It’s no secret that gray hair can be more resistant to color, which can be frustrating for anyone who is trying to cover their grays. The good news is that coloring resistant gray hair is possible if you do it right.
You may have noticed that your gray hair not only has a different color but also a different texture. Sometimes, gray hair can be coarser, curlier, or straighter than your pigmented hair. Truth is, gray hair reacts to everything differently, so you may feel like you are re-learning how to care for your hair.
How to Color Resistant Gray Hair
Here are the suggestions for coloring resistant gray hair that we will be discussing in this article:
- Choose the level you actually want, in a formula made for gray coverage, instead of going darker.
- Use the right developer to color resistant gray hair.
- Prepare your resistant gray hair for the coloring process.
- Apply hair color the right way to fully saturate resistant gray hair.
- Let the color process for the proper amount of time to fully cover resistant gray hair.
#1. Choose the Level You Actually Want (Not Darker)
You will often hear that you should buy a shade darker than the color you actually want, so it can “take” on gray. That old rule is a myth. Gray hair has no underlying pigment for a darker shade to work against, and if you go too dark the result simply looks flat and unnatural.
Because gray hair is so resistant, color that is not formulated or processed correctly may not fully take, and can turn out lighter than you intended. That is how you end up with “hot roots”, roots that are strangely lighter than the rest of the hair.
As you can see from the below picture, the section of hair right below the gray roots is lighter than the rest of the hair. The wrong formula was used last time those roots were colored. A color matched to the hair’s own level, in a gray-coverage formula, would have blended much better.
Each level is a basic measurement of darkness or depth in the color. In each level there can be countless variations of tones.
The level system goes from 1 to 10 from darkest to lightest, so level one would be the darkest black, and level ten would be the lightest blonde.
Let’s say that you want to color your grays to achieve a level six, in whatever tone (brown, red, gold, blonde, ash, etc.).
Then use a level six. Modern hair color is built to cover gray at every level when you pair it with the correct developer, so there is no need to shop a level darker to get coverage. Make sure that you are getting a permanent hair color, not demi-permanent, or semi-permanent.
If your grays have been extra stubborn in the past, resist the urge to fix it with a darker tube. Poor coverage is almost always a formula, developer, or timing problem, and the next tricks deal with each one. When you are torn between two levels, go lighter. A slightly lighter result still reads natural, while a too-dark result reads flat.
After you have chosen the right tube of hair color, it is time to get your developer!
Another tip: NN naming and the meaning of a double-natural shade vary by color system. Check that brand’s shade chart and gray-coverage directions rather than assuming every NN shade has the same dye load.
#2. Use the Right Developer
Choosing the right permanent hair color is only half of the battle. The developer that you use with the color is just as important.
But, not sure what a developer is? Simply put, a hair color developer is a product that contains hydrogen peroxide. It basically opens up the cuticle, or outside barrier, of the hair and allows the color to penetrate into the core of the hair.
Without developer, you are simply coating the outside of the hair with a pigment that can be instantly washed away. That’s why it’s so important to remember to get a developer along with your color.
Many color lines also carry their own developers. It’s recommended that you use a color and developer from the same color line unless the manufacturer says otherwise.
When you are picking out a developer, you may notice different numbers on each of the bottles, like 10, 20, 30, and 40. On some bottles, the number may be followed by the term “vol.” or “volume.” These numbers represent the volume, or strength of a developer.
Developers with a 10 volume are mostly used for depositing color on non-resistant hair, and developers with a 30 or 40 volume are typically used for lightening hair. The sweet spot for gray hair is usually 20 volume, though a few gray-coverage systems specify otherwise, so check your color line’s own chart.
Using a 20 volume developer is ideal for allowing a permanent hair color to penetrate into stubborn, gray hair and deposit color, without causing unnecessary damage to the hair. So, when you are picking out the developer that will cover those grays, reach for the bottle with the big 20 on it!
Additional Tip: Make sure to read the directions on the color tube or box that specify the proper ratio of color to the developer. For instance, 1:1 would mean equal parts of color and developer, and 1:2 would mean that you should use one part color to two parts developer.
