A woman who says she was “brainwashed” into thinking men wouldn’t find her “sexy” with grey hair has finally ditched the dye and says she gets hit by guys half her age.
Elisa Berrini Gómez, 57, started dyeing her hair aged 30 after she found her first grey strand.
She grew up believing grey hair “equals death” and spent the next 22 years dyeing her locks before she finally put down the dye and told herself to “stop doing this”.
Elisa spent a year blonde and grey while the grey grew out which she said made her look “punky” and is now completely silver.
Now she says she feels “sexier” because she’s “learnt to love herself” and says she gets hit on by men aged 25 to 45.
Elisa said she always had a “rebel side” but her only regret in life is dyeing her hair for so long.
Elisa, an implementation consultant, from Montreal, Canada, said: “I was brainwashed to think that grey hair equals old and this equals death.
“I felt I was only worthy as long as my grey hair didn’t show.
“At 52 I stopped dying it – I just thought ‘no, you’re going to stop this’.
“It was terrifying I thought ‘men won’t find me sexy if I have grey hair.’
“But men are super attracted to me.
“I get hit on all the time by 25 to 45 year olds.
“My grey hair is not what makes me sexy.
“I’m sexier because I’ve learnt to love myself and have compassion for me.”
Elisa first found at grey hair aged 30 and plucked it out.
She said: “I was shopping and my friend screamed – ‘Elisa, you have grey hair’.
“It felt horrible.
“Felt like my life had ended.
“I panicked and pulled it out.”
Elisa started to box dye her hair from then on, before turning to a professional hairdresser 10 years later.
She said: “It was the end of an era.
“My hair was no longer soft.
“I had to mourn that.”
But at 52, Elisa decided enough was enough and stopped dyeing her hair altogether.
She said: “I always had this fire lying underneath.
“I just said to myself – ‘no, you've going to stop this’.”
Elisa dyed her hair blonde while she was transitioning and loved her “punky” look.
She said: “I want to be different.
“It was blonde and grey – I felt sexy.”
But Elisa was surprised at other female’s reaction to her choice to embrace her natural tone.
She said: “Women said to me ‘you have grey hair’.
“When I told them I’m not dying it any more they had this look of horror.
“It’s not like I don’t look presentable.
“It’s not as if I let go of myself – not that there is anything wrong with that.
“It made me think – why do they care? It’s not their hair.”
Elisa says she feels “sexier” now and loves to wear what she wants.
She said: “I’ve got a relationship with me.
“I keep saying – ‘let’s keep on rocking what you’ve got’.
“I’ve bought a new pink skort and I’m going to wear it with heels – I can’t wait.
“I think as women we are pitted against each other.
“You want to cover up. Go for it. If you want to wear a mini skirt. Go for it.”
Elisa says most people think she is more than 10 years younger than her actual age and she is constantly hit on by young men.
Elisa Berrini Gómez, 57, started dyeing her hair aged 30 after she found her first grey strand.
She grew up believing grey hair “equals death” and spent the next 22 years dyeing her locks before she finally put down the dye and told herself to “stop doing this”.
Elisa spent a year blonde and grey while the grey grew out which she said made her look “punky” and is now completely silver.
Now she says she feels “sexier” because she’s “learnt to love herself” and says she gets hit on by men aged 25 to 45.
Elisa said she always had a “rebel side” but her only regret in life is dyeing her hair for so long.
Elisa, an implementation consultant, from Montreal, Canada, said: “I was brainwashed to think that grey hair equals old and this equals death.
“I felt I was only worthy as long as my grey hair didn’t show.
“At 52 I stopped dying it – I just thought ‘no, you’re going to stop this’.
“It was terrifying I thought ‘men won’t find me sexy if I have grey hair.’
“But men are super attracted to me.
“I get hit on all the time by 25 to 45 year olds.
“My grey hair is not what makes me sexy.
“I’m sexier because I’ve learnt to love myself and have compassion for me.”
Elisa first found at grey hair aged 30 and plucked it out.
She said: “I was shopping and my friend screamed – ‘Elisa, you have grey hair’.
“It felt horrible.
“Felt like my life had ended.
“I panicked and pulled it out.”
Elisa started to box dye her hair from then on, before turning to a professional hairdresser 10 years later.
She said: “It was the end of an era.
“My hair was no longer soft.
“I had to mourn that.”
But at 52, Elisa decided enough was enough and stopped dyeing her hair altogether.
She said: “I always had this fire lying underneath.
“I just said to myself – ‘no, you've going to stop this’.”
Elisa dyed her hair blonde while she was transitioning and loved her “punky” look.
She said: “I want to be different.
“It was blonde and grey – I felt sexy.”
But Elisa was surprised at other female’s reaction to her choice to embrace her natural tone.
She said: “Women said to me ‘you have grey hair’.
“When I told them I’m not dying it any more they had this look of horror.
“It’s not like I don’t look presentable.
“It’s not as if I let go of myself – not that there is anything wrong with that.
“It made me think – why do they care? It’s not their hair.”
Elisa says she feels “sexier” now and loves to wear what she wants.
She said: “I’ve got a relationship with me.
“I keep saying – ‘let’s keep on rocking what you’ve got’.
“I’ve bought a new pink skort and I’m going to wear it with heels – I can’t wait.
“I think as women we are pitted against each other.
“You want to cover up. Go for it. If you want to wear a mini skirt. Go for it.”
Elisa says most people think she is more than 10 years younger than her actual age and she is constantly hit on by young men.
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