Today’s question comes from Ellie, who asks “I’m getting older and I’m noticing more gray in my hair. How do I hide gray roots?”
Speaking as someone who has been graying since she was 22 (and dyeing her hair black for even longer than that), this is a subject I know an awful lot about! In general, there are three main answers to the “How to hide gray roots” dilemma, each with their own unique pros and cons.
Solution #1: Powder them.
Pros: Quick, inexpensive.
Cons: Temporary.
Powdering one’s hair to change the color is a process that’s been around since the late 1500s—and if you’re looking to hide gray roots in 2015 (but don’t want to book a colorist appointment), powder is still a solid way to go. Because gray hairs tend to be slightly coarse, using a specially formulated hair powder gives way more even results than attacking your locks with eyeshadow and a brush. In our experience, the very best gray-concealing hair powder is Color Wow Root Cover Up ($34, Ulta). Not only does it come in a mind-bending array of colors—all of which truly cover gray hair, even the lighter shades—it also includes an easy-to-use brush, so you get perfect results every time. Though it promises to last until you shampoo it out, you’ll likely have to refresh the color daily for best results.
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Solution #2: Glaze them.
Pros: Covers grays for up to 6 weeks, doesn’t damage hair.
Cons: Must be done by a professional.
If you want a longer lasting way to bust gray hair, consider a glaze. These gentle semi-permanent coloring options lower your hair’s natural pH and trap moisture in the individual strands, adding a little color to blend your grays into the rest of your hair without damaging it at all. Most glazes that you can buy at the drugstore are clear, which isn’t quite what you want if you’re looking to conceal silvery streaks, so your best bet is going to a professional. Your chosen colorist will not only hide your gray, but update your color for fall in the most perfect way.
Solution #3: Dye them.
Pros: Covers grays until the color grows out.
Cons: Can damage hair, expensive to maintain.
If you want to cover up your grays for good (or at least until the color grows out) dyeing it is the way to go. Permanent hair dye uses ammonia to open the cuticle of each of your strands and deposits color, which means that the dye seriously stays put—no fading, no reapplying every day. The bad part? It’s damaging to your hair and hard to fix if you don’t like the results. Grays also tend to be harder to color than normally-pigmented hair, which makes covering them up properly a job for the professionals (trust me, I know)—and maintaining that can get pricey.
There is, of course, the option of saying “Whatever” and letting your grays run wild and free—there’s no rule that says gray hair HAS to be covered up! But if doing so makes you feel more confident, choose one of these three options and go to town. Just make sure that whichever option you choose works for your life; there’s nothing more annoying that signing up for a hair routine that requires time, energy or money you don’t readily have.
If you have a pressing beauty question (and really, who doesn’t), let us know! We are always happy to help. Find the Daily Makeover editors on Facebook, Twitter or right here in the comments.
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