How to choose a dye for gray hair?

The peculiarity of gray hair is that it is not so easy to dye it, therefore special formulations are used. Henna and most natural dyes do not always allow you to achieve the desired result, but ammonia paints paint over gray hair by 100%.

Before you start looking for the best dye for gray hair, it's important to understand how it differs from the usual one. All products, regardless of brand, consist of several components, which in combination with each other allow you to nourish the hair with the desired coloring pigment.

The best dyes for gray hair always have ammonia among the components, which allows you to raise the cuticle of the hair. Due to this effect, the pigment penetrates better and completely colors the curls. The peroxide present in the composition increases the effectiveness of the product. After rinsing off the dye and rinsing, the hair scales are closed, thereby maintaining the desired shade inside.

Hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizing agent responsible for the development of color, which helps it stay on the hair longer.

Semi-permanent pigment does not drastically change hair color. It contains tiny molecules that do not interact strongly with natural pigment and is washed off after a few washes. These paints do not contain peroxide or ammonia.

The permanent dye is retained for a long period, on average up to several months.The more often you dye your hair, the more the dye is absorbed into the hair structure, so over time you only need to paint over the roots. Among the components there is a large amount of peroxide.

To paint over gray hair with high quality, it is always better to choose a product that contains ammonia and peroxide, since they allow the molecules of the coloring pigment to penetrate deeper into the curls.

There are precautions you need to take before using this type of hair dye. First of all, a woman should do a test to make sure that there is no allergic reaction to the product. Since gray hair paints contain ammonia, peroxide and other irritants, they can in rare cases even cause anaphylactic shock.

Ammonia acts as a catalyst when the hair comes in contact with the peroxide.

The art of changing the look of gray hair begins with choosing the right color. The staining can be permanent or not. Correction will be required every month at the roots. Not only professional ammonia compounds are suitable for staining, but also natural henna, only it will take longer to withstand it on the curls, and the color palette is very limited.

For blondes by nature, you can use simple highlighting, which allows you to dye not all hair, but at the same time hide gray hair qualitatively. Clarifying compositions are sold in specialized stores, and an oxidizing agent is also supplied to them.

If the curls are not stained for the first time, then an oxidizer of a lower percentage is used on the root zone, the rest of the hair is not touched. Natural dye is safer, it does not contain chemicals, it fits well on naturally thin hair. It's not just henna, some brands also make organic dyes like Garnier Nutrisse or Light Mountain Natural Color for Gray.

Semi-permanent hair dye or permanent? This is a question that plagues most women. Each has its own undoubted advantages, since the first option harms the curls less, and the second saves time and does not waste it on regular staining every ten days.

Gray hair is very resistant to coloration and is porous and coarse compared to normal hair. For the best result, you should choose the option that can provide stable color for several months. Ammonia-free paint is gentle and more harmless, but it does not take all the curls and often the result leaves much to be desired.

Gray hair makes you look older. Some girls find it difficult to decide on the right color, but according to professionals, darker colors are best absorbed by gray hair.

A demi-season or semi-permanent color that is relatively close to the original natural color can also be considered the best option available. Permanent dyes use a stronger concentration of hydrogen peroxide to open the cuticle and deliver more dye.

For hair with more than 50% gray hair, it is better to consider a light shade as the main one.

If a woman has less than 50% gray curls and natural dark strands, then it is worth choosing a shade that is as close as possible to this option, only in this way the painting will look natural. Two shades lighter or darker than natural are always suitable. When deciding between two options, it is always worth giving preference to the lighter one, since it is easier to fix.

It is contraindicated for women of the age to dye their hair black, gold or burgundy, as they greatly age. They focus on age-related changes in the skin. If you want to create a vibrant look, you can use a ginger palette that allows you to look younger.

Light highlights will blend in best with the silver in your hair and won't require a lot of work. Blending eyeshadows can feel more natural, such as the balayage technique that many women prefer to achieve a natural look quickly and easily.

Gray hair itself is beautiful and can be displayed with confidence. There are dyes that will help you simply refine this shade. Many colorists recommend using light highlights around the face, but this technique does not work if the girl has a dark blonde hair color or reddish tint and light features.

To eliminate unattractive gray hair at home, you will need to use a dye, the instructions for which indicate that the product is suitable and guarantees a 100% result. Modern fashion trends offer many affordable options for both dark and light curls. They are more stable, the manufacturer has provided twice as much coloring pigment in the composition, so such a product easily copes with the complete staining of curls with special porosity.

Some of the best dyes for gray hair include the following.

"Preference Feria On L'Oreal" - the main distinguishing feature of the described product is considered to be well-chosen proportions, as well as the versatility of the product. It is easy to use at home, it is easy to apply to the hair and guarantees a good result.

