RSS
Home
Gray hair- to be or not to be
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Color highlights to cover gray
What is gray hair? It is unpigmented (no color) hair. Gray hair can grow in pure white or it can be what's called salt and pepper, which is a mixture of the natural color and gray. Heredity has a lot to do with when and how quickly a person becomes gray.
Once the gray starts to appear, often a decision is made whether to let the hair remain gray or to remove it by coloring. If a person decides to remain gray, there are some things that can be done to maintain a healthy head of beautiful white hair, such as:
• always use a moisturizing shampoo
• always use a moisturizing conditioner
• if you smoke- use a shampoo that has purple in it to counteract the yellow from the nicotine stains
• to add more silver-see your salon stylist and ask for a toner that is just for that purpose
Some of the causes for gray hair to have a yellow cast are as follows:
• smoking
• medication
• sun exposure
• hair sprays and styling aids
For those that decided that gray is not the way to go, there are some things to keep in mind:
• if using a box color avoid ash, it will turn gray hair blue
• gray hair that is coarse and sticks out should be colored, this will soften the cuticle and make the hair more manageable
• Clairol has color specifically for gray hair, it has a double dose of pigment and covers gray well
• for those who have gray hair covered professionally, be sure to ask your stylist if they are using color in the "N" series, it has all three primary colors and covers gray effectively
To determine the percentage of gray hair, see the following:
• 25%-contains salt and pepper throughout
• 75%-hair contains more white than dark
• 90%-hair contains mostly white
• 100%-entire head of hair is white and is absent of any natural color
If not sure whether to maintain gray hair or to color it, for best results seek advice from a hair stylist that will do a complete consultation. The information provided from the stylist, at a minimum, should be based on your life style, skin coloring, and facial shape. Your stylist will also take into consideration other factors during the consultation portion of your salon visit.
