Christa Hoehs - International Model Agent for Silvers

Christa Hoehs is a woman with a mission. This Munich beauty believes in gray hair, believes in wrinkles, believes in the whole package that makes a woman even more beautiful as she ages. And she founded the first international modeling agency for “seniors” to prove it.

A funny thing happened to Christa while on holiday in New York, around 1990. She was walking down Lexington Avenue, when a woman “scout” approached her, and asked her if she was interested in modeling. Christa laughs, “At 50!” She had never modeled before, but thought, why not? So she stayed in New York for two years and became quite a successful model, yes, wrinkles and all!

At the end of two years, she began to miss her country, her language, and returned to Germany. She met with an editor who was interested in her story for his Senior Magazine. After 20 minutes he asked her if she would be interested in opening a model agency for this new market called “seniors.”

Christa clapped her hands excitedly, and in 4 weeks time, found herself sitting in a big room with a telephone, a PC, and herself as the only model. She knew in her gut that this was an adventure, but it was up to her to make this happen. So she called a German television station. “You would not believe this, but they were breathless,” she said. She was booked for a televised interview in two weeks, and after that “All hell broke loose. Since that time models came to me. I never scouted them myself till today.” Christa and her agency, SENIOR-MODELS now represent 950 models, and this October 4th, she will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the business.

Starting the very first worldwide agency for older models, Christa is now aware that there now may be some competition. While other agencies do have senior divisions, hers is a dedicated business. “If agencies have younger models in their pool, there can be a conflict of interest. Now they try to get the older ones, but only halfheartedly. With me, it is my whole focus.”

SENIOR-MODELS’ first clients, of course, were the pharmaceutical companies. But now the opportunities are truly opening up as the population ages. As Christa puts it, "When I started the agency there had been a mania for youth all over the place in Europe. The advertising business, the media and society did not notice people over 50 years. They simply did not exist."

Over the years Christa’s agency procured more and more insurance, car and bank-companies as clients. Today there is no branch they do not service. “Except fashion!,” she says. But even that may be opening up. “Questions for fashion-models started this year for the first time. Amazingly late, because this is a market where the money is and the end-consumers do want to identify with mature models and not with 15 year-old girls."

Christa’s models start at the age of 30 – and her oldest one is 92! And, yes, she is still fighting the good fight, but the numbers are now on her side. According to Christa, “The older consumer has seen advertising his or her whole life. He knows exactly what's wrong and what is the truth.” As populations age globally, the creative community (often very young themselves) needs to adjust their thinking. How do you reach this sophisticated consumer? How do you deal with them with a degree of honesty? She believes advertisers are not targeting this vast market adequately. As news of her agency first spread, she received over 7,000 letters from people who felt precisely the same way.

Christa only looks forward to a good answer to these questions. Within the next two years, she plans to open agencies in both Milan and Paris. Fashion hot spots. Good news for Silvers. Good news for us all, indeed.

Back to the mission: Even more importantly, Christa feels she is doing a service to all women in their 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s. “The human touch comes to me with women who cling to their look or identify with their husband’s ‘vision’ of his wife. That can’t be it. A woman is a human being and not a doll. That has to change! A woman must never be afraid to show the public that she has the same right to exist as younger people. With gray hair and wrinkles! And to feel beautiful about it."

And here, at the age of 68, Christa appears on the cover of a magazine for the 60+ generation, shot just two weeks ago. Unretouched. No plastic surgery. Wrinkles and all. And simply beautiful.

All photos  Rita Horvath

CLASSIC-MODELS
SENIOR-MODELS
Lindenschmitstr. 35
81371 München

Tel. +49 (0)89-127 99 100
Fax +49 (0)89-127 99 101

info@seniormodels.de
www.seniormodels.de
www.classicsmodels.de

It Happened to Me By Christine Giaimo

I am writing this because I am one of the 'rare' persons who has become cross sensitized to the chemically related cousins of a very toxic ingredient in hair dye. The chemical, Paraphenylenediamine or PPD for short, was introduced to the cosmetics industry in 1938. Originally used in the manufacturing of rubber, this toxic ingredient, a known carcinogen, actually caused the deaths of women while still in the chairs of the salon! After much lobbying by the cosmetics industry the chemical was allowed to stay on as an ingredient in permanent hair dye but in reduced amounts.

To make matters worse the FDA gave this aniline dye, a coal tar derivative, a petroleum product, an exemption from ever being banned. I am including a link to an article written by Perri Jackson, a woman who was also cross sensitized. She did extensive research on the topic that has changed our lives permanently.

Our dream was to do a documentary on this subject so that woman can make an informed choice as to whether or not to use oxidation type hair dyes that contain this chemical. Any product, either off the shelf or in a salon that requires two bottles to be mixed, most likely contains PPD. If the label requires a patch test that is also another clue. If one’s scalp is itchy, that is an indicator of allergy. DO NOT PUSH THE ENVELOPE I did. The itchy scalp is the precursor to swollen, golf ball sized lymph nodes in the head and neck and anaphylaxis, a severe shock reaction that is potentially fatal.

