Why does hair go grey?
Did you know that your hair isn’t always growing? In fact, each hair fibre goes through a ‘growth cycle’ during its lifetime. There’s both the ‘active phase’, when the hair is growing, and the ‘inactive phase’, when the hair follicle ‘turns off’. During this time, your hair sheds and the entire process starts again.
The production of pigment (which is what gives you your natural hair colour) also turns off and on again. If, when the ‘active phase’ of your hair growth restarts, the pigment doesn’t turn back on at the same time, then the hair won’t have any colour and will grow back with a white appearance. This white appearance is just a lack of colour that shows up as white or grey when contrasted with your skin tone and the rest of your hair.
Embracing going grey
For some, allowing yourself to go grey can be a symbolic process which prompts reflection and encourages personal development and change. It can be an important and beautiful process, if you choose to frame it that way.
Many women fear going grey as it can signify growing older, but this means embracing these changes is even more important. Rather than becoming a period of emotional turmoil, if you’re able to accept going grey as a natural process you might find that your most authentic, gorgeous self is just around the corner.
Go lighter gradually
Brunettes, if you’ve been covering your grey for a while and want to embrace it instead, first try switching from your colour protect shampoo to a regular shampoo such as our
Elvive Fibrology Thickening Shampoo.
Going grey is often easier for women with blonde hair as lighter shades are less contrasting with grey hair than dark shades. If you have dark brown hair and you’re done with covering up the greys, now could be the time to become a blonde bombshell – why not experiment with a new look on your way to embracing your grey?
Available in several shades of light brown and blonde, dye your own hair at home using our
Excellence Age Perfect Colour Care range. To ease yourself into blonde life, start with darker, red-based tones, such as Light Golden Brown. From there you can gradually work your way towards an ashier colour like our Light Ivory Blonde.
All our Excellence Age Perfect dyes are specially formulated to nourish greying hair, can feel brittle and dry as we grow older.
Opt for an all over colour right away when dyeing your hair or transition with highlights for a gradual, natural look. Each time you colour, choose a lighter shade to bring you closer to the grey shade in your hair.
Once you’re on the road to lighter tones, start washing your hair with a
Elvive Colour Protect Care Shampoo. This is specially formulated to work on light blonde and grey hair to neutralise brassy undertones and provide a glossy, radiant shine.
Consider a shorter hair cut
It’s often easier to go grey if you have a short, layered haircut as it can be quicker to even out your overall shade. Having a shorter cut at this stage also keeps your hair looking thick and luscious, and is easier to care for.
Caring for your grey hair
As you get older, your hair finer and feel drier and brittle. Opting to stop dyeing your hair will improve your hair’s condition, but it’s also important to give your locks some regular TLC.
We have a range of hair masques and oils to choose from, including our
Elvive Extraordinary Clay Pre-Shampoo MasqueExtraordinary Clay and the
Elvive Extraordinary Oil hair care range.
Ready to go grey gracefully?
Going grey gracefully is as much a state of mind as it is a process. If you’re tired of keeping up with grey roots and feel ready to embrace your natural silver shade, get ready to own it.
We understand that going grey isn’t easy for everyone, and the decision can take some soul-searching. If you’re looking for some advice, or just want to talk through your choices with an expert, our team at L’Oréal Paris are always on hand to help.
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