Submission Guidelines

Welcome! We’re so glad you’re here and that you’re considering sharing your story with @grombre. You are what makes the Grombre community unique, inspiring and supportive,
and we’re so thankful you’re a part of it.

What You Need to Know Before Submitting:

We receive many inspiring stories every day, which means we aren’t able to post everything sent to us onto the Grombre instagram page, but do not be discouraged if your submission is not posted.

Instead, keep us updated on your journey by submitting at a later date and use hashtags #grombre and #gogrombre when posting updates on your personal account so that the Grombre community can cheer you on (Pro tip: did you know you can follow those hashtags?) Grombre also has a facebook group where you can post, chat, and further connect with the community.

How to Submit, and What to Include:

Do not to submit via direct message on instagram, your submission may get lost. All submissions for posting consideration are received via the email address, info@grombre.com, which can be found linked on the @grombre instagram page.

Here’s what to include in your submission email to info@grombre.com:

YOUR PHOTO: At least one high-quality image (see photo submission tips below).
YOUR STORY: We want to hear your unique perspective so we can better support you!
YOUR INSTAGRAM HANDLE NAME: We work hard to credit each woman who shares their story on our page, so make sure to include your instagram name so you can be tagged in our post.
- But what is an an instagram handle, anyways? An instagram handle is the name of your instagram account. For example, we are @grombre.

Photo Submission Tips: the Do’s and the Dont’s.

Bogey the dog is getting ready to submit a photo to Grombre. Let’s walk through some tips on how to choose the best photo to share.

Featured

Save Text and Emojis for your Story

DON’T: Overlay text, hashtags, logos, or emojis on the photos you submit.

DO: Include accompanying text with your photo. We want to hear your story!

Filters Can Be Distracting

DON’T: Send images that have artificially altered the size, appearance, or proportions of your features.

DO: Share a high-resolution, in-focus, photo of yourself on a clean background.

Is Your Photo Too Bright?

DON’T: Send photos that have been edited with automatic filters. While filters might make one element of your photo look nice, they often alter the color or exposure so drastically that your silver might not even show up, or be true to color.

DO: Send a properly exposed photo that shows off your silver strands.

Make Sure Your Silver Looks True to Color

DON’T: Use automatic filters that heavily alter the colors of your original photo. These filters can make your white strands appear yellow or blue, instead of their true color.

DO: Double-check that your hair in the photo you send looks like it does in real life.

The Top of Your Head is Cute, But So is Your Face

DON’T: Send photos cropping out your face or that only show your scalp (even if you do have a cute dot on your head.)

DO: Include your face in the photo. We want a chance to get to know you!

No Kids, Please

DON’T: Include young children or babies in your photos, these photos will not be posted. Our rule of thumb: If they are too young to have and run their own instagram account, they are too young to be posted to our page.

DO: Talk about your kids if they are a part of your story.

Don't Combine Images into One Photo

DON’T: Send a collaged image.

DO: Include multiple, separate, images if you want to include more than one shot.

Send High Resolution Photos

DON’T: Send low-resolution photos.

DO: Make sure your photo is high quality so that we can see you clearly.

The Perfect Submission Photo

DO: Find a clean, neutral background (or, if that’s not possible, pick up the pile of dog bones in the background) and snap an in-focus photo that shows your face and your hair.

Bogey, you look radiant, and we can’t wait to hear what you have to say!

Writing Your Story: Tips on Making an Impact with Your Words

You’ve got a unique perspective and we can’t wait to learn from it. Your story has the power to inspire and encourage, and when it does, you’re empowering yourself and those around you.

You’ve probably already read some inspiring Grombre stories that resonate with you, but we want to highlight a few highly effective stories that the Grombre community loved in particular.

First, let’s look at a helpful tip on how not to write a story. We call it ‘the Silver Story Formula,’ and it’s one we’ve all read, and if we’re being honest, it’s one we’ve all written ourselves at some point, too.

How Not to Write Your Story:

“Hi, my name is _____ and I got my first grey hair at the age of _____. It has been _____ months since I last dyed my hair. I’m _____ years old and loving the freedom!”

