Gray, silver, and platinum-colored hair has been a fashion trend for quite some time now. Whether you love it or think that it’s merely a fading fad, you can’t deny that it’s impressive and grabs your attention. But what’s even more impressive than professionally dyed hair is natural gray hair that makes women look like they’re stepping out of the pages of a fairytale.

More and more women worldwide are bucking the hair-dyeing trend and are instead choosing to be proud of their natural gray hair. An important factor in this popular movement that simply adores the color gray is the Grombre community, a group dedicated to showing how beautiful and classy women can be when they show off their silver curls.

So you can see for yourself that gray is a great color, here are the very best examples of stylish women who are very proud of their hair as it is, and don’t even want to consider dyeing it. Enjoy, scroll down, upvote whom you think is the most stylish, and after you’re done, take a look at Bored Panda’s previous compilations of silver-haired beauties here and here. Oh, and here’s definitive proof that dyeing your hair gray has been a popular thing for a while now. 

More info: grombre.com | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

#1

“I can remember being in 7th grade during a school “break” in the courtyard and my best friend grasping at the top of my head and exclaiming, “You have a gray hair!” She affectionately termed this my unicorn hair, and we watched as the year went on and more and more unicorn hair appeared on my head.

By the time I was 16, I had more unicorn hair than I could pull out or hide by changing my part, and I began coloring it on a monthly basis. This continued for six years until some time in 2015 when I began thinking, what if I just let it go, quit spending so much money and time on covering my gray, and just LET IT GO.

Honestly, I was pretty hesitant, but one evening when my boyfriend and his sweet family heard I was contemplating going gray, they encouraged me whole heartedly, giving me that boost of confidence I was lacking. Now, I wish I had never even began dying my hair in the first place!

Here I am today, at 27 years old, and I’ve sported a full head of gray hair for going on four years! The growing out stage was awkward of course. I even interviewed at my current firm with half gray, half brown hair thinking, “Please don’t let them think I’m crazy.” I can’t count how many people stop me on a DAILY basis to talk about my hair – it is the ultimate icebreaker. I’ve turned so many strangers into friends – young/old, male/female…, you name it. My heart feels so full when someone tells me I’ve inspired them to embrace their natural beauty as well – whatever it may be! So, what I’d like to say to you is, don’t hide your natural beauty, whatever it may be – embrace it! You’ll soon thank yourself.”

Image credits: grombre

#2

“Some people have black hair, some have blonde hair- those who are lucky enough get white hair. It’s not something that anyone should ever feel they need to hide from. I get so upset when people say that white hair is ‘old.’ I was only 15 years old when I started going grey (just like many others here), it’s not old- it’s natural and it is beautiful.”

Image credits: grombre

#3

“My silver to me means embracing the aging process. It’s not for everyone and that’s totally okay. I have A LOT of silver and wanted to see what would happen if I stopped trying to hide it and, instead, tried used plant based products to enhance it. That was almost 2 years ago and my hair, and confidence, have never been better.”

Image credits: grombre

The Grombre community has grown to a large, respectable group now. It has over 139,000 members on Instagram, over 16,000 followers on Facebook, and another 222 supporters on Twitter. Three guesses which social media Grombre likes the best?

“A radical celebration of the natural phenomenon of grey hair,” that’s how Grombre presents itself on Instagram, inviting women of all backgrounds to submit their photos and the stories of their relationships with their graying hair.

#4

“I’ve inherited this gorgeous slivers of silver from my father as it goes back generations in our family where the process of going grey started at 18. I’ve battled hair dyes for years and bounce around from color to color as if ashamed of this beautiful gift I was given. It doesn’t help that some of my dearest friends are hair stylists but they allow me to grieve my father’s loss by never pressuring to cover it. This is 3 months growth from (feb to April 2019).”

Image credits: grombre

#5

“I started going gray at 19 but always colored my hair- especially when I was cosmetology school and working as a hairstylist for 6 years. I’ve had every hair color in the book. I used to give my mother (who is naturally a striking white/ silver, and has never colored her hair) a hard time about her natural silver. As a hairstylist, I found myself loving and drooling over naturally silver hair. Eventually I started encouraging and helping my clients grow out their natural silver. I started noticing how people looked at my mom and her striking white hair when she walked into a room. People constantly told me my mom is so beautiful. I decided I wanted to grow mine out, too. I get more compliments about my natural silver hair now than I ever did when I abused it with harsh chemicals and I’m excited to be part of a sisterhood and movement that’s au naturale!!”

Image credits: grombre

#6

“Name a better way to tell society to ‘suck it’ than to embrace your natural self at the start of your 30s. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Nine months into this transition and the ignorance is real, so if you’re in the same situation, use this time to educate those around you. Gray is a color, not an age definition. Be you. Be authentic. Be bold.”

