Lorraine Massey’s Silver Hair: Say Goodbye to the Dye—and Let Your Natural Light Shine! A Handbook is empowering and inspiring. (And how about that long title!) Massey is famous for her previous book, Curly Girl, which is also designed to empower women to choose their hair’s own natural style. Considering I’m a silver-haired woman with natural curls, reviewing this book is an obvious choice for me.
When I was deciding to let my silver shine through and stop dying, I found another book to inspire me. I used to stop and peruse the pages, wondering what my hair would look like once the dye was gone. (See pictures above for my progression.) I found Massey’s book similarly fun to review, and can imagine how it might answer that “what if?” question for someone not quite decided.
Massey gives copious lighthearted instructions about how to make the transition to your natural color. She uses pictures and stories from real-life women who’ve decided to dramatically change their hair. Hair colorists weigh in, as does style maven Stacey London.
Sometimes Massey verges on insistence rather than encouragement, which might be off putting for some women. “You must go natural to be your true self!” or some such sentence. Truly, you can be yourself with hair dye or without, just as much as you can be less authentic with or without hair dye. For me, the insistence wasn’t an issue, since I’ve already gone all in. Here’s fair warning if you aren’t quite sure yet.
I’m anxious to try some of Massey’s tips for keeping silver hair in tip-top condition. But I have to admit the idea of using a drop of blue food coloring in my conditioner is slightly terrifying. Other concoctions have unfamiliar herbs, but most have ingredients readily accessed in your kitchen or garden. I can’t wait to tell my Asian husband that I have a use for the water he rinses the rice in!
About once a week, a woman asks me if my hair color is natural. Then she says, “Oh I want to do it, but I’m so nervous!” Often we have a long chat. I suspect that in the future I’ll be referring people to this book for more information and ideas.
Thanks to NetGalley and Workman Publishing for an advance reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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