Just when you thought getting older couldn’t get any more traumatic, leave it to Mother Nature to make things a just a tad harder by peppering your tresses with pesky greys. Melanin production slows as we age and when it comes to a hault, the grey wave takes over. Goldwell Colour Expert Rosie Hardy from Wild Life SoGo salon in Sydney’s Surry Hills talks us through the essential do’s and dont’s when it comes to going grey.
Image via pinterest
The Essential Dos
“There are so many options when it comes to covering greys. Firstly you need to seek professional advice. If you have just started going grey you won’t need an all over colour, which is the only option available if you are looking at doing it at home, “ said Rosie.
Grey hair has a different texture to non-grey hairs. This makes colouring, and indeed styling, more difficult – your best bet is to make an appointment with a professional stylist who can find the right grey coverage option for you.
“Often home colour is too dense and doesn’t give a natural result,” Rosie says.
“Options in the salon include low lights around the grey area, partial tint and a Goldwell Colorance Cover Plus colour service. Colorance Cover Plus is a great option as it is a demi permanent colour that blends the greys – an excellent result on most people entering the grey world for the first time.”
Colour Conundrum
“Often the colour you were when you were 20 won;t suit you now,” Rosie insists.
“Goldwell grey coverage colour products are great on every level, whether you are dark or blonde. As your hair starts to fade, so does your skin. It’s important to always reassess your hair colour. Do this by looking at your wardrobe, your face and your ever-changing lifestyle,” she recommends.
So, what are the best shade options to cover grey?
“There is no one shade better than the other. There are options for all of us. A great guideline is to stick with the same base colour level your hair is but play around with reflect colours. For example if you are normally a mousey brown you can stay at that brown level but add a beautiful chocolate.”
Image via pinterest
Keeping Up
Rosie details the regularity on which we should be visiting the salon for a grey coverage top-up.
“This is up to the individual and the amount of grey they have. Most commonly my grey clients will come in every 6weeks. Although I have some that come in every 2 weeks.”
The Big Don’t
Grey hair is essentially hair that lacks pigment. What’s making you pull your hair out (excuse the pun) is the contrast of the non-coloured hair against the rest of your hair, which produces a grey cast.
As tempting as it may be to pluck that horror hair from your head, well, you know the saying… Ok, so two won’t grow in it’s place – but if you are contemplating colouring you hair to disguise the grey, then start as soon as possible before you take to the tweezers.
Rosie confirms, “There is an old wife’s tale about plucking greys and more grey hair will grow from that spot… this is untrue, but don’t get you tweezers out just yet!”
“It isn’t a good idea to pluck your greys out as when they grow back they stand straight up – making them even harder to hide. Who wants spiky grey hairs on their part line?”
By pulling our your grey hairs, you can traumatise the roots and which will encourage the hair to grow through thicker and coarser, or worse still leave a patch in it’s place.
Rosie’s Top 5 Grey Coverage Tips:
• To make your colour last longer add a few foils so the regrowth isn’t a strong line.
• Try to avoid dense/ blanket coverage of your greys as this can grow out with a strong hard line.
• Goldwell Colorance Cover Plus gives you the best grow out on grey hair.
• Always ask your colourist, as there are partial services available. These can allow you to keep your 6-week appointment but add in a partial at 3 weeks to get you through to the 6 weeks.
• For longer lasting colour always use the shampoo and conditioner recommended by your colourist. Often supermarket brands aren’t friendly to long lasting colour even if they say they are.