Image credits: grombre

In a previous interview with Bored Panda, the founder of the Grombre Instagram account Martha Truslow Smith explained how she wanted to create a platform of support and positive emotions for those women who think there’s no shame in embracing who you are.

“The underlying reason I started Grombre was to start a different dialogue around gray hair on women and find the answer to some earnest questions of my own: “Is it true that my gray hair is ugly, makes me look old, and means I’m no longer good enough?” the founder of Grombre spoke with Bored Panda. “I’m only in my twenties. If that is true, how will I feel and what will I believe about myself when I’m in my 40s, 50s, 60s?” I want to challenge the way we think about what we consider “beautiful,” and why, and propose that we have more important things to spend our precious time, energy and resources on if we find our hearts aren’t aligning with the things we find to be someone else’s biases.”

#7

Image credits: grombre

#8

“I’ve had grey hair as long as I can remember. At 13 I was plucking them out with tweezers. I was embarassed and anxious between salon appointments; I felt like everyone was staring at the top of my head! Choosing to stop dyeing my hair was the most empowering feeling I have ever experienced and the best part is the message I am sending to my children: I love myself as I am.”

Image credits: grombre

#9

“I started to grow out my pixie cut in 2012 and decided to quit coloring my hair. The grey is still coming in, but I like it. The grey started in my early 30’s, it can be unruly at times, but with the right amount of wind, it looks like a flowing mane.”

Image credits: grombre

Gray hair is a natural part of aging. According to trichologist (a dermatologist who deals with the scientific study of the health of hair and scalp) Madeleine Preston who spoke with Cosmopolitan, most women in their 30s see at least a few gray hairs; however, by the time they’re in their 50s, more than half their hair should be gray. 

“Gray hair is a combination of normally pigmented hairs interspersed with white ones. Hair turns white when the pigmentation cells responsible for color (melanin) stop being produced,” Preston explained to Cosmopolitan. “Nutritional and hormonal factors can affect hair color as well as stress but, by and large, the predisposition to go grey earlier or later in life is genetic.”

So don’t stress about a few (or a lot of) gray hairs — they’re a part of life. And I’ll bet a lot of people find them to be charming, not ugly.

#10

“In my 30s I finally feel comfortable embracing my ever growing number of white hairs. Naturally, I didnt feel ready and enjoyed my rapid changing styles of colors more in my teens. In my late twenties, I felt very sure I would never go natural again thinking I had found my most natural not natural look. But now I want to enjoy the changes up close, and not hide the fact that aging can be a beautiful thing in so many ways.”

Image credits: grombre

#11

“My hair is not only a reminder of physical transformation but one of internal growth and transform and the journey to my true self! It’s completely freeing to embrace and display the natural and authentic person I’m becoming! I no longer want to be boxed in by societal pressures! No more hiding behind masks and hair dye! I’ll be 40 in a month and couldn’t be more excited to show the real me… almost a year into my going grey journey and I’m not looking back!”

Image credits: grombre

#12

“I have been growing it for 4 months and am really starting to enjoy it now. I started to go grey at about 16 and have been dying it for over 2 decades. I’m not sure what it was exactly that urged me to let the grey grow in but earlier this year I just went for it. I had a bit of a wobble last month but stuck with it and am glad I did. This shot is the very first headshot of me with the new natural colour . I am an actress and I’m curious to see if my casting opportunities will change as a result of the new hair colour.”

Image credits: grombre

#13

“I got my first grey hair at the age of 9. I remember myself at that age looking at those extrange decolored hairs in front of my parents’mirror. So one day, I decided to make them disappear by cutting them off from the root, without knowing that a couple of days later they would appear triumphant on my head again. Since that day, I knew that those grey hairs were going to be there no matter what…All my life I tried to cover them, but when I started my university life my grey hairs were notorious enough for me to decide on dying my hair for the first time. From that moment on until March of this year they were covered out of shame, because of the fear of criticism BUT NOT ANY MORE. I finally want to be FREE, I want to be honest with what I really am and I can’t wait to see the real version of me. Nowadays, my grey hair has become my inner force, my rebel part, my proud side…and I’m sure that I couldn’t start this new beginning without the example of all of you, every one of you were my inspiration to finally accept me as I really am. Thank you all for being so brave…”

Image credits: grombre

#14

Image credits: grombre

#15

“I’m Angela and I’ve been going gray for as long as I can remember. Throughout my 20s I got a lot of ‘Oh dear! But at least your face looks young!’ and, ‘That’s not real!’ or, ‘Wow, your job must be really stressful.’ But I never started to dye it! It just seemed like too much hassle, and I don’t think my hair looks bad! Recently I’ve gotten many compliments and people have asked me if I get my silver highlights done professionally.”

