Beauty
On BeautyTok, Women Are Embracing Their Gray Hair
One creator says to think of it as “silver tinsel.”
Exponentially more women went gray in 2020 when salons were closed and no one had the energy — or the desire — for an at-home dye job. Now, in the year of our lord 2023, folks are still going gray... but this time, it’s more about embracing the beauty and majesty of a salt-and-pepper mane.
With over 55.5 million views for the search “going gray” and over 23.6 million for “natural gray hair”, TikTok is clearly the place to go for gray hair inspo. Whether you just noticed your first white strand or you’re ready to stop spending money on hair dye, creators are showing that it’s a-OK to go gray with a variety of cute looks — think gray money pieces, white stripes, and full heads of silver hair.
Of course, the process of going gray isn’t always easy. There’s the societal expectation to keep your original color, a lot of people argue that white hair washes you out, and the grow-out process can be tricky. While it’s ultimately up to you to decide whether you dye your grays, the way people are out here living their best silver life does make gray hair seem cool.
If you’re into it, one way to go gray is by asking your stylist for gray blending, a technique that TikTok creator @whats4dinner turned to for her hair. This process adds tiny highlights to help blur the line of demarcation between your silver strands and your original color as your gray hair grows in. Want to see more? Here are some stunning examples of gray hair, as showcased on BeautyTok.
TikToker @yourdieticianbff stitched a video asking if millennials have embraced gray hair or decided that it’s cool — and her answer was a resounding yes. Her take? Gray hair is like tinsel, which is such a fun way to look at it. Instead of covering it up, she just lets the grays glitter in the sun.
Creator @iammsbotalley posts videos rocking her grays, even though she says many people comment about how it makes her look old. You know what? #Grayhairdon’tcare.
Look at this gray hair. No really, look at it.
TikToker @mama_flynn has said the compliments outweigh the criticism when it comes to her grays. Her silver hair is healthy, it’s gone viral on social media, and — most importantly — she likes it.
Not everyone is going to think that gray hair is beautiful — and that’s OK. TikToker @sarahgrayandtall says they’re wrong, though.
TikToker @mirandaparker09 said she started going gray in her 20s. According to one of her videos, if she spotted a white hair she’d immediately pluck it out. At 38, she finally stopped coloring her hair because it was too much work. Now, at 43, she’s almost fully gray — and loving it.
Creator @ostephy gets a lot of questions about her gray hair. Among them: Does she dye it? (No, it’s natural.) How long did it take to grow out? (About eight months.) What products does she use to keep it looking great? (Fanola No Yellow Shampoo and Matrix Brass Off Mask.)
A lot of folks are honest about the growing-out process, as well as the concept of going gray in general. They say that it’s tempting to give up along the way, especially when it’s just your roots that are gray. There might be a strong urge to run for box dye or book a salon appointment, but if you give your natural hair enough time to shine, chances are you’ll love it.