Great Examples of Grombre Stories:

"In February 2019 something just clicked. I was done. I was ready to accept whatever was under the dye and make it work! It also helped that there is so much support and inspiration online. I read a lot of blogs, articles, and watched a lot of videos that helped give me courage. The two biggest things I have learned (and am STILL learning) are patience and self acceptance. This demarcation line isn't my best look but I have to live with it before I can have the long silver hair I want. I also realized that my biggest fear wasn't how others would see me, but how I would see myself. I was scared of feeling old and frumpy. But, grey hair doesn't make you old! It's just a color! Happiness and confidence is what's beautiful! My biggest hope is that I can help inspire someone else to do the same. I still get the urge to color my hair sometimes but I just visualize how it will look a couple of years from now (So. Much. Patience.). I just have to get through this awkward grow out phase with a sense of humor (and maybe a little red lipstick). 😉 " @enyart333 #grombre #gogrombre

1,055 Likes, 48 Comments - Going grey with (grohm)(bray) (@grombre) on Instagram: ""In February 2019 something just clicked. I was done. I was ready to accept whatever was under the..."

"I was destined to gray at a young age and I couldn't wait. And when it made its debut while I was in high school, it arrived in the most unique way. A grey spot at the front center of my head. Not a gray strand anywhere else on my head. I loved it! Only two people in my family prior to me had grayed in this way, my maternal relatives, my grandfather and my uncle. It was something that the three of us shared for the longest time. I had inherited this gene. I wore it like a crown. I was proud to represent the third generation of Jones', my mother's maiden name. To me it was a badge of honor, it was natural and it was beautiful. Hiding it was not an option. Growing up I was told that having gray hair was a sign of wisdom. Always believing that I was an old soul, I embraced this notion and my hair even more. Today many men and women applaud me for 'being brave enough' to embrace my gray. Bravery had nothing to do with it. My signature look connects me to my family. I get compliments on my hair from both men and women. Women will compliment and add, 'My hair looks just like yours; but I can't bring myself to wear it that way.' What I've recently noticed is that many more women are wearing it this way. Even women who aren't naturally gray. Gray hair is currently trending as "sexy". Many non-gray young women are dying their hair gray in the name of fashion. I've even been asked if I dyed my hair to look like it does. With a smile I proudly respond, 'No.' I then add that my gray hairs are 'Heavenly highlights compliments of God.' 😊" -Yolande' Evans #grombre #gogrombre

4,998 Likes, 144 Comments - Going grey with (grohm)(bray) (@grombre) on Instagram: ""I was destined to gray at a young age and I couldn't wait. And when it made its debut while I was..."

"I started pulling my hair out (trichotillomania) when I was in 5th grade for many reasons, which very generally include the culturally- and personally-loaded significance of hair as a signifier of beauty and value for women. As I grew older, getting positive attention around appearance-related things can feel more than embarrassing; it can feel unsafe for me- as it does for many women who have survived trauma involving sexual violence. And it isn't a coincidence that I started growing my hair out at the same time as I started confronting past traumas and undergoing treatment for PTSD. Letting my white shine has paralleled my winning battle with unjustified shame. My hair has also grown right along with my ability to practice radical acceptance and self-compassion, both works in progress." @kelaenoptera #grombre #gogrombre

3,736 Likes, 102 Comments - Going grey with (grohm)(bray) (@grombre) on Instagram: ""I started pulling my hair out (trichotillomania) when I was in 5th grade for many reasons, which..."

"I decided to stop coloring my hair because I am a visual artist and it always bothered me the way dye color didn't work harmoniously with my eyebrows and skin... I had the feeling I would be more pleased with nature's palette. I am more satisfied with the appearance, but it also surprised me to be rewarded with the learning process of growing out the gray...patience, self acceptance... questioning why I would ever feel that I should be ashamed of my natural self or my aging. It was a struggle at times for my vanity, but we'll worth it. I stopped coloring my hair just over 2 years ago; I'm not a big social media person, but thought I'd throw my hat in the ring to be part of Grombre because these pictures of strong, confident women with beautiful natural hair served as a great inspiration to me during a grow out phase that was very challenging for me. I appreciate the people who put themselves out there to show people it's ok to let your hair be gray!" @tammer2tone #grombre #gogrombre

3,198 Likes, 87 Comments - Going grey with (grohm)(bray) (@grombre) on Instagram: ""I decided to stop coloring my hair because I am a visual artist and it always bothered me the way..."