How to Brighten & Liven Up Dull, Gray Hair

Gray hair doesn’t have to be the end of great hair days. Hair can be healthy without pigment. Just as there is no singular shade of brown, black or red, there is no singular shade of gray. Gray hair comes in many textures, too. Gray hair products specifically treat gray hair, and knowing how to treat your particular hair type is your key to gorgeous locks.

Instructions

1. Make your hair shine with products created with silicones. Since gray hair has no pigment, it doesn’t have much of an ability to reflect light. Silicone adds shine without adding weight to your hair, helps your hair resist frizz and helps it feel softer.

2. Strengthen your hair with fortifiers such as panthenol, amino acids and keratin. Look for products that add volume, body and control with these strengthening ingredients.

3. Moisturize your dry hair with healthy ingredients. Gray hair tends to be thirsty. Spirulina, hyaluronic acid, lecithin, jojoba and avocado oils are healthy ingredients that relieve dryness.

4. Add bounce and body to your hair with products made with ceramides. If silicone products build up on and/or weigh your hair down, ceramides can help. They act like silicone, but they aren’t as heavy on your hair.

5. Fight thinning gray hair with products that fight dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, an enzyme found in gray hair that shrinks hair follicles. Hyaluronic acid and polysorbate 20 are two ingredients that help hair resist DHT.

6. Wash yellowish hair with blue or violet shampoos. They can brighten your gray and will work on all shades of gray, silver or white.

7. Defend your hair from the damaging effects of the sun. The sun bleaches the bluish tones out of gray hair, leaving it yellow.

Tips & Warnings

• Don’t trust products just because they claim to do certain things for your hair. Read ingredients to make sure you’re getting what your hair needs.

• Treat your hair to a deep conditioner every week.

• Keep hair trimmed. Fresh ends always look better than frizzy, split ones. Gray hair tends to be dry and brittle, and keeping those ends in good shape will avoid damage.

• Give your scalp care and attention. Try different creams, toners and scrubs to help you battle issues linked with aging skin and hair.

References

• Going Gray Looking Great: Treating Gray Hair
• Ladies' Home Journal: Love Your Gray Hair
• Good Housekeeping: Amazing Gray Hair