A 50+ year old woman’s story of going grey
I live in Fort Collins, Colorado where plenty of 50+year-olds happily sport their natural hair color. When I see these women, I think “Wow, she is really pretty. I like her hair.” As I write this I am almost 54 years old and have been dying my hair for more than 20 years. It started out as just a rinse to cover a few grays and restore a rich, dark brown color. This progressed to visiting my stylist every 5 weeks to erase the ever-increasing amount of gray and white.
I recently became a certified nutrition therapist (C.N.T.P.) from the Nutrition Therapy Institute in Denver. As a C.N.T.P., one way we help clients feel better is by reducing their toxic load. Toxins come into the body through what we eat and drink, through the air we breathe, and also through our skin – including our scalp. Every day, we encounter toxins in our food, personal care products, air, and water. Our livers work 24/7 to process the toxins so that our bodies can excrete them. The body stores toxins that it cannot eliminate in fat. Dousing my scalp and covering my hair every 5 weeks with “who knows what” began to seem an easily avoidable source of toxins. Also, I don’t know about you, but I hate sitting in the salon chair for the amount of time it takes to color my hair.
Head start. Many of you have started the process of growing your hair whether you like it or not because of orders to stay at home during the pandemic. Maybe you have gotten a good look at your true hair color for the first time in decades. Resist the temptation to race to the salon to color your hair when the stay at home order lifts. Take advantage of the month-long head start and stay on the path toward natural. Here are some ideas and advice o help you along the way:
*I went blond.
Yes, there were chemicals involved, but the end of coloring my hair was near. The contrast between the blond and grey growing in was less than the contrast between my natural dark hair and grey. Plus, it was fun to try something new along the way.
*A new, shorter haircut.
A shorter cut would help it grow out faster, so I let go of one of my most prized possessions, my ponytail. I selected a haircut that was long on top and short in the back. The compliments received about the new hairstyle helped me stay the course for the color change.
*Time and money saved.
I am happy not sitting in the salon chair for that additional and expensive hour. Each year, I will save 10 hours of my time and around $800 (and that’s without changing my car insurance). In a 5 year span, that’s somewhere around $3200 and 50 hours that I can spend doing something else that I really like.
*Patience
Know that it will take a while. It took about a year for my hair to completely grow out. Wait for it. It will be worth it.
*I am happier with being me.
The best me is the real me. Our age has brought us a lot of richness, and we should not cover it up.
I can truly say that I am happy with the change. I believe you will be, too.