Grey Hair, Bold Moves: Reinventing Yourself After 50
Midlife reinvention is rarely tidy. Just ask Alexis Eizinas!
Her “a-ha” moment was during Covid during a client meeting. (And thank goodness for it - because now we have Silvering Beauty - but I’m jumping ahead.)
"You might wanna look like someone who owns a beauty brand," my friend told me. I looked down at my COVID-era sweats and thought… fair." – Alexis Eizinas
Reinvention can look like graying hair, sweatpants on Zoom, and wondering what happened to the version of you that used to run board meetings without blinking.
It can also look like launching a beauty brand in your 50s that celebrates everything society tells us to hide.
In this episode of the Grey Matters Podcast, I sat down with Alexis Eizinas, founder of Silvering Beauty, to talk about the wild, unfiltered ride from corporate and creative careers into purpose-driven entrepreneurship. Her story is part wisdom, part grit, and 100% relatable for any woman navigating a career change after 50.
Whether you're thinking about leaving corporate to start a business, craving a midlife career pivot, or are in the thick of launching your second act business, this one’s for you.
When the Old You Doesn't Fit Anymore
There’s a moment—sometimes quiet, sometimes loud—when you realize the corporate ladder you’ve been climbing no longer leads where you want to go. Maybe you’re burned out. Maybe the work just… doesn’t matter the way it used to.
Alexis knows that moment well.
She spent years designing beauty experiences for mega-brands—Sephora, Chanel, L’Oréal. On paper, it looked glamorous. But deep down?
"I launched so many products, watched brands come and go… and realized, the beauty industry didn’t see women like us. We were invisible."
And so began the shift.
The Midlife Mirror Moment
For many of us, the mirror is the first place reinvention shows up.
In Alexis’s case, it started with silver hair—and a question: why are there no high-quality, affordable beauty products that actually work for women with gray and silver hair?
“My mom was using a No. 4 pencil from the art store to fill in her brows. I was like, this can’t be the best option.”
That pain point launched Silvering Beauty—a company born not out of disruption (ew) but out of need, insight, and lived experience.
It also raises a deeper point:
If we’re not represented in the spaces we once gave our energy to—whether it’s fashion, beauty, tech, or corporate leadership—what if we build the spaces ourselves?
This is the essence of becoming a second act entrepreneur.
Beauty, Identity & the Courage to Be Seen
Hair, makeup, clothes—it’s not vanity. It’s identity.
Especially when you’ve spent decades in environments where looking a certain way was part of the job. Or where looking “older” made you feel invisible.
Alexis shares a story of sitting socially distanced during the pandemic, wearing sweats, talking about her brand when a friend gently said:
"Maybe you should look like someone who owns a beauty company?"
Cue the laugh. Cue the reality check. Cue the knowing nod from anyone who’s had to reinvent their professional identity while also redefining what “put-together” even means anymore.
And yet, Alexis didn’t let that stop her. She just adjusted. She moved forward anyway.
This is the growth mindset for midlife business owners: acknowledging that yes, things look different now—but that doesn’t make them any less valid.
Starting Over Isn’t Failure. It’s Power.
Silvering Beauty
One of the most powerful moments in the episode came when Alexis talked about the perception that she had it all together.
“People see what they want to see… but under the surface, it’s like the swan analogy. Graceful on top. Paddling like hell underneath.”
Starting your second act business often feels this way—especially if you’re navigating overcoming fear of starting over or feeling like you’re late to the party.
But here’s the truth: You’re not late.
You’re on time for your life. You’ve collected wisdom. Lived experience. Strategic clarity. These things aren’t roadblocks. They’re fuel.
From Executive to Thought Leader
Alexis didn’t just start a product line. She started a conversation—one that many women over 50 have been waiting for.
Whether you’re building your brand as a thought leader, coach, or creative founder, your story matters.
Your journey matters.
And there’s room for your version of beauty, success, and impact.
“It wasn’t even like, oh, I should hide it. I never had that seed of doubt in my head.”
That’s the kind of grounded confidence that comes from alignment.
The kind we can all grow into—even if it takes a little while.
The Real Work: Mindset Shifts, Money Blocks & Moving Forward
Let’s talk about the not-so-glamorous part: mindset shifts from employee to entrepreneur.
When you’ve had a title, a paycheck, a team… it can be jarring to suddenly be “just you.” You’re the visionary, yes—but also the admin, the bookkeeper, the website editor, and the one giving pep talks in the mirror at 7:32 AM.
This is where so many women get stuck.
Not because we lack ideas. But because we struggle with:
Confidence to start a business
Women entrepreneurs and self-doubt
Comparing our beginnings to someone else’s highlight reel
Which is why conversations like this one are so important. They normalize the mess. They affirm the worth. They remind us that self-doubt isn’t a stop sign—it’s just part of the process.
And if you're needing support, you’re not alone.
Many women find strength in a mastermind for women entrepreneurs, group coaching for women 50+, or working with a career transition coach for women who understands how identity shifts alongside career pivots.
What We Can Learn from Alexis
Let’s recap some of the wisdom Alexis dropped:
1. Own your story, silver and all.
“I was empowered by my silver at a young age. I never had that voice in my head saying ‘you should hide it.’”
Whether it’s your hair or your history, your story deserves space.
2. Start where the need is.
“So many things were missing that were fit for purpose for women with silver hair.”
If something feels broken or incomplete in your industry, that’s not a dead end. It’s an invitation.
3. You don’t need permission to start.
“We’ve watched so many trends come and go. What doesn’t go away is the need to be seen.”
You’re allowed to begin before you feel “ready.”
Practical Support for Your Second Act
Here are a few tangible ways to take next steps in your transition:
🔹 Align your business with your values.
If it doesn’t feel meaningful, it won’t be sustainable. Start by identifying your purpose, then build your brand around it.
🔹 Invest in a thought leadership brand.
Work with a messaging coach for entrepreneurs or strategist who can help you develop a story-based branding approach that reflects the real you.
🔹 Join a supportive circle.
Whether it’s an online mastermind for female founders, a business coach for women over 50, or a trusted community, connection accelerates confidence.
🔹 Take small steps consistently.
Big change doesn’t require grand gestures. It requires daily courage.
Listen to the Full Conversation
Alexis and I go much deeper in this heartfelt episode of the Grey Matters Podcast. If you’ve been quietly wondering, Is it too late to start over?—this episode is your answer.
🎧 Listen to the full episode here: Grey Matters with Alexis Eizinas – Silvering Beauty
Final Thought
The truth is: reinvention doesn’t come in a box. It comes from lived experience, self-reflection, and a little faith that your next chapter can be even more aligned than the last.
As Alexis says:
“You don’t need a complete reinvention. Sometimes you just need a better brow pencil.”
Let that be your sign
