Grey hair. It’s a natural part of aging, but for many, it’s a sign they’re not quite ready to embrace. While some rock the silver fox look with confidence, others seek to blend or camouflage their grey strands. Highlights can be an excellent solution, but choosing the right ones is crucial for achieving a natural-looking and flattering result. This guide explores the best highlight techniques, colors, and considerations for effectively covering grey hair.
Understanding Grey Hair and its Challenges
Grey hair isn’t simply hair that has lost its color. It’s actually hair that has lost its pigment, melanin. This lack of pigment makes the hair appear white or grey. But the changes extend beyond just color. Grey hair often has a different texture, becoming coarser, drier, and sometimes more resistant to color.
The challenge in covering grey lies in several factors:
- Contrast: Grey hair stands out against darker natural colors, creating a noticeable contrast.
- Texture: The different texture of grey hair can prevent even color absorption, leading to uneven results.
- Porosity: Grey hair tends to be less porous than pigmented hair, making it harder for the color to penetrate.
- Regrowth: The stark contrast between grey roots and colored hair makes regrowth more visible.
Therefore, effective grey coverage with highlights requires a strategic approach that addresses these challenges.
The Best Highlight Techniques for Grey Coverage
Not all highlighting techniques are created equal when it comes to camouflaging grey. Some methods are better suited for certain hair colors, textures, and amounts of grey.
Balayage: A Soft and Natural Blend
Balayage is a French technique that involves hand-painting highlights onto the hair. This creates a soft, gradual transition between the base color and the highlights, making it ideal for a natural-looking blend with grey hairs.
The advantages of balayage for grey coverage include:
- Low Maintenance: Because the highlights are painted on, there’s no harsh line of demarcation as the hair grows out.
- Customizable: Balayage allows for precise placement of highlights, focusing on areas where grey is most prominent.
- Natural Look: The soft, blended effect mimics the way hair naturally lightens in the sun.
However, balayage may not be the best choice for complete grey coverage, particularly if you have a significant amount of grey hair. It’s better suited for blending and camouflaging grey rather than completely eliminating it.
Foiling: Precision and Intensity
Traditional foiling involves separating strands of hair and applying color from root to tip, then wrapping them in foil to process. This technique provides more intensity and precision than balayage, making it a good option for more noticeable grey coverage.
Foiling offers these benefits for grey hair:
- Complete Coverage: Foils can be placed close to the scalp, effectively covering grey roots.
- Customizable: The amount of coverage and intensity of the highlights can be adjusted based on the amount of grey.
- Variety of Colors: Foiling allows for a wide range of highlight colors, from subtle to bold.
The downside of foiling is that it can create a more noticeable line of demarcation as the hair grows out, requiring more frequent touch-ups.
Lowlights: Adding Depth and Dimension
While highlights lighten the hair, lowlights add depth and dimension by darkening certain strands. Lowlights can be incredibly effective in blending grey hair, especially when combined with highlights.
The advantages of lowlights for grey coverage:
- Blends Grey: Lowlights help to blend grey hairs with the overall hair color, creating a more cohesive look.
- Adds Dimension: Lowlights add depth and dimension to the hair, making it look fuller and more vibrant.
- Reduces Contrast: By darkening some strands, lowlights reduce the contrast between grey and pigmented hair.
Lowlights are often used in conjunction with highlights to create a multi-dimensional look that effectively camouflages grey.
Choosing the Right Highlight Colors for Grey Hair
Selecting the right highlight color is crucial for achieving a natural-looking and flattering result. The best color depends on your natural hair color, skin tone, and the amount of grey you have.
Blonde Highlights: Brightening and Blending
Blonde highlights are a popular choice for covering grey hair, as they can effectively brighten the complexion and blend grey hairs. However, choosing the right shade of blonde is essential.
- Warm Blondes: Honey, caramel, and golden blonde shades are flattering for warm skin tones and can add warmth to the hair.
- Cool Blondes: Ash blonde, platinum blonde, and beige blonde shades are best suited for cool skin tones and can neutralize yellow tones in grey hair.
- Babylights: Very fine, subtle blonde highlights can create a natural, sun-kissed effect and blend grey hairs seamlessly.
