It does not matter what age you are, gray hair can make you feel older than you really are. When the grays begin to creep in, you may decide to dye that gray away. To dye gray hair, you do not need to color your entire head. Anybody can ditch the grays and have beautiful, healthy hair with a few simple hair-coloring tips.
How much gray?
How you decide to dye your gray hair depends on how much gray you have. If the grays have just begun to emerge, you may wish to color your hair at home. Good Housekeeping suggests coloring your gray as highlights if your hair is 25 to 75 percent gray. All-over color is also an option when your hair is 50 to 75 percent gray. However, if your hair is 90 percent or more gray, you may want to consider embracing your lighter look.
Highlighting
Brown hair dotted with grays can get a pick-me-up when your stylist colors the gray as golden highlights. If your hair is a deeper brown, your stylist may choose to color the grays in auburn shades. Blonde hair with grays also can be highlighted. The stylist generally selects a highlight about two shades lighter than your natural color. Highlights are great way to get rid of gray and enhance the natural sheen of your hair.
Semi-permanent versus permanent hair dye
A semi-permanent hair dye does not penetrate the hair shaft. A permanent hair dye does. To dye gray hair, at home or in the salon, a permanent hair dye is needed or the color will fade out in several washes.
Dyeing gray hair at home
To dye gray hair at home, choose a hair color product by a company you trust. Clairol, L'Oreal and Garnier each have several hair-coloring products that are available at general retailers and online. When coloring gray hair at home, opt for products that are for 100 percent gray coverage. Always follow all the instructions provided in home color kits. When applying the product, always begin by applying the product to your grays first. Gray hair tends to appear first along your hairline and in your part. If you apply the hair color to these areas first, it will have a longer time to process and the gray will have more time to absorb the color.
Touch ups.
In between colorings, consider using a root touch-up product to erase away any gray that may begin to sneak in. Clairol has a root touch-up kit that takes about ten minutes to apply. However, if you need to do a quick touch up and you are in a hurry, consider Oscar Blandi's Pronto Colore Root Touch-Up and Highlighting Pen. A temporary hair color, it blends away roots and the stray gray as they appear. The pen is available in several shades.
All gray
When your hair is 90 percent or more gray, you can still color your hair. For some, the personal preference is to choose to color gray a color several shades darker. Ninety percent gray hair generally can be colored shades of blonde or even a light brown easily. Many women embrace their lighter hair and opt for a stylist to dye it in shades of silver or white. For the lightest shade that flatters your personal look, consult a trusted stylist. In addition, gray hair may grow in wiry and/or drier than your hair used to be. If this happens, be sure to deep condition your hair weekly to keep it from becoming brittle.
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