Product: Gray Magic Color Additive
Model: Item 780585
Manufacturer: American International Industries
Cost: $5.99 US
Someone on Thriftyfun recommended Gray Magic for hard to color gray hair. I tried it last week and it worked. The instructions recommend 10 drops for one ounce of color. I just followed the Revlon hair color directions and mixed the hair color with the developer and shook it really well as usual. Then I added 10 drops of Gray Magic, and shook the bottle of hair color really well again.
Ok, don't get scared, but after I added the 10 drops, it turned the hair color dark purple! Yes, I was scared. But my philosophy is - hair can always be colored again. I colored my hair as usual, concentrating on the roots. But I also use a large tooth comb to drag the color through the rest of my hair and put some on the ends, since my hair fades there quite a bit.
I did keep my hair color on for much longer than the Revlon instructions; but I always do. I kept it on for about 1 hour. This is IN ADDITION to the time it takes me to actually put the color on my hair (which seems to take forever).
Then, still following Revlon's instructions, mixed a little warm water to my hair making it suds up a bit. I rinsed really, really well - but I always do. Don't get scared. When I rinsed, it rinsed out dark purple. I was scared. However, my results were great and I will definitely use it again. It colored all of my hard to cover grays.
Then I used a really intense hair conditioner after I rinsed and towel dried my hair. Then I wrapped my hair in plastic wrap and went out in the sun (you don't have to go out in the sun, but I do keep the plastic wrap on for around 1/2 hour to 1 hour, or as long as I can stand it. Then I rinse the conditioner out really, really well. I usually let my hair air dry after this, but I've also styled my hair immediately after too.
But this is one secret I have learned: I never, ever wash my hair the day before I color. In fact, I wait about 4 days after shampooing. Then, I don't shampoo my hair for around 4 days after I color. I don't have oily hair anymore (I'm 52). The combination of all of these things makes my hair color not fade as fast, I don't know why.
But I do rinse my hair in between shampoos (rinse really, really well to remove any gels, hairsprays, etc.) and then style as usual with gel, whatever, hair spray. The next day, I rinse, style and that's that. My hair doesn't get oily.
I bought Gray Magic at Sally Beauty Supply in Houston, Texas, USA, but they do have stores all of the USA.
Here is their website:
The manufacturer has a web site too:The Gray Magic box says it's made in the USA, but here is more info from the box: Gray Magic is a registered trademark of American International Industries; AII (UK) Ltd; Berkshire R! 7SR.
More tricks:
I have stopped using shampoo and any hair products with sodium lauryl sulfate. I find it strips my color and dries my hair. This includes high end hair products as well as drugstore kind.
A shampoo that is my latest love is by Shikai and is called Henna Gold Highlighting Shampoo. Safe for color treated hair. And shiny? I can't believe how shiny my hair is and it does bring out highlights in my color treated hair WITHOUT stripping the color along the hair shaft, or lifting the color from the roots. No animal testing or animal ingredients.
A very nice product. I bought it for around $7.99 US for 12 ounces, at a local Whole Foods Store, a high end health food store (www.wholefoodds.com). Here are the shampoo details:
Shikair Products,
Santa Rosa, California, USA 95405
Tel: 1-5800-448-0298
http://www.shikai.com/
I only use a little bit of this shampoo on my scalp after I rinse my hair really, really, really well before I put on the shampoo.
Another trick: I never, ever shampoo the ends of my hair. I only shampoo the roots, which is really the only part that needs actual cleaning.
You wouldn't believe what this has done to get rid of my split ends. I also get hair cuts around every 6 weeks - there is no miracle for split ends, you have to have them trimmed off, but in one month of not shampooing my ends, my hair drastically improved.
I used Revlon brand 'Colorsilk' in 'medium brown' hair color - sorry, I didn't write down the color's number. I buy it at local drugstores (Walgreens, CVS) and also at Walmart and Target. All of these stores have websites: walgreens.com, cvs.com, walmart.com, target.com, probably at drugstore.com too.
You could probably email Revlon for a store that sells it near you.
Well, I think I have exhausted the subject! I hope you have good luck if you decide to try Gray Magic!
:)
Thanks so much for the great info!
Just wanted to know about a similar product at Sallys. Its an additive to remove the red tones from brown hair color. Have you tried it?
I was scared when I saw the hair color mixed with the Grey Magic. I am now horrified at the results after using the product because it turned my hair orange! I do not recommend this to anyone using lighter hair color. Reds and dark browns maybe. But I read a review (after I had used it) where a man had mixed it with black hair color and he had exotic results as well. I too purchased it at Sally's along with professional hair color. Never again. I will shop at Sally's. I just won't use additives until I have thoroughly reviewed them.
I had a few inches of light brown hair at my roots and the length of my hair was dark blond with medium blond highlights. I dyed my hair a dark blond permanent color but added a small packet of Gray Magic as instuctions said to do, as I also have some stubborn grays. I was alarmed to see it was the color of iodine and turned the hair color mixture brown but I used it anyway as it was recommended by the girl at the beauty supply store. Well, my hair came out a DARK brown with auburn! It's very dark. My plan was to go gradually lighter and I got the complete opposite effect. I WOULD NOT recommend this product!
