‘Embracing my grey was liberating,’ says writer Vicci Bentley, who only wishes she’d done it sooner

‘For a good 30 years, I’d dyed my mousy hair various shades – from red to blonde to nearly black, so it’s hard to pinpoint when I actually started to go grey. But, by the time I resolved to kick the tint two years ago, colouring it had turned into a chore rather than a style statement. I couldn’t go past six weeks without retouching my silver roots. Even so, outing myself as a greyster was a leap of faith.

It would have been easier to go for the chop but, as I didn’t want to sacrifice my bob, I covered my white badger stripe with hair powders, then, when the regrowth became too broad, had the front sections of my bob bleached white to match the crown and turn the look into a positive statement. Bleaching out the old tint took three tedious hours and left those sections brittle, yellowish and thirsty for violet-toned conditioner, but the two-tone effect did look stunning. Regular trims over the next 18 months got rid of the remaining colour – and what a difference it’s made. I’ve never had so many compliments – and some from perfect strangers! People say my hair shines now (you don’t realise how dull and draining dye can be) and I’ve even been told I look younger!

I’ve had to dial up the blush so I don’t look washed out, and smoky shadows define my eyes, but I haven’t changed my make-up radically. Now that older women are increasingly seen in the press and ‘anti-ageing’ is a term past its sell-by date, going grey is a chic and liberating rite of passage. There’s nothing to lose except inhibitions and, frankly, I wish I’d done it years ago. Who knew going grey would feel so good?’