Author: Maria Alfano
Going gray gracefully was never on my radar. I planned to fight it tooth and nail. Then came 2020 and the world was turned on its head. Luckily, I found these 5 quick tips you need to know to cover up roots while going gray gracefully. I can’t tell you how liberating it was to decide to stop fighting and to embrace those grays. Thankfully mine came in slowly and sparsely – more like salt and pepper.
For the first time in many years, I am actually trendy. Imagine that! Going gray is trendy among the younger generation, and we midlifers fit right in.
The global pandemic made many folks around the world rethink their priorities and redefine their must-have luxuries. The trips to the nail salon or beauty parlor no longer were at the top of the list and the resurgence of being natural became the “it” thing.
No more harsh chemicals in your hair meant you were ready to face the world as the new you…proudly showing off the grey (or is it gray) look.
This post will show you some quick and inexpensive ways to gracefully go gray, some natural products, and some sharp-looking hair cuts.
5 Inexpensive Must-Know Tips To Cover Up While Going Gray Gracefully
The most common question is, “Will I look older with gray hair?” The answer is not necessarily. Salt and pepper hair tends to age a person more so than grey hair.
When Should You Go GrEy?
Lucky for you grey hair is all the rage and women of all ages are dying their hair gray to be on-trend. But you should consider the following before making this commitment:
– Your colored hair makes your skin look awful. It’s just not the right color for you anymore
– If you’re a grandma it may be time to consider a hair color change
– When you are ready. No point in making a change you are going to hate!
What Not to Do When Going Gray
-Don’t start before you are ready.
-Don’t go gray all at once. A gradual change will make it easier to accept and love.
-Green and violet shampoos should be used with caution. Your hair may not need them.
How To Let Your Hair Go Grey Gracefully
You can follow the suggestions below to go from your natural hair or dyed hair to grey.
1 – Going Gray Naturally
Of course, this is the cheapest method as you let nature take its course and in about 18 months the natural color will almost be sure to have disappeared – if, that is you can stand it for that long.
Grombre is the latest trend in grey hair. This means the color goes from a very rich silver at the top of the head to the darker died, pre-existing color, and the tips of the hair. Go cold turkey and fit right in with this style.
Dye the rest of your hair the same color as your roots to speed up the process. Or, simply chop it off. A really short haircut will get rid of most of the darker colors and leave you with gray only.
You could try lightening your natural color with:
Lemon juice – squeezed from a fresh lemon. Wet your hair and rub in the lemon juice. Allow it to sit on your hair for 10-15 minutes. Rinse with water.
Henna – can be used to dye your hair red. This is an ancient way of adding temporary dies to your hair. As it washes off, your greys will come through a little longer each time.
Beet and Carrot juices – mixed with coconut oil can give your hair a reddish tinge
Coffee – can be used to help cover the grays and darken your hair
Chamomile tea – can be used to lighten your hair. Like lemon juice, make a strong batch of chamomile tea and apply it to your wet hair. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes before rinsing with plain water. You will notice your hair color getting lighter, especially when you are in sunlight.
Chamomile Flowers are steeped in hot water and when cool enough to the touch, soak your hair with the tea. Leave it in for at least 30 minutes then wash as per usual. You may need to repeat this treatment once per week. I am a bit of a simple girl and natural ways are always my go-to especially when it comes to my body.
2 – Root touch up Products
These sprays and coloring agents will temporarily cover the roots. Simply spray or brush over the area for instant coverage. They will wash out the next time you shampoo your hair. With most of these products, there is no fear of the color running. You can exercise, sweat, or even get caught in the rain. Because these touch-up products are not permanent your natural greys slowly grow in while you become accustomed to the change in color. They give your partner the opportunity to enjoy the changes gradually instead of being hit all at once with a drastic change.
You can find these and similar coverups at Amazon, Wal-Mart, or Target.
