvergirls and #ditchthedye are frequently trending on Instagram. With older (and sometimes, even younger) female influencers flaunting their grey hair on Instagram, the misconception that grey hair negatively denotes ageing has been debunked. The idea is about welcoming and celebrating your age, whichever way you choose. As Aniston said in her interview: "If you want to go grey, go for it! If you want to keep colouring your hair, that’s great too. Hair is a creative way to express yourself, and I love that your mood and energy can change with the change of a hairstyle, cut or colour. Embrace whatever is going to make you happy."

How to care for your greys according to hairdressers:

Use a colour-safe conditioner and a hydrating shampoo. Ask your hairdresser for suggestions

Avoid extra heat exposure and chemicals 

Avoid too many hair products. These can make your hair look limp.

Grey hair tends to be frizzy so invest in a good alcohol free anti frizz spray.

If you are just going grey but need to break into it gently, check with your hairdresser for babylights that merge lighter colours with your greys

If you colour your hair yourself, go in for lighter hues, as grey shades can stand out more as they reappear if your dye is very dark.

Here are 10 famous people who rock their grey hair!

What is your take on this "grey matter?" Share your thoughts with us below.