For two years after going into anaphylaxis repeatedly, due to hair dye, I continued to react to other items even though I had stopped coloring my hair. By react, I mean I had systemic reactions, waking up looking disfigured and swollen, skin on fire and swollen with hives on an almost daily basis. Steroids and antihistamines became a staple in my daily regime. After much research and many ER visits and panic attacks, I wound up at NYU Dept of Dermatology where it was confirmed that I indeed was allergic and indeed cross reacting to a host of chemically related cousins of PPD. After extensive testing of chemicals via a patch test that was applied to my already burning skin, I was provided a list of items I can safely use.

I can no longer take certain drugs, such as benzocaine and other caine drugs to alleviate pain at the dentists. Dental products are all suspect and needless to say my life has changed. I can no longer eat foods or take medication with artificial food coloring and preservatives. Medications need to be compounded for me, which is very difficult to have done due to the ever increasing power of big Pharma.

One of my esteemed doctors at NYU, who heads up cancer research, says that this chemical PPD is directly linked to bladder cancer and lymphomas. He also has told me that the best I can do is protect myself from further incidences of anaphylaxis, One of the ways that can be done, although unlikely, is to have this chemical removed from the FDA's list of approved chemicals. This chemical is NEVER supposed to be used on the skin, but we all know that is not the case when dyeing one’s hair.

Hopefully, if a woman feels it necessary to dye her hair, we can help to make it safer for her to do so. I would not wish my experience on anyone ever and certainly would love to provide my daughter a less toxic world to live in.

Thankfully, I believe the reactions have somewhat burned out and I am not waking up with facial disfigurement, swelling in my throat and angio edema throughout my body. I can resume my life as a painter, my life's dream.

When I was going through this in 2005 there was no such web site as http://www.goinggraylookinggreat.com to advise. I hope in the future the dirty little secret the FDA is hiding is exposed to the many innocent women that regularly use these products.

Christine is married (25 years) to the man she fell in love with at the age of 16. With three children, two at university, one in high school, she says they still have “way too much fun together.” A painter, Christine plans to speak through her art for the next 50 years.

Editor’s note: For more information about PPD allergies and how they can occur suddenly, even after years of dyeing, and become progressively worse, see the article “A Burning Question” under the Transitioning tab.

Perri Jackson, mentioned in Christine's article, also had a “catastrophic injury” from hair dye in 2003. Since then, she has campaigned tirelessly to help other women make informed choices about coloring their hair. Perri has worked with attorneys, fellow victims, both young and old, and has sent information to every Congressman, Senator, and Governor, the Food and Drug Administration, newspapers and television media in every major city in every state, countless talk shows, the Center for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and every public health ministry in Canada, Australia and Europe. Although she received little response, and less acknowledgment, she continues her efforts to alert women to the possible risks inherent in hair dye. She sent GGLG even more disturbing news regarding hair dye and the increased incidence of certain cancers, such as Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer and leukemia. Perri was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2007.

To read more of her story, and find out more about PPD, go to http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/color102804.cfm

Find more information at these links:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlight/2001-04-10-blasi-dye.htm

http://www.ccspublishing.com/journals3a/lymphomas.htm

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/40001590/

http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/167/11/1321

Changing Perceptions, One Hair at a Time By Goldie Ingersoll

The phone rings. It's my friend from work. "Hey," she says. "We need to talk about that job posting." I sigh and ask. "What about it?" My friend replies: "Well, I think it would be perfect for you except..." "Except what?!" I ask. She blurts out, "It's your hair...that BLOND hair is going to age you! Can't you at least put some SILVER highlights in it to improve your chances for this position?"

In line at the market the checker eyes my roots and says, “Oh, honey- you‘re too young to have BLOND hair! The SILVERIZER is on aisle 10!”

My husband and I sit down to relax over a glass of wine. He asks, “Are you okay?” “Yeah, why?” I ask. “Well, um, your BLOND roots are showing and um...are you letting yourself go?!”

Perceptions. What if blond hair were equated with being old? Or black hair? Or brown hair? Would everyone run to the salon or drug store for a bottle of “silver” to cover up those pesky blond, black or brown roots?

In a Perfect (Silver) World

Arriving at the salon, your favorite stylist greets and eyes you suspiciously. "Weren't you just in here a few weeks ago?" "Yes," you reply, "but these darn BROWN roots seem to come in faster with every passing month!" The stylist smirks knowingly. "Yeah, that happens. Just yesterday a gal came in with completely deep CHESTNUT hair! Yikes! It aged her at least 10 years! I couldn't silverize it fast enough! Then I told her to grow it long."