Image credits: grombre

#16

“In many ways, this feels like a 12-step-program. ‘Hello, my name is Shan, and I’m a colour-holic. I’m thirteen months dye free’. Might seem a funny way to think of it until I tell you my coming out story. A year ago spring, I was hit hard by vertigo. While vertigo isn’t a life-threatening condition, it stopped my life in its tracks for nearly three months. But it didn’t stop me coloring my hair. I remember sitting on the bathroom floor, head spinning, hair saturated with dye, waiting for the timer so I could rinse and return to bed. God forbid anyone see my roots. And It was then I realized how crazy what I was doing was. And why? Why was I hiding the silver? Who was I doing it for? What possessed me to do this every two weeks?! I didn’t have the answer.
A little googling led me to @ericahjohnston a woman in the midst of her silver transformation and her story of serving in the military, being deployed overseas and making sure she packed her box of hair color. This was a woman going off to serve our country, braver than I would ever be, also afraid to let her roots show. She eventually made a decision to quit the color and share her journey. If she hadn’t, I may not have stopped coloring. So now, thirteen months later, I would like to do the same for someone else. Pay it forward as it were — to the ladies considering seeing what lies beneath. And to say thank you — not just to Erica, but to the other women who’ve inspired me”

Image credits: grombre

#17

Image credits: grombre

#18

“8 months of transition have not been easy…for those who see me wrong.. I have been mocking a system that I don’t know who invented it.”

Image credits: grombre

#19

Image credits: grombre

#20

“12 months feels like a real achievement. Not only have I gone a full year without dyeing my hair but I have gained a new perspective on myself, ageing, self-esteem and confidence. Embracing my natural colour and texture has given me the power to say ‘this is me and I love it’. You would think hair dye would create confidence but it did just the opposite for me bringing anxiety as my roots would begin to show. With my silver hair, I feel unique and also as if I am part of a secret club. Ever see someone else with silver hair across the room and your eyes meet and you just sort of nod at each other in recognition? If you are just starting out on this crazy journey and are still unsure; it’s so worth it, keep going! Oh and welcome to the club!”

Image credits: grombre

#21

“It’s been over a year and a half since I last dyed my hair and I couldn’t be happier with that decision! Leaving the stress, mess and frustration of the relentless dyeing cycle behind has been incredibly freeing. I love my hair. I have watched in fascination as the silver slowly weaves through the dark. But the process has been about so much more than hair. It’s been about accepting this change – about accepting myself. It’s been about connecting with amazing and supportive people who are walking a similar path. And it’s been about encouraging others to see, even if it’s not the right one for you, it’s a path worth taking.”

Image credits: grombre

#22

“From ‘self-consciousness’ to ‘self-esteem’

Image credits: grombre

#23

“My grey hair is what makes me unique. I get asked all the time who my stylist is. I’m proud to say that my hair is healthy and thicker because I chose to leave it alone. If you’re thinking about making the transition in your 20’s, I encourage you! Now is the perfect time thanks to recent trends in hair color.”

Image credits: grombre

#24

“I love my silver hair and feel that its an act of singularity to keep my natural color and wear it as a badge of wisdom and grace.”

Image credits: grombre

#25

“I’m 6 months into my grombre journey, and I’ve never been happier in my own skin. I started getting grey hairs at 18 years old, and I was taught to be ashamed of them. I started fighting against them – my hairdressers appointments went from every 8 weeks to 6 to 4, and even then I noticed silvery roots atop my dark brown locks in every photo taken of me in the last 10 years. It got to the point this year that I couldn’t afford the maintenance, so through necessity I had to embrace them. But that’s when my whole perspective transformed, because it was then that I found the grombre community on Instagram and it was such an inspiration. I wasn’t prepared for how liberating it would feel, to be able to sweep my hair back and not be frozen in self-loathing because of my “roots”. That feeling has completely vanished and in its place is self-acceptance, love and pride. I have found it so exciting to discover what my natural hair looks like and – especially when it’s shimmering in the sunshine – I can’t believe how lucky I am to have naturally silver, unicorn hair!”

Image credits: grombre

#26

“I ditched the colour exactly two years ago. My hair was long, down to my waist. I was tired of people pleasing and just could not deal with the burden of it anymore. One day in early June I just decided to go pixie with my locks. That took most of my colour away n then kept my Pixie until early this year. I’m very happy and relaxed since I stopped colour. I don’t miss it, I don’t miss the panic every 4-5 weeks. Even though I never used chemical hair dye I was tied to henna every 4-5 weeks. But I’m free now.”

