We are reclaiming ageing like never before; a generation more informed than any of our predecessors about how to do it well. Rather than dreading wrinkles and hormonal changes, women are increasingly embracing them by equipping themselves with the latest research, technology, products and expert advice to help their bodies age smarter.
And the same, it seems, is happening for hair. A by YouGov saw more than 60% of women agree that they were either ambivalent towards or not concerned about turning grey; a hugely positive move as far as attitudes towards female ageing go.
While going grey has to be accepted as an inevitability, deciding whether or not to reach for the bottle remains. Whether you choose to wear it white with pride, or gain confidence by phasing out those silver streaks, we’ve teamed up with John Frieda to ask two beauty insiders for their opinions, while discovering the best new products to help you get the most from your tresses.
SILVER SISTERS
“I’d become increasingly resentful of the ‘tyranny of tint’ so I decided to roll with the regrowth,” explains beauty writer and author Vicci Bentley. “It took around 18 months and regular trims to go totally silver and I love it. The freedom, the condition and the unexpected compliments all confirm it was the right choice for me. I’ve always believed in owning my age; rolling with the years is liberating and possibly even the more youthful-looking option. I can honestly say I’ve never been proud of my hair until now. So what if I’ve lost pigment? I’ve gained a shining new natural look.”
For naturally greying hair, the colour care experts at John Frieda have recently developed the innovative new range, formulated to give grey hair a youthful and radiant shine while neutralising any brassiness. Its SilverGloss technology improves the condition of the hair — which can seem drier because the follicles produce less sebum as we age — with a combination of moisture-trapping, softening polyols and lightweight, light-reflecting and shine-boosting silicone oil.
HER DARK MATERIALS
“Silver can be so chic, but my greys sprouted in ugly patches,” say Donna Francis, founder of . “My mum has this amazing waterfall of silver down the middle of her hair… my grey patches, on the other hand, looked like murky puddles. My hair also lost its volume when I had kids. Long, flat grey hair wasn’t a look I aspired to. So, after having my first son, I looked for a low-commitment method for covering my greys and made the switch to a lovely, velvety chocolate brown. I’ve never turned back; it makes me feel so much more confident.”
For those who are also looking for a low-commitment solution to covering their first greys, the new range is a hassle-free way of helping to blend away whites on brunette hair with less than 50% grey. The clever combination of coffee extract and GreyBlend technology works by depositing a natural-looking brown tone on the pigment-less strands of hair, which then blends with your own shade from the first use.
Whether or not to go grey is, of course, a deeply personal and emotional choice; one that can be defining in how we see ourselves ageing. So when it begins to happen, the most important thing is that we feel empowered to have a choice; to be armed with the right information on how to get the best out of our hair, whatever the shade. And then to be prepared for compliments incoming…
Blend away first greys with , or neutralise brassiness and smooth grey hair with , available exclusively at Boots