We've chosen a winner (and runners up) in our Hooray for Gray Giveaway. Lana Elliott's three-month transition from brunette to silver stunner provides instructive tips and inspiration.
Lana Elliott found her first gray hair when she was still a teenager, and starting at the age of 20 and for the next 30 years, she covered up the pesky silver strands with a brunette hue. Mostly she colored at home because “who has time to go to the salon that often?” Keeping her gray under wraps was taking more time as she got older. By the time she was mixing up chemicals every three weeks, it was becoming too much.
Then, two years ago, a wise hairdresser convinced her to give into her grayness and proposed a plan for making the transition. The result for the Houston interior designer and mother of two grown children has been spectacular. It’s not hard to see why we chose Lana, 53, as the winner of our Hooray for Gray Giveaway, out of hundreds of entries.
During the pandemic, I went nearly five months without a visit to my hairstylist. It was nice not to worry about the roots.
Because she is a
NextTribe member in good standing, Lana will receive a $200
Sephora gift certificate as a prize, double the amount she would have received if she had not been a member. (Just one of the perks of membership!)
Here we tell Lana’s gone-gray story, which may give you ideas and inspiration for your own transition, if you are considering such a thing. Scroll down to see our five runners up and read their stories, plus we have 10 honorable mentions. So much gorgeous gray to celebrate.
Why did you decide to quit dying your hair?
My amazing hairdresser, Raven Comachi from
Raven Row Salon, confirmed that my locks were far more salt than pepper over two years ago. I had been seeing all the young girls dying their hair the color I had growing on my very own. I was really tired of coloring every three weeks, but some people told me, “Don’t do it; it’ll make you look old.” But Raven was so on board and had a plan to help me get there with only a three-month transition. It took me several months to get up the nerve to go for it. But then I finally thought, Heck, I could always go back to the box if I didn’t like it.
Four stages of Lana. Clockwise from upper left: With her dyed brunette; the deep auburn after her hairdresser bleached her hair and then used toner; a lighter red as the color wore off; an ashy-blonde after a second bleaching. Then her hair began to grow out silver to get the look in the photo at top.
What was the grow-out process like?
“How do you feel about red?” Raven asked me before she began. My stylist knew she wouldn’t be able to get my box-brown hair white in one sitting without damage so she devised a masterful plan. She bleached all of my hair, which we knew would turn a bit orange. Then she went in with a temporary dark auburn to make it look intentional. It lightened as the days went on.
At the next visit six weeks later, she applied another round of bleach all over. The next few months consisted of toners to keep the yellow away and trims to keep it healthy. It took a while to grow it all out to white but keeping it short helped. It has been a truly liberating process.
Have you experimented with hairstyles other than the short style you wear now?
Technically I have had variations of short hair since I was 12 years old. Always above the shoulder and some more successful than others. I had the Salt-n-Pepa asymmetrical cut in the 80’s. Big mistake. Because I have straight, fine hair, it always looked flat and stringy when I tried to grow it out. So I went short like Demi Moore in Ghost and stuck with it. The short hair gives my hair the body and texture it needs to balance my round face.
If you aren’t sure if you’ll like how you’ll look then try a great wig first!
How do you style your hair?
I wash my virgin hair daily with thickening shampoo and conditioner; I use
Living Proof at the moment. Root lift sprays are a must before blow drying with a round brush and styling paste to finish. I’m loving
Sandcastle by R+Co. That’s it! Done in five minutes.
How do you keep your hair healthy?
I drive from Houston to Austin to see Raven for a trim every six weeks and squeeze in a quick visit with friends. I had to go nearly five months without a trim while on lockdown during the pandemic. It was really nice not to have to worry about the roots during this time.
What’s your advice for other women who are considering going gray?
My advice would be to make an appointment with a good hairstylist. If you aren’t sure if you’ll like how you’ll look then try a great wig first! I did that one silly night at a friend’s house, and it helped me pull the trigger.
Read More: Is This the Time to Let Your Hair Go Gray?
Runners Up
We picked five entries as runners up. It was hard to choose, but as you’ll see each one of these women have fabulous hair and interesting stories. All will receive one of our NextTribe coffee tumblers.
Elvira Aguayo, 65, Sarasota, FL
How long have you been gray?
I started my gray hair journey 5 years ago and later also began my curly hair transition. As I was growing up my mother owned a hair salon and in those days curly hair was not seen as something nice to have. Up until college I was tortured by bonnet hair dryers, rollers, hours at the hair salon, and curl relaxing creams that burned my scalp. Fortunately times changed and today I’m real and free.
Have you ever dyed your hair?