Powders
WOW root coverup is a powder-based product that
has no harsh chemicals. It comes in many colors to blend easily with your natural hair. Extend the life of colored dyes or enhance your highlights, simply brush it onto your dry hair. It is water-resistant so you can go to the gym and sweat it out! It washes off with your next shampooing. WOW mineral powder is safe to use. Treat your hair at the same time with the minerals found in this amazing product.
SPrays
Style Edit Root Concealer has color adaptive pigments that will cover the roots and help extend the life of your salon-treated hair color.
It leaves no sticky after-effects and dries quickly. There is no color running down your neck or rubbing off on your collar. It stays in place until your next shampoo. It contains no harsh ingredients making it safe for all hair types.
L’Oreal Magic Root Cover Up is the most commonly known root coverup spray and the favorite in Hollywood. Count yourself among the celebs by matching Magic Root Touch Up easily with other L’Oreal
hair color products. Simply spray on and wash off with your next shampooing. Each time you spray you will continue going gray gracefully as your hair grows out. Eventually, you will reach the grombre stage and will stop needing any coverup.
Having tried the above products, they all do what they say. If I had to choose my favorite for ease of use it would have to be the Magic Root Cover-Up. It does the job when I am in a hurry and need a quick cover-up of the roots for a special occasion.
3 – Special Shampoos & conditioners
There are some great quality shampoos and conditioners on the market that are made specifically for gray hair. They add gray pigment to the hair (don’t worry – it’s not like they drop a blob of gray on your head) and they keep colored highlights in longer without them fading or going brassy. You will grow fond of your new look with these products accentuating the Silver in you. Some of the favs are below:
Shampoos
Pantene Silver Expressions – purple tinge keeps the yellowing caused by environmental effects. Enhance your greys and let them shine with this awesome brightening shampoo. It is safe for colored hair as you grow out that beautiful mane into silver strands. Pantene is a trusted name in hair products and is used by millions of women around the world.
Just Nutritive Gray Shampoo – neutralizes brassy tones and cleanses the scalp to reduce brassiness by removing any debris clinging to your hair. No more yellowing of that gorgeous silver you earned over the years. Clover and guava extracts enrich the hair leaving it softer – a feat hard to accomplish when going gray gracefully. The grey strands can be unruly and hard to style but this shampoo really helps with that.
Conditioner
Kerastase Densifique – helps strengthen aging, brittle hair and gives it a new life. The body my hair has now is incredible after only a few shampoos. And, I don’t seem to be losing as much hair each I wash it. Prior to Kerastase, I would find clumps of hair at the bottom of the tub. Now not so much. My hair is stronger and softer than it has been in a long time.
I have been a Pantene groupie for most of my life but I have to say the Kerastase has pulled me in their direction. I love how my hair feels after using this shampoo. It seems to tame my unruly grays:-)
4 – Gray Highlights
Going gray is scary for many women. Start by slowly dying your hair adding more grey highlights or mini highlights to match your color your new incoming color. There are so many shades of gray from silver to slate and everything in between – including the dreaded blue-gray! Match the one that is closest to yours to make the transition from dark hair to gray easier to adapt to.
5 – Gray Hair Blending
Different from highlights, this technique uses a few different shades of grey highlights to blend a little more naturally with your hair. It slowly increases the amount of grey over time, reducing the amount of natural color. This process also adds more grey to your hair, reducing your natural color each time. And, the greys are in 2 or 3 different shades to make them better blend with your natural color.
I came across these amazing women and just had to share their fabulous styles. I love each of these hair cuts but my favorite is the last one. Maybe because I have curly hair! Hopefully, these will give you the inspiration to let your natural glow and silver lights shine through.
Gray never looked so good.
This beauty post was all about going gray gracefully, some products that may help you on your journey to going gray, and some wonderful hairstyle options to match the new you.
One question – is it Gray Hair or Grey Hair? I’d love to hear from you on this. Leave me a comment down below.