You'll find that the best skin tones for those with gray hair are cool and light, such as pale beige or washed tan. If you have a darker complexion, it's important to avoid colors that may appear too harsh against your grey locks. Instead, opt for lighter shades such as pastels and soft neutrals.
“Stick to black, navy, pure white—never ivory—and all the jewel tones like sapphire, royal blue, ruby, fuchsia, magenta, purple and violet,” says image consultant Sandy Dumont, who has wardrobe-advised individuals and corporations for over 30 years. You'll also want to stay away from certain shades.
For the lips, pink, rose, and coral shades are perfect complements to gray hair. Just be sure to choose the shade that best suits your skin tone.
Fortunately, grays aren't off-limits—but you'll want to find the shade that best accentuates your features. "When choosing to wear gray, try to make sure it is not the same darkness or lightness of the gray in your hair," says Kenger.
BEST EYEBROW PENCILS FOR GRAY HAIR
If you prefer darker brows, consider trying dark brown, black-brown, taupe, or dark gray shades. If you prefer lighter brows, consider trying light brown, dark blonde, or light gray shades.
Sticking to white, black and navy is a perfect way to play it safe, but still look stunning, bringing the attention to your lovely grey hair. When choosing the whites, it is advised to lean towards pure white instead of creamy, off-white shades.
“The best eye shadow shades for gray hair are taupe, navy, brown, and plums,” says celebrity makeup artist, Nydia Figueroa. And if you're looking to add brightness, choose one with “a bone matte color or even a color that is a little brighter than your skin tone to pull the look together,” Figueroa explains.
The best glasses for your hair colour will come in strong colours, such as cherry red, sea blue or a black. These colours will give you a bold contrasting colour while also complementing the overall tone of your grey or white hair. Stay away from yellow and brown frames as they will have a dulling effect.
"The most common hair care mistake that can damage gray hair is over-washing it," says Lauren Udoh, hair creative director of Wig Reports. "This is bad because it can strip the scalp of its natural oils, which are essential for keeping hair healthy and protected."
Gray hair comes down to melanin, or rather the lack of melanin. Melanin is the pigment that gives hair its color. Gray hair has reduced melanin, while white hair completely lacks it. This occurs because of a gradual decline in the number of stem cells that mature to become melanin-producing cells.
Typically, white people start going gray in their mid-30s, Asians in their late 30s, and Blacks in their mid-40s. Half of all people have a significant amount of gray hair by the time they turn 50.
Does purple shampoo work on gray hair? The short answer to this is yes – purple shampoo does work on gray hair. Gray hair can actually turn brassier and yellow more quickly than blonde hair because it clings onto particles found in the air that cause that unwanted discoloration.
'The rule of thumb being match cool greys with other "chill" colours such as blue, pale greens and cool white. And match darker grey tones with warm tones such as burnt orange, mustard, and teal.'
Avoid mustard, olive green, camel and rust.
The easiest way to choose your fashion colours is to keep in mind that grey hair is enhanced and highlighted by jewel toned colours. Think of your favourite gems ladies. If you stick to those hues, you will look younger and more vibrant.
YOUR BROWS SHOULD BE DARKER
We hate to break it to you, but if you thought that your brows should perfectly match your hair, you might want to think again. In fact, your eyebrows should actually be darker than your hair color—unless your tresses are pitch black. This is what looks the most natural.
Don't go crazy plucking grey hairs. If you have thinning brows, you want to keep all the hairs you can. Plucking the hair just removes the grey temporarily until another grey hair grows back in its place. If you're plagued by bushy brows, brush or comb hairs upwards and carefully trim above the brow line only.
You won't be surprised to hear that you should be covering the grey with brown dye, but the best hair dye for grey hair here is a medium-light shade, even if you are naturally very dark, as this will complement your naturally paling skin. Yes, that's right; skin ages too and it tends to become paler.
The best lipstick for older women is the one that suits her skin tone. If you are good with warmer tones, then your undertone is yellow. Therefore, your choice will be shades like scarlet, coral pink, orange, navy blue, brown, warm green, and cream.
Gray hair is caused by a loss in melanin, whereas white hair does not have any melanin at all. As you age, your hair produces less and less melanin that leads your hair to appear gray, and then eventually white. However, the speed that your hair loses melanin is largely attributed to genetics.
Your scalp health will improve.
"Letting your hair go gray is an effective way to avoid exposing your scalp to toxic ingredients of hair dyes," says Monica Davis, a professional hairstylist and founder of Hair Scream. Instead, your scalp will be calm and free of any rouge dye stains.