According to hair biology experts and styling experts alike, grey hair is more resistant to color than younger hair because of its texture. The relative lack of natural oils in the hair compared to younger hair make it a rougher surface that tends to reject the color being applied, especially around the roots.
Why Is Gray Hair so Stubborn and Resistant to Color? Grays are harder to dye than younger hair because of their altered texture. Firstly, they lose melanin. Secondly, gray hairs become coarser, rougher, and wirier.
If you add the right hair colour, your 'grey' hair will act as highlights, giving you a completely new look that will get you noticed for all the right reasons. Professional colourists usually recommend a darker shade for your roots and a lighter shade that matches your natural hair for the rest.
Grey Hair has lost all its Natural pigment, leaving little for your Hair Colour pigment to grab onto or build off. Your nearly Lighter base will cause your Hair to look Lighter and/or Golden, even brassie.
1. Blonde Highlights. There are three reasons we recommend blonde highlights Opens in a new tab when covering grays. First up, the difference between blonde and silver shades is subtle, so gray roots won't appear as visible - even if it's been six to eight weeks since you last went to the salon.
Gray hair tends to be resistant and typically takes longer to grab hold of the hair. Since there is no pigment, there is no need to lift. You just need to open the cuticle enough to deposit the color. If you feel you can get full coverage using a 10 or 15 volume then by all means use a lower volume.
The best color to blend with gray hair is going to largely depend on your base color. With that said, light base colors like platinum, ash blonde and light brown mix best with gray hair. Because gray hair is similar in tone to these hues, it makes them look almost undetectable when they're blended.
You want to avoid shades that are too similar to your natural coloring; beiges, creams, off-whites, stone grays, taupes, etc. These colors will only wash you out and emphasize your gray tones.
Opt for highlights.
If you want to disguise grays while adding dimension to your mane, ask your stylist for highlights. Highlights are a excellent option for grey hair coverage for all hair types because they're lower maintenance compared to coloring your entire head.
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.
If you want to color your hair at home, you can use box dye to cover grays, Kyan says.
More often than not a colour which won't hold is the result of a lack of treatment. However, in the case of home colouring, the problem can often be due to the colouring process. Either the application isn't even, the waiting time is too short or you aren't using the right product for the desired effect.
Demi-Permanent or Semi-Permanent Color
While a demi-permanent or semi-permanent hair color can be applied to any level of gray, it's often used to camouflage early grays, giving 30-70% coverage.
Ash colors generally do not cover gray hair on their own. Darker colors (brunette shades) will have more pigment in them and will provide better coverage than lighter colors (blond shades). However, if you choose a color that is too dark, the color difference will be more dramatic when your hair grows out.
What Volume Developer should I use when doing grey hair coverage? Use 20 Vol developer for most grey hair coverage situations. 20 Vol developer will give you the optimum opening of the hair cuticle and will allow you to get a good mixture of color vibrancy and coverage.
30vol developer is ideal for lifting 3 levels using permanent hair color depending on the texture and natural depth of the hair. It can also be used for grey coverage on more resistant hair types.
How often should I touch up grays? If you're dealing with a lot of gray hair, you should touch up every four to six weeks. If that sounds expensive—and time-consuming—that's where at-home coloring is key. With it, you can keep the hair color you know and love—without spending a ton.
Neutral shades like soft blonde, mushroom brown, light copper, and caramel blonde balayage are the easiest to blend gray into (and maintain over time without wanting to shave your hair off). Plus, Cosgrove points out that it's easy to overwhelm your face with color.
Purple shampoo is the best toner to use when it comes to gray hair because it neutralizes brassiness caused by heat styling, medications, product buildup, sun, salt, chlorine and environmental pollutants. Why purple shampoo?
'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.' We asked interior stylists and design experts to share their tips on the best colours that go with grey.