How to Color Gray Hair

Do you need to know how to color gray hair? The process varies depending on how much gray you have and how wiry your gray hairs are. Many people find weaving highlights into their graying hair works wonders. Other people prefer to cover over the gray completely. Try these different techniques until you find the right solution for your hair. 

If You Have Black Hair With Little Gray
You may decide that rather than trying to cover up all your gray hair, adding lowlights of black and blue tones and highlights of pale tones work well with your silver. If you decide to color it all, try a black dye with blue or violet undertones. A vegetable dye or gloss every six weeks should do the trick.

If You Have Brown Hair With Little Gray
Your hair is probably starting to look dingy because of the gray. Try adding highlights of honey and lowlights of mahogany to add dimension and take attention away from the gray. Use a semi permanent dye every six weeks.

If You Are Blond With a Little Gray
You may want to bleach it all and then go with a toner to take out any yellow brassiness. If you have a pink complexion, you can go completely white or platinum, but sallow or really pale complexions will look washed out if you don't add some rich lowlights. So much processing can damage your hair, so ask your stylist for suggestions before you go whole hog on this process.

If You Are More Than 50 Percent Gray
Your hair is most likely difficult to dye. You'll want to use a pre-coloring wash containing 20 percent peroxide before you color your hair. You can find this at a beauty supply store. The peroxide will soften and open up the hair shaft so the gray hair can absorb more of the dye. After rinsing out the peroxide solution, you'll want to color your hair. If you can, use a gray-specific hair dye, but any dye will work decently if you left the peroxide solution on for a good 10 minutes or so. After you dye your hair, use a deep color-preserving conditioner at least once a week. Gray hairs tend to be dryer than the normal hair, so your hair will need extra conditioning. Because your root line will show as your hair grows out, you'll need to dye your hair every four weeks.

Natural Dyes
You may want to try henna and indigo natural dyes. Both of these dyes will stain the gray hairs either a golden red or a silvery blue color while enhancing the color of your base hair. Henna dyes are perfect for blonds or brunettes who want a reddish brown hair with golden red highlights. Indigo dyes are best for those with black hair who want silvery blue highlights.