A couple of weeks ago we watched the movie Cars 2. Something about Mater's comment about his dents struck me. To paraphrase, he said that he didn't want to remove his dents because each dent reminded him of a moment in his life, when the dent was made. Hmm...interesting. Could this theory apply to my incoming grey hair?
Since deciding to really "green" our lives I have completely stopped colouring my hair. If you know me, then you know that I was a BLONDE in high school and I moved on to light brown in my adult life. A few years ago the grey hair started to move in. I used to be able to hide it with highlights, but not anymore.
The catch is that I'm not really very old and we (society) equate grey hair with aging. Am I really ready to resign myself to grey hair already. Seriously?
So, why debate this? Why not just hit the drugstore or make an appointment at the salon? That little green bug in my ear is holding me back.
Commitment
Colouring your hair is a long term commitment. It is true that you can stop colouring your hair, but once you start and your hair looks lovely you just keep on colouring. That's a lot of exposure to potentially harmful chemicals. Years of exposure.
Cost
Colouring your hair is not cheap. It can be, but the cheaper the lower the quality and the higher the toxins. My old highlights at the salon were around $100 each visit. That's a couple of hundred dollars a year...too much or too little?
Chemical Exposure - at home
So, I mentioned chemical exposure. What do I mean? Canada has come a long way over the last few years, requiring cosmetic companies to list ingredients on the packages. However, we have a long way to go. As with many environmental issues, the European Union is ahead of us when it comes to identifying and removing chemicals from cosmetics. In 2006 the European Union banned 22 hair dye ingredients, including coal tar dyes (a known carcinogen). Canada hasn't banned all of these ingredients, they only require proper warning labels. When I was buying drugstore hair colouring I would purchase Garnier Nutrisse (Brown Sugar). When I looked this product up on the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep (cosmetic data base) I was staggered to see the score - 8/10 - High Hazzard. The score indicates a concern around carcinogens, developmental and reproductive toxicity and allergen concerns...not good.
Chemical Exposure - at the salon
In recent years, before my personal ban, I had been going to a salon to have highlights done. Is this any safer? Well, different salons use different products...it is hard to know exactly what they are. The benefit of going to the salon is that you are in a well ventilated area, a professional is applying the dye properly and disposing of the waste properly. Having a professional apply the product could be key. The less contact the chemicals have with your scalp the better. So, maybe it is better at the salon?Safer AlternativesApparently, alternatives to chemical treatments have improved since the days of my youth, when I would rub a lemon on my head to produce highlights. Henna is a plant derived dye that is widely used. It does provide colour changes, however it doesn't withstand many washes. And, when I asked at my local "green" drugstore I was told that Henna products cannot lighten your hair, only enrich the colour you have. So, they are a little limited.On the horizon
Would you take a pill to prevent grey hair? L'oreal is researching the possibility of a pill that would prevent your hair from ever going grey. There is a lot of controversy around this idea and the implications for our general health. Imagine!?
The bottom line is this, personal comfort. Changes in our personal identity are always difficult. When the first wrinkle appears around our eyes we cross our fingers and hope it's not the beginning of the end. The reality is that with every day we get a little older...wrinkles will come and grey hair will fill our heads. Am I ready to embrace my new hair identity? Is the toxic trade off worth the boost to my self esteem? Everything we do in life seems to have a toxic trade off. I'm willing to give this some more thought.
What do you think? Do you colour your hair? Salon or out of the box? Does grey hair matter to you? I would love to hear what you think.Sources
image - www.emohair-1.com
ArtsyCraftsyMom says
🙂 I started graying really young.. maybe when I was 16 or so.. it runs in the family. I used heena (or mehendi) as we call it in India. and the grays turned deep red while the blacks turned a rich dark brown shine.. while this worked for lesser grays .. it doesn't work if the hair is light or there are a lot of grays. I have resorted to coloring them regularly as the comments that I started getting at office were too much to handle. It would be great if there was a better natural alternative.
1000+1 says
I don't like grey hair since they came earlier than they should! so occasionally (once a year) I go to a salon, other times I use henna at home. Summertime I let the sun do some work on my brown hair … but I won't consider any pills for sure.
Allie says
I dye mine out, but like the previous commenters I went gray early. I was in teachers college when I started dying my hair every 8 weeks. My gray is in clumps, it's not pretty. I'd love to have all gray hair one day though I think that is stunning.
Kristi@Creative Connections for Kids says
Hi Jen, I'm 47 now and I am starting to go gray. Seriously gray. I've decided to just let it go! I don't want to pay for color and I don't want the chemicals either. Now if I was seriously gray at 27 (I had a few stray grays then) I would have been much more likely to do highlights or color. I just happened to say to my daughters the other day...The gray is really coming in, should I color it? They both loudly stated a resounding 'NO!'. I just plan to try to keep the style up to date since that can age a person too. Other than that, I'm going to let it go!
KitchenCounterChronicles says
Awesome Kristi - I agree the style of your hair can really age a person too. Thanks!
Anonymous says
I am doing the same thing. I am 46 and thought I was too young to have grey hair. But after a recent illness and realize what toxins I was putting in and on my body, I have decided it is not worth my health. Besides, I have earned each one and it is a reminder that like Mother Earth, we are all changing from time to time. They are who I am.
Jude says
I started to go grey at 18, and only last years, in my late 40's did I decide to stop. I'm so glad I did, because I actually look younger. I'm lucky in that I've gone all over silver grey, and with a modern haircut, and up to date clothes, it isn't ageing at all. It's completely a state of mind. There is no issue about younger men going grey, but a whole set of double standards when it comes to women. If fewer women felt obliged to colour their grey, attitudes might change.
KitchenCounterChronicles says
Thanks Jude, I totally agree about the grey hair double standard that exists. Time to turn the tide! Thanks for stopping by.
Jenn O'Reilly says
Yep, I'm one of those blessed that started going gray in my teens as well and I've been colouring my hair for at least the last ten years, save for when I was pregnant with my kids. I hate it, it's inconvenient, and it costs a lot; however I'm 31 years old and I feel cheated and as soon as I see those roots coming in my self perception changes. I hate it, I'm a slave but I've accepted that, nothing left to do.
KitchenCounterChronicles says
I hear ya. Going grey in your teens must have been a tough one. We all do what we have to do. Thanks for stopping by.