How to embrace grey hair like Michelle Visage
Watch: Michelle Visage on embracing her grey hair
Michelle Visage has revealed the reason she embraces her grey hair, sharing that she first started developing silver locks at the age of 19.
The RuPaul's Drag Race judge, 55, was appearing on Good Morning Britain and was complimented on her stand-out silver hair streak by host Susanna Reid, who said she thought it was "stunning".
Visage replied: "Thank you very much. I'm 55, proudly, and I feel like a woman should do what makes her happy. I feel like men are able to age gracefully and we are held to this thing that we have to abide to.
"And to be honest I'm 55, so why would I try to look 25? So I embraced the grey streak during lockdown and it became a thing, so I'm sticking with it."
Visage went on to reveal that she initially wasn't ready to celebrate her grey locks when they started appearing as a teenager. "I started to go grey at 19 and I wasn't ready then, both my parents were snow white in their 20s, it is in the genetics. But you should do what makes you happy, nobody gets to judge what you do for you."
The former Strictly contestant isn't the isn't the only star who has been celebrating their natural grey hues recently.
Allison Janney, recently revealed she'd decided to swap her longer, dyed hair in favour of a cute, grey pixie crop and turns out embracing her natural colour was inspired by fellow actor Dame Helen Mirren.
Meanwhile, Drew Barrymore revealed she was embracing her “natural” greys post-motherhood. Lily Allen also proudly rocked grey roots during the coronavirus pandemic and Patsy Palmer revealed she's totally on board with her red hair turning grey.
And it isn't just celebrities who are on board with this new grey hair, don't care mentality. A recent study, conducted by Perspectus Global, found that one in three Brits (36%) believe it is now more acceptable to go grey and that there is less stigma about not covering them up.
Further figures by Silvina LONDON revealed that almost 97% consider having gone grey a positive decision and 84% believe society has become more accepting of women embracing their natural look with grey hair.
"It's no longer a novelty to see celebrities, royals, and everyday women proudly flaunting their natural grey hair without the need for dyes or concealers," Silvina Neder, a grey hair model, influencer, and founder of Silvina London, explains.
"In today's world, an increasing number of people are opting to embrace their grey locks, viewing it as a celebration of their authentic selves—a powerful statement that challenges societal norms.
"What were once canvases predominantly painted with shades of brown and blonde highlights, now display beautiful tapestries of white and grey strands. This transformation symbolises naturalness, wisdom, and the authenticity of life's rich experiences."
Neder believes there are many motivations behind choosing to go grey gracefully.
"Most women decide to go grey to liberate themselves from the constant upkeep of covering growing roots," she explains. "The countless hours spent at the hairdresser, the discomfort of chemicals on the scalp, and the financial investment in concealing what will inevitably reappear in a matter of days—all of these burdens fade away with the decision to embrace grey hair.
"Going grey means less time, money, and stress spent on salon appointments and toxic hair products. Yet, the most stylish grey-haired women boast glossy locks that prove they haven't forsaken hair care. On the contrary, many consistently maintain impeccable haircuts and style."
Why does hair go grey?
According to Eva Proudman, consultant trichologist at www.ukhairconsultants.com hair begins to turn grey when the Melanocytes (that produce the Melanin which give the hair its colour) begin to deplete and become ineffective.
"This is largely due to the ageing process but can be genetically related too," she explains. "Everyone regardless of their hair colour will develop grey hairs, but it is probably more noticeable on dark hair."
Interestingly Proudman says the term ‘grey’ is slightly misleading as the hair is actually white. "It just looks 'grey' as a result of being mixed in with normally pigmented hair," she explains.
How to look after grey hair
While grey hair can often feel more course and brittle, due to a lack of the natural sebum that keeps our hair moisturised, there are some tips you can adopt to help keep silver locks looking luscious.
Diet and nutrition
"Healthy hair comes principally from looking after your diet and lifestyle as well as great haircare," explains Proudman.
"Eating enough protein daily as well as keeping hydrated, sleeping well and exercising give the hair the nutrition and lifestyle it needs to grow and be healthy."
Hair care expert Rossano Ferretti recommends a well-balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin E, B vitamins, and minerals like iron and zinc.
"And stay hydrated by drinking an adequate amount of water daily," she adds.
Choose the right products
Proudman says grey hair can be less easy to colour with hair dye and can also often take on a dull yellow tone that most people do not find flattering.
"Purple based shampoos can give the grey hair a nice bright tone and keep it looking shiny too," she explains. "My particular favourite is the Milkshake Silver Shine - not only does it smell wonderful it really delivers a great clean tone and super shine to the hair."
Grey hair is also more susceptible to UV damage from the sun so Proudman recommends investing in a good SPF to add protection.
"Washing every other day is really important as grey hair shows the dirt more quickly than any other hair colour," she adds.
Minimise heat styling
Ferretti suggests trying to limit the use of heated styling tools like flat irons and curling irons on grey hair, as excessive heat can lead to damage and dryness.
"If heat styling is unavoidable then applying heat protectant is important," she adds.
Go for regular trims
Scheduling regular haircuts to keep your hair looking neat and healthy. "Trimming helps remove split ends and prevents breakage that often happens with coarse or brittle dry grey hair," Ferretti adds.
Hair: Read more
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The psychology of a haircut as fans praise Susanna Reid’s new style: ‘ageing backwards’ (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
From Helen Mirren's blue hair to Kate's fringe, memorable celebrity hair changes (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)
