How do I dye my stubborn grey hair?
If your greys seem particularly stubborn you are not alone – “how do I hide my stubborn grey hair?” is one of the questions we hear most often.
Melanin is the natural pigment that gives your hair its colour - it provides a really good foundation layer for hair dyes to bind to. As hair turns grey, that pigment disappears - and the cuticle tends to get tougher too. That's a double whammy - it becomes both harder for the colour to bind, and harder for it to penetrate.
Don't panic - help is at hand...here are our seven top tips for the best grey cover
1 - Choose Base Shades
The best colour to hide grey hair is a base shade.
A base shade is any colour that ends with /0 - for example in Water Colour Gel we offer 7 base shades from 3/0 Black Coffee through to 9/0 Barley.
They are the best choice for covering grey hair mainly because they contain more pigment than non-base shades, so will help cover resistant greys more completely. There are other benefits though - for example, they usually blend grey hairs more seamlessly, and give more consistent colour tone.
2 - Start with clean, dry hair
Wash your hair with shampoo before colouring, but skip any conditioner or treatments. You want the hair clean and free from anything else - for example, oils - that would make it harder for colour to penetrate the hair shaft.
3 - Make sure you use hot water
Hotter water will help with activating Water Colour Gel - and heat also makes it easier for the colour to penetrate the hair shaft. You want it hot but comfortable - not burning or scalding.
4 - Use a stronger mix
If your grey hair is particularly resistant, try adding less water - 80ml instead of the usual 90ml. This will give you a slightly thicker mixture, packed with more colour pigment that will help cover your stubborn grey hair.
5 - Saturate those greys
Don't be shy - make sure every grey hair is thoroughly coated. Start with the roots, and then concentrate on other areas - particularly around the hair line and temples. Your tint brush can really help here, making it easier to work the hair dye gel in.
6 - Give it time
At least the full 30 minutes. For very resistant grey hair, you can extend the development time to as long as 50 minutes.
7 - Keep it warm
Keeping your hair warm during development really helps with colour absorption. Once you've applied the colour, try putting a plastic cap over your hair and then wrapping a pre-warmed towel over the top.
Here to help
Remember - as a family business, we've been specialising in gentle ways to colour stubborn grey hair for decades. If you're ever stuck, we'd love to help - please do get in touch.