Image credits: grombre

#27

“I was unsure at first as the silver slowly began taking over my head. I had been covering my grey for the last 20 years and it was as if I was seeing the real me for the first time in a long time.
But day after day as I told myself to just let it go and not to run off to the salon something began to happen. Each silver strand I saw claim it’s place gave me so much more of an appreciation for my hair. It was stunning these pieces of glimmer in my hair and it made me wonder why we have been taught for so long that we needed to hide it. I love my grey now and can never imagine hiding it again. I also love how it can empower other women to release their sparkle as well.
In the end it’s all about doing what you feel best about it, dye or no dye but I am happy to be surrounded with other women who have ditched the color too, showing off their shimmer and glimmer to the world.”

Image credits: grombre

#28

“I found my first grey (or silver as I’d like to call them) hair strands at the age of 17 and kept dyeing it dark brown or black until I was 34. As I then got pregnant I realized that I wouldn’t want any more chemicals in my hair or on my skin, so I stopped. This is me, three years older, all natural silver and very happy about it. And the funny thing is, I get more compliments for my hair now than ever before.”

Image credits: grombre

#29

“Last week I had a working trip abroad and to my surprise, some people stopped me midway to ask whether this is my real hair colour and they complimented me for it (one even asked to take a picture with me, like oh-wow-I’m-flattered!). It’s nice to know that more and more people are embracing their natural hair colour, the all grey and come what may. My daughter (left), along with her older sister, thought that I look nice with grey hair and they encouraged me from day 1.”

Image credits: grombre

#30

“This IG page was my inspiration to start embracing my grays. Last time I dyed my hair was on November, 2018. I remember feeling nervous about showing the world the real me at 26 years old, once I’ve been hiding my grays since I was 15. But seeing so many powerful women share their stories and their natural hair color, made me feel like a ‘normal’ person again and I didn’t feel so lonely in this going gray journey. This process of going gray is not only helping me (re) build myself but also boost my self esteem. I feel beautiful. You should feel too.”

Image credits: grombre

#31

“My grays started showing in my late teens, probably a Mallon streak as it was jet black everywhere else. Over time, it’s blended in more with the rest of the grays. I’ve never dyed it to cover or hide it. The curls are all natural too. I’m so excited to see more and more silver sisters everywhere I go!”

Image credits: grombre

#32

“Two years ago I wrote an article about how to grow out grey hair for @allure . I made it to 3 months of growth and then I cracked and went back to coloring it my ‘natural’ dark brown color to cover the grey again for the next year and a half.

Then, this past October, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer at the age of 43. When my hair started falling out I got a pixie cut, and when it *really* started falling out 2 weeks later, I got my head shaved.

I underwent about 6 months of treatment that included 9 weeks of weekly chemo, major surgery (hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and appendix removed) and recovery, and then 9 more weeks of weekly chemo.

I actually didn’t mind being bald, and I liked my hair when it grew in as its natural color. At some point during my treatment I had a nightmare that my hair was long and dark again and I thought, ‘Why did I do that? I like my short grey hair!’ I finished my treatment in April and am now cancer-free. I plan to keep my hair its natural grey as I don’t want to unnecessarily expose myself to toxins every 4-6 weeks to keep covering the grey, or feel self-conscious about my roots as they grow in like I used to when I colored it.

One of the hardest parts about transitioning to grey hair is that dreaded line of demarkation as the grey grows out. I found out the hard way that the best method for avoiding that is to just shave your head ”

Image credits: grombre

#33

“For years I had a hair stylist who would talk me out of growing out my gray; every single time. I had to make the decision on my own, and could even hear her voice in the back of my head telling me not to. That voice made it harder in the early stages. I constantly doubted myself and could hear her echo. Then I found Gaby. She’s been with me for a few years now, taming my mane. She not only supports my decision, but she makes me feel even more confident and beautiful every time I leave her chair. Today she was even telling me about all these other Grombre girls she started following on IG so she cheer them on. Gaby, by the way, doesn’t have a gray hair in sight. She’s simply just SUPPORTIVE. No agenda. No personal reflections. Just supportive. Find your Gaby. Find her early. Find your supportive hair stylist. Find your hair therapist. You deserve it. It makes a difference.”

Image credits: grombre

#34

“I was so excited when I found my first gray at eleven; family history had it that my great-great-grandfather had white hair at 30 and he was a man of myth and legend in my young life. In high school I had white streaks in my hair, earning the nickname “Rogue”. In my late twenties the story changed; I was poised to become a bride and didn’t want my salt and pepper hair overshadowing me. I dyed it dark brown and gained a lot of compliments on how much “younger” I looked. One divorce and a career change later I realized it wasn’t my hair color that was aging me. At 36 my silver is shining again and I’ve been rewarded with hair that looks like ME and all the superpowers that go with it.”

