Okay, so there is no more denying it: you have gray hair. Don't panic, or go on a ice cream binge. The road before you has been well trod by others. Countless baby boomers have walked in your shoes, and you will be the beneficiary of their youth-obsessed trailblazing. Most likely, just like them you started using semi-permanent tint or foil highlights to blend the 'silver' hair (as your stylist diplomatically referred to it) when you realized if you kept plucking them out you would eventually go bald. That worked for quite a long time, but now you are starting to think that was just a gateway to true chemical dependance. If you are the type of person that is 100% okay with your gray hair color, I applaud you. You are a much more evolved person than most. You are free to stop reading this blog entry now, and focus on some activity that will further your pursuit of personal growth and inner beauty. If however, you entertain even a fleeting thought of enhancing, camouflaging, or completely disguising the color of your pigment deficient hair read on.
The Golden Apple is beginning this regular blog column to address issues regarding gray hair. We will explore the many approaches used to color hair when gray is a dominant factor. Because situations vary so widely between individuals we always suggest that you consult, and defer to the expertise of your hair design professional. That being said, we hope to aid you with helpful suggestions, and inspire you with new ideas.
I have been coloring my hair with permanent tint. How do I minimize the demarkation of grow out as hair becomes more gray?
The easiest solution is to have your hair colored more often. What this proposition offers in simplicity is often outweighed by impracticality in terms of time and cost. We all have busier lives, and thinner wallets these days. Visiting the salon more than every six weeks or so can be a drain on both so let's explore some other options.
If you aren't able to eliminate the grow out with permanent color services in the salon one alternative is to use a temporary color at home. There are many products designed to cover gray from one shampoo to the next, and they keep getting better. My personal favorite is a aerosol pigment spray from identity1. Just spray the new growth on dry hair with a shade that most closely matches your color, and you are good to go until your next shampoo. The product goes on dry, so there is never a problem with clumping. Shades currently available are black, brown, golden brown, red, and blonde. It can be layered in multiple applications to achieve the proper depth of color, and has the added benefit of diminishing the appearance of fine hair at the scalp.
Another way to minimize the demarkation is to reduce the contrast. Most people can easily go two shades lighter than their natural base, and still have a color that suits their skin tone, and leaves their hair in relatively good shape. Highlights placed on your part line and hairline can also help by softening the harsh horizontal disparity in pigment. Most stylists will recommend that you add highlights to hair that has been permanently dyed every second or third time you tint. This reduces the cumulative damage, and helps to keep the highlights from becoming the dominant color. Be aware that the only way to highlight permanent tint is by using a bleach lightener. Clients sometimes find that the resulting color looks better if it is toned, and this can increase the cost.
We hope that the suggestions offered here have been helpful. Please let us know if there are any particular questions about coloring gray hair that we might be able to help you with in the future. Queries can be sent to envious@comcast.net.
