Besides running an artisanal cold brew coffee startup, 65-year-old model Ong Bee Yan is now juggling a second career as a fashion model. The Singaporean grandmother has already graced the covers of Harper’s Bazaar Singapore, L’Officiel Singapore and a beauty feature in Her World, showcasing that age can’t stop you from pursuing your dreams. “My image of a model is that she has to be tall, slim, drop-dead gorgeous. So, never in my wildest dreams, have I ever imagined myself to be a model,” she said.

With her silver streaks, Smita Desouza call to mind several female superheroes whose hair we envy! Never one to shy away from a bold beauty look, this former beauty editor and makeup artist doesn’t believe in the term casual and frequently posts intricate makeup looks on Instagram. Currently, she writes about beauty on her website The Beauty Desk and when she’s not discussing the virtues of skincare, she can be found on Instagram Stories, showcasing beauty tutorials on how to get her stunning makeup looks.

“I’ve never associated white hair with ‘old’. Unlike my extensive skincare routine to help my skin age well, I never did anything to prevent or reduce my white hair. I noticed my first few greys when I was 25 or 26 years old. They were just a few, but right in front, along my hairline. I don’t remember freaking out. But I had to start dying the front portion of my hair because, unlike black hair, white hair has no pigment to weigh it down so the hair stands up and can look quite unruly.

Eventually, I got fed up with the upkeep and decided to stop dying my hair. I was probably 31 or 32 at this time. There are still days when some white hair sticks up, but I try and tame them with hair wax or setting spray. Honestly, I got lucky with the placement. People are always surprised that it’s not a dye job. And then there are people who urge me to dye my hair so “my hair matches my face”. I don’t really care about having white or black hair as long as my hair is thick and healthy.”

This Khmer-Chinese model is proud to be a Greysian and isn’t shy of letting people know it! “My journey into modelling began with my hair dyed red in my teens, followed by shades of purple, blonde and variations of brown for shows and photographic shoots. Upon taking up modelling full time in London, I finally returned to my natural shade, black. Little did anyone know, I had been greying for many years before this. I was often booked for jobs as the token ‘Asian model’ and although a part of me had finally embraced the natural me – dark hair with Asian features, the truth was I was still covering my greys. I was still conforming to society’s obsession with youthfulness and eliminating all signs of ageing.

Since March 2020, Covid and lockdown allowed me the opportunity for my hair to ‘do its own thing’. I now feel confident enough to fully reclaim the ‘real me’ and more than that, bring attention to our current beauty standards, which is hurting girls and shaming women, adding unrealistic pressure on all of us that age.”

What started off as a small Instagram community in 2016, Grombre has now grown into a global movement of women who are choosing to embrace their natural, undyed hair. “We believe there are more important things in life than the beauty standards that women are so often told define our value, and we’re finding liberation and empowerment to live fully and celebrate the complexities that make us beautiful in each season of our lives.”

Here, Graysian blogger Alex Tran who took to sharing her photo on the platform (pictured above) continues to remain proud of natural tresses and has even gone onto share the story of going grey on her blog too.

A version of this article first appeared in Her World