Hello, NashWest Besties. In February, my new single, “Unbecoming” will be dropping on all streaming platforms. In harmony with the theme of this gorgeous song about letting loose of what no longer is serving you best, my blog post today is about the 3 year process of letting my hair grow out to its natural gray.
Ya’ll, I was knocking on the door to 50 in 2018 and my hair was becoming almost black with all the boxed “Dark Ash Brown” color from Walmart that would have to be slathered on every 2 weeks to cover the emerging gray. Towels were ruined, pillow cases and bathroom counters stained with my attempts to thwart nature. My persistence in chemical coloring left my hair brittle and I had concerns about how this smelly potion was affecting my health.
I made the good decision to stop the madness and stop coloring quickly followed by the bad decision to make this private matter public by announcing it on social media. I guess I was thinking that I wouldn’t be able to chicken out if everyone knew what I was up to but instead, I added an extra layer of pressure which was needless. There were several nights that I would startle awake and think, “Damn! I could’ve bought a few more brown hair years, but no, I had to announce my decline to silver decrepitude.”
Social pressure is the main reason women are leery of their own hair follicles. From the annoying hair on our legs, our arms, embarrassingly on our upper lip and other sundry private bits, hair is something we shave off, cut into trendy shapes, straighten, curl and color. No man must ever know we went through puberty or even worse, menopause. How dare we get older. How dare we give the impression that we’ve given up and let ourselves go.
Making a decision to accept a natural part of yourself is not “letting yourself go.” That’s true for your emotions, your body weight and every other aspect of your life. Am I an “all natural” advocate? Big nope. I’m for you doing what makes you feel like you without apology. I’m for all of us, men and women alike, to joyfully live in a way that honors our dreams and goals independently of the opinions of others.
My gray hair journey was supported by some dear friends which was appreciated because the first few months are the worst especially when you go from black hair to gray and even more so when you have long hair. There is a definite Bride of Frankenstein aesthetic happening. I found a special spray that painted my roots brown for about a year. I also found a talented friend to lighten the rest of my hair. Thank goodness that when I was on tour, I performed with one of my fabulous Montana Rio flat brim hats to act as a crown to disguise a multitude of bad hair days.
Does gray hair make me look older? Yes. That’s just the truth. You’ll look older with gray hair. Do I get compliments everywhere I go about my hair color? Yes! Men and women of all ages remind me daily that my hair is kinda cool which is kinda nice. I had one young lady ask how I got my hair color. I said, “Lots of birthdays and God.” Healthy hair is such a lovely luxury. One of my sponsors is Espana Silk Hair and Grooming Products and I’m devoted to the versatility and integrity of these products. Google them. You’ll thank me.
I loved the 3 year transition from brown hair to gray. Those years took me from a very unhappy marriage to a very happy one. Those years took me, one inch at a time, from a place of meeting other people's expectations to finding what it is to authentically accept myself, flaws and all. Ya’ll, when you hear my new single, “Unbecoming”, you’ll understand why I knew this song was so special. I can hardly wait!!
Peace, Love and Spurs..
Rock On, NashWest Guys and Girls!
Love, MK
Sending love to my sponsors…
Anita Crane Photography
Espana Silk Grooming Products
All Out Western Ranch Wear
Montana Rio Buckaroo Hats
