Black, Silver & Grey: Going grey when you have afro or curly hair
Singer-songwriter Molly Johnson, 63, looks fierce in her ombré grey hair. She and model Teruko Burrell are my when-I-go-silver hair-spirations. I found my first grey hair at 17, so it’s been a slow progression, but during prolonged Lockdown I let my roots grow out. I, too, looked fierce – fiercely washed-out and fiercely tired. So, I retreated to the dye bottle despite it being an increasingly losing battle.
Since then, I’ve been noticing more and more women of colour looking fabulous in their grey, silver or white hair. My curly hair has more in common with theirs than the satiny locks featured in mature hair ads. So, I reached out to Sandria Plummer – a TNMA favourite who also looks fabulous in her natural colour – for advice on transitioning afro, textured and curly hair.
The Decision
Sandria has been transitioning her hair colour for about two years now, having decided the time was right during the first Lockdown. At the time, she had recently lost her mother and it was difficult to get her hands on products. “When my mother passed, her hair was very white – beautifully white. I looked in the mirror and saw my mother’s face staring back at me and I thought, ‘Yup, I’m done. Now is the time,‘” says Sandria. “I wanted the Josh Wood hair colour with the Shade Shot – which I loved – but by the time it finally came, I thought, “I just can’t be bothered.” She acknowledges that everyone’s journey is personal, “No one can choose that stage for you. It’s a case of when you’re ready, you’re ready.”
Transitioning Colour
Of course, a good hair professional can help to transition the colour, but for many who don’t have the access, the budget for, or want to go chemical-free, what worked for her was, “investing in a lot of scarves and hairbands. Initially, my hair was very white around the edges and hairbands were great to cover the demarcation as it grew out.” Since this transition was during the summer, she had a lot of fun with bands covered in cowry shells, shrimps and pearls, “I pushed the boat out and treated myself to a Prada one!” she laughs.
Sandria also found adding salt’n’pepper hair extensions – such as ponytails or buns – useful to unify the transitioning colour. Braids can also be a protective (and fun) way to grow out the grey. On a magazine shoot she did – mid-grey – Sandria says, “I remember the hairdresser wove in a brighter silver in some parts of the braids. You can choose to make it look greyer, or as salt-and-pepper as you’d like.“ And because you just don’t know what you’ll look like with a full head of grey hair, Sandria suggests that a good first step might be to simply try a wig and see if it suits you.
Changing Texture
“Hair texture changes as well,” says Sandria. As a result, grey hair needs more deep conditioning and hydration. “Fortunately, around this time [of hair transition] Kerastase came out with their Curl Manifesto range,” says Sandria. She mixes it up with a variety of products from affordable brands like Cantu and the Palmer’s Coconut range, to more niche products like As I Am’s spray-on hair moisturiser – which she adores. In between, deep conditioning treatments are recommended.
“One important thing I had to do was use a purple shampoo to take out any yellow and brighten the grey up.” She warns, “you just have to remember not to leave it on for too long, otherwise you’ll look like Mrs Slocombe from Are You Being Served?!” Transitioning hair can also suffer from breakage, the Olaplex system, customised shampoos from Prose and the DevaCurl range are also popular within the greying curly community.
Beyond the Maintenance
There’s still a time commitment because grey hair is so much coarser, but Sandria says, “I am chemical-free with my hair. I don’t relax it so, to also be free from the permanent dye has been liberating and a time saver.”
Sandria has had a positive reaction to her new look; so, no regrets. “If I thought about this three years ago, I would have thought I’d instantly look older. But, I still dress the same. I still have my style going on and I‘ve not looked back.”
We also recommend award-winning hairdresser Charlotte Mensah’s book on Afro, Textured & Curly Hair
Alexia Economou is a design and culture journalist, and regular TNMA contributor @thedesignfeedTW
Sandria Plummer, 58, is Executive Assistant to the Principal at CSM. Find her on instagram HERE.
Discussion (18 Comments)
Milka says:
Hola Alina. Por eso dice ella que es bueno usar un shampoo azul. Los shampoces azules son buenos para el pelo rubio o gris. Lo aclarece, y quita el depósito que causa que se pongan amarillos. Buenas suertes.
Monica Parker says:
Thanks for this post, Alexia. I’ve seen so many black women in the States (I live in Virginia) transition to silver over COVID; it has been fabulous. I don’t have enough silver hair yet to do that, but my challenge is that my silver hair is a different texture than the rest of my hair. It’s much thicker and straighter and does not play well with the other kids. At first my stylist was just cutting those hairs down. When I asked what we’d do when there were more of them, he said, “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” Not particularly reassuring, ha ha. Now a few years later, they’re still not in the majority, but I’m letting them do their thing (I have a TWA). It feels freeing somehow. But if I start looking like boxing promoter Don King (Google him), that may be a different story!
