Glam up Gray Hair

Donna
Gold Post Medal for All Time! 555 Posts

Glam up Gray Hair I like my gray hair but I did want to glam it up, so I got creative (after speaking with multiple salons who either wanted to color it a totally different color (until it grew out in a month), lighten it (I am just NOT a blonde) or add a few expensive highlights.

Instead I LOW LIGHTED my hair myself, inexpensively! Of course I have shorter hair which simplifies the process but I get quite a few compliments (even from my hair dresser!) and I really like the look.

Total Time: 1 hour

Supplies:

boxed hair color or Just for Men Hair Color
a firm brush
a highlighter cap (reusable too!)
a hooked tool or crochet hook
shampoo
Vaseline (optional)

Steps:

I bought a box of my original hair color and a highlighter cap at a beauty store. I've also used the hair coloring product 'Just for Men' since it's quick at only 5 minutes to process and I find good sales for it.
I wore the cap then pulled only what hair I wanted colored darker. I mixed the boxed color just like I was coloring the whole head, and painted on the color onto the hair that was sticking out of the holes of my cap.

The cap even gives you choices how to color your hair: face framing with holes only around your face or for your crown, back or entire head.

I pulled strands of hair out of the holes in the cap with a tool, I used a crochet hook : ) You can also ask a family member or friend to help, especially if you choose to do the entire head. This is the longest part of the process.
I think it looks more natural, like salt and pepper hair rather than the totally gray that I am, since it's not EVERY hair strand that's colored. It's not the one solid dark color that coloring hair can look like. It blends beautifully and naturally and it doesn't ever look like it's growing out.

I even separated a few bunches of gray hair and put Vaseline on them (to repel any color) to give myself some thicker gray highlights around my face.

After the time identified on the box (only about 5 minutes for Just for Men or about 15 to 20 minutes for regular boxed hair coloring), I use the metal kitchen sink or the shower/spray attachment to rinse off the hair coloring first, being careful about covering my eyes with a cloth. Then pull off the cap and gently wash the whole head of hair.

Looks professional and really saves me money! I redo it the same way whenever the color wears off (your coloring will tell you how many washes) or whenever I feel like it!

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Lynda

February 19, 20150 found this helpful

What a great idea! Your hair looks lovely and the haircut is adorable. Very pretty!

Dorina

February 19, 20150 found this helpful

Your hair looks great. Thank you for sharing your discovery.

BettyG

February 20, 20150 found this helpful

Very pretty. I'm nearly completely grey too and I color mine all over (blonde) with one color but does not look as natural as yours. I've thought about trying your way but I would like to pull more to the back of my head and think it would be too hard and time consuming.

My color fades to nearly grey again in just a few weeks. You did such a good job!

Donna
Gold Post Medal for All Time! 555 Posts

February 20, 20150 found this helpful

Thank you for the kind words. I have been on a personal quest to embrace grey/white hair with 'benefits' :-)

Mina
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 146 Feedbacks

February 21, 20150 found this helpful

I've done this for the past few years and love it. I started doing it after I developed an allergy to hair color and suffered weeks of scalp irritation. Now I have the salt & pepper look that I like and is fitting for my age, but without the horrible, horrible scalp blisters.

I don't put the color right down to the edge of the cap holes.

Louise B.
Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 337 Feedbacks

February 21, 20150 found this helpful

You can buy a box of hair colour to do this - highlights - and then the cap and the hook come with the box. After that, you just need to get the dye. I have heard that Just For Men is harsher on the hair than most women's brands, but I have no firsthand knowledge for this. I used to highlight my hair when I first started turning grey, so the blond highlights blended in with the grey, and camouflaged them. I think you are doing a very good job with your hair.

G-Ma to 5

April 21, 20150 found this helpful

I often use a men's hair coloring product on my hair. There is no tell tale odor that they put into women's hair coloring. It also works faster and lasts just as long as the women's products.

I started using this when my husband started applying it to his beard. I hasn't dried out my hair at all. I still use a good conditioner. No problems here!

Momo C.

May 17, 20180 found this helpful

Oh it looks great !

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