Before hopping out of the car, you check your lipstick in the rear view mirror. Your brows furrow as you notice a renegade hair sticking up, mid-part. "Drat, another BLACK hair!" You mutter to yourself. Quickly, you pluck it out and smooth your beautiful silver hair.

You tuck your silver hair behind your ear as it falls forward, covering the menu. The waiter approaches and smiles broadly at you. He then turns to your RED-haired sister and asks: “What will you and your daughter order today?”

Perceptions.

Soft, white clouds against an easy blue sky...silver wedding bands sealed with a kiss....even the priceless brain is called "gray" matter. Everywhere you look, white, silver and gray are all acknowledged and valued as colors. Everywhere, that is, EXCEPT, on a woman's head!

True Story

An older woman missionary touches down on African soil. She instantly draws a crowd. Sweet, ebony hands reach out to touch and stroke her long, silver hair. They consider her a goddess. Why? The rarity of an object usually increases its value. In this corner of the world, people don't live long enough to see their hair turn silver. Their perception sees a treasure, a jewel, a goddess of a woman with desirable hair.

Changing Direction

Somewhere inside each of us is an internal compass. But only you can decide to allow someone to steer you off course. So great are these forces that you question yourself and even change the very hairs on your head to conform.

There is a "silver revolution" happening. There are women who are changing the perception of what it means to be "silver" in a "gold standard" world. These women are you and me. Us. Women who see silver, gray, pewter, charcoal, and white as colors to be valued, respected and admired.

So you stand at the crossroads of change. Where will your perceptions take you?

Goldie Ingersoll is thoroughly immersed in raising her brood (5 kids still at home & one very supportive DH). In her spare time she strives to start a "silver revolution" through whatever media will hear her!

RADICAL BEAUTY by Michele Meyer

I was still a teenager when I got my first gray hair in my dark brown mane. I was hardly surprised. The arrival of gray before the second decade of life is not unusual in my Irish-American clan. My mother got her first gray hair at age nine and was completely white- haired by 40. The family gray is so predominant that our regular reunions are called the "Gray Hare Classics," to which we wear tacky t-shirts sporting gray rabbits. As my 45 year-old husband, who has yet to sprout a single gray hair, dryly notes about these gatherings: "You can certainly tell who was born into the family and who married in."

But my lack of surprise at graying did not translate into acceptance of it for many years. Although I always thought my Mom and the rest of the "Hares" were beautiful and striking, I wasn't ready to be seen as significantly older than I was. Even though I had a young face and body, I feared that all people would see was the gray hair and automatically assume I was at least a decade older than my real age. So I colored my hair regularly for 20 years.

After a few home coloring disasters, I knew that my unusual hair was a challenge that needed to be approached with care. Therefore, I chose top salons for my business. And what a business it was. Every three weeks, a two hour appointment that ran north of $150, plus tips. That adds up to a shocking $52,000 spent to hide my gray over the years. No wonder I was always greeted with a smile and offered a "free" coffee. Worse for me to contemplate is the 693 hours I spent in a hairdresser's chair, my scalp itching and my nose twitching from the fumes.

Still, I remained a faithful and committed salon color slave through thick and thin. I ensured that the roots never showed, timing coloring appointments around all manner of occasions, including the scheduled (for medical, not hair reasons) births of my three children. Once, I even walked a good distance through a terrible snowstorm to the salon because the streets were closed for the snow emergency. I was the only customer to make her appointment that morning!

I had many, many conversations with my sister (the only other person close to my age in the same gray boat) about when to stop coloring. She and I would complain at length about the expense and hassle and the sometimes less-than-perfect results, but we would always conclude that we weren't ready to stop coloring, "yet."

Imagine, then, my surprise when shortly after my 43rd birthday, I woke up and said to my husband "I'm done." I didn't know why I had suddenly become ready to go gray when just the day before the very thought horrified me. But I was sure of my decision. As a friend's mother once told me, deciding to go gray was a lot like deciding to put a sick dog down: you will just know when the time is right.

I knew when I decided to put my head out of its misery that the resulting change would generate some interest among my friends and family. What I didn't know is that it would generate interest among a much wider group of beauty commentators, and that many would feel free to share even negative opinions.

I was shocked the first time I was heckled. I was about two months into my color-free life and had just gotten out of my car to do some shopping at a local strip mall. I heard shouting, and looking in the direction of the sound, I saw a man standing in front of a salon about 100 yards away. I quickly realized that he was shouting at me, and called out "WHAT?" He responded, loudly and clearly, "I SAID, I CAN COLOR YOUR HAIR!" It was too hard and complicated to yell back "I'M SURE YOU CAN, BUT I'M ON A VOYAGE TO A WHOLE NEW ME, AND IT DOESN'T INCLUDE YOU." So instead, I simply turned my back to him.