"Estel Essex" - this long-lasting option is ideal for the fair sex, whose gray hair accounts for 70% of the total amount of hair. The user cannot but be pleased with the attractive cost.

"Estel Silver De Luxe" - this option was created for representatives of natural dark hair who have gray hair. The collection has a rich rich dark palette.

Matrix is ​​a good ammonia-free option that dyes gray hair beautifully. The brand offers 15 permanent shades in the collection.

Igora Royal is popular for its large color palette and excellent quality.

Dream Age Socolor Beauty is an ammonia-free product, so the harm from it is minimal. Can be used on fine hair. There are 17 attractive colors in the palette.

L'Oreal Paris Excellence Creme gives a permanent, rich and radiant color that perfectly hides gray hair. The manufacturer used a triple protection system, the composition of the product is saturated with a prokeratin complex, ceramide and collagen for deep care of curls before, during and even after dyeing.

Garnier Nutrisse is another cream paint option. The product is nutritious and additionally enriched with fruit oils that penetrate deep into the hair, nourish it and provide additional protection.

"Garnier Olia" - gives the desired shine and covers 100% gray hair. This hair dye contains 60% natural oils.It will delight you with a clean, bright and long-lasting color. Moreover, after dyeing, the structure of gray hair is improved and restored. The product does not contain ammonia and has a pleasant odor upon application.

L'Oreal Paris Age Excellence is also a good option for gray hair. The manufacturer used a unique technology that allows you to quickly and easily create a natural color on your hair.

Schwarzkopf Keratin Color Anti-Age Hair Color has a unique complex keratin system that protects and cares for hair during and after coloring. When staining, there is practically no unpleasant odor, while gray curls are painted over 100%.

Clairol Age Defy is one of the best brands for gray hair today. With a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating, it has over 700 positive user reviews.

Liese is a Singaporean product that is not always easy to get on the domestic market. It is a foam that, when applied, provides 100% coverage from root to tip.

Unfortunately, frequent coloring damages the hair and irritates the scalp. Therefore, it is better to choose a dye with natural ingredients that do not contain ammonia, but you need to be prepared that such a composition may not take on the curls due to their too dense structure.

Products for gray hair are sold in a wide range, not only in specialized points of sale, but also in simple household chemical stores. It is worth taking into account what kind of natural hair the girl is going to apply the composition to. If the gray hair is evenly distributed throughout the head, then a composition with an oxidizer of 6% will be enough. Chestnut palette, golden blond, ash are well suited. When painting over a completely gray head, you should give preference to a blonde, but choose a shade in accordance with the woman's color type.

When there is no desire to use permanent dyes, it is worth trying to tint gray curls with tint compositions - foams, tonics, shampoos, sprays, etc. However, such remedies do not cope with the task if there is a lot of gray hair. If its amount is more than 30%, this method should not be used, since the desired result cannot be achieved. Toning products have a feature worth remembering - as a result, the shade may turn out to be completely different and brighter, since previously gray curls will significantly stand out against the background of others.

On store shelves, you can find many shades, the removal of which will require you to choose the right one. The best hair dyes always give a natural, high-quality color after application, the bad ones can look ridiculous. When using an unverified cheap brand, the curls acquire an unnatural shade, sometimes it looks dull, lifeless, and this condition can only be corrected with a new paint.

On the packaging, you can always find the manufacturer's information about the product, which indicates whether he can paint over gray hair and what is required for this. To get a guaranteed result, you will have to strictly follow its instructions.

Most brands offer easy-to-use applicators. The package contains everything for coloring, including gloves, an oxidizer, a balm and even a brush. The creamy texture is an ideal solution for independent use at home, since such a product does not spread over the curls, it is easier to apply and evenly distribute.

If you don't want drastic changes, then for best results, you should choose a tone that will be two higher or lower than natural. When you want to cover up a few gray hairs, you don't need to paint over all the strands completely, you can only use highlighting. This option is especially well suited for blondes, while brunettes should use tinting compositions, but of a special quality, in the instructions for which it is written that they are able to paint over gray hair.

If the hair has been previously dyed, then there is no need to reapply the paint over the entire length, it is enough to paint over only the roots to maintain color uniformity. This is especially true for darker shades, as pigment accumulates in the hair over time. Maintaining the beauty of the dark chestnut palette can only be done by updating the root zone.

It is always worth doing a patch test, even if the girl has been using the product for years. Some consumers have experienced an allergic reaction when the manufacturer changed the paint formula.

It is worth remembering that persistent paints have a strong odor, but some manufacturers try to use fragrances to hide it a little. The ammonia-free semi- and demi-permanent formulas do not smell at all.

Don't trust the photo of the model on the front of the box. This is just a beautiful drawing, in reality the color will turn out differently and will largely depend on what natural shade of hair the fair sex has. There is a graph inside the box that allows you to see the result when applying the composition to a particular type of curl.

