Michel, you look just lovely. Thank you for sharing your story and pictures. It is really helpful and inspirational for those of us in the middle of the transition stage, to see others with beautiful gray/white hair.
Posted by on 04/05 at 11:57 AM
Michel’s Story
GOING LONG AND LOVING IT!
Canadian Michel Brown started seeing gray in her teens. By her twenties, she was well into salt-and-pepper territory. Today, at 38, she has a fabulous silver mane (although she says she still has some of her original brown color underneath it all. Who’s looking?)
This isn’t a transitioning story – it’s a LONG story – for all of you out there who say you want to see more great grays with long hair! I’ll let Michel tell you how she feels about gray in her own words:
”When I look in the mirror, I am reminded of my Dad and my Grandma with their beautiful, soft, white gray hair. I am proud of this family heritage.
I was once asked the name of the salon that had streaked my hair silver. My reply was, “Genetics.”
I am quite proud that three women have told me that after seeing my hair, it inspired them to go au natural. Two are now totally gray, without any dye left, and the third is in the midst of letting her gray shine through. They are all beautiful.
Vanity is a wonderful thing. I receive many compliments from men and women on my striking hair colour. It’s good to feed the ego.
Thank you for a great site.”
Ed. Note: Thank you, Michel. You’ve given us just another good reason why the words “gray haired old lady” should be banned from the English language!
THE MANY LOOKS OF MICHEL
Michel says she “really babies” her hair, and has some great tips for taking care of long gray hair. Knowing that gray hair is more fragile, she lets her natural curl air dry and rarely uses a diffuser. Michel has learned not to “over shampoo,” and concentrates on the scalp, just rinsing the ends. She also applies a conditioner to the ends, adds a styling cream or light gel , and simply finger sets it. Michel deep conditions at least once a week, and will use a clarifying shampoo to remove product build-up (she likes Neutrogena and Pantene.) Once or twice a year, she may get her hair straightened for special occasions, but otherwise just goes with the flow of the natural curl. Results? Her partner brags about her hair, and he cringes every time she gets it trimmed.
Let’s welcome Michel (who posts with her middle name, Leigh), and share your comments!
Thanks, you will get there too and start basking in the glow of the compliments. 
Posted by on 04/05 at 01:46 PM
Michel, thank you for sharing these spectacular photos. I just love the one with the background falls. With your curly locks cascading down your shoulders, it just all works so well!
Since I have always worn my hair fairly long, you have given me hope that once I have transitioned, I will go long again!
Thankyou!
Posted by on 04/05 at 02:03 PM
Shara—what a great eye you have! The ripples in the silver/white water do seem to echo the ripples in Michel’s hair. D.
Posted by on 04/06 at 08:20 AM
It is awesome to see my life-long friend glowing!!! You are a beautiful person on the outside as well as on the inside Michel...the Hislop gang loves you!!! I really like the last two pictures...I see a modelling career in the future!!!!!
Posted by on 04/06 at 06:12 PM
Michel,
I love the length and the fullness of your hair! It looks so healthy… Truly an inspiration for all of us! 
Posted by on 04/07 at 05:14 AM
Michel-
Thank you for sharing your story with us! Seeing beautiful ladies like you, is what keeps me going through transition.
Posted by on 04/07 at 05:49 AM
You and your hair are beautiful! I’m playing the waiting game now ( see the newbie section to see my pics). I love your color od silver!
Lori
Posted by on 04/12 at 09:27 AM
So awesome to see someone my age with such gorgeous silver hair! Mine is still short but my husband is so excited to see the peek-a-boo gray under the black dye. It has been his idea and encouragement...and definitely my motivation!
Feels GREAT to be free of the mess and hassle of coloring yet still feel sexy!
Gray hair is so empowering!
Thank you for sharing your pics!!
Posted by on 05/08 at 05:41 PM
Hello Michel, I love the photos of your long curls - so inspiring. I too have curly hair but have only ever seen my curls with dye on them. I’ve recently cut my hair down to the roots to grow out my natural hair and am looking forward to having long silver curls like you one day.
Posted by on 05/15 at 03:16 PM
Hi Michel, I love your hair. The color and the length. I had all the dye cut off my hair in May.It is pretty short and charcoal gray.I like the color but not the length so much. Have been coloring my hair since I was 14 years old. It’s been every color on the chart,so I said why not gray. I decided to let it go gray and grow it long and I will be 60! in October.
Liked your pictures, hope to have my hair like that some day in the near future. Janet
Posted by on 07/10 at 05:23 PM
Michel Leigh, your hair is fabulous with a capital F!! How old were you in that first pic, w/ the salt and pepper? I’m a premature gray at 20 and you’re definitely an inspiration to us younger grays. Thanks for the pics!!
Kendall
Posted by on 07/26 at 01:37 PM
Hi Michel,
Your story inspired me to write my own and to let my hair grow longer. You are lovely! Thanks for sharing. Blessings, Melody
Posted by on 08/05 at 05:59 AM
Michel you and I are fellow Canadians! I am reading through great grays for the first time. I am a new newbie and having so much fun discovering all of you fully transitioned greats. I love your hair, I used to wear mine almost as long until the coloring took its toll. I do love my shorter length but who knows, once I am fully transformed maybe I’ll experiment with a longer look. Lulu
Posted by on 08/10 at 01:02 PM
You look beautiful - have you made any changes to your hair - different hairstyle ---
Posted by on 09/27 at 12:17 PM
@kendall88athlete
I was 38 in all of the pictures. They were shot in late 2007 and early 2008.