Another early comment was from a dear, hypochondriac friend who asked, with great concern, "Michele, are you ill?" I decided the fact that she could only understand a decision to stop coloring if it were a medical necessity was a reflection on her and not an indication that I looked sickly.

Since then, I've heard all sorts of comments and have come to realize that my hair is now a screen on which many women project their own anxieties about aging. Thus, I've heard more than once:

• "But, why?"

  Because I think it looks beautiful. I know they don't share this opinion, or they wouldn't ask this question. That's ok, though, I don't take it personally. I think these ladies just can't imagine any sign of aging to be beautiful. Pity.

• "At least you're not very wrinkled.”

  Of course I'm not. I'm 43. I am prematurely graying, not prematurely aging.

• "Does you husband like it?”

  In fact, yes. My husband thinks it's pretty and shows self-confidence, which, in turn, is sexy to him. But I don't brag about my wonderful mate when asked this question because the person asking the question may have a less wonderful mate for whom she feels a need to pretend she is still the girl she once was.

• "I guess it was just too much work to keep up with the coloring, huh?”

  My complaints about the time and expense of coloring notwithstanding, this comment always seems funny to me because I'm certainly not a low-maintenance groomer. Since puberty, I have never left the house without doing my hair and make-up. I work out at the gym like an absolute fiend. And I don't hesitate to spend money on my personal appearance. I welcome the free time and extra money that giving up coloring affords me, but I have to admit I'm not using either to catch up on great books or other lofty activities. Let's put it this way: my handbag and shoe collection have grown admirably since I stopped coloring.

• "Well, you can always go back to coloring it again.”

  This has been said repeatedly although I have never expressed any uncertainty about my decision or any interest in changing it. But I think for many women, the idea that signs of aging are matters that you can choose to accept or fight is very, very comforting.

• "If I knew my hair would come in like yours, I would stop coloring, too.”

  This suggests that somehow I have an unusually beautiful color of gray. Maybe that's true. But, as I tell ladies who say this, the only way to know whether your hair shares this same lovely quality is to stop coloring, too.

I have come to realize that my decision to stop coloring is nothing short of radical in our youth-oriented culture. Nora Ephron's hilarious book, I Feel Bad About My Neck, details the lengths that most women go to remain as young-looking as they can. But I reject Ms. Ephron's description of hair color as the most powerful weapon aging women have against our youth culture.

Coloring your hair is not a fight against youth culture; it's the ultimate acceptance of that culture. I've decided a more powerful weapon in this fight is to own the beauty of aging. That's why, I think, that I've in fact received many more positive comments on my gray hair than the negative ones. In fact, I am complimented almost daily on my hair (which $52,000 never bought me).

Such compliments are lovely to receive. But they aren't why I feel so good about my gray hair. Many women joke that they can't remember what their natural hair color is. For me, that wasn't really a joke. After years of coloring, I had what I think of as the "hair uniform” for (formerly) brunette women my age -- long, layered medium brown hair with lots of blonde highlights. It was a far cry from my true coloring, and over time, it just began to feel a far cry from my true self.

Now when I look in the mirror, here's what I see: me. I know that some people can't see me past the gray hair. That's ok. Although I am young for gray hair, I am old enough now that I can feel good about my appearance even if not everyone shares my opinion.

Pretty radical, huh?

Michele is a wife, mother of three children, and full-time lawyer in Washington DC. She enjoys waving her gray flag in all of these roles!

GRAY HAIRSTYLES GALLERY

While most hairstyle sites show hundreds of styles, very few (if any) are shown on women with gray, silver, charcoal, or transitioning hair. And that’s a pity. So here, photographed on our own Members, are some of the favorite styles Silver Sisters gravitate to. With the exception of a few shots from the original book, most of our gals didn’t have the benefit of hair and makeup artists, studio lighting, or any of the other tricks of the trade that make hair pop and shine. But this is a good thing. Because it shows “real life” gray, the way it looks most days. And, as some of the pictures below show women actually in the transitioning process, you’ll get a chance to see how some of these styles work with color tips still on the ends. Browse through. You’ll get an idea or two for your next appointment.

New Do’s

It’s staring to happen! There are now a few stylin’ sites that are turning their artistic attention to silver hair! Granted, some of them are “out there,” but “dancing icicles” seem to inspire stylists, as well as creative plays with highlights and lowlights. Might be fun to try while you’re waiting for your pixie to grow out. You’ll find these looks at http://www.hairfinder.com.

And now, while we’re waiting for stripes, skunks, and streaks to disappear, do you realize they can be flaunted? Note the artful introduction of silver-on-white in these two styles called "Neopunk."

Artistry abounds in these two styles, with the underlaying of black in this modern choppy cut, and a touch of color for a bride to match the roses in her hair.

