Grey hair is a badge of honour – not to mention totally on-trend – and most of us lucky enough to get older will see at least a few of them! Whenever those first silvery strands start to show, there are plenty of ways to embrace the greys and look positively Age Perfect.
But if you’d like to switch up your look, it’s more than possible to cover greys at home. From balayage to highlights, here are some handy tools and tips for dyeing grey hair.
Hair colour comes from melanin, a natural pigment present in the hair follicles. As we grow older, melanin production slows down or stops entirely. Without pigment, new hair strands grow in without pigment, making them appear grey, silver, or even snow-white.
While the natural ageing process is the usual cause for grey hair, it can also be caused by stress, diet, or plain old genetics.
Along with a drop in melanin production, grey hair produces less sebum – the natural oil that keeps it soft and supple. As its texture changes, your hair might feel more dry, coarse, or wiry. This means it won’t absorb hair dye like it used to.
Ready to get started? Here’s how to dye grey hair at home and get salon-worthy results.
Dyeing grey hair is a big step, so understandably you probably want to be sure you’re going to get the colour that looks best on you. Make sure you get your shade just right with our Hair Colour Finder, then compare your options with a Virtual Try-On Tool to save time and money.
For a lighter touch and a subtle result, try using balayage on grey hair. With highlights swept into hair with a hand-painted technique, it radiates light tones towards the tips for a naturally layered look.
Another soft and natural-looking option is to embrace and enhance the lightness of your greying strands. In fact, highlights are a great option to cover grey hair, and can blend in warm caramel or golden tones to enhance your hair’s natural glow.
When dyeing grey hair, you’ll need to choose between permanent and semi-permanent formulas. Permanent is great if you have a lot of grey hair to cover and want to keep your colour for a few months, while semi-permanent will wash out after 6 to 8 shampoos.
Use a dye specifically formulated for grey hair, like Excellence Crème. It’s designed to blend grey and natural hair colours for 100% grey coverage
Hair looks very different in artificial light than it does outdoors in natural light. To see what you’re doing, bring as much brightness into the room as possible and avoid dimly lit spaces. Ideally, have a natural light source (i.e. a window) nearby.
Even gentle dye takes a toll, so treat your hair to a little extra TLC! Cleanse and condition with a moisturising formula like our Extraordinary Oil Dry Hair Conditioner. For even more hydration, use a luxurious hair mask.
Professionals recommend using a slightly darker shade on the roots and a lighter shade on the remainder. To get a darker result on top, start your application at the roots and work your way out. That way, the formula will be on the roots for the longest, and you might apply more generously when you still have the full amount!
First time colouring grey hair? Start with a lighter amount of colour to prevent it looking too heavy. Build your coverage up with thin layers to the desired shade.
You can expect permanent hair dye to last for 4 to 6 weeks or longer, but you can keep it looking and feeling its best with products designed for coloured hair. Keep on top of touch-ups with easy-to-use products like Magic Retouch Concealer Spray, which covers greys in seconds.
Grey hair is naturally gorgeous! But whether you accent it with luminous highlights or choose to cover it with a colour that feels more ‘you’, ultimately brightness comes from within. The best way to colour grey hair is to choose a hair dye from L’Oreal Paris that makes you look, and more importantly feel, your very best.
Sometimes it takes a little trial and error, but generally you can try just about any colour.
If you want a natural result, then ideally you’ll be guided by your natural colour. Of course, it’s worth remembering that it’s easier (and often gentler) to go darker, especially when covering greys from home. That said, if you naturally have a lighter shade of hair, then you can try using highlights to disguise your greys following the tips above!
Make sure your hair is cleaned and conditioned before you start.
Grey hair is often coarse in texture due to structural changes, requiring greater dye saturation. Giving your hair some extra TLC before dyeing can also be helpful – treat yourself to some hydrating hair masks and deeply moisturising conditioners!
*Instrumental test after conditioner