#3. Prepare Your Resistant Gray Hair for the Coloring Process
Now that you have chosen the perfect color and the right developer, you may be eager to mix it up and slap it on. But, hold on a minute!
The first step, before any color touches your hair, is simpler than you might expect. It is not necessary to shampoo. Hair color is formulated to color dry, unwashed hair just fine.
Why skip the wash? Washing before color can cause discomfort to the scalp when the hair color is applied; the scalp will be irritated by the chemical after a shampoo.
Some silicones can leave a coating on the hair, and buildup may affect how evenly some colour services perform. However, this depends on the silicone, the product formulation and the hair’s condition, so silicones should not automatically be treated as a barrier to colour. Follow the colour product’s preparation directions and assess any buildup instead of using a universal prewashing schedule.
If you did need that night-before wash, squeeze out the excess water, blot with a towel, and make sure the hair is fully dry before you color. You can blow-dry your hair or let it air dry.
Either way, your hair needs to be completely dry before you add color. When there is water in your hair, your hair is not able to absorb as much color as it would when it is completely dry.
Also, it is important that you don’t apply any product to your hair before you color it. You want the hair color to be the first thing that touches your hair after it has dried.
#4. Apply Hair Color the Correct Way for Full Saturation
Once your hair is prepared, put on protective gloves before mixing and applying your carefully mixed color.
Of course, you don’t want to just slap it on and call it good. Because gray hair is especially resistant to color, you will need to apply the color in such a way that it thoroughly saturates each strand of gray hair.
Depending on the specific color you use, you will either need a color mixing bowl or a bottle applicator. Either way, you will need a color brush to apply the color thoroughly to your hair.
With a thicker, cream hair color, you will use a mixing bowl, and simply dip the color brush into the bowl before brushing the color onto your hair.
With a thinner, more liquid-based color, you can apply the color directly onto your hair with a bottle applicator and brush the color into the desired section of hair with the color brush.
Here is the step-by-step process you should follow when coloring your resistant gray hair:
- Section your hair into four sections (two at the front of your head and two at the back). You can clip or tie these sections in place.
- Apply the color to the perimeter of your hairline, and then to the perimeter of each of the four sections.
- Start applying the color at the back of your head, and work your way to the front. Make sure to apply the color to very small sections of hair. After you have applied the color onto a section of hair with your applicator bottle and/or color brush, use your fingers (with gloves of course) to squish and rub the color into your hair, fully saturating it with color.
- Use a medium-toothed comb to comb the color through the hair.
- After you have finished applying the color, put on a plastic cap. This will prevent the product from drying while it is processing. It will also contain the heat from your head, which can aid in the color processing. Use a cap only if your product’s directions allow it.
- Start your timer!
On longer hair, an extra pair of hands from a friend makes full saturation much easier, especially at the back of your head. In the next section, we will discuss how long you should allow the color to process on your gray hair.
#5. Let the Color Process for the Proper Amount of Time
Start the timer at the point your product’s directions specify, and stay inside the range printed on that label, even when you adjust for stubborn grays.
While the color develops, if your scalp burns or stings, rinse right away. Stop and get medical advice if you notice swelling, a rash, or blistering.
But, if the directions specifically state that the color should not be left on for over a certain amount of time, listen to those directions.
For a typical permanent coloring process on pigmented hair, the color is usually left on for 30 to 35 minutes.
However, we know that gray hair is a bit more stubborn than pigmented hair and therefore needs more time to process.
Typically, a permanent hair color (not a lightener or bleach) will stop processing after about 40 to 45 minutes when you use a 10 or 20-volume developer. So for coloring those grays, use the full processing time on the label, but never go past it.
Additional Tip: When your color is done processing, wash it out with a gentle shampoo and cool water. Apply a deep moisturizing treatment, let it sit for at least 10 minutes, and then rinse it out with cool water. Using cool water will help your hair to seal in the color. Hot water will rinse more color out of your hair.