And the gray-peeking-through-blonde effect from http://www.latest-hairstyles.com/

THE PIXIE

Short & Choppy

The Bob

MID-LENGTH AND LAYERED

LONG, LONG, LONG

“Beauty comes from within. Of course we do the best with what we have on the outside, as well...but I’ve known some very beautiful women (on the outside) who were very ugly in personality. On the other hand, a woman 10 years older than me, is one of the most beautiful ladies I have even known. The first time I met her, I thought she was a bit heavy, she dressed sorta strange, wore bright make-up - she wasn’t what I would have called pretty. But her smile lit up the room. After knowing her for almost 20 years now, I think how attractive she is. She is one of the kindest, most joy-filled women I have known in my life. And now, I find her beautiful. Someone who met her (years after I had) was mentioning her strange appearance - some of the same thoughts I had in the beginning. It surprised me, because I had forgotten my first impressions.

Long story to say, ALL women can be beautiful by our smiles, our attitudes, and the energy that comes from inside us - AND - we all question our beauty at times, no matter what our hair color.

And about that gray... I have seen far too many beautiful ladies in gray now – no one can convince me it cannot be beautiful.”

Columbus Covers Gray

This just in. Channel 10, in Columbus Ohio, did a great feature on gray hair, starring our own Story Girl, Winona. Oz made a cameo appearance, as well, through the miracle of satellite taping. Didn't even need to leave Charlotte! Love it that the homepage of the website got in the story, too, so you'll see a few more Silver Sisters! Go check it out, and please leave a comment. Stand up for your silvers! Here's the link: 10tv

GGLG Gets Around

And how! The site, the Silver Sisters, and OZ have been popping up in the news everywhere. From the cover pages of the Image section in the LA Times and The Mix section of the Salt Lake Tribune, to blogs and radio shows, the silver spirit is alive and well. In case you’ve missed some of the most recent links, here they are for your viewing, reading, and listening pleasure.

Los Angeles Times http://www.latimes.com/features/image/la-ig-gray-20100711,0,1881985.story

Salt Lake Tribune http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/49847494-76/gray-hair-women-says.html.csp

Style Goes Strong blog http://www.stylegoesstrong.com/top-10-ways-make-gray-great

Stephen Diamond Radio Show http://www.stopstressingnow.com/2010/06/diana-lewis-jewell-going-grey-episode-29/

We're on BoomerGirl

Today, in BoomerGirl Diary, Cathy Hamilton writes about being chosen to be a GGLG Gallery Girl. Love the write-up, filled with many chuckles. Says her dream of being a cover girl was quashed (thank God there was Heidi Klum to take up the slack!). You'll find this just-between-us-boomers kind of writing all the way through this website, and it's a fun read. Find it today at this link: http://www.boomergirl.com/. Since the blog continues, day-to-day, you'll have to scroll to Wednesday, June 9th, to see it. Cathy also covered our appearance on the Today Show, stating Silver is Still Sexy, and yup, she's got a point there.

Silver Sisters on Today Show

On June 2nd, four GGLG Silver Sisters did a guest spot on the Today Show. Part of a weeklong series, “It’s All About the Hair,” they discussed what it was really like to be gray. Suzanne Fleishman, Deirdre Michaels, Nadine Duke, and Diana Jewell chatted for hours on the rooftop of the Rare View restaurant in NYC, in a spot designed to resemble the four gals of Sex & the City. Let’s not forget the Cosmopolitans! When the segment aired, the hours of conversation boiled down to about a minute of airtime, but it was all in good fun. The rest of this clip debates the pro’s and cons of going gray, but we didn’t have any “cons.” Silver Sisters are always happy with their decision to be sterling examples! For a behind-the-scenes look at what went on, check out the Events tab.

Boomer or Bust?

Some interesting stats come to us from Redken. Those in the boomer generation (1946-1964), 77 million strong, invest $5.3 billion a year on anti-aging products and services. Women over the age of 45 account for 42% of skincare, makeup, personal hygiene and haircare consumption worldwide. And they frequent the salon twice as much as their younger counterparts, resulting in annual salon spending that is roughly twice that of women below the age of 45. So with all this consumer power, you'd think salons would listen to us. Think again. No doubt about it, color services are the big tickets, and salons count on the "older" customer for more color services than the younger customer. But instead of cultivating a dye habit for life, how much smarter would it be to cultivate a care habit? We want our hair to be shiny, soft, silky, stylish. We turn into product junkies, spending more than we ever did. And we'll also spend more on other salon services, once freed from coloring: manicures, pedicures, facials, highlighting, lowlighting, glazes, conditioning treatments. Salons, it's time for a re-think!

White Hair Hits Runway Again!

