A woman who started going grey at 19 has finally ditched the dye after 20 years - embracing her natural locks and defying haters who said she was 'letting herself go'. Crystal Michelle, 39, first noticed grey hairs when she was just 19 years old.
By the age of 22, she had a defined grey line and made sure she covered it up with dye, eye shadow and even brown mascara. Crystal spent her 20s and early 30s masking her greys - with a fear of the shame and stigma she was 'getting old' or 'letting herself go' or even looking like a 'grandma'.
In 2020, Crystal was getting ready with her husband, Allen, 46, when he complained how grey his hair was. Crystal objected - saying she was more grey than him - and they decided to have a competition to see how grey they could go within four months.
Crystal hasn't looked back since and feels better than ever - despite mean comments from online trolls. The make-up specialist, from Fort Worth, Texas, US, said: "I feel empowered and like a powerful woman.
"I feel like I'm making a way for the future generations. The colour of my hair right now - there is no box dye or stylist in the world that can make me have the hair I have. Grey hair is a finger print that no one else can have."
Crystal was just 19 when she first spotted grey hairs - but at that time she was more interested in dying her hair pink and purple than covering the grey. By the time she was 22, the grey became more noticeable and she covered it up by dying it with box dye - or using dark brown mascara and eye shadow.
She said: "I have dark hair and blondes can get away with it more. People would notice and say 'you have some grey hair, are you pulling them out?'"
Dying her hair every two weeks, Crystal spent over a decade hiding her greys. She reached a turning point when she was in the bathroom with Allen and he complained about his grey hair in 2020.
She said: "Me and my husband were in the bathroom and he said he was going grey. I told him I was more grey than him but I just covered mine.
"We decided to see how grey I was - I decided to grow it out for four months. I knew I had grey hair but I had no idea I was grey, I thought I had some sparkles along the way but by four months I had an inch of grey hair."
The mum-of-three started to document her grey journey on social media. Crystal had to battle with thoughts of herself getting old, losing herself and her attractiveness.
She said: "I thought are people going to think I'm my kids' grandmother. Someone commented 'how does your husband feel marrying someone seven years younger and her letting herself go?'
"Once I started hearing those comments, it made me go in a different direction towards woman empowerment. Men get too age gracefully and are silver foxes and distinguished whilst women are letting themselves go."
Crystal also explained how grey hair is hereditary and isn't a sign of some kind of deficiency. She said: "I got to six months and the line was very defined and had to make a decision whether to keep going or colour it. It feels like you're walking around naked but I felt compelled to continue - it's like I'd joined hands with other people on their silver hair journey."
Crystal said she'd received unwarranted remarks from strangers saying she was too young. She added: "I started going grey when I was 19 so what does that even mean?
"I dyed my hair every two weeks with box dye and if I couldn't afford it I would use eye shadow, mascara or Loreal grey spray. I'd go to touch my hair and get brown fingers."
Crystal decided to let her grey grow out naturally and trimmed her brunette ends until it was fully silver. She added: "Don't let anyone tell you how to do it.
"You can shave it, strip it, dye it blonde, get streaks, grow it out - let it be your journey. My 64-year-old mother decided to let it grow out after I did but she dyed hers blonde first. It's like having a vaginal birth or a c-section - you get the same results in the end."
Crystal advises women to take photographs every day of their progress. She said: "Pictures of your progress help you see you're not standing still. Going grey has made me more confident.
"I don't have to wear my hair up in a messy bun or wear a hat - there's no shame tied to my hair. It's so great, I love it so much more than any hair style I've ever had."