Image credits: grombre

#35

“My dad had gray hair already by the time I was born, my mom dyed it, my sister started dying it as well at 13. I was 9 the first time I found a white hair. A friend once pulled them all out. By 13 I dyed it for the first time. That’s what we women do, right? This went on until I turned 18, I quit smoking (because what fun was it if it wasn’t forbidden?), and I quit coloring my hair. I decided this after I went to a pilates class, I was on my pilates bed ready to get started, when this (I’m guessing 30-something) beautiful long gray haired goddess walked in. She wore it on a braid and looked like she was invincible. That was the day I decided to stop changing the color of my hair. Some 10 years later I decided to stop wearing it in a ponytail. I would wear it down, embracing the curls, the gray, the glorious mess. At 35, I love wearing my hair proudly.”

Image credits: grombre

#36

“Growing old gracefully doesn’t mean giving up on myself. I’m embracing the wildness and the sass I’ve found with my gray hair. I also want to show my daughters that sometimes in chasing unrealistic standards of beauty we lose ourselves in the process. True beauty radiates from a freedom from within, and that shines brighter when we learn to embrace who we truly are made to be!”

Image credits: grombre

#37

“During the time between Feb-July, my roots were long and I started to really dislike my hair. It affected my self worth, and my self esteem. My hair made me feel so ugly, because I thought it was ugly.
The day of my hair appt., I was sick to my stomach, and wanted to cancel. I was really struggling with the idea of “I don’t feel like I’m old enough for all this grey hair” and I haven’t had hair this long in forever. (It was down to my waist)
Soon as I walked into the salon I asked the hairdresser where the bathroom was in case I got sick. You should also know that I was on the verge of tears all day too! This was a HUGE change. I sit in the chair and my hairdresser asks what we were doing, and what my ideas were. I showed him some pictures of women with short hair and all were grey. I think he was stunned for a moment and then said ‘Oh my gosh let’s do this! You will rock this short hair!’ As soon as he made the first cut, it was almost a divine feeling that instantly came over me. When all was said and done I instantly felt better about myself and fell in LOVE with my hair again. Except this time, it was all grey and not just my roots.
I have struggled with my self esteem and self worth for so long, and what an amazing, and FREE feeling it was to NOT have the stress of coloring my hair ever again!
I got 22 inches of hair cut off that day, and I’ll never look back. I have had SO MANY people comment ‘you look so much younger now’, and they had no clue, the struggle I was dealing with in not feeling like I was old enough to have all this grey!”

Image credits: grombre

#38

“I started to turn gray at 16, at first I tried to hide it and paint it, but later I realized that my gray hair looked good and I decided that it was my feature. This is what makes me stand out from the crowd. My gray hair of the herd is a subject of pride, and often strangers ask where I painted them so beautifully, to which I reply that nature itself has tried for me”

Image credits: grombre

#39

“I started pulling my hair out (trichotillomania) when I was in 5th grade for many reasons, which very generally include the culturally- and personally-loaded significance of hair as a signifier of beauty and value for women. As I grew older, getting positive attention around appearance-related things can feel more than embarrassing; it can feel unsafe for me— as it does for many women who have survived trauma involving sexual violence. And it isn’t a coincidence that I started growing my hair out at the same time as I started confronting past traumas and undergoing treatment for PTSD. Letting my white shine has paralleled my winning battle with unjustified shame. My hair has also grown right along with my ability to practice radical acceptance and self-compassion, both works in progress.”

Image credits: grombre

#40

Image credits: grombre

#41

“I was destined to gray at a young age and I couldn’t wait. And when it made its debut while I was in high school, it arrived in the most unique way. A grey spot at the front center of my head. Not a gray strand anywhere else on my head. I loved it!

Only two people in my family prior to me had grayed in this way, my maternal relatives, my grandfather and my uncle. It was something that the three of us shared for the longest time. I had inherited this gene. I wore it like a crown. I was proud to represent the third generation of Jones’, my mother’s maiden name. To me it was a badge of honor, it was natural and it was beautiful. Hiding it was not an option.
Growing up I was told that having gray hair was a sign of wisdom. Always believing that I was an old soul, I embraced this notion and my hair even more. Today many men and women applaud me for ‘being brave enough’ to embrace my gray. Bravery had nothing to do with it. My signature look connects me to my family.
I get compliments on my hair from both men and women. Women will compliment and add, ‘My hair looks just like yours; but I can’t bring myself to wear it that way.’ What I’ve recently noticed is that many more women are wearing it this way. Even women who aren’t naturally gray. Gray hair is currently trending as “sexy”. Many non-gray young women are dying their hair gray in the name of fashion. I’ve even been asked if I dyed my hair to look like it does. With a smile I proudly respond, ‘No.’ I then add that my gray hairs are ‘Heavenly highlights compliments of God.’ ”

Image credits: grombre

#42

“I’ve always loved grey and silver. Beautiful women that I admired growing up were so to me, these colors represented the beauty of these great women. I’m the only female in my family who does not dye their hair (including my grandmother) and I’m okay with that! I’m embracing my natural color and I’m loving it.”

