When it comes to dyeing gray hair it matters not if you’re a first timer or a long timer. There are little things that for some can make a big difference. Especially on color resistant gray hair.
So are you ready for some sneaky color tricks and hair hacks? You know badly needed tips for coloring resistant gray hair?
Who isn’t, right?
All the more if they can help you wave goodbye to those pesky grays? Or help you get past the nagging concerns you about why your gray hair is hard to color.
Yeah. Some you may know. But I’ll bet at least a few are fresh out-of-the-box hacks that might truly be difference makers for coloring your hair at home.
Can’t say for sure if they are game changers for you. But sometimes a small change in your routine can make a big difference in your results. Know what I mean?
So let’s jump in.
Struggling with Color Resistant Gray Hair: How Many of These 20 Coloring Tricks Do You Know?
#1 What’s the Box Say?: It should be clear about gray coverage. Does she or doesn’t she? Cover grays that is.
The box should tell you stuff like how long to leave the hair dye on grey roots. Or at least give you a clue if it even works on gray. Good to know if that’s what’s stressing you out, don’t you think?
#2 What’s the Box Say Take 2: You have to read the instructions. And holding the box against your temple doesn’t count. Oye vey. They’re included for a reason.
Look. How to use the dye correctly and for how long won’t come to you by ESP, mind reading or clairvoyance. You have to read the instructions.
#3 Does Anybody Know What Time It Is?: Use a timer, cell or egg, to track how long the dye has been on your hair. Don’t freelance. Especially at first. Again simply follow the instructions on the box for best results.
#4 Dye Stain Shields Up: Coat your hairline and ears with a dab of barrier cream. You can also totally use petroleum jelly or coconut oil before diving into the dye. This will shield your skin against dye stains! No mess, no stress!
#5 Gloves On (check), Old T-Shirt Donned, (check) :
You must gear up for color combat! Slip on those gloves and don that old towel or shirt. Then you’re ready to rock and roll protected from runs, drips and errors.
#6 Developer’s Delight: Most find a lower developer volume (10 or 20 volume developer) is usually about right to cover gray hair. It lets your natural color stay put while you conquer those grays. In other words, lower volume equals happier hair!
#7 Frontline Focus: Cover your most visible roots first – those around the hairline. If there are any you want to insure are covered it would be those follicles around your face. So give them all the time they need to process by hitting them with the brush first.
#8 Roots in the Spotlight: Attention, roots! You’re up next. They too need a head start before taking the color plunge on the lengths and ends. It’s the extra processing time thing here again too, you know?
#9 This Isn’t a Rush Job: When you slip into your Wonder Woman Superhero gray hair fighting garb don’t think you can rush this by taking wide body sections. You can’t.
Sections that are too big only mean you’ll fail to evenly saturate all the gray hair. And that mistake will only show itself when you’re done. Ugh!
#10 Protein Filler Payoff: Is it time for a little bonding session? This little known pre-conditioning hack some find aids with color absorption. Applied to dry hair first it can also help the color last no matter how much your hair fights you.
Yes it might be an advanced tip. Or not. Depends on your level of experience I guess.
Then too the brush can make the color.
#11 Precise Applicator Brush Painting: Say hello to applicator brush precision! Grab one and delicately apply dye to your grays on your hair line.
Doing so also leaves you in total control as you brush on the color section by section.
#12 Blanket Coverage, Please: While precision matters so does total coverage. And may explain why your grey hair is not taking color.
So make sure you paint both the front and back of the roots in each section in turn for total saturation. In essence carpet bombing all the grays with color.
#13 Combed Through To Perfection: To avoid patchiness after slathering on the dye introduce your hair to a wide tooth comb. Pulling the color down to the mid shafts insures even distribution. No patchy performance for you!
#14 Heat Things Up for Hot Color Delight!: It’s time to turn up the heat – literally! Heat things up with a blow dryer, cozy shower cap, or a snug towel wrap during processing.
These no sweat tips are a great way to increase the color uptake. Cause retaining the heat from your scalp to help in your war on color resistant grays can leave you beyond impressed.
but…
#15 Practice Damage Control: You should know adding heat like that does risk additional damage. So post coloring damage control is not optional. Even if you don’t do the heat thing.
A deep conditioning treatment or reparative leave in hair mask is a must do. (Like K18 – which seems to be as good as everyone says it is.) Either can help restore and revive locks suffering from color trauma – almost like magic.
#16 Hair Color Honeymoon: Pssst. Let your fresh dye job enjoy its honeymoon period! Skip the hair-washing marathon for the first 3-4 days after you’ve dazzled your locks with color. You’ll be rewarded with extra color staying power.
