Most women (and men!) don’t look forward to the moment the dreaded grey hairs start to set in. For some, it doesn’t happen until they’re in their 50s or 60s, but most people spot their first grey hairs when they are in their 30s. And some even get their first grey hairs when they’re in their 20s! Some people couldn’t care less, and are perfectly happy with their natural colour, even when it’s grey. Others freak out and will do anything to reverse the aging. No ifs, ands, or buts! There’s no right or wrong way to go about it. Going grey is completely normal, but is there anything you can do to stop grey hair? Find out!
Why does hair go grey?
Melanin gives us our hair colour, skin tone, and eye colour. We’re sorry to bring you the bad news, but aging effects your hair colour. Going grey is caused by a lack of melanin. The less melanin you have, the more grey hairs you will see. As we age -and we all do-, our bodies produce less melanin and the hair loses its colour. The root cause of grey hair lies in genetics. Just look at your parents and grandparents to know when your hair will lose colour. The earlier your relatives went grey, the earlier you will too. -but there are always exceptions to the rule.
Genetics aside, some conditions that speed up the ‘going-grey-process’. Many people believe that stress plays a key role – remember Marie-Antoinette who turned white overnight?-, but physical problems like thyroid problems also make you age a lot quicker. Also, a vitamin B12 deficiency plays a role. The only thing you can do is make sure your intake of vitamin B12 is tucked up, but this doesn’t prevent your hair from going grey. Going grey at a young age just happens to you, and there is nothing you can do about that. We’re sorry to bring you the bad news.
Fun fact: grey hair isn’t actually grey. It’s translucent but appears grey as it is interspersed with pigmented hairs.
How to cover grey hair?
Since you can’t prevent grey hair, you have to look at treatments to cover and camouflage your grey hair. Depending on how grey you are and what your natural hair colour is, there are various things you can do to cover your grey hair.
Disguise grey hair with highlights
Highlighting is a great way to hide your first grey hairs. It blends the grey hairs with the rest of your hair beautifully, and no one will notice that you’re going grey. Because you only colour parts of your hair, plus your tresses will stay in better condition. Another benefit of highlighting is that you don’t have to touch up your roots as often. Sounds good! Highlights to disguise grey hair are recommended when there’s no more than 30% of grey hair if you’re a brunette. Are you blonde? Then you can continue highlighting until 40% of your hair is grey. We strongly advise that you go to a good salon if you want to highlight your locks. Highlighting hair is an art on its own, and a DIY is never a good idea.
Dye grey hair
To dye, or not to dye? That question pops up when we’re talking about wanting your natural hair colour instead of grey strands. Many women -and men!- prefer to colour their hair as it makes them feel younger.
Generally, dark colours attach better to grey hair than lighter ones. The downside is that your roots will show a lot sooner and you have to visit your salon more often. Another downside is that going darker does not suit all skin tones, especially if you used to be a natural blonde. For people with fair complexions and lighter hair, a darker colour can look very harsh.
If most of your hair is grey, it’s better to use a permanent hair dye. If you only have a few grey hairs, you can use semi-permanent colouring. Dying your hair without damaging it is an art in itself, but it’s tricky when you want to dye grey hair. We strongly advise you to go to a professional to get your hair coloured. Do you lack time or money to go to a salon? Then choose a dye that has a 100% covering. It usually shows on the package.
Camouflage your grey hair with makeup
If you want to postpone your salon visit, cover your roots or camouflage your first grey hairs: hair-makeup makes your grey hair disappear in the blink of an eye. The biggest benefit? It is easy, cheap, and quick. The downside is that you have to apply the makeup after you’ve washed your hair. The makeup is available in sprays, mascaras, and powders. Sprays and powders are convenient if you have lots of grey hairs showing and you want to touch up your roots. You can use the mascara if you only have a few grey hairs.
Accept your grey hair
No matter how hard we try to hide our grey cuts, there is another solution: accept that you have grey hair. Most women find this hard since grey hair is a sign of aging. The good news is that grey hair is trendier than ever! Young girls dye their hair fifty shades of grey on purpose, plus the image of grey hair is a lot more positive than it was 20 years ago. (you are not an old lady with grey hair!)
When you decide on letting your hair turn naturally grey, it’s best to take good care of it. Grey hair is more coarse and dry, so it needs tender, love and care. With every wash, use a silver shampoo and conditioner to get rid of the yellow glow. Apply a hair mask once a week for extra nourishment. And please, always use a heat protector before blow drying, straightening, or curling to prevent your hair from damaging. Snagged ends and damaged hair never look good, no matter the hair colour.
Grey hair: the final tip
Let your grey hairs be, and do not yank them out. It is a myth that for every grey hair you pull out, you get 10 extra hairs in return. Pulling out grey hair is never a good idea. The more you pull out the grey hair, to more you damage the hair follicles. In the end, the hair follicle won’t be able to grow new hair. You’ll end up with bald spots on your head, which is probably even worse than having grey hair!