Growing my hair gray has been a fun experience. I took this step because an inner voice told me to do so and that voice has brought me amazing experiences that I would have never dreamed of or engaged on my own. Growing the gray is as easy or hard as your mind decides to make it. I wore a smile, focused on the goal, and didn’t listen to ‘well intended’ naysayers. For a long time I wore my hair with four colors because I had it brown with golden highlights at the beginning of the transition, and it didn’t bother me.
What was the growing out process like?
I am a firm believer that you have a better chance of reaching a goal when you are not alone. As I started transitioning to my natural color, I created a Facebook page
Bellas con Pelo Plateado, which in Spanish means Beautiful with Silver Hair, to encourage and support other ladies who were considering or already embarking on this journey. Silver hair has brought me an internet extended family around the world. Every October 3, we celebrate “World Gray Hair Day.”
How do you take care of your hair?
To keep the white I apply minimal heat and mostly let it dry with the wind. I use nourishing products for curly hair because both curls and gray hair are dry and seem to have a mind of their own. I use leave in conditioner and gel to keep the curls in shape since my hair likes to soak in the moisture of the environment like a flower.
What would you say to anyone who is thinking of going gray?
To those who tell me they would like to go gray but don’t dare, I tell them, “Give yourself eight weeks to see what hides under your hair dye.” Hair dye is an option, not an obligation. A hair color doesn’t make you look old, youth comes from within. Look for a person with hair like yours to use as inspiration. Find a style that doesn’t require heat or chemicals so that your beautiful gray hair doesn’t turn yellow. I love my gray hair. It’s one of the best decisions of my life.
***
Darla Gregg, 56, Priest River, Idaho
How long have you been gray?
I started turning gray prior to age 30.
Have you ever dyed your hair?
I dyed my hair in my 30’s in the days of wanting to be more blonde.
If so, why did you decide to quit?
I began to wear my hair very short around age 40 and coloring it was far more effort than I wanted to maintain.
How do you take care of your hair?
I’m a hiker and have always been a tomboy so I put very little effort into my hair as far as products.
What tools and products do you use to style it?
I have extremely thick hair so I just keep the sides and back clipped and typically spend less than five minutes fixing my hair in the mornings.
What would you say to anyone who is thinking of going gray?
It is liberating. Although I do feel like we are in the minority.
***
Aralyn Hughes, 74, Austin, TX
How long have you been gray?
Ten years ago or so I decided coloring the roots was expensive and time consuming. I had people to see, places to go, things to do.
Have you ever dyed your hair?
I said as a kid that I would never dye my hair and try to hide my age. I do use dye now to add fun colors. I just added more color into the gray/white on top, but COVID has really put me in the mode to stay gray/white without any color at all.
How do you take care of your hair?
I use quality shampoo, often for gray hair or colored hair. I put cream products in my hair to make it shine.
What tools and products do you use to style it?
Sometimes I use a hair dryer, but often I just pin it up, let it dry naturally. I have been know to use a curling iron but now that it is longer, rarely do I use that.
What would you say to anyone who is thinking of going gray?
Freedom and more compliments.
***
Tamra Measure, 60, Daniel Island, SC
How long have you been gray?
About 5 years.
Have you ever dyed your hair?
Dyed for about 30 years.
If so, why did you decide to quit and what was the grow-out process like?
My hair was not in great shape and grows so fast I’d have to recolor way too often. I bit the bullet and just stopped coloring. It was not a pretty sight, but so worth it. I had frequent cuts.
How do you take care of your hair?
What tools and products do you use to style it?
Use a large round brush and blow dryer when not in ponytail.
What would you say to anyone who is thinking of going gray?
Go for it. It’s very liberating. I get lots of compliments.
***
Trina Roy, 53, NextTribe Member, Seattle, WA
How long have you been gray?
I’ve been gray since my late 30s. It started with a single streak down the front of one side and just kept expanding.
Have you ever dyed your hair?
Nope! It’s never been dyed.
How do you take care of your hair?
I only wash it once or twice a week, always with conditioner. I rarely blow dry it or style it these days but when I do I always use a heat protection product. Occasionally I brush it with a boar hair bristle brush. Now that it’s gotten so long I should probably do that more often!
What tools and products do you use to style it?
After a shower I detangle with Renpure Refreshing Moisture 5-in-1 Treatment, and smooth the ends with Hask Monoi Coconut Nourishing Hair Oil. I’ve been shifting to products with more natural ingredients and these are two that work well with my hair. When I style it I use a flat iron and/or a straightening brush then tame any remaining crazies with a pomade or wax.
What would you say to anyone who is thinking of going gray?
Do it! Embrace the gray; you may be amazed at the hidden treasure in your silver locks.
Honorable Mentions
Tracey Ellen Lyons and Liz Juneau
Jennifer Argo and Denise Eason
Betsy Barrickman and NextTribe Member Beth Schrader
NextTribe Member Lynn Shapiro and Jessica Ziwa
Wendy Reed and Tena Fink-Lacy
0 Comments