February 23, 2018

Random Thoughts about White Hair

When I started Wandering and Wondering, my hair was a dark mahogany, then it was black, then it was a lighter mahogany, then it was just brown.

Premature Gray Silver is a dominant trait on my mother's side of the family. My hair started to turn gray white in my late teens. By the time I was 25, I would estimate my hair was close to 25% white.  Luckily, I had been dying it since I was 14, so the only way one could tell how white it was is if it took me more than three weeks to retouch it.

Yes, my mother let me dye my hair at 14. I wasn't allowed to pierce my ears, wear make-up, tampons or bikini underwear (what would people think!!!!) but I could support Clairol!

My hair grows super fast. If I dye it, about four minutes past the 21st day a quarter inch neon stripe of silver glows at my scalp, yelling to the world, "FAKE! FAKE! FAKE!"

I stopped dying it ages ago and now my hair is mostly silver with some dark 'low lights' that don't cost me a dime!

My old Blogger profile photo was taken maybe 11 or 12 years ago. Yesterday one of my friends asked me why I have such an old photo representing me. She accused me of being ashamed of my hair color and age! She knew better but she was trying to make a point. So, this morning I have updated my photo.

All of you young women without gray in your hair, you are probably unaware or maybe you have asked these questions of your silver friends.

These are my answers to questions that are asked all the time:

Yes, I have white hair and I love it.

Yes, it is naturally curly, I only blow dry it if the humidity is below 38%, otherwise it is a useless task.

No, I don't think it ages me, having had 67 birthdays is what ages me.

No, white hair did not make my hair unruly. My hair, like myself, has always had authority issues! (Which brings me to the items above that I wasn't allowed to do...it didn't mean I didn't do them, I just wasn't allowed to do them!)

Yes, The Guy likes my white hair? Well, I don't really know for sure. He says he doesn't want me to dye it but I'm not sure if it's because he likes the white or his wallet likes the savings!

Lots of words here to assure you all that I didn't have some tragic event that made me go white overnight.

Are you happy, Jessica?

p.s. The Guy has the most awesome wavy silver hair. When he was younger his hair was black. He looks just like his Uncle Richard who has had the most gorgeous silver hair since I've known him. I couldn't wait for the Guys hair to turn and make him even more handsome than he already was. Now he looks just like Uncle Richard. Oo la la!

14 comments:

  1. Lucky you with silver hair. I used to be red blond but in the meantime it's sort of Sandy with grey streaks. Not exciting, but it is as it is and it's okay! Have a nice weekend, hugs, Valerie

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    1. I think your picture is beautiful! Besides, you natural redheads are gorgeous and most of us have envied you at several points in our lives!

      I hope your weekend is joyful!

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  2. I think you look LOVELY!!! We are so much alike, I started to dye my hair in my early teens too, but because I wanted the "punk rock" look...I started to notice gray hairs when I was 18 though. Now I'm sure I'm completely white under all that red, but I'm not ready to make the leap yet. I have to dye the roots every two to three weeks because red doesn't sit very well on gray temple hair!!

    My hair is naturally wavy, but I like to straighten it (for now!) ;) In the summer though, all bets are off, the humidity takes care of that!

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    1. I love my hair all blown out, smooth and full, but the minute the humidity rises I kiss all the work goodbye. In the summer, I'm in and out of the pool all day, so the blow dryer rests until October (or a wedding or funeral).

      I dyed my hair a deep red for a short period of time but keeping up with it drove me nuts. You have perfect skin for red hair, so does my daughter. My skin is olive, not so good a look.

      I know I'm a little on the older side but I've really been tempted to dye my hair a deep dark blue. Just a little afraid of the after look when it fades. Maybe I'll go for a chunky stripe down one side!

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    2. I love that, I did have a deep dark blue at one point, and a kind of eggplant purple! :) Black is tricky though, it can really wash you out if it's too dark and you can't ever get it out unless you bleach or cut!

      My hair is naturally auburn so I just made it slightly lighter to make my skin not look too daunt. It's hard to get the same colour every time though lol.

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  3. your hair is beautiful and people pay good money to achieve what you have!! I have never dyed my hair,, its going grey now ( 62 ), my Mum wasn't completely grey at 78 when she died so I guess i take after her,, I have probably almost 50 percent grey now and I'm quite pleased with it,, its me,, not going to start dying it now!! My husband has beautiful silver white hair and he started have grey strands as a teen, his sisters as well, they all have lovely white hair but only one lets it go natural, the others think it ages them,, I disagree, I think sometimes the hair doesn't match the face when we dye it,

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    1. Your husband's family sounds like mine! I wonder if we're related!!!!

      Letting my hair go natural has been the best. I save lots of money, my hair is healthier, and, most importantly, I don't have to freak out about coordinating getting my 'roots' fixed with special events!

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  4. Your new profile photo is beautiful! I love a full set of white or grey hair. I find it looks really nice. But that's just me :) Like many teens I knew way back when, I dyed my hair without my mother's permission. I continued to dye my hair for the longest time and then quit some time in my twenties. I let it go natural and loved it. Then I separated from the husband from hell and decided to not only change my life but to also change my look. I began years worth of streaking my hair and loved it. Then I quit that and started dying my own hair for awhile. I've quit that now, as well, and have gone completely natural. Lately I've had the urge to dye my hair with one of those temporary colour jobs, so that within a couple of months it'll all be gone. Not sure if I'll do it yet. I've got some grey streaks and they don't bother me at all. They are my wisdom hair :)

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    1. Wisdom Hair! I love it!

      Thank you. The Guy doesn't like the photo I posted. He says I look like an alien! He makes me laugh!

      What a relief to just let your hair be your hair, isn't it? I totally understand the need to make physical changes during traumatic periods; kind of re-defining ourselves. I did the same thing when I divorced my first husband (maybe he knew your ex, he was from hell, too!).

      There is always the temptation to experiment. Sometimes I think I hear it call me in the middle of the night! Probably better just to find the deep blue color and paint my toe nails!

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  5. I'll be turning 68 in April and I'm the opposite. still have my brown hair (no dye) with some gray sprinkled in though you have to be pretty close to see it. although there is a clump at my right temple that getting pretty solid. my dad was slow to gray. also have curly hair and live in high humidity so it's wash and go.

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    1. A good friend of mine has dark, curly hair and she just celebrated her 70th birthday in January. She has a bit of white scattered but for the most part, she is still sporting her black hair!

      Wash and Go is the best. I love that about my curly hair!

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  6. Your new profile photo is great! I love Martha's phrase "wisdom hair." Like Laurie, I've never died my hair either. I have lots of grey throughout but my hair is still more brunette than "salt-n-pepper." My Rare One has gorgeous silver/white hair and I love how she looks!

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    1. Martha's "Wisdom Hair" is spot on. I think I'm going to be using it often.

      People say hair can go white because of stress. Are you a calm person, casual about life's twists and turns, and your hair shows it?

      How different we all are! Célébrer la différence!

      Nice that you love your Rare One's looks!

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  7. Stopping coloring my hair about 5 years ago was one of the best choices I ever made. I love my hairs in all its shades of silver, white, gray and even taupe. I get compliments on it all the time!

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