Alexandra Grant, who is known to many as the woman dating John Wick 4 star Keanu Reeves, once gave an incredible explanation about her natural approach to beauty.
The 49-year-old artist, who said she started going grey in her ‘early 20s’, grabbed the world’s attention not only for her relationship with an A-lister, 58, but also her hair.
In December 2019, Newsweek reported on an investigation looking into the link between breast cancer, hair dye and hair straighteners. The staggering findings, which were published in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Cancer, suggested that there may be a connection between certain carcinogens and endocrine-disrupting compounds, which can be found in several hair dye products.
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The association is higher for Black women, according to the study. However, it does not show a direct link between hair dye and breast cancer – which has a variety of known risk factors like age, weight and inherited genes.
Grant shared the article on her Instagram and called the numbers ‘staggering’. She explained how she went grey in her early ‘20s’ and initially used hair dyes but was unable to handle the ‘toxicity’ in the products to maintain her dyed hair over a long period of time.
“Wow. Today's news... The numbers are staggering, especially for womxn of color,” she wrote in the caption. Grant uses the term ‘womxn’ to be inclusive of transgender and non-binary people. “I went gray prematurely in my early 20's... and dyed my hair every color along the way until I couldn't tolerate the toxicity of the dyes any more. In my 30's I let my hair turn "blonde"... I love and support that every womxn can choose how she wants to look at every age. But/and, if womxn are perishing from beauty standards... then let's talk about those beauty standards. Love to all womxn!
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Women in the comments related to Grant’s message and shared their own similar hair stories in the comments at the time.
Model Adrianne Curry-Rhode commented: “I'm about 1.5 months into my journey to simply embrace who I am. I started greying at 22. I am 37. Thanks for being nothing but yourself!”
Another Instagram user also said they just started to embrace their gray hairs. “You have beautiful hair, Alexandra,” they began. “I covered the gray roots of my dark brown hair for years, but finally stopped. Now snow white and very nice.”
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While another grateful commenter shared: “Thank you for sharing this insight and something so personal. What You just stated is incredibly powerful and revealing message I just love it. Once again, we must decide our concept of beauty. We must feel good with ourselves for the kind of people we are and how we treat others. And Alexandra you are incredibly beautiful in and out just as you are. Never change.”
For advice, support and information, visit Breast Cancer Now.
Topics: Beauty, Celebrity, Keanu Reeves, Health