#17 Root Recharge: Keep that color popping! Give your roots a weekly boost with a color depositing shampoo or conditioner. A little how to hide gray hair hack that your roots will thank you for.
#18 Neutral Nuance: Here’s an old stylist’s stubborn gray coverage secret: Throw a neutral tone into the mix. If your match is cozy with 5A (ash), introduce a dash of 5N (neutral) for the ultimate coverage combo. Voila, gray-hiding magic in a bottle!
#19 Gray Gotcha! : Ever heard of the gray coverage gotcha game? Usually it’s either a formula flub or the wrong product pick. Take a tip from the pros: ace the right formula and product for ultimate gray domination.
#20 Buh-Bye Yellow Tones: Down the road a toner or gloss can wipe out any unwanted brassiness your hair acquires after coloring.
Is this array of how to color gray hair tricks your ticket to total transformation? Probably not.
As suggested at at the start most of these fall under the good to know rather must know category.
But better to know them and not need them than need them and not know them, right?
Next let’s quickly look at several ideas that take advantage of products.
Unleash Product Power After You Cover Stubborn Grey Hair
It’s not just about hiding unwanted slate colored hair. It’s keeping your hair in peak condition. For that there is help in the hair product aisle.
#21 Color Fading’s Fiercest Foe: Never thought of sulfate free shampoo or conditioner in that light? Of course you have.
You know keeping color treated hair vibrant is harder than it seems. Well, this duo stands ready to preserve your color and fend off fading. Your hues, your rules!
#22 Meet the Masked Marvels: A dose of deep conditioning mask or an oil treatment once a week quenches your thirsty hair’s need for nourishment. Such hydration can revive your tresses and show dryness, frizz and split ends the door.
#23 Root Touch Up To The Rescue: Such a product is the perfect way to conceal the results of any gray hair sneak attack that happens between coloring appointments. Conceal those stubborn grays one spray at a time.
#24 First Make Old Color Vanish: A splash of color remover can give your hair a fresh start. Nothing wrong with wiping the slate clean before diving into a new coloring adventure. Or as they say out with the old, in with the vibrant!
#25 Unleash Purple Power: Grab some purple shampoo and use it’s sneaky toning powers to whisk your gray hair’s dull vibes. Saying hello to a pretty, even-toned look that’s less brassy and more silvery.
All the more if you know how to use purple shampoo on dry hair. Yeah dry.
Next let’s demystify a few behind the scenes mysteries of semi and demi hair color. Just in case you were wondering about them.
Tips for Decoding the World of Semi and Demi Hair Color
Permanent is the most effective gray battling option you’ve got available to you. It offers a more concentrated and lasting pigment deposit. One that can cover most grays evenly and effectively.
Then too the coarser your hair the more bullet proof a solution is needed. In that case reach for permanent color again.
But that’s not to say some haven’t met with success with less persistent formulas. I just wouldn’t get my hopes up. As this quick refresher shows these are more a temporary fix than a long term gray hair banisher.
And that’s the thing. The biggest diff between the various types of coloring solutions comes down to how long any one lasts.
#26 Semi-Secret: Not Necessarily Your Full Coverage Friend: When it comes to semi-permanent color, think of it as a partial grays coverage partner. Being a deposit only dye it usually won’t give you full-on gray coverage. Plus it may last at most for six shampooings.
But hey! It doesn’t need to mixed with developer either so damage risks are minimal. A choice for battling stubborn gray hair color. Just maybe not your best one.
#27 Demi Drama Sans the Drama: With a touch of low volume developer you might get 24 shampoos out of demi permanent color. So it’s a bit more of a commitment but still pretty much another deposit only option.
And as you’d expect hair type and health is a factor in how well this works for you. So you can get a refreshing color change but alas only a temporary one. That doesn’t exactly do much for those annoying gray hairs.
#28 Glazed Glamor: Some may prefer a semi- or demi-permanent glaze. The former if done at home. The later if done at a salon as you can get a little color penetration if done by a stylist. It offers a touch of color radiance that fade gradually over time.
#29 Clarifying Companion: When going with a semi or demi dye you’ll want to clean up with a clarifying shampoo. Think of it like making your hair a blank canvas.
As you know product buildup or mineral deposits can hamper color absorption. But a clean slate sets the stage for color brilliance.
So if you were wondering what the world of semi and demi coloring might be able to do for you now you know. Probably not all that much. At least not when compared to permanent dye.
Could your hair use a glow up? Be it a color assist, stylish braids or chic cuts. Check all those off and then some as there’s more to be had if you’ll but follow our Pinterest boards. There we share a treasure trove fabulous finds and helpfulness galore like those just shared.
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