It’s important to avoid brassy or overly yellow blonde highlights, as these can accentuate grey hair and make it look dull.
Brown Highlights: Adding Depth and Richness
Brown highlights can add depth and richness to the hair, making them a good option for those with darker natural hair colors.
- Caramel Highlights: Caramel highlights add warmth and dimension to brown hair and blend well with grey hairs.
- Chocolate Highlights: Rich chocolate brown highlights can create a luxurious and sophisticated look.
- Mahogany Highlights: Mahogany highlights add a touch of red to brown hair, creating a warm and vibrant effect.
Brown highlights can be used to create a subtle or dramatic effect, depending on the desired level of coverage.
Red Highlights: A Bold and Vibrant Choice
Red highlights are a bold and vibrant choice that can add warmth and dimension to the hair. However, they require careful consideration and maintenance.
- Copper Highlights: Copper highlights add warmth and vibrancy to the hair and are flattering for warm skin tones.
- Auburn Highlights: Auburn highlights are a deeper shade of red that can create a rich and sophisticated look.
- Burgundy Highlights: Burgundy highlights add a touch of drama and are best suited for those with darker hair colors.
Red highlights can fade quickly, so it’s important to use color-safe shampoo and conditioner and avoid excessive sun exposure.
Maintenance and Care for Highlighted Grey Hair
Highlighted hair, especially grey hair, requires special care to maintain its color, health, and shine.
- Use Color-Safe Shampoo and Conditioner: These products are formulated to protect the hair color and prevent fading.
- Avoid Excessive Heat Styling: Heat can damage the hair and cause the color to fade. Use heat protectant products when using styling tools.
- Deep Condition Regularly: Grey hair tends to be drier, so it’s important to deep condition regularly to replenish moisture.
- Get Regular Trims: Trimming the hair regularly helps to remove split ends and keep the hair looking healthy.
- Touch-Up Roots Regularly: To maintain the desired level of grey coverage, it’s important to touch-up the roots every few weeks.
When to Consult a Professional
While it’s possible to highlight your hair at home, it’s often best to consult a professional, especially when dealing with grey hair. A professional stylist can assess your hair type, color, and the amount of grey you have and recommend the best highlighting technique and color for your needs. They can also ensure that the color is applied evenly and that the hair is properly protected from damage. Attempting to highlight grey hair at home without the proper knowledge and skills can lead to uneven results, damage, and frustration.
Other Considerations for Grey Hair Coverage
Besides highlights, several other factors contribute to achieving optimal grey hair coverage and maintaining healthy, vibrant hair.
- Hair Health: Prioritize hair health. Damaged hair won’t hold color well. Use conditioning treatments and minimize heat styling.
- Skin Tone: Choose highlight colors that complement your skin tone. Warm tones generally suit warmer complexions, and cool tones suit cooler complexions.
- Lifestyle: Consider your lifestyle when choosing a color and technique. Low-maintenance options are best for busy individuals.
- Grey Percentage: The amount of grey hair dictates the highlighting strategy. More grey may require denser highlights or a base color.
Choosing the right highlights to cover grey hair can be a game-changer. By understanding the challenges of grey hair, exploring different highlighting techniques, selecting the right colors, and prioritizing hair care, you can achieve a beautiful, natural-looking result that leaves you feeling confident and radiant. Remember that consulting with a professional stylist is always the best approach for personalized advice and optimal results.
What types of highlights are best for covering grey hair?
Highlights are a fantastic way to blend grey hair rather than completely concealing it, offering a softer, more natural look. Partial highlights, strategically placed around the face and parting, are often a great starting point for subtle grey blending. Babylights, which are ultra-fine highlights, can also be incredibly effective in creating a diffused, less stark transition between grey and pigmented hair, mimicking the natural highlights of youthful hair.
For more significant grey coverage, consider lowlights in addition to highlights. Lowlights, which are darker strands woven amongst the lighter ones, can add depth and dimension, preventing the overall color from looking flat or washed out. Balayage, a freehand painting technique, is also a popular choice, allowing for a customized and blended effect that softens the contrast between grey and colored hair.
How can I choose the right highlight color to blend with my grey hair?
