Sarah Strange started sharing her hair journey on Instagram in 2019, after struggling to find role models of younger women with grey hair. She has since built a community empowering others to embrace their natural hair colour. 

My hair has always been an important part of my identity, from experimental cuts and colours in my teens to now proudly celebrating my natural silver colour in my thirties. From around age 15, my hair became one of my biggest insecurities as I started noticing grey strands. By age 17, I was using box dye kits monthly to cover the roots. It was expected, as many of my family members had gone grey at a young age, but I felt cursed with “bad genes”.

I held that shame with me until I stopped dying the natural grey colour at 27, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The grow-out journey took about three years, and although it was tough at times I found the whole process really empowering. It resulted in the healthiest hair of my life and an overflow of self-confidence. The “curse” has transformed into a blessing! 

It can be hard to go against the grain in a society that has crafted beauty standards for us, however, the feeling of confidence you find when you let go of that and embrace your hair is so liberating!

My relationship with my hair is deeply entwined with my sense of self and self-care. In the past, when my mental health was more fragile, my lack of haircare was one of the first telltale signs that self-care was slipping. I didn’t even own a hairbrush for years! It might seem trivial to some, but having the self-kindness to wash, brush and style my hair is equal to looking after myself, and showing myself love and respect. That peaceful moment at the end of the day when I oil and brush my hair is like a ritual now, a moment of gratitude. 

I have absolutely felt societal pressures related to my hair. I bought into the negative stereotypes about grey hair for years. I subjected my scalp and hair to monthly hair dyes that I didn’t want to do or pay for, for over a decade because I felt the pressure to hide my natural grey hair. Though I now feel amazing about my hair colour—it is beautiful and unique—I get reminded of the societal pressure to have an ‘age-appropriate hair colour’ from some people on the internet who feel differently. This happens only online. In real life, I only receive lovely comments or curiosity which I am more than happy to indulge as I love opening up conversations about grey hair. 

Sarah Strange

However, when dealing with people online, I honestly get upset—not offended—when I hear comments implying that my grey hair makes me look old, intending it as an insult. I feel this demonstrates the misogynistic societal view that women only have value if they have "youthful" features, which is sad and untrue.

Many women dye their hair because they feel they have to so society will accept them, not because they actually want to. Please, dye your hair if it feels right for you! But it breaks my heart that so many women spend their hard-earned cash to hide the greys only because the stereotype of grey hair is unattractiveness or laziness. I hope to challenge that stereotype and show how beautiful grey hair can be. Besides, if grey hair equals ageing, I feel blessed to be growing older—what a privilege! My hair looks and feels a hundred times better than I did when I was dying it. my hair and that’s what matters to me - not society's expectations. 

I have turned one of my biggest insecurities into something I celebrate and showcase, which is something I am incredibly proud of. It makes me think, “If I can have so much confidence with my grey hair, maybe I can be confident in other areas too!” I shifted my mindset from my hair making me stand out for the ‘wrong reasons’ to it making me unique.

My relationship with my hair is deeply entwined with my sense of self and self-care. In the past, when my mental health was more fragile, my lack of haircare was one of the first telltale signs that self-care was slipping.

Every day, when I walk the world as a 32-year-old with a head of long grey hair, I feel I am making a statement, expressing myself but also permitting other women to do the same—it is incredibly empowering. I would say to other women; I know it can be hard to go against the grain in a society that has crafted beauty standards for us. However, the feeling of confidence you find when you let go of that and embrace your hair is so liberating! 

My hair is healthier now than it has ever been because I take such pride in it, and put in the effort to make the silvers shine! Grey hair can be naturally coarse, but I find my hair is soft and manageable with haircare.

I wash my hair usually twice a week, using scalp oil (avoiding any with a yellow tone) and massaging before washing. Then I use a hydrating shampoo and conditioner, as well as an intense mask once a week and the all-important purple shampoo once a week, too. This combats the brassy tones that grey hair can have and is a must to keep silvers bright. I alternate between air drying and blow drying. I always make sure to use a gentle brush, protective hairstyles, and trims every few months. I am also lucky to live in Thailand where we have loads of amazing hair spas, so I try to treat myself to a hair treatment once a month.