Try on a temporary grey hair dye first
To become a full-blown silver fox, you’ll need to first bleach and then dye your locks. This could cause some damage to your hair, especially if you’ve bleached your hair more than a few times before. If you’re not quite ready for the commitment that comes with a full bleach, we totally get it. That’s why our Colorista Spray 1-Day Colour in grey gives instant, ultra-vibrant grey colour that works on any hair type, no matter how light or dark. Now you can turn heads with a bold grey look without the need to bleach your hair!
At the end of the day, simply wash the colour out of your hair with a
L'Oréal Elvive shampoo. And if you decide that you need a change of colour, our Colorista Spray is available in seven vibrant shades to let you test drive a different look every day of the week.
Preparing to dye your hair grey
If you’ve taken your temporary grey hair for a spin and decide it’s the colour for you, you’ll want to prepare to dye your hair properly. Ideally, to get the best colour, you’ll have stopped dyeing your hair a few months before going grey to allow as much out-growth as possible. This will allow the bleach to lift the colour evenly, resulting in a more consistent colour when it comes to dyeing your hair grey.
One to two weeks before colouring, use a deep conditioning treatment such as our Elvive Extraordinary Oil Nourishing Mask to help minimise dryness and breakage.
We also recommend that you don’t wash your hair for 48 hours before you dye it. The natural oils in your hair will help protect your scalp from irritation during the dyeing process, which is especially important when bleach is involved.
Always do a skin allergy test 48 hours before you dye your hair. Do this quickly and easily by applying a small amount of dye to the hair behind your ear and leaving it on for a full 48 hours without washing your hair. This is to check that you aren’t allergic to any ingredients in the dye.
And finally, decide what style of grey you’re going for. Do you want to leave the roots dark and gradually get lighter towards the tips? Or are you going for all-over silver? Knowing the look you’re going for before you begin will help you prepare more effectively.
Tips for dyeing your hair grey
The process of dyeing your hair grey at home can be time-consuming, but the end result is worth it! You can learn more about how to dye your hair grey in our step-by-step tutorial.
As well as following our guide closely, there are a few important tips to remember when dyeing your hair grey or silver:
1. Always colour your hair in a well-ventilated place.
2. Get your hair to its lightest possible colour before you apply the grey hair dye. You may need to bleach it more than once before it’s light enough, which is why it’s important to ensure hair is as hydrated as possible before bleaching.
3. Be extremely careful when bleaching your hair. Bleach can cause nasty burns, so make sure you cover yourself with an old towel and always wear plastic gloves.
4. Make sure you use a toner after bleaching, before you apply the dye. This will reduce any yellow tones in your hair and is a must if you want to achieve a gorgeous grey or silver look.
5. Apply a barrier cream like petroleum jelly to your hairline before you die your hair to prevent the dye colouring your skin.
6. Separate your hair into four sections (so it looks like the pattern on a hot cross bun) to work with manageable sections when applying the hair dye.
7. Apply the colour to each section of hair from the roots down, ensuring all of your hair is thoroughly covered.
8. Wait for no longer than the recommended time indicated on the dye packaging – it’s a very good idea to do a strand test beforehand to make sure you get the development time right, so you can achieve the shade you want.
Maintaining your dyed grey hair
Once you’ve achieved your gorgeous grey look, you’ll want to maintain it. Replace your regular shampoo with a silver shampoo that’s specially formulated to give clarity and shine to grey and silver hair.
You can also give your coloured hair some extra TLC with our
L’Oreal Elvive Colour Protect Mask and Colorista Silver Shampoo, which we recommend using once a week for added hydration and shine. For a more intensive treatment, leave the hair mask on for ten minutes and cover your head with a plastic bag or cling film.
