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'. <br /><br />Crystal Michelle, 39, first noticed grey hairs when she was just 19 years old. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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'. <br /><br />In 2020, Crystal was getting ready with her husband, Allen, 46, when he complained how grey his hair was.<br /><br />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. <br /><br />Crystal hasn't looked back since and feels better than ever - despite mean comments from online trolls.<br /><br />The make-up specialist, from Fort Worth, Texas, US, said: "I feel empowered and like a powerful woman.<br /><br />"I feel like I'm making a way for the future generations. <br /><br />"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.<br /><br />"Grey hair is a finger print that no one else can have."<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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. <br /><br />She said: "I have dark hair and blondes can get away with it more. <br /><br />"People would notice and say 'you have some grey hair, are you pulling them out?'"<br /><br />Dying her hair every two weeks, Crystal spent over a decade hiding her greys. <br /><br />She reached a turning point when she was in the bathroom with Allen and he complained about his grey hair in 2020.<br /><br />She said: "Me and my husband were in the bathroom and he said he was going grey.<br /><br />"I told him I was more grey than him but I just covered mine. <br /><br />"We decided to see how grey I was - I decided to grow it out for four months.<br /><br />"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."<br /><br />The mum-of-three started to document her grey journey on social media.<br /><br />Crystal had to battle with thoughts of herself getting old, losing herself and her attractiveness. <br /><br />She said: "I thought are people going to think I'm my kids' grandmother. <br /><br />"Someone commented 'how does your husband feel marrying someone seven years younger and her letting herself go?' <br /><br />"Once I started hearing those comments, it made me go in a different direction towards woman empowerment. <br /><br />"Men get too age gracefully and are silver foxes and distinguished whilst women are letting themselves go."<br /><br />Crystal also explained how grey hair is hereditary and isn't a sign of some kind of deficiency.
