Ellen Miller | Qglenda

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Jan 15
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Another Benefit: Going Silver Saves Time

Tags : Anne Kreamer Ellen Miller going silver gray hair grey hair save time

Yes, you read that right … going silver can save you time! Think about it. How many hours have you spent sitting in a salon chair lost in foils, soaking in smelly chemicals, and making small talk? I was lucky (and inconsistent), I went for high-and-low-lights every 3-5 months. I know, according to social norms, I should have been in the salon sooner, but carving out 2 1/2 hours for color and a cut was not easy. It was especially difficult when pursuing my mid-life masters. Now that I’m finished with grad school, I have a long list of things I want to do. And, I’m not going to get them done while soaking in chemicals!

In my last post, I mentioned an article by Ellen Miller that quoted Anne Kreamer, author of “Going Gray: What I Learned about Beauty, Sex, Work, Motherhood, Authenticity, and Everything Else That Matters”. Interestingly, while conducting research for her book, Anne learned that, “women spent more time getting their hair dyed than they did having sex.” Seriously?! I’m sure part of the reason women feel pressured to retain their youthful looks is to keep the spark alive with their partners. Yet, it seems something isn’t working here … at least for the people who Anne interviewed for her research.

So, why exactly are we dying our hair? Why are we convinced that we aren’t good enough just the way we are? And, why is growing old a negative thing? I’m so over it. I’m weary of advertisers trying to convince me that I need to be something I’m not, or trying to pressure me to hold onto something that has already passed (like my youth). My goodness, it’s time to rewrite the script. I don’t want to be one of those women spending more time getting my hair done versus investing my time making wonderful memories and doing enjoyable things!

In order to accomplish this, I have looked to other women who are on the silver path and in the process found an awesome group on Facebook – Going Gray Gracefully. It is so empowering to see the pictures and to read the posts. Others feel the same and that is why I am blogging about this. It helps me air my thoughts, work through my issues, and I hope to inspire others along the way. And, I want to leave a visual trail … pictures tell the story.

In closing, the pictures below are from February 2014 … four months into my journey down Silver Linings Lane. If you are thinking about going silver, what would you do with the time you saved from not coloring? I’m working on video editing projects and trying some new functional training sessions – just to name a few. I would love to hear what you are doing (in the comments section below)! Wishing you the best! 🙂

Four months, no color – Feb 6, 2014

Four months, no color – Feb 17, 2014

Four months, no color – February 4, 2014

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Jan 15
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Three months, no color (deconstructing cultural norms) - Jan 21, 2014

The Cost-Benefit of Going Silver

Tags : Anne Kreamer cost-benefit Ellen Miller going gray going silver gray hair grey hair silver linings

Last week’s blog post brought up an interesting discussion on my Facebook page. I blogged about starting my journey down Silver Linings Lane and my friend Lynette Anderson Frantz, who has also chosen to go gray brought up a great point. She said, “I use the money I save from not coloring on pedicures. Love my pretty toenails.”

I am so glad Lynette brought this up because one of the resulting benefits of not coloring your hair is the money you will save … a true silver lining. This money can be channeled to a savings account or like Lynette chose … can be redirected to beautify another part of your body! For Lynette, it’s a win-win … she has silver sparkles on her head and pretty sparkly toes! I love it! Lynette’s comment really made me think about the amount of money I am saving. My high/low-lights could cost from $170 to $230 and I went approximately 4 times per year. At the top end that would be between $900/$1000 per year. Putting that money away and factoring in compounded interest is an idea that sparkles now and into the future! Or, redirecting that money towards yoga classes, hiring a functional training coach, or starting a new hobby would also be beneficial. I’m starting to look at my silver hair in a whole new way. It is a true cost-benefit to walk away from the chemicals and accept myself the way I am.

Let’s take a closer look at quantifying the cost of coloring your hair. I read a blog post by Ellen Miller on Angie’s List that quoted Anne Kreamer, author of “Going Gray: What I Learned about Beauty, Sex, Work, Motherhood, Authenticity, and Everything Else That Matters” as saying, “I did the math. In 25 years of coloring, I spent $65,000 on coloring,” Kreamer went on to say, “If I’d invested that in a college education for my daughters, that would have been awesome.” Hm. $65K? Wow! I’ve been highlighting my hair for a long time and I’m thinking about how much better the “money saved from coloring my hair” would look in an investment account with compounded interest right now! Ugh, why didn’t I see the light earlier?! At least I’m on the right path now … better-late-than-never to travel on Silver Linings Lane!

To that end, the pictures below are from January 2014 … three months into my journey down Silver Linings Lane. If you are thinking about going silver, what would you do with the money you saved from not coloring? I would love to hear from you in the comment section below!