Gray hair never bothered me. Wrinkles bother me, but not gray. Perhaps it's because I'm naturally contrary and like standing out from the crowd.
Almost everyone dyes their hair. These thoughts are aimed at those women who are thinking maybe Mother Nature knows what she's doing by giving us gray hair and dye really is bad for the hair.
First of all, I don't think an older woman really looks younger by dying her hair. She just looks like an older woman who dyes her hair. Mother Nature gives us gray as we age because it's softer and more attractive.
Dye is not good for the hair. You're using harsh chemicals to change the color. Would you use harsh chemicals on your skin? Of course not.
Have you ever stopped to think why there are so many products on the market for damaged hair? Have you ever taken a really good look at your hair, its texture and condition? The harsh chemicals probably make it look more like straw than hair.
The big problem with gray hair is you have to "dress up to it." Fortunately for me (and this is going to sound terrible), this is not a problem. If you put on weight, you're going to look matronly and that's not the look we're aiming for. You have to put a lot of care and thought into your appearance.
Gray hair can be very chic. I swear Senator McCain's wife had a very chic, short gray hairdo in one photo. And Carmen, the supermodel, is in her 70s and still going strong. She's never dyed her hair.
I wear mine in a very short pixie style and it's become my trademark. Because it's never been dyed or permed, it's virgin and very healthy. I wash it in the shower and towel dry and just run my wet fingers through to style it.
I know some hairdressers say now that you can keep longer hair as you age, but not if it's gray. Gray hair must be kept short. And you must find a really good hairdresser. It must always be kept chic and groomed. My hairdresser client, Federico, does mine and I love it (and so does everyone else.)
So when your hair starts going gray, take a chance and stay your hand as it reaches for the dye bottle. See what happens. You might love it.
Miriam Silverberg is the president of Miriam Silverberg Associates, a boutique publicity agency in New York City and is a freelance writer. She can be reached at silverbergm@mindspring.com.
