Grey Hair

I understand, it's real and seems like those annoying little sparkles show up overnight, ready to catch you as you groggily open your eyes after a restless, hormone-driven sleepless night. But that's a topic for an entirely separate post.

Colouring grey hair involves various questions and challenges, and having a long-term plan with goals is most effective for maintaining your new natural colour.

From my observations, grey hair often first shows up primarily along the hairline. Keep reading to discover helpful information about colouring or blending grey hair with your natural or already coloured hair.

Why Grey!!

As we age, the hair follicles gradually lose the melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing pigment. Those at the hairline and temples appear to be more susceptible, losing pigment earlier. Exposure to the sun and environment, with the face directly towards the elements, allows wind and UV light to stress this area.

Solutions

A good hat, UV protection and a hair colour plan to suit your lifestyle.

While outside especially on the long hot summer days, a hat will provide the best protection for your hair, your new hair colour and also that sensitive skin on your scalp. I am sure we can all recall a summer where our hair parting fell victim to the intense UV rays resulting in hot burning scalp and flaking, peeling skin for days. There are a number of leave in hair treaments and even shampoos and conditoners that will contain a colour protectant and UV filter.

Colouring Grey Hair.

Noticing new grey strands? You might see a few shimmering among your natural colour and this is when I often receive many initial enquiries about what steps to take.

Grey hair typically appears gradually over time, and genetics will determine the amount of grey you may have, the pattern of greying, the hair texture, since some grey hair can feel wiry, its resistance to hair colour, and the age at which it starts.

Age is not a barrier when it comes to grey hair, it does not discriminate by age. I was 21 years old when I first noticed a few strands losing their colour. I thought I was too young for this, especially since my natural hair colour is deep brown, making them quite noticeable. The timing of when each of us will see grey hair depends on various factors. Ethnicity, stress, diet, and medications are just a few influences. For many, the onset of grey hair might not occur until well into their 30s.

Creating a hair plan.

If you have highlights or balayage, you can continue colouring your hair in this way for some time. Grey hair will blend seamlessly with all-over highlights, while balayage provides a softer transition, revealing more natural hair colour at the roots. This is where grey blending, using carefully chosen colours and weaving techniques, offers a solution to integrate the grey into your hair colour.

Grey hair will continuously evolve over time, altering in both quantity and its distribution pattern across the head. Some grey hair can be quite resistant to hair colouring products, leading to translucent colour processing that doesn't achieve complete 100% coverage.

To cover grey hair, you need to use permanent hair colour or lighten the hair. When discussing chemically colouring hair, particularly with grey hair, it is essential to use an oxidative colour to alter the hair strand's colour, whether it's in its natural state or appears grey. This strand has lost all melanin and is actually white, but it looks grey when placed next to darker strands that remain in the follicle formation across the head. This is where hair colour selection and application play a vital role, and where a professional hairdresser will give the best advice and guidance in managimg a plan. Due to the nature of hair consistantly changing we will also need to adapt and evolve the colour plan so you can feel confident with your ever changing hair.

If you're currently using semi-permanent hair colour, I might recommend transitioning to permanent colour. With this switch to oxidative colour, you'll experience regrowth that will need to be managed. Think of semi-permanent hair colour like pantyhose: sheer pantyhose will let your natural tone show through, while opaque pantyhose are denser and provide full coverage, similar to permanent hair colour.

Some individuals choose to embrace their natural hair colour in all its splendor and bid farewell to chemicals. This marks a transitional period as your natural colour begins to grow in. With a well thought-out plan, whether it involves altering your hair colouring methods or trying different techniques, you'll eventually find yourself with a full head of natural hair. This is also an opportunity to explore new clothing and makeup tones to complement your grey hair. Grey hair doesn't reflect light in the same way coloured hair does, which can make our skin tone appear somewhat different from what we're accustomed to.

Enhancing the shine in my grey hair

The products you use on your hair significantly influence its shine. Additionally, what we nourish our hair with is crucial, once again, a good balanced diet will be very beneficial.

Start with a hydrating shampoo and conditioner, and incorporate a clarifying shampoo once a week to eliminate impurities from the hair's surface. Alternatively, you can opt for an in-salon chelating treatment to remove all build-up caused by water, products, and environmental factors.

Purple-toned shampoo helps diminish brassy hues, resulting in a vibrant and bright finish. However, excessive use can lead to dull hair. Don't hesitate to ask any questions tailored to each individual, depending on the product range and your washing frequency.

Condition your hair with a hydrating rinse and regular treatments, and use leave-in treatments, serums, or oils to seal the cuticle and maximise shine.

Limiting the use of heated styling tools can help retain moisture in the hair. The higher the temperature of the tool, the more moisture you will lose. While a heat protector can assist, it won't prevent damage if the heat is used excessively.

If you're starting your journey with grey hair and could use some guidance and tips, feel free to reach out to me, it's my specialty.