Is it better to highlight or color gray hair?

Author: Hayden Senger  |  Last update: Thursday, April 20, 2023

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.

Is it better to go lighter or darker to cover gray hair?

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).

Which is more damaging highlights or color?

All-over color is usually cheaper than highlights because it takes less time and work. Highlights also are more likely to damage your hair. Many of the formulas for highlights contain bleach, which dries out your hair.

Should grey hair be highlighted?

' Yes, highlighting in most cases is more effective in blending grays with the rest of your hair than traditional dyeing. A simple formula: highlights to disguise gray hair are recommended when there's no more than 30% of gray hair if you're brunette or 40% if you're blonde.

What color hair hides gray the best?

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.

Blending Gray Hair with Highlights and Lowlights | My Partial Foiling Technique (Super easy!)

How can I make my gray hair look like highlights?

All you need to do is apply a demi-permanent color all over your head. Say for example you're naturally a brunette, go with a golden blonde shade. It will only deposit the blonde color on the gray hairs, turning them into golden highlights.

What happens if you highlight grey hair?

Instead of dying the grays to match the overall base color, using highlights to lighten the surrounding hair allows the grays to blend into the base color, providing a much more natural look.

Why should you not dye your hair gray?

According to hair biology experts and styling experts alike, grey hair is more resistant to color than younger hair because of its texture. The relative lack of natural oils in the hair compared to younger hair make it a rougher surface that tends to reject the color being applied, especially around the roots.

Can grey hair look like highlights?

If you have some gray but most of your original color is intact, a colorist can turn your grays into highlights like Meryl Streep's. Your stylist will apply a glaze to your hair so they look like natural, sun-kissed strands.

How can I make my gray hair look younger?

How to wear grey hair without looking older
  1. Keep colour soft. "The key to keeping colour fresh as we age is softness," says John Spanton, master colourist at Urban Retreat. ...
  2. Avoid severe cuts. ...
  3. Ask for toner. ...
  4. Embrace long hair. ...
  5. Don't assume that grey hair makes you look older. ...
  6. Adjust your haircare.

What is the easiest way to color gray hair?

Root Powder

Between permanent dyes, root powder is a simple way to cover your grays. Apply with a brush over your gray roots until your grays are no longer visible. As with root spray, this is a temporary coverage solution that washes out.

Should I highlight or lowlight my gray hair?

You want a natural look. Adding lowlights to gray hair often results in a much more natural transition than highlights. You don't want to use lighteners or other chemicals that can leave your hair damaged. You have a lot of gray hair and want to blend your grays into your colored hair.

Which hair color makes you look younger?

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.)

How do I let my hair go gracefully grey?

There are basically 3 main ways to transition to naturally gray hair: to let it grow as it is and be patient (a.k.a the “cold turkey” method), to cut your hair very short and regrow it fully gray, or ask your hair colorist to blend your grays with the dyed hair color.

What is the best hair color for 70 year old woman?

Silver, ashy, blond, and platinum are indeed the most popular hair color choices for women over 60. And with good reason! Instead of coloring to hide your grey hair, you can choose to embrace it. I've seen way too many women with poorly colored dark brown hair color that just doesn't look natural or flattering.

What is color blending for gray hair?

Gray blending is a subtle hair color application that oscillates between highlights and balayage. Like a game of chiaroscuro, the colorist will first lighten large sections of hair with a light balayage, then accentuate the effect on a few finer strands to blend in the gray hair naturally present.

Does hair dye worsen grey hair?

Chemical hair dyes and hair products, even shampoos, can contribute to premature hair graying. Many of these products contain harmful ingredients that decrease melanin. Hydrogen peroxide, which is in many hair dyes, is one such harmful chemical.

What are the disadvantages of highlighting hair?

Cons
  • Even though it's only in sections, highlights can dry out hair.
  • Darker roots will eventually appear, necessitating a trip to the salon (or a trip to the drug store for a fresh application).
  • Highlights will naturally fade over time and are more likely to fade after long stretches in the sun.

Should I color or highlight my hair?

Coloring has everything going for it: it allows you to change your look, boost your hair's shine and enhance your style. Highlights give your hair more subtle tones.

Do highlights ruin your hair?

Highlights and coloring -- Highlights and semi-permanent dyes aren't as damaging as bleach, but they aren't without consequences, Mirmirani says. They can also change the inner structure of the hair, causing a lackluster look and dryness, especially if you frequently color to hide roots or gray hair.

What are lowlights for gray hair?

Lowlights, which, unlike highlights are actually a few shades darker than your hair, bring out the most natural look versus using brighter traditional highlights, says Michael Canalé, Jennifer Aniston's longtime colorist and creator of hair care line Canalé.

What is better to cover gray hair Balayage or highlights?

Balayage is a smart solution for gray hair because it allows the colorist to specifically target gray strands without touching the scalp. And, because you don't need to do a single process to cancel out a few grays, it's easier on your hair overall.

How can I enhance my grey hair naturally?

Lifestyle changes as a solution for gray hair
  1. Get enough vitamins. Vitamins that keep your hair healthy include:
  2. Get enough minerals. Minerals that can play a vital role in hair growth and repair include:
  3. Stop smoking. ...
  4. Protect your hair from the sun. ...
  5. Stop damaging your hair.

What is the safest way to color gray hair?

Henna. One of the most popular and gentle ways to treat gray hair is using henna powder. Henna is a powdered form of leaves which essentially helps to treat the gray hair when used every month. Henna comes with natural color pigmentation, thus, covering the gray roots easily.

When should you stop coloring gray hair?

How Do You Know When It's Time to Discontinue Hair Coloring for Clients?
  1. Their Hair Begins to Feel Dry or Brittle.
  2. Gray Hair Returns in Less than Two Weeks.
  3. Their Scalp Becomes Irritated or Itchy.
  4. They've Dyed Their Hair Until It's Nearly White.

Previous article
What Vitamin stops Crepey skin?
Next article
Are baby lips harmful?