We've seen it last Spring. We've seen it for Fall '09. And now, the Spring '10 haute couture runway shows in Paris are showing bits and pieces of gray again. So reports Stylelist.com in their article "Block Hair & Gray Streaks: Couture Hair Gets Whimsical" by Courtney Dunlop. You'll find lots of colors (think blue, magenta) contrasted to gray, and a few subtle silver streaks. Chanel did it nicely. But what I really find amusing is the text. "Shockingly, shocks of gray hair are becoming the must-have look of the season." And "Dare we say the gray streaks at Chanel actually look fresh and fun? Is that possible? Maybe it's the big heart-shaped bouffant in the back, or the straight, shiny bangs, or perhaps it's because of the delightful, antique-looking, slightly tattered headpieces but this almost (almost!) makes us want to have gray streaks of our own." Almost? Hey, we've got our gray and we're very fashionable, indeed! Photo: Getty images.

HAIRDESIGNER TV INTERVIEWS DIANA

This is where the hair pros go for advice, information and current trends. It’s a wonderful website created by Vivienne Mackinder, a major powerhouse in the industry. As a former Artistic Director for Vidal Sassoon and Trevor Sorbie, she developed her expertise for precision cutting and her eye for original hair design, and has earned the title master stylist many times over. Today, she’s always whizzing around to do seminars and events around the country, collecting awards (her latest, to a standing ovation, from the North American Hairstyling Awards for her achievements within the profession, as an artist and film maker), doing runway collections, editorial and advertising, producing her documentary film series about the “legends” in the industry, and managing this sensational website. If there’s a pro out there who doesn’t know about it, go to http://www.hairdesignertv.com NOW! In fact, all of you can go there to see what’s really going on in hairstylist-land. Including this interview, the first of three segments. Although this was originally taped just before our site went up, it’s airing on her site now, and here!

NICOLE SHOWS 'EM

The Daily Mail, a newspaper in England, had a few choice words to say about Nicole Kidman’s itty bitty silvery roots. None of them really nice. She was guest of honor at a star-studded party in Beverly Hills, sponsored by Elle Magazine. And – horrors, to the Daily Mail – she let her roots show. They kidded her about skipping a color appointment, making a “misstep in her otherwise impeccably groomed” appearance, and giving in to the stress of new motherhood. Readers of this article did write in with kinder comments, but it just goes to show you. People think you can’t be glam and gray, too? I think Nicole disproves that! Photo: Splash.

GET THE PARTY STARTED!

Two-time Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Pink burst on the scene in 2000, but it was her second rock-based album, Missundaztood, that put her on the map, going gold or platinum in more than 20 countries. Pink took a break after her third album didn’t meet expectations. In 2006, she came out with the tellingly entitled album, I’m not Dead. That did it, re-establishing her as a top global artist. So far, Pink has sold over 25 million albums, with Funhouse due for release this October. Born Alecia Beth Moore in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Pink’s original image was bright pink hair. Saying she never liked that, she switches back and forth, going blonde, white, whatever. Featured on the remix of India.Arie’s song, “I Am Not My Hair,” I guess Pink really proves it!

THE NEW CELEBRITY

According to a new NPD Group study reported in Women’s Wear Daily, our “taste” in celebrities is changing. Now we want “comfort” celebs; those who will come into our home, tell us how to cook, how to decorate, how to live. We prefer good advice to ga-ga glamour. We’d rather have a friend than someone who makes us feel like we should drop about 20 pounds. Could it be the economy? Insecurity about the future? Could we be tired of seeing excess extravagance? Annoyed at re-hab ingénues? Robert Thompson, professor of popular culture at Syracuse University, says it reflects the fragmentation of American culture. Whatever the reason, I like it that chefs like Paula Deen (“most trusted”) and Rachael Ray and good-old home designer Ty Pennington have won our hearts. It’s so homey, so, well, comforting. And, personally, I’d trust anyone with silver/white hair!

ROOTS ARE IN!

Us Magazine has captured Jennifer Lopez, several times in fact, sporting about an inch of salt and pepper on her head. She showed up at the ALMA Awards on May 7th and Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People party on May 8th unafraid to flash what is commonly known as the “skunk stripe.” Gee, with new babies, who has time for hair color, anyway? The actress is 36, and rumors abound, she’s joined the revolution! Takeaway point: If you've got roots, flaunt 'em. Never before has the "in" style been so kind to transitioners! Photo: Everett Collection.

THIS REPORTER IS THE NEWS!

While we’re beginning to see a few women anchors and reporters sporting gray hair, they’re definitely in the minority. But Jill Dougherty, U.S. Affairs Editor for CNN International, is a shining example of silver. And what an accomplished woman! Previously managing editor of CNN International Asia Pacific, and, before that, Moscow Bureau Chief, Dougherty covered critical world events, including the presidencies of Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin, the post-Soviet economic transition, and the conflict in Chechnya. As a former White House correspondent, she was part of the CNN team that won the American Journalism Review’s 1993 Award for Best White House Coverage. But her biggest assignment came when she had to tackle breast cancer. Diagnosed in 1999, she took the appropriate steps, underwent treatment, and covered stories in Moscow during chemo. She reported that her hair did come back, but it was “never the same.” Maybe it’s better!