@grayme
My hair is slightly shorter now. I had a trim in August 2008 and went to a shoulder length cut.
Thank you to everyone for your lovely compliments. I treasure them.
Posted by on 09/27 at 12:51 PM
Michel:
Your hair is gorgeous and so are you. I have never let my hair grow too long since it was color treated and the ends would look so damaged (because they were) and now that all my “color” is grown off, I have decided to let my hair grow and grow until I’m 60… I have a little over 3 years. My hair is not as thick and luxurious as yours but it is just so healthy and shiny and I think it will look pretty cool. It is just past my shoulders. This site has been such an inspiration to me.
Posted by on 10/07 at 07:32 PM
Michel,
Your hair is truly inspiring! How long did it take you to grow it to that length (in the pictures above)?
M
Posted by on 10/21 at 08:57 AM
Hi Michel, I am Canadian as well, and woke up this morning thinking that I don’t want to colour my hair anymore. In fact, I couldn’t sleep last night just thinking about the whole process and what it would be like. I found this site this morning and have been on it a lot today. I feel I am about 90% sure, and am just scared like I am sure everyone was when they were that close to making the decision. My hair is long, and it seems the women with long hair cut it short to help the process not be too hideous. I am realizing as I am writing this that you didn’t make a transition, you just never coloured it right??
Posted by on 01/05 at 06:27 PM
Karenime,
Do it! Do it! Do it! I did it last year. I can’t do really short hair either, so I cut as much off as I could stand and bought hats in every color. It is the best decision I have made. It will take about a year and then you will never have “roots” again-NEVER!
Hope this helps & good luck!
Posted by on 01/22 at 07:11 PM
Michel, your hair is very beautiful. i am still unsure if i want to grow mine out as i iam in my transition phase or have it cut short. i am heavy and i don’t think to short looks good on me. my hair isn’t as nice and thick as yours either.
Posted by on 01/24 at 04:43 PM
Love your hair. You are my inspiration to grow mine LONG!
Posted by on 02/26 at 04:35 AM
Michel,
Wavy or straight, your hair is gorgeous. I really love it!
Barbara
Posted by on 05/07 at 10:23 PM
Hi there Michel,
As a “Story Girl,” you’ve inspired so many of us here on GGLG. But imagine what your story could do on Oprah! As you may or may not know, Goldie is doing a write-in campaign. But it’s more than that. As a former Oprah makeover girl herself, she knows the producers to reach and is going to send in a book of our “Letters to Oprah.” I know some of us have written individually to Oprah before, but these can get easily lost in the 20,000 emails a day the show receives. This effort will be carefully targeted, and we will have strength in numbers. I urge you to go to the homepage, and see the “Hello, Oprah” link. Called Goldie’s Campaign, it will tell you all you need to know to share your story, once again, only this time, you may have Oprah herself reading it! Please join us in this campaign. Begin your letter “Dear Oprah,"-- and don’t forget to mention the website and/or book. Doesn’t have to be long, just from the heart. Thanks!
Posted by on 08/05 at 10:39 AM
Michel,
Hello! There have been a lot of discussions here lately regarding yellowing of the hair. You have such length and it doesn’t look like you have any yellowing at all. Wondering what your secret is! Any thoughts/suggestions? Thanks!
Suzanne (grayincali)
Posted by on 10/19 at 02:06 PM
@grayincali
I am not a sun worshipper so I always wear sunscreen and try to wear a hat in the sun. I use a clarifying shampoo, every 4-6 weeks or so, to remove any product buildup. I try to deep condition after this process, as it strips the hair. This is also when I employ a blue/purple shampoo and conditioner to reduce the look of any yellow that I do have in my hair. Make sure to rinse any spatter off your shower curtain right away as it will stain, if left too long.
There are various brands specifically for silver hair and I have probably tried most of them. Some leave my hair feeling softer and better conditioned than others. The drugstore brands, Silver Brights or Light Blue Shade seem to work well for me.
Posted by on 10/19 at 06:29 PM
Thanks so much for your quick reply! All great suggestions! By the way .... would love to see an update soon of your lovely, long silver curls!
Posted by on 10/19 at 07:01 PM
Still waiting on an updated photo.
Posted by on 12/03 at 02:45 PM
You’re not the only one, grayme, but sometimes our Story Girls do make like butterflies and fly away. Others update with some regularity. You can be sure I will post any that are sent in.
Posted by on 12/03 at 02:54 PM
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- The Way We Were
- Cool Guys
- Barbara’s Story
- Happy Dayz
- Cool Girls
- Debbie’s Story
- Gray Mama
- Goldies’ Story
- Lovin It
- Holly’s Story
- Great Inspirations: Gray-Haired Celebrities
- Heidi’s Story
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- Silver Superheroes
- Newbie Graduates Gallery: Gray Hair Before and Afters
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- 50+ Myth Busters
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- Three Reasons to Send Us Your Picture
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