Image credits: grombre

#43

“Last week was my 24th birthday and marks a year since I ditched hair dye. I started going grey at around 14 and always hid it, never speaking to friends or family and pretending the little silver streaks didn’t exist. Always thinking it would make me seem old or somehow not as beautiful. All the women I saw around me, on the TV and in movies had flawless coloured hair which made me think that was the norm.

It was not until I met my boyfriend almost 3 years ago, that I realised this “flaw” was actually a gift. Our grey hair is a beautiful highlight, a natural gift that only accentuates and not deters from our beauty. I can’t wait for the day that my hair is a radiant, beautiful array of grey and silver.

The Grombre page helped me so much in accepting my natural hair, letting go of my dark brown locks and embracing this new and exciting change. It’s still hard to be grey his young but I am trying my best to rock it confidently, I hope other girls my age feel they can do the same.”

Image credits: grombre

#44

“Getting closer to that full head of grey. I still get asked occasionally if I’m going to let it stay this way. I laugh because I can’t see getting this far and going back! It’s been almost 2 years since I made the active decision to stop dyeing and 2 1/2 years since the last time I did. 2 years ago, I was not at all comfortable with the idea, but I was less comfortable with the time it took to dye my hair, how quickly the grey returned, and most importantly, that it took away from time with my baby girl. I struggled with going back to coloring my hair for a good year after that. But now? I have an occasional thought of, “I would look younger with colored hair” when I see an old pic of myself or someone with dark hair who I thought was in their late 40s/50s who turns out to be in their 60s . But then I think, but why do I need to “look younger”? I look like me and I love my hair (most days) and what it is becoming. If I ever did want to change it, it’s not more than a box away. But this hair here? This shows I put in the work and I’m proud of that. I was always someone who was VERY comfortable in her own skin and dancing to the beat of my own drummer, not caring what people think as long as I was happy. This grey journey made me realize that I wasn’t as confident in my authentic self as I thought. It made me very uncomfortable, sad at times, down on myself. But I’ve come out on the other side and here to tell you, if you are on this journey, be patient and kind to yourself. Others may judge, but trust the process and yourself, and you will find your beauty, confidence, and resolve stronger for the journey.”

Image credits: grombre

#45

“Uniqueness is a gift, and it is one that I’m happy to receive from my late father. It’s taken a great deal of patience to love my hair the way I do now, but the wait is WORTH IT! At 29 years young, I’m happy to serve as an example that a lack of pigmentation does NOT define your age or place in life.”

Image credits: grombre

#46

“I’m so proud of every woman (and man) who decides to leave their hair as it is. To let the gray, silver, white in all its tones simply be shows we are embracing a natural part of ourselves that many societies have deemed less than ideal. I’ve received so much positive feedback since letting my hair just be how it naturally wants to be. We are rewriting the story and seeing just how easy it can be.”

Image credits: grombre

#47

“Have not touched hair dye in 4 years! Natural is beautiful. Embracing my natural beauty hasn’t always been easy. Sometimes I think, maybe I wouldn’t look as old if I dyed my hair? Then I’m like, nah, I am a bad ass because of it!”

Image credits: grombre

#48

“Some women gradually start going grey. My temples and hairline went white overnight. Well, not literally, overnight, but it felt like it and from the comments I got from friends and family who noticed my roots under dye jobs, they agreed. I wound get asked all the time if was okay or under a lot of stress. I tried everything, at any cost to cover the white and my hair looked terrible and unhealthy all the time. When I was 42, it was my husband who suggested I stop the insanity and just leave my hair alone. Best advice I ever got! Now, I am the happiest with my hair I have ever been in my whole life. It’s all natural. All me. The freedom you feel is indescribable. And if you think for one second men exclude grey-haired women from being among the most attractive, pretty or beautiful ones, you are dead wrong! Go fo it!”

Image credits: grombre

#49

“The journey has been extremely liberating and made me realize that beauty completely lies in aging gracefully … no point in trying to artificially cover up!”

Image credits: grombre

#50

“I decided 2 years ago to let my sparkles shine. It was really by default because we moved and I could not find a hairdresser who could get my color right. In hindsight, I was simply ready to embrace my true self. I never realized how much I would love my natural hair color. Nor did I realize how much better it would look with my complexion. I normally keep a pixie cut but decided to grow it out to see all the sparkles shine. I’m not sure how long I’ll let it grow, but I’m certainly enjoying the journey!!”

