Gray hair is different from other hair. It is more resistant to hair colors, and later on it loses the color more quickly. That’s why it is more difficult to color gray hair and get a natural color that lasts long.
Here are some techniques, used by professional hair stylists to color gray hair and get natural, long lasting results.
1. Use a lighter color
Our hair looks natural because the color varies from one strand to another. If you use a dark color to color gray hair, all strands will get the same color and your hair would look artificial. This technique is especially important when trying to color a minimal amount of gray hair (less than 20% gray) and use a temporary/ semi-permanent color for gray hair.
Using a lighter color, you’ll cover only the gray strands and they will appear bright, just like natural highlights. When you color gray hair, choose a color that is at least three levels lighter than your natural hair color, with a similar base color.
If you are more than 50% gray and want to use a permanent color, it is also recommended to use a lighter color. These colors contain peroxide, so you can lighten your entire hair. The advantages of doing it are:
(a) When the roots grow out, they will look darker and not lighter than the rest of your hair. Having light roots shows everybody that you color gray hair, while dark roots look like you just color “regular” hair.
(b) When the roots grow out they will be less noticeable, because there will be less contrast between the roots and the colored hair.
2. Pre-soften the gray areas
Before you color gray hair, apply a 20% peroxide solution and comb it through the gray hair areas. Wait no longer than five or ten minutes and rinse it off. Make sure that your hair is dry and only then, apply the hair dye (since wet hair dilutes the hair dye).
3. Color gray hair, before you color the rest of your hair
Generally, it takes longer for hair dye to penetrate gray hair. Sometimes it takes about 40- 45 minutes! In order to achieve a vivid and long lasting color, it is recommended to apply dye to the gray areas first. According to this technique, if your hair dye takes 20- 25 minutes to develop, you should begin to color gray hair areas 15- 20 minutes early, and only then apply the rest of the dye to the rest of the head for another 20-25 minutes (according to the manufacturer’s instructions). Notice that timing varies from one person to another, it will probably take several times until you learn how much time your hair needs.
If you have a few gray hairs but they are not in a single area, this method is not recommended for you. You would prefer using the first method on this list.
4. Maintain the hair color
After you color gray hair, it is very important you use shampoo and conditioner that are specialized for colored hair. Read the labels carefully to make sure the product is color-safe. Most of the “regular” shampoos contain harsh materials that will wash away most of the color, so your hair would lose its shine and become dull. Sometimes the harsh materials even change the color completely. For example, if you color gray hair red and use the wrong shampoo, it often changes to purple…
There are also many products such as hair masks and hair serum, specially designed to keep colored hair shiny and for a longer time. However, even while using shampoos for gray hair, it is a good idea to wash your hair less often, in order to keep the color longer.