What kind of products should I use for gray hair?
I hear this a lot and for a very good reason. Some clients continue to use the same products after their hair grays, but it doesn’t give them the same results.
It’s no because you’ve gone gray. You don’t have to “just live with it” if you don’t want to! Gray hair can be more beautiful than your hair ever was in your younger years.
Managing it and knowing how to treat & style it is the first step!
Remember that there are many types of gray hair just as any other type of hair. You may experience changes in the texture of your gray as your hormones fluctuate, so pay attention to what’s going on and adjust your routine accordingly!
For other suggestions please check out my Product Comparisons Page!
Start by clicking on your hair type below:
If you have concerns that are not listed above please contact me to request suggested products!
Dry
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Click the products above for more information!
- Shampoo- Paul Mitchell Forever Blonde
- Conditioner- Paul Mitchell Forever Blonde
- Treatment- Alterna Caviar Replenishing Moisture Masque
- Styling- Alterna Caviar Perfect Blowout Cream
- Finishing- Alterna Caviar Rapid Repair Spray
Oily
| Shampoo | Conditioner | Treatment | Styling | Finishing |
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Click the products above for more information!
- Shampoo- Paul Mitchell Shampoo Three
- Conditioner- Paul Mitchell LITE Detangler
- Treatment- Paul Mitchell Forever Blonde Dramatic Repair Spray
- Styling- Alterna Caviar Dry Shampoo
- Finishing- Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Working Hairspray
Coarse
| Shampoo | Conditioner | Treatment | Styling | Finishing |
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Click the products above for more information!
- Shampoo- It’s a 10 Silk Express Miracle Silk
- Conditioner- It’s a 10 Silk Express Miracle Silk
- Treatment- It’s a 10 Silk Express Miracle Silk Hair Mask
- Styling- It’s a 10 Silk Express Miracle Silk In10sive Leave-In Conditioner
- Finishing- It’s a 10 Silk Express Miracle Silk Smoothing Balm
Wavy
| Shampoo | Conditioner | Treatment | Styling | Finishing |
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Click on the products above for more information!
- Shampoo- Redken Blonde Idol
- Conditioner- Redken Blonde Idol Custom-Tone Violet
- Treatment- Redken Blonde Idol Mask
- Styling- Alterna Bamboo Style BOHO Waves Tousled Texture Mist
- Finishing- Blonde Idol BBB Spray
Curly
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Click on the products above for more information!
- Shampoo- Aveda Be Curly
- Conditioner- Aveda Be Curly
- Treatment- Aveda Dry Remedy Moisturizing Mask
- Styling- Aveda Be Curly Curl Enhancer
- Finishing- Aveda Be Curly Curl Enhancing Hair Spray
Frizz
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Click on the products above for more information!
- Shampoo- Alterna Caviar Brightening Blonde
- Conditioner- Alterna Caviar Brightening Blonde
- Treatment- Alterna 10 Hair Masque
- Styling- Alterna Caviar Blonde Beauty Balm
- Finishing- ALterna Caviar Blonde Brightening Mist
Yellowing
| Shampoo | Conditioner | Treatment | Styling | Finishing |
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Click on the products above for more information!
- Shampoo- Aveda Blue Malva
- Conditioner- Aveda Blue Malva Color
- Treatment- Paul Mitchell Forever Blonde Dramatic Repair Spray
- Styling- Alterna Caviar CC 10-in-1 Cream
- Finisghing- Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Extra Hold Hairspray
Coming Soon: Generic Product Alternatives for ALL Hair Types!
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I so hoped to find help for my stupid greys here. I always thought I would end up with some fabulous silver highlights that looked they were “done” at a very expensive salon like my gorgeous Mother – but instead, I started going grey at 19 and this year, my hair (which has always been really cooperative in the past! Perms, color, always did exactly what I or whoever was doing my hair hoped for) When I wanted to be blonde again, 2 boxes from WalMart and I was blonde. Sorry in advance, I know that’s a no-no :0) Then suddenly, everything stopped working and I feel like I woke up looking 20 years older. It is not pretty. The greys break easily and then curl around my head which is a constant source of hilarity for my Mom. The one with the perfect greys. (She’s not fully awful, just that)
I know this will just sound vain, but more times than I would like to remember in the past few months, I have been asked how old I am, if I “did that to myself”… and a small child said she loved my Halloween costume. I was feeling all fab in a new outfit from Zara and didn’t wear a hat that day. No clue what she thought I was, but y black clothes are hidden for now.
Why doesn’t grey hair take dye well? My theory was always “Cool, there’s no melanin or whatever there, so when it is all grey, it will be even easier to color!!” But nope. In fact, I feel like I added more grey last time i tried to at least lighten the rest of my hair so it wouldn’t look like I walk around carrying a spotlight and a sign that says “Look at my hair!”
I have already been through painfully early menopause…. I just want to at least get part of me back. So I’m not the best sport right now about embracing the grey. Any thoughts? Thank you so, so much for reading this, I know I went on for far too long.
The reason why grey hair is harder to color is because it’s more resistant. The problem with hair lacking in pigment relates more to blondes that would like to go darker.
Grey hair generally requires a stronger developer, which will alter your color formula slightly from what you would use if you did not have grey hair. Warm tones are necessary when coloring gray because your hair doesn’t have any. For example, if you wanted to color your hair a medium natural brown….you would need to add some gold pigment in order to get a rich color that holds. The gold acts as a “base” for the color you’re trying to achieve.
If you apply a color that is neutral/natural to ash in tone then you won’t get the results you want because your hair already has enough ash tone.
You could have done some damage by applying the two blonde boxes to your hair….it depends on the strength of the product and how long you left it on. I think that you should try something that’s not a permanent color (like a glaze or a toner), and see how that goes. It’s not strong, and it’s not full-coverage…..but it’s a great option for adding some luminescence, tone, and life back to your hair. This option looks best on those with multiple shades of gray hair because the darker gray will of course be the closest to the color you apply and the lighter strands will look like complimenting highlights!
*You won’t be able to do this if some of your hair is blonde and only your regrowth is gray. In that case you would just want to get a partial highlight every quarter until the solid blonde grows out or can be cut off….then you can start with the toning/glaze demi-permanent color.