Dying Your Own Gray Hair

dying your hair gray

Had enough of standing in front of the mirror and plucking out your sneaky, little gray hairs that seem to be sprigging-up more and more. Well I am going to help you decide what color is best for you and your hair and guide you to dying your hair gray along with an easy step by step guide to coloring your gray hair.

1. First of all look at your hair and estimate a percentage of gray, you need to decide how much of your hair is gray.

2. Use a semi-permanent if you estimate your hair is around 20% gray. The semi-permanent will begin to fade after 9-13 washes. So your hair will require frequent re-coloring.

3. If your hair is around 40% gray then I would opt for a longer lasting semi-permanent. These colors will last roughly around 20-29 washes.

If your hair is more than 50% gray and you are looking to color most or all of your gray hair then you will need a permanent dye. If you are more than 50 percent gray and you would prefer a semi-permanent then that is ok but you should know that all of your gray will not be covered, however some people actually prefer this as:

· A small amount of gray left which looks very natural. People that see your hair will just assume you don't color your hair because they can see a little gray, when in actual fact most of it is covered!

· You don't need to do touch-ups (roots) as often.

· Semi-permanents are kinder on the hair and leave hair with an incredible shine and in great condition.

4. If you decide that your hair needs a permanent dye then I would advise doing a strand test. One reason for this is to check your hair is compatible with the chemicals in the color. Secondly, to assess the result of the color is right.

· Cut off about a ¼ of an inch of hair from underneath, near your neck and bind one end with some tape.

· Mix a small amount of the hair color solution from the directions on the box.

· Place the hair swatch in the solution and leave for least amount of time according to the box. (It's generally around 40 minutes).

· Although do keep checking for the desired color, take a note of the time it took.

How to choose the right shade...

Choose colors that closely match your natural color. The natural color you're looking for is not the gray; it's the darker strands in your hair. Once you have determined your natural hair color consider a shade darker for your chosen color as the color can appear lighter than expected, and will most likely fade a little due to washing and UV rays from the sun.

You will need to regularly touch-up your roots, around 6-8 weeks depending on your hair growth. I would suggest coloring your hair on a Saturday morning, if possible, so you have time get used to your new look before you go back to work.

Give yourself plenty of time to apply the color as it may seem tricky at first. Take your time and apply neatly over your hair.

Be especially neat around your hair line as the color will stain to a certain degree. However there are ways to prevent bad staining by apply a small amount of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) around your hair hairline and the tops of your ears and around the back of your neck.

Make sure you don't get any petroleum jelly on your hair as this will act as a barrier against the color, which means you will be left with patches of hair uncolored.

Lay an old towel over the bathroom and wear an old top. Wear fitted protective gloves and now you can begin the coloring process. Follow the directions on the box exactly.

Set the timer and sit back and relax while you wait for your hair to develop.

Top 3 Don'ts When Coloring your Hair!

1. If you have used a Henna Color, make sure you never use any Chemical products on it i.e. Color and Perm solution as the chemical reaction will be extremely damaging to your hair, scalp and skin. You will have to wait until it grows out.

2. Some color-enhancing products can be quite irritable to the scalp so always test on very small amount beforehand. (Back of your neck or behind your ear)

3. Avoid chlorine for a few days after coloring, this could change the color.