In 2020, when the world was in the throes of lockdown and salon appointments were non-existent – oh how can we forget! – Mia Maugé made a simple, yet pivotal, move to make her private Instagram page public. Unaware of what was to come, fast-forward four years and she is now a model, public speaker, and the online voice of a generation unseen, unheard and underrepresented in the mainstream media.
Driven by common perceptions revolving around how older women should act or appear in society, her passion evolved into owning and nurturing an online space where ageing is depicted in a positive and affirming way. Nonetheless, Mia also acknowledges that building the confidence to rebel against expectation is a journey which doesn’t happen overnight, describing her own grapples with the effects of ageing: “I bought into what society had taught me, and teaches all of us from a very young age: that growing older is not desirable. So I dyed my hair for almost 20 years, and for the last decade, it was very much about hiding my age from the world.”
Mia’s journey is realistic, familiar and relatable, which is perhaps what has helped her amass over 131k followers on Instagram, many of whom are younger women curious to know what the next twenty or thirty years could look like without the patriarchal lens. And while not all 58-year-olds are likely to become the next face of Marks & Spencer (M&S), Vichy and Liz Earle, there’s a great comfort in knowing that to be older does not mean to be invisible.
Here, Mia shares her thoughts on inspiring young women, confidence during the menopause, and the moment she stopped covering her grey hair.
Your grey hair is a symbolic part of your identity and appearance. Can you share your journey to embracing your natural hair colour, despite society’s pressures to maintain a youthful appearance?
I started dyeing my hair when I was in my early thirties because I saw enough grey for me to think I needed to cover it. I loved the silver, but I didn’t like what it stood for; it was a symbol of the fact that I would now be deemed over the hill, past my sell-by date, irrelevant, invisible, undervalued and overlooked. Nobody wants to feel that way.
Beauty standards came into play as well, because you didn’t see enough beautiful silver haired women. We were, at that time, underrepresented. There was nothing to aspire to. I stopped dyeing my hair in 2016 and that was a big decision, because it wasn’t something that I had seen anybody go through. There was no reference for it. Nobody was doing it, well, nobody that I knew. There was no online community of women where I could be supported, and I felt very alone. I grew it out. It took me two years, and it was a lonely process. I know my friends and even strangers looked at me as if I was having a midlife crisis.
I happened to be 50 years old at the time, and my two daughters had been badgering me for about a year to stop dyeing my hair. They didn’t like the colour or the smell of the dye that I was using at home. I then had an operation, which required me to have six weeks recovery time. I wasn’t going to see anybody, so I thought, let me just see what it looks like. After that, I fell in love with it.
What I didn’t expect from the journey was to really question my inner ageism and societal ageism, and unpack that what happened during those two years was much more than an unveiling of silver hair. It unpacked of decades of indoctrination around ageing. I had to ask myself: Why did I fear it so much? Why did I not want people to know my age when I was in my forties? Why did I feel like I’d be unattractive to men? Why did I think employers wouldn’t want to employ me?
And I just thought, I’m going to just go for it. This is me. This is who I am. This is what grows naturally from my scalp, and I’m just gonna own it. And I did, and it wasn’t easy, but once I got through it, there was magic on the other side that I could never have imagined.
Would you agree that the space for brands representing women of colour, particularly over a certain demographic has improved over the years?
This is such new territory, and there are going to be teething problems because it’s so early in this process of establishing age inclusivity. But there definitely needs to be more diversity. Not all of us have silver hair, for example, some women dye their hair because they prefer the colour and they’re the same age as me. We all have different ways of owning this time in our lives. But one thing I have to say is that this time in life is so levelling. We’re all in this together, and there really is a sisterhood online. We all felt unseen. But we’re a fortunate generation to have social media. It has been a gift for us, enabling us to make such a difference and switch things up. We can’t be ignored by brands anymore. Now, they’re listening and they’re seeing us, and rightfully so.
There’s been a shift in beauty standards with more women embracing grey hair. Do you think the trend is here to stay?
I definitely do. I think there’s a community of women of my generation that completely changed the game. I think we’ve demonstrated how beautiful it is, and I’m really grateful to be a part of that. There was a huge online community of women going silver during 2020, and their angle was the silver hair growout. A lot of them have now pivoted into the ageing space and made that their purpose for being on Instagram. It’s fantastic, because it means we’ve got a whole new community of women who have already established themselves in the silver hair journey and so have some clout on the platform. There are those who are doing it intentionally, and then there are people that are just showing up, doing their thing, and it’s not really about having a mission. They’re just there, which is equally powerful.
Many women experience thinning hair as they age. What are your secrets for keeping your curls thick and healthy in your fifties?
I’ve experienced thinning, and I was told by a trichologist to use a diffuser and not use too much heat on my scalp. Also, it’s controversial, but I was advised not to use oil on my scalp, either. And of course, any hairstyles that inflict any kind of tension on the root or follicle aren’t good for thinning hair. In terms of creating volume, frizz is my friend. It’s demonised, and we’re taught that frizz is something that should be banished and combatted. But actually, frizz gives us volume. I like to strike a balance between frizz and definition to get that volume to minimise the look of the thinning, and to achieve that, it’s about the right ratio of product to water, and the drying technique.
What are your skincare tips for women entering their fifties?
Have a routine and find products that work for your skin type. I use a facial muscle tensing device – it feels like a nice massage on your face. I also love to double cleanse in the evening. The mornings are usually quite rushed, but the evenings are great to stop and be still and present with your skincare routine. You don’t often look in the mirror and just hold your face. So for me, taking that time out in the evening for a moment of self appreciation is almost like a meditation.
What’s your most important tip for boosting confidence?