Image credits: grombre

#51

“I started to find silver hairs last year right before my wedding. Initially I was freaking out about them and was afraid I would look like an ‘old’ bride at the age of 25. What a huge difference a year can make! Now at the age of 26 my mindset about silver hair has changed entirely. I have decided to embrace my silver hair and my confidence has grown ever since.”

Image credits: grombre

#52

“I got my first silver hairs when I was 15. After health issues in my early 20’s, I stopped coloring my hair because I could no longer keep up with coloring my roots every other week and the dying was increasing my hair loss. Although it was an emotional rollercoaster in the initial stages of growing my silver hair out; things like being fearful no one would want to date me, or want to hire me based on societal norms. I was wrong! It’s been a journey of self acceptance and embracing. A silver lining in the end, literally. It’s been one of the most liberating decisions I’ve made!”

Image credits: grombre

#53

“I am an ordinary Turkish girl who has always black long hair, but i am sick and tired of dying my hair and one day and I fullshaved my hair. That’s the amazing result: thanks for encouraging me.”

Image credits: grombre

#54

“One year ago today I decided to stop coloring my hair. At the time it seemed like a BIG decision because I couldn’t conceive of letting my silvers shine free. I’d been fighting/hiding them for so long (every two weeks to be exact) I didn’t know any other way of being. The superficial side of me worried about what people would think? Would I look older than my 46 years? Would I look like I had “given up” and didn’t care anymore? I kept having visions of my Grammie’s silver hair in rollers and wondered if that was where I was headed?
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I started thinking about hair dye and why it is we even do it? When/where/who said our natural hair color isn’t good enough or that gray or silver hair needs to be hidden. It’s strange if you REALLY think about it. Mind you, I’m not judging anyone who dyes because I did it for 20+ years and nothing felt better than a freshly dyed do. And I get wanting to mix things up out of boredom. Because let’s face it, it’s FUN to change your hair color. But when it gets to the point that it’s a drag and it feels like a have-to then I think it’s time to reassess the reasons for doing it.
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People say to me all the time “if mine looked like yours I’d do it.” How will you know until you try? I had no idea what mine would look like but I knew I could always dye it back again! I say have fun with it. Going gray/silver doesn’t mean you’re old or going to look like your Grammie. It’s all perspective and how you choose to rock it.”

Image credits: grombre

#55

“I started going gray in my early teens and spent over a decade coloring my hair every three weeks. About a year and a half ago, at the age of 28, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and lost my dark brown hair to chemo. When it grew back in, I realized that I actually loved my silver hair and resolved to never hide it again! It has been SO freeing to embrace this unique gift God has given me.”

Image credits: grombre

#56

“I’ve come a very long way and got to the point that I say no to any dying offer from my family without even getting hurt and believe that my confidence has changed point of view of some of my family and friends as I see more and more grey hair recently (with no shame or hiding) and that’s what makes me happier! I used to feel trapped in the fate of my hair color genes but now I feel the opposite. It has opened doors to the world that would have never experienced it if I didn’t have these greys. So yeah, I enjoy them all the time and can’t be more satisfied with my decision to let them grow grey!”

Image credits: grombre

#57

“‘Don’t be ridiculous!”’
‘Why would you do that to yourself?’
⁣
Just a couple of comments I received in the beginning stages of letting my gray grow out at the age of 38. Funny, because now the comments sound more like:⁣
⁣
‘Where do you get your hair highlighted?’
‘Omg, I can’t wait for my hair to start graying.’
Or the one I just received checking into my hotel, ‘Do you get your hair colored that way? It’s amazing!’
⁣
Something that wasn’t so popular from the get-go has created a following of close to 5K on a Instagram account I started less than a year ago just to have a place to document without spamming my main social account with my hair progress. ⁣
⁣
It’s a great reminder that people will always question you for being different, going after what you want in life or not living up to society’s standards but later deep down they wish they had the courage to do the same.”

Image credits: grombre

#58

“I am going to embrace my grey/ silver/ white what ever color this new hair is. Not because I want to prove something. Not because I am against chemicals.

Simply because it’s a hassle to dye my hair every 3 weeks. I was also embarrassed by the grey roots that would sprout out and nearly impossible to hide longer than a week or so.

It’s exhausting, I am exhausted!”

Image credits: grombre

#59

“I decided to stop coloring my hair because I am a visual artist and it always bothered me the way dye color didn’t work harmoniously with my eyebrows and skin… I had the feeling I would be more pleased with nature’s palette. I am more satisfied with the appearance, but it also surprised me to be rewarded with the learning process of growing out the gray…patience, self acceptance… questioning why I would ever feel that I should be ashamed of my natural self or my aging. It was a struggle at times for my vanity, but we’ll worth it. I stopped coloring my hair just over 2 years ago; I’m not a big social media person, but thought I’d throw my hat in the ring to be part of Grombre because these pictures of strong, confident women with beautiful natural hair served as a great inspiration to me during a grow out phase that was very challenging for me. I appreciate the people who put themselves out there to show people it’s ok to let your hair be gray!”