AMERICAN SALON SAYS GRAY IS SUDDENLY SEXY!

American Salon, one of the most influential magazines for hair professionals, devoted a full-page article to Going Gray, Looking Great! in the April issue. Written by Editor-in-Chief, Marianne Dougherty, "Gray's Anatomy" asks the critical question: "Should you be concerned if your clients want to give in to the light side?" Then offers ample encouragement for salons to take us seriously! She advises salons to order copies of the book for their customers, so maybe one of these days soon, you'll be able to find it at a salon near you! Favorite quote? "Diana Lewis Jewell's Going Gray, Looking Great! is a no-nonsense guide for going gray." Second favorite quote comes from Brad Johns, color director at Elizabeth Arden Red Door, who likens going through transition to re-hab -- he calls it "grayhab!" Oh, don't we know!

Thought you might like to read the article in its entirety, so I’m putting it here.

AARP STAR

The May/June issue of AARP Magazine features Jamie Lee Curtis on its cover. Emerging from a pool, with nothing but a smile and her short crop of gray hair, she’s celebrating turning 50 in an article by Nancy Griffin. Jamie’s all for stripping down to her “essential being,” which includes only wearing black and white, clean living, and clean lines. The actress, author and spokesperson born of Hollywood royalty (Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis) has decided to focus on the things that are important to her: family, charities, and an occasional film role (as long as it doesn’t interfere with her life.) The silver hair? It’s all part of being just who she is.

WHO'S IN THE NEWS? WE ARE!

The March issue of Hair's How Magazine, subscribed to by salon professionals, has an article on helping baby boomers gray gracefully. Written by Naomi Mannino, it urges stylists to really listen to women when they want to go gray, know their products, and come up with creative ways to help a woman transition. As more and more salons discover that the graying customer should be taken seriously, more and more of us will be able to get the cut, styling, and color services we all want. But here’s my favorite quote: “Advise [clients] to check out the book and the website at www.goinggraylookinggreat.com to educate themselves on all the different ways you can help them look great, no matter what way they gray. Check it out yourself if you’re young and unsure of the choices for this market.” I don’t know about the young part, I think some seasoned pros need to look at gray in a whole new way too. But, really, I’m delighted that the word is reaching the professional community, because in the end, we all like being pampered – and respected – in a salon. Visit Hair's How at www.hairshow.us

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC PLAYS NORTH KOREA

That, in itself, is news. The musical ambassadors of the oldest orchestra in the United States played a concert in North Korea February 26th, opening the doors of this closed society just a crack to Western culture. Playing a program of their own choosing, including our national anthem and George Gershwin’s “An American in Paris,” they received an enthusiastic reception and played encore after encore. So what does this have to do with gray hair? Our own great gray, Irene Breslaw Grapel, was playing in her usual position of second chair, as assistant principal viola, with the orchestra. I can always spot Irene at concerts. She is in the chair closest to the audience, second row. But what really grabs my attention is her snow white hair (looking a bit longer now than it did when she was first photographed for Going Gray, Looking Great!) This performance is just one stop on their Asian tour, which includes Beijing and Seoul. But I’m dying to ask her all about it when she gets back, including how did her glistening white crop go over in a land predominated by black hair? I’m sure she’ll have lots of stories to tell. Stay tuned.

IS OSCAR GOING GRAY?

First, there was Judi Dench, then Helen Mirren. Now, Ruby Dee is up for Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the Oscar ceremonies for her performance in Ridley Scott’s “American Gangster.” And she’s a great gray if there ever was one. Well, she should be – hard to believe, but she’s 83. Still, the gal knows how to glam, and we can expect to see her looking lovely on Oscar night. Her role as Mama Lucas, the loving mother of Harlem heroin kingpin Frank Lucas, alongside Hollywood heavyweights Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington, is considered pivotal, and has already earned her a SAG award. Will she grab the gold? Adding her very first Oscar to her Emmy, Grammy and SAG statue? Stay tuned. If you’re reading this after Oscar weekend, we’re keeping it up because we like her pic, anyway! Go, Ruby!

THE CLOONEY IDENTITY

As reported by Women’s Wear Daily, February 15, 2008, Just for Men, the bestselling U.S. haircoloring brand for men, is caving a bit to those who want to keep their grays and look great doing it. Now they’re launching Touch of Gray, a five-shade lineup for men who want to find just the perfect shade to give them that Clooney/Cooper/Gere thing. The packaging reads “Lets you keep some gray,” and “Works gradually,” but what I don’t get is – why are the shades called Light Brown, Medium Brown, Dark Brown, Black and Jet Black? It’s like being a little bit pregnant. The president of the company says “It would reduce a man who is 50% gray to a darker color, closest to the color he had previously.” Men, go gray or not! Look for it at a store near you at the end of March. And watch for lots of advertising, too.