Know your worth. Understand that your value is not tied up in your youth, and don’t allow societal expectations of you to become your own self-limiting beliefs. Know your value, exude it and feel the power of it. If you do, that’s what people will see. Your voice and your presence matters, and once you know that – at any age – you will walk with confidence. We all bring something to the table. Even if you don’t have all the answers, believe that you can find the answers.
How has your approach to self-care evolved over the years?
In my forties, I was in combat mode regarding the signs of ageing: I’ve got to get rid of these wrinkles; I’ve got to buy this potion that’s going to ‘eliminate’, ‘combat’ and ‘fight’. Whereas now, it’s very much about honouring, nurturing and cherishing what I have now. Although it’s cliché, tomorrow is never guaranteed. So there’s no point worrying about it. Just be in the moment with it.
What does the menopause look like through your lens?
In the Western world, we’re not taught the power of menopause, about the transition and being able to reinvent yourself. There’s no coincidence that many women, despite society’s expectations, pivot at this time in life. There’s a window of opportunity. If you’ve had children, they usually f led the nest by then, so you may have more financial stability. You’ve got more time on your hands. Your mortgage might be paid off as well. Therefore, you’re in a position where you can take risks, and you realise, because it is a short window, you have to find your joy. So, it is a time that I think should be aspirational. I think it should be something that we actually look forward to. And had I known it was something that I could look forward to, I would have enjoyed my forties; I would not have spent them miserable because of perimenopause and because I didn’t know where I was going to fit in in the workplace.
Besides hair and skincare, what self-care practices do you find essential for feeling your best at any age?
I love cycling. It’s just really exhilarating. And also gratitude. I’m grateful for so much, and I think about it daily. I’ve had some experiences in the last four years I never imagined I’d have. I’ve been in some remote, exotic place on a job, and thought, “wow, how is this even happening?” And I’m grateful for longevity. If you’re lucky enough to live a long life, there’s no point in stressing about the small stuff. Just be grateful that you’ve seen your kids grow up, that you’ve got loved ones, that you’ve got a roof over your head, whatever it might be. It’s a feel-good thing that I practise regularly.
In recent years, we’ve witnessed a rise in Gen X and Boomer influencers. What do you think has sparked this movement?
My generation and Boomers are hip hop, we are punk rock, we’re a rebellious bunch. So I think there’s an element of that, but it’s also social media. We are so lucky as a generation to have social media as a tool to be vocal and visible, because we can’t be ignored. Now, we can’t just be put on a shelf and told that it’s over once you’ve hit 40.
How do you feel about younger generations reviving the trends that you wore in your teens and twenties?
I love intergenerational communication and dialog, and it’s an honour if I see young people wearing similar clothes to the ones we popularised. What upsets me more than anything is that brands like Adidas and Nike are so youth-focused. They don’t include people that look like me, even though my generation and Boomers popularised them in the eighties. I’ve been a loyal customer for 40 years. I introduced my kids by buying them cute little Nike trainers. I bankrolled my teenagers when they wanted to buy Nike and Adidas clothing, and yet, both those brands really overlook us.
Unless you’re a celebrity, they’re not inclusive in terms of age. Adidas ran a campaign that I found offensive. They were promoting Superstar trainers, which Run DMC made popular in the eighties, and they said something along the lines of “for a new generation of culture shifters”, which says that I can’t wear them as someone of my generation, because this is only for the new generation. I still buy Adidas now, and yet they refuse to acknowledge me in their marketing. So, for me, that’s a dream job. If you ever see me on a Nike or Adidas advert, you know that’s been a joyful day.
Why do you believe older influencers are resonating with audiences today?
When I first started my account, I set out to connect with women my age who were feeling ignored by beauty and fashion brands. I didn’t set out to appeal to a younger generation, and in fact, it didn’t even occur to me that I would, but around half of my audience are 10 or more years younger than me. The first message I got – and I get them frequently – was a woman around the age of 30, who said, “I can see what I’m going to look like in 30 years time. I’ve never seen my hair in silver in person or online, and I’ve always wondered what it would look like”. That actually brought me to tears, because I wish I’d had that. To change someone’s perception, or even give them a reference point, is a wonderful thing. That experience shows how important it is, not just for my generation, but for the next generation, to have something to aspire to.
What have you learned from being in the social media spotlight?
What I’ve learned is that I can do all those things I thought I couldn’t. One of the first jobs I did was lingerie modelling for M&S. It was very early on, and I was petrified. I didn’t sleep the night before. I couldn’t drink and my hand was shaking on set, so I couldn’t physically get the water to my mouth. I asked them to play soca music, because they wanted me to dance in my underwear. I had never been bodyconfident, and so it was huge for me to get up there with my then 54 year old body in a room of mostly men. But once I was on set, I just went for it, and actually really enjoyed it and came away euphoric. That was probably one of the most powerful campaigns I’ve done, because I was the oldest model M&S had ever employed for lingerie, and it made all the newspapers. I thought, this is what I want to do – to be in these spaces that have been reserved for people who don’t look like me. Now I just want to push open the door and step in. And if they play soca music, well I just might dance in my underwear!
Resonators on our radar
Empowering women to follow for hair, beauty & lifestyle:
@signedbyblake // @xojalonda // @fabnfitbycarla // @taskyourself
Get the look
Inspired by Mia’s styling? Get her look with these essentials:
House of Vintro Priyah Pendant Necklace, £320 // Vichy UV Age Daily, £23 // African Collection Jamaican Bounce, £5.99
CREDITS: Photography by Desmond Murray; Hair by Aisha Ibrahim and Sheree Jourdan using African Collection and X-Pression; Make-up by Natasha Wright; Styling by Simone Sylvester; Art directing by Jemima Cousins
Feature image details: Hair: X-Pression Box Braid Small in colour SIL. Jacket: Jacelin Cheng. Jewellery (worn throughout): House Of Vintro
