Let’s start with the basic truth: Grey hair is a completely natural process that occurs when the hair follicle reduces or stops producing melanin. While greying hair is influenced by a number of factors and can be noticed at any age, it is most commonly associated with aging (and frequently receives a bad rap because of this).
So we would be remiss if we did not first deliver Meg’s PSA: You do NOT have to color your grey hair. It is not a rule, and you are the boss of you (and what feels right for you!). Please know that you look beautiful no matter what.
That being said, looking in the mirror to find a grey hair or two (or many) can be quite a surprise, and if you are interested in coloring them, that is also totally okay (read again: YOU are the boss of you)! It helps to know a few things about it and what your options are, and that’s exactly what Meg is diving into today.
Q: What’s the difference between grey coverage and grey blending? Is there a difference?
A: I mean, yes and no. Like lots of things, it’s mostly just semantics. Generally speaking, it kind of all falls under the same umbrella, which is we get grey hairs, and maybe emotionally we’re not quite prepared for them, so when what we see is just the grey or the white amongst the color of hair that we’re used to having, how do we make that feel softer and less of a harsh contrast? Grey coverage, to me, kind of implies that you don’t want to see any greys at all, whereas grey blending is more like you’re fine seeing some greys, but you don’t want them to maybe be so prominent or feel quite so stark compared to the rest of your hair.
Q: Is an Allover Color my only option for covering greys?
A: No, an Allover Color is not the only option for coloring your grey, and sometimes can feel like the biggest contrast when those greys come in, depending on the color you’re using. There are several softer, lower-maintenance options that might work for your individual goals.
Allover Color: A single color, typically closest to someone's natural color, applied to the entire head (roots, mids, ends). This is usually used to cover grey hair completely or shift the tone of the greys to feel more like natural highlights.
Root Retouch: Often a maintenance service for the above.
Highlights: Refers to an umbrella of various weaving techniques with lightener or color, which adds brightness/lightness (highlights) or depth/darker (lowlights) tones to hair. The results can be soft or high-impact, depending on the desired result. Adding more tones and dimension to hair will make greys feel lower contrast.
Babylights: Delicate, finely woven highlights (or lowlights) that result in super soft, low maintenance color. This helps to blend greys as the hair grows out.
Balayage: Traditionally an open-air highlighting technique, used to achieve a soft, sun-kissed look that's very low maintenance, but also lower impact when it comes to grey blending, as it typically places more lightness towards the ends.
Gloss: Glosses are great for natural-feeling grey blending. Sometimes called a toner, this subtle, low-maintenance color treatment will make hair softer and shinier, and can refresh or adjust the color, depending on the desired outcome. (Fun fact: KEVIN.MURPHY glosses improve hair health when used over time!) Sometimes, with our new greys in particular, there is a textural difference—they can be a little more coarse or feel drier—so we’re even more aware of them because they don’t feel like our hair as we’re used to it feeling. A great way to address that is to do a gloss in a color that is very close to the natural color, which will just sort of blur that line and help smooth everything out and fill it in a little bit so the hair feels more like what we’re used to rather than this sort of foreign entity in our hair.
BONUS!
Foilyage: Combines (you guessed it!) balayage and highlighting techniques so the result is customized for each client and can be subtle or high impact.
Q: How do I know which is the best option for me?
A: Talk to your stylist. The best option for you, obviously, is what’s going to fit your lifestyle, and what’s going to fit your budget, both financially and timewise. So you want to have a really thorough consultation about what you want your hair to look and feel like, and how often you want to be in the salon because all of those things are big factors in making a decision about what the right approach for your hair is.
Q: What if I am ready to embrace the grey? What does the transition look like?
A: If you are ready to transition back to your grey hair, particularly if you have been doing some at-home coloring—no shame, no judgment—that is likely going to turn into more of a color correction situation, partially just to keep your hair super healthy. The integrity of your hair is going to be at the forefront of anything that happens, so we want to make sure that we are transitioning you in a way that feels healthy for you, healthy for your hair, and again, that fits your life. But it is absolutely an option to discuss with your stylist.
Basically, what we’re saying is regardless of where you’re at on your grey journey, there’s a service that can help you feel comfortable and beautiful along the way. We just so happen to know a great stylist you can chat with about it…