How to Care for Gray Hair That is Yellowing

Using a shampoo for gray hair helps keep the yellow away.

Not covering gray hair is a good choice when hair is cared for properly. Gray hair is often stubborn and coarse. Perhaps the biggest annoyance is when your striking silver or white locks take on a yellow hue, leaving your hair looking dirty and dingy. But fixing the problem is easy -- So embrace your gray!

Things You'll Need

• Clarifying shampoo
• Purple shampoo
• Moisturizing conditioner
• Comb
• Leave-on moisturizing creme

Instructions

Clarify

1. Purchase a clarifying shampoo to rid hair of debris and build up. Hair products, chlorine, well water or hard water minerals can cause discoloration. Clarifying shampoo can be purchased at beauty supply stores and at most hair salons.

2. Use the clarifying shampoo according to package directions. Some brands require the product to stay on the hair for five minutes or more before rinsing, others require a second application.

3. Keep clarifying shampoo on hand for use after swimming and when hair products such as gel or hairspray begin to build up or leave a residue on the hair.

Shampoo, Condition and Finish

1. 

   Purple pigments in shampoo neutralizes yellow in gray hair

   Purchase a purple shampoo for gray hair at a local beauty supply, drugstore or salon. Purple is opposite of yellow on a color wheel so using a purple or violet shampoo will neutralize yellow tones in the hair. Follow package directions carefully and repeat as recommended.

2. Squeeze the excess water out of your hair and apply a moisturizing conditioner. Gray hair is brittle and requires extra moisture to stay soft and lustrous.

3. Comb conditioner through hair. Follow package directions and leave product on hair before rinsing. Instructions requiring product to stay on for five minutes indicate molecules in the product cannot penetrate the hair in any less time

4. Towel dry hair and apply a leave-in moisturizing cream. Don't over-do it. A small amount of product goes a long way and helps keep gray hair soft and shiny.

Tips & Warnings

• If using a purple shampoo is not enough to keep the yellow away, ask your stylist to apply a temporary rinse or semi-permanent hair color and use the purple shampoo in-between salon visits.

• Be cautious when using purple shampoos and follow manufacturers instructions. Using them too often could cause hair, especially fine, porous or damaged hair, to stain purple.

References

• Hairfinder

Resources

• Caring for Gray Hair