A Guide To Gray Hair: How To Cover or Blend Gray
Updated: Aug 1
It's time to make a change. You've been seeing your hair gradually grow more and more gray over the past few months, and you're ready for it to be gone. But how do you get rid of those pesky grays? Making an appointment with a hair color Expert at Taylor Monroe Salon in Hayes Valley is highly recommended if you have every intentions to blend your grays in or attempt to go completely gray.
Gray hair isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes, going-gray can be the perfect look for you, especially when your gray-pattern is striking! What's important to ask yourself before attempting this process is:
Are you willing to commit to 8+ hours of work?
Are you ready to invest in this process?
How important is it to achieve this look within 24 hours?
Can you accept progress over perfection?
Silver haircolor requires bleach, lifting the hair so there is no pigment left. Pushing the limits of your hair is a risky process; gray blending will test your patience while inevitably compromising your hair's integrity.
However, if you are convinced that a salt-and-pepper grow-out does not accentuate your look in the way you'd like it to, or if you think your gray hair pattern is out dated, then it might be time for a change.
Hair color experts at Taylor Monroe use a variety of techniques and tricks that will help you cover or blend in your gray hair. Here are our top 3 ways haircolor Gray Blending expert Benji Pow, recommends to get rid of gray hair.
1: Choose The Right Formula
The most popular and obvious method for covering gray is to color it. Easier said than done, there are two different types of hair color you could use to cover your grays:
Permanent vs. Demi-Permanent
Permanent color will cover your gray hair completely, however when your hair grows there will be a line of demarcation revealing it is time for a re-touch. Choosing to use a permanent hair color to cover your wisdom expect color maintenance every 4-8 weeks.
You can book a Single Process Haircolor or Just-The-Roots Touch Up ($105+) with us here.
A demi-permanent hair color will give you up to 75% coverage, sometimes more if your hair isn't too resistant. The great thing about demi-permanent color is that it fades gradually, so you don't have to worry about any harsh lines and your growth will blend seamlessly.
Pro Tip: using a customized formulas along with strategic haircoloring techniques can disguise your gray considering your hair growth.
2: Balayage
Balayage is a lightening technique where the colorist hand-paints lightener onto your hair, giving you a natural, sun-kissed look. There are many techniques that can be used like foil-y-age, back-combing, etc.
Pro Tip: I've used demi & permanent haircolor as a medium when rendering a balayage. This allows partial coverage on the areas of grays that are more prominent, leaving some grays naturally scattered throughout the hair.
Highlights
Highlights are a great way to brighten up your gray hair and give it some personality! I like to use my favorite lightening agent, Maria Nilla Silver using Kaolin Clay and always K18 Hair to protect your hair using bleach. With traditional highlighting, it will allow a colorist to get closer to the scalp blending in any grays while also giving you a brighter look. If you're looking for intricate placement or maximum cool blonde tones, highlights are the way to go.
There you have it! My top three ways to cover gray hair. If you're looking for a new style or just need a quick fix, one or a combination of these methods will definitely do the trick. Come see us at Taylor Monroe Salon in Hayes Valley and let us help you achieve your perfect gray coverage!