Thank you, Monica & no need to Google Don King – I know exactly what you mean!
Lucy Bernard says:
Lucky you. I’m 58 started getting Grey at a young age now I’m totally Grey. People always tell me my hair is so nice, but I don’t like it, maybe because it’s so dry and I don’t know what to use to keep it moist. So that’s why I cut it short, but I miss my hair being longer ugh
Mikki1966 says:
I call my gray strands silver linings. I love the black and silver has the ombre effect. Also my silver is super dry and puffy. Every 3-4 days I spritz my hair with distilled water and 1 part conditioner. Then I wear a tiny amount of leave-in conditioner.
D Ball says:
I started going gray around my face like the women in my family that have gone on before me when I turned 40. I’ve played peek-a-boo with it by coloring it every color of the rainbow to hide it, but it always wins. I even colored it gray, but found that look very hard to maintain. I had stage 2 breast cancer last year, so chemo took it all out. Once it started to grow back in, the texture is a bit finer and thinner, so I’ve been wearing twist extensions. I turned 50 this year and I recently decided to begin purchasing more gray extensions and just embrace it.
Cynthia Tomlin says:
I love my gray hair I embraced it about 15 years ago I am now 76 years old and I wouldn’t trade it for anything I’m so grateful for the products available to help us manage it and the styles that we can choose from. Bible verse I discovered that help me was gray hair is a splendor from God. My mother used to say God colored it and she was not going to let anybody change it
I love my grey almost white hair at 61 years old, I made the decision to dump color almost 7 years ago, it wasn’t working, it became frustrating and I am happy and comfortable with my grey/white hair. The one thing that I did quite recently a couple of months ago was to get a texturizer done to make it more manageable, and yes it has a mind of it’s own, deep conditioning, moisturizing is a must, I don’t feel old, my classic sense of dressing I still have, have received so many compliments from different races of how they too hope to one day will find the courage to age gracefully! I believe I look so much more beautiful at my age, in my grey hair, I wouldn’t change it! “LET’S ROCK TO ALL THE GREY/SILVER/SALT & PEPPER, gorgeous ladies!!!!!!!
Marcia Lawrence says:
I also didn’t know what to do with my hair as it brgin to Gray around the edges I decided to go natural let it grow itself out and cut it down some and constantly keep it moist keep it from drying out and to my surprise, I’ve got many compliments I’m glad I did it
Gray/white hair has a mind of its own, be patience with it. It shows your wisdom.Beverly Rugley McClore says:
As stated by the beautiful women in this article; I have learned to embrace and love my salt and pepper grey. It softens my skin on my face and my make up looks natural and enhances my beauty. I opted for a latched hook style with strands of grayish silver curly strands added to a narural number 2 or sometimes a number 4 hair. I love my new look. Bless and Thank you for this article.
Ruby Taylor says:
Absolutely ! @64, this is my 2nd time. Donated my hair to wigs for kids. Only required 12-15 inches. Lord knows best. Easy, natural and healthy.
Mary spence says:
I just love my gray hair. I’m 68yrs young. Most people my age is having jet black hair and it makes them look older and the black casts shadows u see their skin and eye. I love silver hair and the Arles that I wear
Alisha says:
I embraced my silver glitter after the death of my nephew, April 2021. Right before the funeral I had to “touched up” my grays with my red hair color. I forgot to put the top back on and that red color was every where and on everything . Once I got home, I had COVID and it was my beginning to accept my glitter. My mom and a coworker of mine are my hair inspirations, both have glorious silver/white hair. On 11/18/22 I decided to finally start my loc journey. Silver and Loc’d for the ultimate win
Claudine says:
I too decided to “go” gray during the pandemic. I was coloring my roots and decided why…
I wasn’t going anywhere. It was a process and there were times I almost went back to coloring. Now I love it. I’m 72 years young.
I love my natural gray hair. Well at least salt and pepper.Marchita Calhoun says:
I love my Grey hair. I have been to several dermatologist they were not of my color but my hair in the top is very thin I need help. Is there any thing that can be done to help me?
Marchita, please see our previous article on thinning hair for some of the basics of hair thinning. Causes may be stress, thyroid imbalance, diet deficiencies, (fe)male pattern baldness or any manner of other things. If you have a good GP, start there. They can do blood tests and rule out various causes.
pythia ford 
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me parece muy bueno escuchar sobre el proceso de mujeres negras y de pelo afro. Es que las canas y nuestro color de piel no siempre combina. Yo tengo 62 y canas desde joven pero ahora tan amarillas o blancas solo en algunos lados mientras en otros grises, no siempre me gusta. Gracias.