The timing between dyes, according to Lint, is roughly every four to six weeks. If you're stretching that time gap pretty thin, however, there are methods to cover your gray roots in the meantime. "There are lots of products, such as powder or makeup, that cover your gray and then wash out when shampooed," says Lint.
How often should I touch up grays? If you're dealing with a lot of gray hair, you should touch up every four to six weeks. If that sounds expensive—and time-consuming—that's where at-home coloring is key. With it, you can keep the hair color you know and love—without spending a ton.
Ideally, you should be visiting your stylist for a root touch up every 4 to 6 weeks, and no later than 8 weeks. This isn't purely because it'll look better, but for biological reasons, too. Your scalp gives off heat, and this heat won't extend much further than 2 centimetres past the root.
How Long Hair Color Lasts. As a general rule, hair color lasts about 6-8 weeks, depending on if you're covering gray hair or not.
How often is it safe to go for color? You shouldn't dye your hair more frequently than every two or three weeks. The problem is when you're going blonde you can see your dark roots after a week, but if you color your hair every week, then you will see damage.
Hot roots occur because the heat from your scalp causes the colour at the roots to develop faster than the colour on the mid-lengths or ends. This can lead to a lighter colour result at your roots than the rest of the hair.
The outer cuticle layer of greys can be more tightly packed and layered, making them resistant to colour absorption. As a result, it can be more difficult to colour resistant grey hair and to cover visible regrowth.
For grey hair coverage, we generally recommend that you aim to color slightly lighter than the natural hair color level of your client. In this case we would suggest you go for a color starting in level 6 (Dark Blonde) or 7 (Blonde).
Colors like butterscotch, light auburn and golden brown, or ash brown for those with a cool skin tone, are all versatile brunette shades that aren't too dark and are some of the best hair colors to hide gray.
Best Long-Lasting: Clairol Nice'N Easy – Medium Cool Blonde. The Clairol Nice'N Easy permanent hair dye provides natural and vibrant color made with a blend of tones and highlights. The cream contains conditioners that soften hair and add shine. It provides 100% gray coverage that lasts up to 8 weeks.
A temporary root concealer spray is the quickest way to help cover gray roots. Try the L'Oréal Paris Magic Root Cover Up, which is available in eight shades. The lightweight, quick-dry spray helps conceal gray roots in just three seconds without any smudging or sticky residue once it dries.
Using a purple shampoo on grey hair can help to remove brassy yellow shades, leaving you with a flattering silver undertone.
As a general rule, Mike Liang, advanced colorist at Julien Farel Restore Salon & Spa in New York suggests going gray when you reach 80 percent non-pigmented or white hair. If your hair starts to feel increasingly dry, brittle, or damaged or you experience scalp irritation, it might be time to ditch the dye.
Demi-Permanent or Semi-Permanent Color
While a demi-permanent or semi-permanent hair color can be applied to any level of gray, it's often used to camouflage early grays, giving 30-70% coverage.
Fiction The notion that grey hairs can be caused by frequent colouring is nothing more than folklore. “The truth is premature greying is hereditary and can even be a result of large amounts of stress,” says Ceanne Chow, owner of Gloss Salon in Vancouver.
Don't assume that grey hair makes you look older
Hair naturally loses pigment as we age, but stylist Paul Falltrick points out that the notion that grey hair makes you look older is increasingly becoming a misnomer: "Grey shades can be stereotyped as ageing, but a clean-looking grey is stunning" he says.
We suggest opting for an all-over color service if you want to fully mask every gray hair on your head with a uniform shade. However, highlighting may be better if your goal is to blend your grays seamlessly.
Caramel, honey, gold, copper, and strawberry give a healthy brightness that makes us look and feel younger. (Framing your face with lighter shades draws the eye away from any complexion concerns, as well.)
1. Blonde Highlights. There are three reasons we recommend blonde highlights Opens in a new tab when covering grays. First up, the difference between blonde and silver shades is subtle, so gray roots won't appear as visible - even if it's been six to eight weeks since you last went to the salon.
3) Permanent Hair Color
Permanent hair colors are ideal if you want complete 100% gray coverage. They are recommended in cases where you have 50% gray hair and more. Permanent hair color contains more ammonia and opens the hair cuticle, allowing the color to penetrate deep into the hair.
Silver grey hair will look best on olive and fair skin with yellow undertones. If you have a pink tone, your skin may appear red and irritated with a cool grey hue.
Mix enough henna powder into one cup of black tea or coffee to make a paste with the consistency of yogurt. Cover the bowl and let it sit. After six hours mix in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and then apply the mixture to your hair. Rinse it off after 1 to 3 hours, depending on the depth of color you want.
Gray hair poses some unique challenges. It's coarser than your natural hair, and gray hair follicles make less oil, making it drier as well. This makes it harder for color to penetrate, so you may have to leave it on longer, which can cause more damage.
However, as you get older, you produce lower amounts of catalase, which allows the hydrogen peroxide to build up. This buildup can damage the pigment-producing cells, leading to gray or white hairs. In women, graying usually begins right around the temples and then moves toward the top of the scalp.