You wake up one day and OMG you see several white hairs surfacing. The thought pops into your mind, to color or not to color your white hairs?
Then the worry begins the mind starts working overtime. Can people notice them,will people think I am old, I don’t like them.
So the journey begins. To help you down that path of making that decision I will run through coloring options that are open to you.
But firstly you must think seriously about the upkeep.
What sort of maintenance are you prepared to do and how often are you prepared to do it. Because keeping your white hairs hidden will be an going job of touch ups.
To help you decide on whether you want to cover those white hairs or not. I have pointed out some of the pluses and minuses in using the four color techniques below.
Should you be looking at an organic natural hair dye perhaps consider these.
Semi- Permanent Hair Color.
These can be a good way to introduce yourself to hair color as they are non-permanent.
Because the pigment will slowly fade every time you shampoo your hair.
Lasting approximately six to twelve shampoo’s after which your semi permanent should have been completely washed from the hair.
Color molecules tend to be larger in a semi-permanent. Therefore they stay mainly on the outer layers/ cuticle of your hair with none deposited into the hair shaft.
Semi permanent hair colors do not contain ammonia or peroxide. So in fact they will not be able to lift or lighten your hair.
Only adding tone to your original color or to take you darker therefore you should find no problem with a heavy regrowth.
The one downside can be the aspect that your hair color can tend to look a little on the solid side.
Therefore if you use a semi hair color you will find that your hair could come out a little darker than you expected.
Demi Permanent Hair Color.
A demi hair color is slightly stronger than a semi-permanent due to the fact that it works with a low level peroxide.
Therefore allowing some of the color pigments to deposit themselves into the hair shaft. Meaning that your demi color would tend to last on your hair from twelve to twenty washes.
Which is far better than a semi permanent’s six to eight washes.
The color will intensify the natural hair and can lighten hair approximately one shade.
This product is great if you want to cover a few stray white hairs.
Hi- Lights/Dark-Lights.
This technique will not necessarily cover all of your grey hairs.
Because we would be working on the view that with several different tones in the hair the white ones will not be noticed.
Because they will be camouflaged by the reflections of the other highlighted tones within your hair.
Generally speaking the first place you will notice those pesky white hairs will be around your front hairline.
Depending on my clients natural hair depth. I often recommend that a great way to disguise this is to place a few lighter hi lights around the front hairline.
Nature adds white hairs to your front hairline to naturally soften around our face as we age. So why not take the same approach to hide the white yet enhance your features.
Over all maintenance is not too heavy if the hi lights are a fine weave with a touch up required every three to four months.
Permanent Hair Color.
If you are looking for a full coverage of white hairs then this is the best method.
You can lighten your hair, darken your hair or choose any tone you desire.
Permanent hair color works by removing the natural color pigment from the hair whilst at the same time depositing a new pigment.
The pigments may oxidize over time due to your shampooing and the environment so some fading will occur.
Again you must realize your natural hair is made up of many tones.
When a permanent color is applied you will achieve a more solid overall look.
This can be broken up by using various color techniques so as to add various tones into the color chosen to give a more natural feel.
As this is a permanent hair color it will grow out. Therefore regular four to six week salon visits will be necessary for a root retouch so as to maintain the natural appearance.