Covering gray hair is a special science, because it is not so easy to paint over it, because the pigment does not absorb into it as easily as we would like.

Professionals advise the following

• Use only a permanent dye, as some semi-permanent dyes are not very effective on gray hairs. You need to understand the collections from different manufacturers in order to choose the right paint.
• If you want to make glare or a woman seeks a radical change in color, it is better not to do the procedure yourself at home.
• You should definitely read the manufacturer's instructions in detail.

If a woman has only a separate strand of gray, then in general you can use the special Mascaro mascara. This technique became widespread in the 19th century, it allowed you to temporarily close several strands. The color is temporary and will wash out, but for a short distance the product works wonders, however, you need to keep your head away from rain or snow.

To properly paint over gray hair, you should follow the following tips.

• Do not wash your hair for two days before applying the dye, as natural sebum acts as a barrier against irritation and negative effects on the skin.
• You will need to do a test on a small section of your hair. This will help you understand how long it takes the pigment to be absorbed in order to get the desired shade and whether it is actually expected. A lot will also depend on the texture - the thinner the hair, the faster it acquires a shade, for some women 10 minutes less is enough. If your hair is rough or dry, and especially if you have gray hair, you will need to keep the dye on it for up to 45 minutes.
• It is best to lubricate the skin around the line where hair begins to grow with petroleum jelly or greasy cream; in the absence of both, you can use sunflower oil, which will prevent staining of this area.
• First, the composition is applied a couple of millimeters from the scalp over the entire surface, and only then on the rest and ends. When distributing, it is better to use a special brush to get a high-quality result.
• Instead of dyeing over random strands, the hair should be divided into zones. There should be four of them in total: two in the front in the temporal region and two on the back of the head. Parting is done in the center of the head with a cross. They begin to paint over from the back of the head. This is very important because most of the natural pigment is there, so it will take longer to drown out.
• The package clearly indicates how long, depending on the desired result, the girl should withstand the composition on her head. For gray curls when dyed dark, this is up to 45 minutes.

If you plan not to paint over in a darker shade, but, on the contrary, to lighten the curls, then there are several technologies available. First, let's make one thing clear: lightening strands is worth no more than 1-2 shades. If a woman has natural light curls, then the process will be much easier, but with dark ones you will have to tinker a lot, and in this case it is better even to contact a professional if possible, otherwise there is a great risk of seriously damaging your hair.

The fact is that the brunette will first have to lighten the curls with a professional tool, only after that can we talk about choosing the desired shade of blonde. However, if the fair sex is naturally blonde, it is easier to achieve lightening by several tones at home.

The first few points from the previous list can be used when dyeing gray hair in a light tone. That is, first, the head is divided into four zones for convenience, then the cream is applied to the scalp, gloves are put on and a brightening composition is prepared. Most manufacturers offer non-professional level brighteners with a ready-made oxidizer in the package, but such give an unpleasant yellowness on the hair, so it is worth using a specialized composition and choosing an oxidizer for it in accordance with the type of hair.

Do not be alarmed if a shade of red appears after a few minutes. The thing is that the strands are lightened gradually. The first to be painted over is the occipital region - the place of accumulation of the largest amount of natural pigment. On average, the curls are lightened to a light yellow, almost chicken-like, it will need to be fought with additional efforts.

After 45 minutes, the clarifier is washed off the hair, after which the tinting composition is used. The yellowness is well painted over with purple, the result is an attractive ashy blonde. After a few weeks, you can dye your hair in any other shade of blonde.

If it so happened that the shade did not fit or did not like it, it is always easier to fix everything from a light tone, only for painting you should not take black right away, it is better to start with chestnut. Dark blond is one of the most harmful colors, it is not so easy to achieve it in the natural version, so it is better to turn to a professional.

If the hair has been dyed dark, then you should use a wash. It will allow you to lighten your hair a few tones, so that later you can try a lighter shade.

Gray hair has a special structure, which is why it is so "intractable". Its texture can be rough, stubborn and unruly, making it resistant to color pigments. Professionals advise you to always lean towards lightening or highlighting, since such staining allows you to make corrections less often, and the growing roots are not so noticeable in the general plan.

The use of light strands always allows you to throw off several years. Darker shades, on the other hand, add age, but if a lady has naturally dark hair and light skin, then perhaps this is the best option for her.

When the color application process begins, first the composition is distributed to those areas where the strands are most difficult to dye. The hair is the thinnest in front, so the pigment is absorbed into them faster.

You can also use simple henna to achieve the desired result. It does not cause much damage to the hair, it looks good if the woman's color type matches the copper shades, but on gray hair it can appear much brighter than expected.

Henna will need to be kept on the hair for several hours and make sure that it does not dry out, because then the dye will stop working. To do this, cover the hair with a bag or put on a plastic cap.

See the next video for a master class on painting gray hair.