SHE HAD TO KNOW.

“Are you an old lady?”

We were building magnet towers for her Barbies.

I sensed a flicker of sadness in her voice when she asked, then relief when I answered:

“Not yet, but I hope to be one day.”✨

After years of adding sporadic lowlights to the sections where my printer’s running out of ink, I haven’t colored my hair in over 18 months. IYKYK.

It’s been an emo rollercoaster, learning to embrace this cinnamon sugar phase while giving my follicles a chance to express themselves fully. 🧡🤎🤍

I don’t know if I’ll never color again (I love glosses, glazes, and temporary rinse-ins too), but for now I’m committed to growing it out and seeing what it wants to be.

A few things I’ve noticed:

🤍 GRAY is not a thing (naturally). It’s actually white. Blank canvas.

🤍 Some hair may just look gray next to pigmented strands. (Mine doesn’t since my base colors are browns and reds. Some folks assume my “highlights” are blonde, which would never have been my choice but here we are 😆)

🤍 It’s clearly not tied to a specific age. 👋

🤍 I’m in my 30s for at least a few more minutes. So are many of the women in the groups I’ve joined for ideas and inspo.

(I love that it’s slowly but surely being more normalized, BTW. An instant bond and connection point on the sidelines and carpool lines.)

If someone says it makes me look older?

I am older. What’s your point? 👀

It’s interesting that letting hair grow in its natural state is still considered more “brave” or radical than spending time and money to chemically change it.

Also worth noting that in parallel with this journey, I consider baby Botox to be bonus skincare. We contain multitudes. 💃🏻

Anyway.

This isn’t a purity project.

It’s curiosity.

Timing.

A quiet experiment in not doing something just because I always have.

For now, my cinnamon sugar crown feels like a visible reminder:

🍁That I can change and still be myself.

🎨That nature has its own creative vision.

♻️That evolution isn’t something to avoid—it’s something I get to be here for.

In the meantime (especially since genetics are a major factor in when follicles flip to enlightenment!) I hope to help my daughter, my sons, mySELF understand:

“White hair = old” is cultural shorthand, not biological truth, AND even then (if we choose to see it this way):

Old is an upgrade.

A personal achievement.

A future worth celebrating. 👑

I may not be an ✨old lady✨ yet, but I do have #nanagoals, and they’re actively shaping how I approach my 40s and beyond.

For my body of biology and for my body of work.

Love that she had the courage to ask. 💖

Is this a hair adventure you've taken or may be considering, {first_name}?

Would love to hear your thoughts here.

Also happy to share the FB groups that have offered steady inspo.