Coloring Gray Hair

When we find a gray hair, our first reaction is that of panic and horror. We generally feel that old age is finally catching up with us and will do everything in our power to camouflage graying hair. Just as aging is inevitable, graying of hair is also inevitable. You might find your first gray hair as early as in your twenties or if you are lucky, in your fifties. As we age, the pigment which gives our skin and hair color, begins to diminish and it results in graying hair. If you are comfortable with it, you can let your hair gray naturally and have a head of beautiful platinum hair. If, on the other hand, like majority of people, you do not cherish walking around with gray hair, your best bet is coloring your hair. Which color to choose and how to apply it plays a big role in making you appear youthful and natural.

Tips on Coloring Gray Hair

When it comes to hair dyes, there are many different formulations that you can choose from. They all differ mainly by how long they last and how effective they are in covering gray hair. The hair shaft consists of an outer layer with a hollow inner layer. The outer layer of the hair, called the cuticle, is made of flattened cells that overlap each other. The layer beneath the cuticle is made up of protein and is called the cortex and it contains the pigment which gives hair its color. For a color to last for a long time, it should be able to penetrate the hair shaft. You can color gray hair by using temporary hair color, semi-permanent or permanent hair color.

Temporary hair color comes in the form of hair mascara, sprays, toners, colored shampoo and mousses, shades and setting lotions. These colors are, as the name suggests, temporary and are great for those times when you need to quickly mask your graying hair for an event. They only last till the next shampoo wash and you should choose a color that is at least a shade or two lighter than your original hair color. People whose original hair color is dark brown or jet black should choose colors such as light brown, dark cinnamon and chocolate for coloring gray hair.

For coloring hair at home, the most popular hair color formulation is semi-permanent hair color. It consists of two ingredients that are mixed together in a certain proportion. One is called the developer and other is the color concentrate. Some semi-permanent hair color contains ammonia and the color is deposited on the cuticles and some color penetrates the inside of the hair. It lasts longer than a temporary hair color and will stay up to fifteen to twenty washes if you have a proper maintenance program. Use a color protecting shampoo and shine enhancing conditioner while washing your hair, if you want the color to last for a longer period of time.

The best option for coloring hair naturally is to use permanent hair color. This cannot be done at home and it requires a visit to the salon. Permanent hair color penetrates the shaft of the hair and deposits the color on the cortex. A permanent hair color is applied every six to seven weeks so that it covers the newly grown gray hair at the roots. It is very important to choose a permanent hair color shade with care because the color once applied to your hair cannot be changed.

Hair that has been colored, whether with permanent or temporary hair color, should always be cared for with a proper hair care ritual. This helps in retaining the color for a longer time and keeps it looking natural and beautiful.