Many of our hairdressers have closed up shop during these unpredictable times so we are frantically ordering touch-up kits online to hide those gray roots that are starting to appear.
If this is you, perhaps it’s time to consider the au natural route and embrace the gray. It’s a tough decision because you’ll wonder if people will see you as old, and worse, you’ll worry if that’s how you’ll see yourself.
In interviews with women who have embraced the gray, they shared a different result. Most felt more free – their standing appointment at the salon every 3-4 weeks was gone, they spent less time teasing and spraying to cover gray roots, and they saved about $80-$100 a month.
Several women commented they felt liberated after going gray. Some worried about how others would treat them, but the opposite happened. The positive reactions from friends and coworkers erased any doubts. Most admired their courage and said they noticed a more positive attitude.
The decision to say bye to the dye might be just what you need to free your life from the constant maintenance of covering gray hair. So when you’re ready, it’s important to know how to go gray. Aura Friedman, a hairstylist at the Sally Hershberger Downtown Salon in New York City offers her advice in Real Simple:
- Grow it out – Cut hair short, then bleach or color-match the ends to the roots. Or put in demi-permanent low-lights to soften the color differentiation at the roots.
- Keep it bright – Once a week use a violet-tinted product to neutralize any yellow or brassy hues like Shiny Silver Ultra Conditioning Shampoo or OGX Hydrate and Enhance Lavender Luminescent Platinum Shampoo.
- Keep it soft – Gray hair tends to be coarse, so use a hair oil like Redken’s Diamond Oil Shatterproof Shine Intense or Moroccan oil. Start at the ends of wet hair and work your way up to the roots.
Whatever you decide, it’s important to embrace aging with your head held high, whether it’s covered with brunette, blonde or gray hair makes no difference.