As a little girl I would don the rubber gloves and colour my mum’s hair with a box of L’Oréal no. 4 every few weeks.
I remember the stink of the dye, and the stress she felt if I missed a bit of the grey at her temples.
Back then, I actually thought it was cool to have a few greys peeking out (oh for those confident days when I felt fully entitled to be myself!). I didn’t try to hide them.
The wind came out of my sails and for the next few years, I continued buying bottle dye every couple of weeks, whilst at the same time becoming increasingly aware of the futility of my battle against the grey.
People talk a lot about the toxicity of social media, and how women can be so cruel to each other, but I have taken huge strength and joy from the women I have met online.