Selecting the right highlight color is crucial for a natural-looking blend. Consider your natural hair color as a starting point and aim for highlights that are one to two shades lighter. Warmer tones, such as golden blondes or caramel browns, often work well for those with warmer complexions, while cooler ash blondes or beige browns complement cooler skin tones. A consultation with a professional colorist is highly recommended to assess your skin tone and natural hair color accurately.
When blending grey, avoid highlight colors that are too starkly different from your base color, as this can create a harsh contrast and accentuate the grey rather than blend it. Instead, focus on creating a seamless transition. For example, if you have dark brown hair with grey, consider adding chocolate brown or dark caramel highlights. If you have lighter blonde hair with grey, opt for shades of honey blonde or light ash blonde.
How often should I get highlights to maintain grey coverage?
The frequency of highlight appointments for grey coverage depends on several factors, including the percentage of grey hair, the speed of hair growth, and the desired level of blend. Generally, most people find that touch-up appointments every 6-8 weeks are sufficient to maintain a blended look. However, if you have a high percentage of grey hair or experience rapid hair growth, you might need to visit the salon more frequently, perhaps every 4-6 weeks.
Consider the type of highlights you’ve chosen as well. Babylights and balayage tend to grow out more naturally, requiring less frequent touch-ups compared to traditional foil highlights with a more defined line of demarcation. Communicate with your stylist to establish a maintenance schedule that works best for your hair and lifestyle, balancing grey coverage with hair health and budget considerations.
Can I highlight my hair at home to cover grey, or is it better to go to a salon?
While DIY highlighting kits are available, achieving professional-looking results for grey coverage can be challenging at home. It requires a keen eye for color matching, precise application techniques, and an understanding of how different hair types react to chemical processing. Uneven application, brassy tones, and damage to the hair are common pitfalls of at-home highlighting, particularly when dealing with stubborn grey strands.
Visiting a professional colorist is highly recommended, especially for first-time highlight applications or when dealing with significant grey hair. A professional has the expertise to assess your hair’s condition, formulate the correct color mixture, and apply the highlights evenly and strategically to blend grey seamlessly. They can also provide valuable advice on home care and maintenance to keep your highlights looking fresh and healthy.
What are some tips for maintaining highlighted hair that covers grey?
Maintaining highlighted hair, especially when used for grey coverage, requires a dedicated hair care routine to prevent fading, brassiness, and dryness. Use a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner specifically formulated for color-treated hair to gently cleanse without stripping the color. Incorporate a purple shampoo or conditioner into your routine once or twice a week to neutralize any brassy tones and keep your highlights looking bright and fresh.
Regular deep conditioning treatments are essential to replenish moisture and maintain hair health, as highlighting can sometimes be drying. Protect your hair from heat styling with a heat protectant spray, and avoid excessive sun exposure, which can fade the color and cause damage. Consider using a leave-in conditioner or hair oil to keep your highlighted hair hydrated and manageable between washes.
How can highlights help to make grey hair look intentional and stylish?
Highlights can transform grey hair from something to be covered up into a chic and stylish statement. When applied strategically and with the right color palette, highlights can blend seamlessly with grey strands, creating a multi-dimensional and natural-looking effect. This approach softens the appearance of grey, making it appear less harsh and more integrated with the overall hair color.
Furthermore, highlights allow for customization and creative expression. By experimenting with different tones, placement techniques, and color combinations, individuals can tailor their highlights to complement their personal style and skin tone. This can result in a unique and personalized look that embraces grey hair as a natural and beautiful part of their identity, rather than trying to completely conceal it.
What are some alternatives to highlights for blending grey hair?
While highlights are a popular choice for blending grey, several other options exist depending on the desired level of coverage and maintenance. All-over hair color can provide complete grey coverage, but requires more frequent root touch-ups than highlights. Semi-permanent or demi-permanent hair color can also be used to blend grey without a harsh line of demarcation, offering a more subtle and less damaging alternative.
Grey blending treatments, which use a combination of lowlights and glazes to create a natural, salt-and-pepper effect, are another increasingly popular option. These treatments aim to enhance the existing grey strands rather than completely covering them. Ultimately, the best approach depends on individual preferences, hair type, and the desired outcome. Consulting with a professional colorist is recommended to determine the most suitable technique.