Image credits: grombre

#60

“In February 2019 something just clicked. I was done. I was ready to accept whatever was under the dye and make it work! It also helped that there is so much support and inspiration online. I read a lot of blogs, articles, and watched a lot of videos that helped give me courage. The two biggest things I have learned (and am STILL learning) are patience and self acceptance. This demarcation line isn’t my best look but I have to live with it before I can have the long silver hair I want. I also realized that my biggest fear wasn’t how others would see me, but how I would see myself. I was scared of feeling old and frumpy. But, grey hair doesn’t make you old! It’s just a color! Happiness and confidence is what’s beautiful! My biggest hope is that I can help inspire someone else to do the same. I still get the urge to color my hair sometimes but I just visualize how it will look a couple of years from now (So. Much. Patience.). I just have to get through this awkward grow out phase with a sense of humor (and maybe a little red lipstick).“

Image credits: grombre

#61

“All my friends told me I was crazy, but I couldn’t care less.
The beginning was a little hard, but I never had second thoughts, even though I was constantly told that I would look prettier if I dyed my hair
My only regret is not having started earlier!
Happy to be free from the routine of going to the hairdresser every month and spending 2 or more hours of my precious time there.
Nowadays some of the friends that told me back there that I was crazy say that I actually look nice, while others still try to convince me otherwise. What really matters to me is that I am happy as I am!”

Image credits: grombre

#62

“I just got married last month and had my silvers poking up front and center and I absolutely loved it. I felt so confident and comfortable being myself. I wish we could all embrace natural beauty and the natural aging process more.”

Image credits: grombre

#63

“Story time: I wasn’t originally going to be named Martha.

My parents had a different name in mind, but they never felt at peace and couldn’t figure out why. “Martha” wasn’t their favorite name, not even close… but it was the name of my mother’s mom, and my mother’s sister. My parents recall God leading them to name me “Martha,” and with willing hearts, they listened.

When I was six years old we lost my Aunt Martha to skin cancer. I was just a kid, but vividly remember her vibrancy and warmth. She was beautifully and uniquely complex, and at the time, no one knew that I’d grow up to become so much like her: an art lover with a knack for the eclectic, a woman with a heart for others and with a deep love of horses. Even the nuances of my eyes resemble hers more than anyone else’s. Apparently I look just like her when I’m mad, or when I chew. I have grown up to have more of her mannerisms than I’ll ever know. And as for my Mimi, my grandmother Martha, both aunt Martha and I have her distinctly fair skin (we were the only ones to get this in the family). I have her scent when I wake up in the morning, her same air-dried curls at the back of my head, and her emphatic love of dancing. ..

My mom gets glimpses of both of them in me. She says God knew just what He was doing in naming me. I miss them both, and I know my mom does, too. My name is a constant reminder that I don’t know the bigger picture and I don’t need to know (thank goodness for that). My concern is in honoring that which I’m called to, just as my parents did in naming me, even if I’m unsure. My name reminds me that I’m a part of an intricate design that’s more beautiful than I could ever realize. And guess what? You are, too. So if you’re feeling unsure (with your grey hair, your capability of doing “that thing” you’ve always dreamed of but are scared to…or whatever may be on your heart), deep breath because life is bigger than what is in front of you. Train for that half marathon, go for the promotion, or give those greys a chance. Hold your head up and follow your callings with peace.”

Image credits: grombre

#64

“Honestly, it’s taken me a couple of times to finally make the decision to stop dyeing my hair. I lost my hair to Alopecia last year and when my it started coming back, it was mostly white. My first though was “how cool is this!” But I let negative comments influence me to run to Sally’s Beauty and dye my beautiful white hair back to dark brown. I almost immediately regretted my decision, especially within 2 weeks when I already needed to touch up my roots! I’m totally committed and excited each day in seeing my true self!!”

Image credits: grombre

#65

“Today is my 2-year of ditching the dye anniversary! This little picture is specially dedicated to all the women hesitating before taking that decision, or the women struggling during the transition and who’d like to know what a 2-year “silver growth” might look like. It’s both an extremely long and extremely short process. To keep a memory of this special day, a picture with my mom who has come visit me for a few days. She’s my main hair inspiration (and so much more!) and for the occasion, we’ve put on some red lipstick (we both never put on makeup) to rock this picture a little bit more! I had posted a similar #silvermotherdaughter picture about two years ago already. Time flies!!! “

Image credits: grombre

#66

“My gray hair under the evening light.”

Image credits: grombre

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