BOOZERS ARE COLOR LOSERS?

This is an interesting tidbit picked up from an article in Allure by Kristin Cobb, and also an AOL Health Watch article reported by Chris Sparling on gray hair and alcohol consumption. Seems a study published in Archives of Dermatology (January, 2007) conducted by Australian doctor Albert Stuart Reece suggested a link between gray hair and addiction to alcohol or drugs. Dr. Reece found that 53% of people addicted to drugs or alcohol had substantial gray hair, versus 16% of those who did not have a substance abuse problem. Reece speculated, “women drinking more than 2 drinks each day may be in the toxic zone.” Chris Sparling pulled no punches by stating “regular boozers have twice the amount of premature gray hair as people who lay off the sauce.” He also upped the ante by suggesting that as few as three drinks per day is enough to affect hair color. So what is it? Two drinks, three drinks? Who’s counting? The point is, nobody knows how much alcohol is “safe.”

The crux of both articles is alcohol may damage stem cells that make hair pigment. Well, gang, so do lots of other things. We might as well include smokers here, too. Studies have shown that smokers are 4 times more likely to become prematurely gray (or bald!) Nicotine, when absorbed by the body, constricts the body’s blood vessels. You knew that. But think about it. If you can’t pump pigment or other vital nutrients to the follicles, what do you think happens? Of course, there are always exceptions. I know a 61 year-old man who smokes like a demon, has all his hair, and 99% of his natural color! And even the best of families can have ole' greataunt Millie who drinks a fifth of vodka every day and dies a flaming redhead.

Several prescription drugs can interrupt the normal hair-growth cycle, as well, so hair falls out faster, and you notice more and more gray hair. Even certain vitamins and herbal supplements have been implicated in pigment loss. There’s a long list of possible causative factors for graying in Going Gray, Looking Great!, including things your body’s going to put you through naturally, like hormonal shifts, menopause, and autoimmune diseases. So let’s go a little lighter on those who choose to consume (although, hopefully, not in excess.) Judging from the heated comments the AOL article inspired, people are going to do what they want. And what their bodies do to them in return is part their own doing, part nature’s.

TOO FUNNY TO LEAVE OUT

This wonderful clip was sent in by our Member, Lori (Plinkette). And while you may have seen it in the Café, it’s worth putting in here. Maybe we’re all crazy!

WEIRD SCIENCE

On a day in May, 2004 (just about the same time Going Gray, Looking Great! was first published), Amanda Onion reported on a strange phenomenon for ABC News that was copyrighted again in 2008 by ABC News Internet Ventures. The article mentioned that Chris Gummer, a senior research fellow at Procter & Gamble labs in London, UK, was working on a pill that would prevent graying. Seems he felt this natural process was devastating.

"One gray fiber is enough to shatter a life," said Gummer, "Even if someone has 20 million dark hairs on her head, this single strand can create a tremendous cascade of grief."

Oh, please.

The article went on to report that researchers had succeeded in making an albino mouse turn black in one patch by tinkering with the scalp’s genes. As reported in the last chapter of my book, what they actually did was alter a tyrosinase mutation in a hair follicle gene. (Remember, tyrosinase is the enzyme involved in the synthesis of melanin.) And if you read further, you'll find out that scientists had also created a nice crop of glowing green hair for mice by injecting skin grafts with a glowing green gene. Nice, if you like green hair. Obviously, we’re a long way from delivering a full range of Clairol shades!

The reality is, nearly all your hair follicles would have to be modified to create a full head of non-gray hair. It’s a tricky process at best. And, of course, your skin contains a lot of pigment cells as well, so you could end up with a dark scalp. “That would look horrible, obviously,” admits Gummer. You also don’t want to tweak skin cells so they lose their melanin; that’s what protects us from the sun.

Now we go back to the mice. The albino mice whose hair turned black. Know how long that lasted? Two months. Guess then they'd have to have their roots done -- like any woman determined not to go gray.

But Gummer was optimistic that someday soon getting rid of gray would be as easy as using toothpaste. “I do think we’ll achieve it within 10 years, but the challenges in delivering it will be quite hard,” he said at the time. Let’s see, that was 2004. We’ve got 6 years left – and counting.

Q. How long should the graying process take?

Q. My gray hair feels different from my pigmented hair. Is it drier or just more stubborn?

Q. My gray hair just looks dull. Any reason?

Q. Not only is my hair turning gray, I’m losing it faster. Are the two connected?

Q. I keep plucking my gray hairs out. Will this cause permanent hair loss?

Q. My silver hair sometimes has a greenish/yellowish cast. Could the products I’m using on it affect its color?