I started going grey in my late 20’s. The grey hair started sprouting on my head suddenly at the speed of a meteor as if all the kinetic energy was colliding with my head, leaving grey hair behind. And no, the universe didn’t pass on any infinite cosmic wisdom to me. Sad, isn’t it!
Initially, I plucked them, but to my dismay they resurged. To contain the swelling army of grey hair, I tried to camouflage it with mehndi or henna. But it was messy, the addition of egg, coffee and what not only gave a dull sindoori color to my hair.
The cleaning of the bathtub after the aftermath of mehndi operation was something I resented.
Then one beautiful morning, just before going to Australia on a fellowship, I did something that every mother resents.
I picked up a pack of hair color from a supermarket aisle and colored my hair at home. Well, it was effortless and undemanding, and the entire procedure took only 30-40 minutes. And voila, my hair turned all evenly soft black and shiny. I started getting compliments on my vibrant and black hair. People started asking me about my secret of such vibrant hair in Delhi pollution. Well, with all humility and grace, I gave credit to the good old coconut oil.
But the party got over pretty quickly. In no time, the grey roots started showing their ugly face. And I had to rush to conceal the grey roots. And since then, this 15 days drama is continuing.
It has been more than ten years that I started coloring, I think I have spent a fortune on it. With all that money, which have spent on hair color, I could have easily afforded a trip to Europe! And the time that goes into it, don’t even ask, I could have prepared for civil services.
To tell you the truth, I hate this hair coloring thing. I mean why I can’t be what I am? What is so wrong in becoming silver fox in my mid 30’s? Why do women have to conform to the set notion of beauty? I mean men look hot when they turn grey. Look at Milind Soman or George Clooney with their salt or pepper hair. Why can’t we embrace our aging process naturally?
Apart from few Pakistani actresses such as Nausheen Masud and Marina Khan with youthful faces and Anuja Chauhan, one of my favorite Indian authors who has stayed away from hair dye, I don’t see women comfortable with their grey hair.
Why do we have to dye our hair that looks artificial or apply mehndi that gives a terrible orange color to hair?
I don’t want to look fake and neither I want to appear like Chandni Chowk ke some mohalla ki aunty with orange-brown hair?
Am I still struggling with my dilemma to color or not to color? Yes! Or should I wait for a specific age before I let my grey crown shine? I don’t know!