No longer concerned with what is fashionable or what falls in line with social norms, many celebrities have decided to forgo coloring their hair permanently and are embracing their natural color…grays and all. Pre-pandemic it was clear that the rich and famous had an image to withhold, one that was always glamorous and on point. But when quarantine lasted longer than anyone imagined, maintaining a professional beauty routine became impossible. Actresses such as Allison Janney, Jane Fonda, and Andie MacDowell haven’t been afraid to show their hair transitions in public or through social media.
Allison Janney
Best known for her roles on the longstanding television series The West Wing and Mom, Janney told Drew Barrymore that making the decision to stop coloring her hair after a few inches of gray grew in during the pandemic was a kind of freedom she hadn’t had in years. “To be able to run my hands through my hair…and appreciate…it’s just, it’s heaven.” She says her gray hair, which had been cut into a short pixie, is smooth, soft, and silky. “I just decided I wanted to be free from hair color. This is the most authentic. I love it.”
Jane Fonda
Grace and Frankie star Jane Fonda made her icy silver hair debut on the Oscars red carpet in 2020. She told Ellen Degeneres in an interview that embracing her natural hair color at the age of 83 was liberating. “I’m so happy I let it go gray. Enough already with so much time wasted, so much money spent, so many chemicals.” While Fonda admits she began coloring her hair in her 30s, she is happy with her decision to embrace her natural look and hopes to encourage other women that they are beautiful at any age.
Andie MacDowell
Actress Andie MacDowell told Glamour magazine that her children were the driving force behind her decision to let her natural gray hair grow in. As her hair grew during quarantine, her kids took notice of the salt and pepper strands and loved the look. Noting that the men of Hollywood aren’t called out for their salt and pepper hair, she felt it was time to resist the double standard. “I’ve been saying for a while now it was time for me, personally, to make that transition because I felt like it was appropriate for my personality and just who I am.”
Gray hair at any age is an accepted way for women (and men) to embrace their natural beauty. It takes time and patience, but the results are always stunning!
