Going Grey the COVID Way

COVID changed the way we have operated in business and personal life for most of 2020 and now into 2021. Businesses have struggled to stay afloat and some closed. People lost jobs or hours were reduced. Kids could not and most have not returned to school. Socialization, hugs and connection has stopped. Families are discouraged from seeing each other. Many have not seen family or friends for almost a year.

So many normal parts of life came to a halt because of COVID. Things like eating out at a restaurant, getting your hair done, or going to the movies all came to a full stop. There were no more luncheons, events or seminars to attend. My speaking business came mostly to a stop. While I have done some online trainings over the last year, it has been nothing like it was before COVID. The last in person event I attended was a veterans conference in Dallas TX the first weekend in March 2020. I had my hair colored and cut right before that event.

Salons were considered one of the non-essential businesses and were forced to close down in mid March. I have colored my hair for many years covering up the grey. My hair was a shade of brown with some highlights to help camouflage the grey when it came in. Before that it was a really dark brown. My hair grows very fast and within 2 weeks of getting it colored I would see this silvery white peeking through at my part. I was sure the color underneath would not be very flattering and avoided it for years. I had a fashion consultant tell me once many years ago “your hair and your eyes are just screaming to go grey” and my response was “and I’m not listening!”

As my hair started to grow out the first month, the difference was very noticeable. I had this bright white streak against darker hair. I was doing online presentations and would wear a headband with a tie that I would arrange over the part where the regrowth was showing. No one knew there was grey under there.

 

As we moved into the second month of the shut down, the white streak had increased in size. I started to do some research on going grey. I previously thought about letting it grow out several times over the years but being a professional speaker, I had headshots, marketing pics and other marketing materials that all had my photo with my hair color being darker. If I changed it, that would require me to change all my marketing materials, website, etc. As speaker it’s very important to look the same as your photo.

 

As I was researching the going grey journey, I didn’t realize how big of a thing it actually is. There are groups, pages and profiles all over social media about going grey. There is a hairstylist in Orange County, California who will color your complete hair to match your roots and it looks phenomenal, but the price starts at $3,000 and depending on how much hair you have or how long the process takes it could be upwards of $5,000-$10,000.

There are basically 2 schools of thought when going grey; let it grow out and don’t color it or highlight the old color to match the part that is growing out. I attempted to join a group for women on the going grey journey but one of the requirements for that group was to agree not to highlight or color your hair. I decided that was not for me and declined being part of that group. I couldn’t see having that contrast between the grey and the brown hair. As my hair started to grow, I realized it wasn’t “grey” it was more white. I was surprised.

While my hair grows fast, I wasn’t willing to have half my hair darker and half my hair light from the regrowth. Nothing against anyone who does that, it wouldn’t work for me since I’m speaking online a lot and promoting the beads business so I decided to get it highlighted as soon as we were able to go back in a salon. I contacted my stylist Wayne Peterson from The David Salon in Costa Mesa and asked him if he was sitting down because I was going to drop a bombshell. I’m letting it go I told him and after the surprise, he was actually excited.

The salon’s opened in California in June and I went right away to get the highlights done. The last time I had my hair colored was the end of Feb 2020 so it was almost 4 months when I stepped into a salon.

The plan was to go back and hit it again with highlights a month after that but the salons were ordered shut again so that was delayed. When the salon’s reopened, I was able to get in for another round of highlights.

I had some new headshots taken with my “new” hair and received an overwhelming positive response. People couldn’t believe this was my natural color. I’m still surprised myself. It’s so bright and vibrant.

Now I am letting the natural color grow out all the way and trimming the highlighted ends off as it grows. It’s been a year and most of my hair is my natural color with a little on the ends still left over from the highlights.  It has been a fun adventure.

COVID has put a strain on all of us. In any situation you have to look to the positives in the midst of the negative. I have known several people who have died from COIVD or had it and almost died. If you are someone who recovered or has not had it, be grateful for that. There are many who don’t have that chance to continue life because COVID ended theirs. I am saddened every day to read of another person with a serious case fighting for their life or someone else I know who has died.  Life it too precious to take for granted.  Think of what you are grateful for every day even in the midst of a struggle. 

My hair going natural is one positive thing that has happened for me and I thought I’d share it here on the blog because so many people have asked me about it.

I’d love to hear any positives you’ve experienced during COVID. Please share in the comments.