Gray hairs are very resistant and sometimes can be very stubborn. To the point where they won’t grab the hair color or the gray ends up turning a totally different shade than the rest of the hair. I know with most women we feel so much older when we see grays, where men just look so distinguished with it. Gray hair definitely has a mind of it’s own, because of the texture of it which can be very wiry, course, thick, or even brittle. Most people don’t notice this though, because the rest of their hair may be in perfectly healthy condition, so they don’t pat attention on the texture of the grays. They are more concerned about how to color or hide those grays from showing or popping out. So if you are having problems trying to dye those stubborn gray hairs, I highly suggest you follow these directions and you can be gray free for at least eight weeks or so.
1. In beauty school I was always taught to pre-soften the gray hair before applying your hair color. This procedure can be done at home, but please don’t over go the time, because it may cause dry hair or you may get a little irritated nothing serious, but it can be avoided by going by the right timing. Go to a beauty supply store and buy a small bottle of twenty volume peroxide, which will only cost you around three dollars or so. Take a cotton ball and place some peroxide on it. Gently rub this on your gray hairs. Leave it on no longer then 15 minutes. Then apply the color on your head and leave it on for about forty five minutes. Gray hair takes a lot longer to grab color since it has no pigments in it. This process works great.
2. Wella cholesterol- This is a great deep conditioner that I would recommend using before you color your hair. This will help soften up that crazy wiry gray hair to make it easier when your ready to color. I would do this at least twice before you color. Do this a week before and a day before. Wash your hair with shampoo, then apply the Wella cholesterol to your entire head. Place a plastic processing cap on top. If you don’t have one believe it or not you can use a plastic shopping bag and clip it in place. Leave conditioner on head for about thirty minutes. This allows the hair to soak up the conditioner to soften the grays. Rinse out well with cool water.
3. Remember ash colors don’t cover up gray hair at all. Try to avoid any color that has a ash tone to it if you are trying to cover grays. I would suggest a color that has a gold tone to it or a brown base. Try not to go too dark or too light. Stay in between.
4. If you wanna use a natural remedy I would use a henna mix with added black coffee to it instead of using water. Henna has been around for many years and is very safe to use on your head. The coffee has a stronger lifting process than water and it will cover the grays better. Henna can be left on the hair much longer than permanent hair colors. In school they told us to use at least a 1/2 cup of black coffee, mix it with the henna. Leave it on your head at least an hour. Then rinse with a cool rinse. If you want to add shine at the same time, you can add a teaspoon of olive oil right to the mixture of henna and coffee.
5. Gray magic- This product has been around for some time now, and it does help cover the grays. Mix around ten drops of this product to every ounce of hair color. So if you are using two ounces of hair color add at least twenty drops to the mixture. If you are using boxed hair color you may add a few drops of this to that as well.
6. Black tea- You can use black tea to darken your grays. This is a great process for people who have a brown shade, black shade, or even a really dark red brown shade. Just brew the tea, let it cool off, and apply it to your head. Leave it on for about thirty minutes or so. Then rinse with cool water to lock in the color and close up your follicles. You may repeat this procedure again right afterwords if not dark enough.
7. Orange and Grapefruit oil- This was recommended to me by a stylist that has been in business for over thirty years and highly recommends this. This locks in your hair color after you applied it to your head especially if you have grays. You can find this at a health food store. Just add a couple of teaspoons to your head along with your conditioner. What you can do is add some drops to your conditioner bottle, this way you won’t forget to do this. Leave on for ten minutes and follow with a cool rinse to close follicles.
