1. Use A Lightening Shampoo & Conditioner
While you are transitioning from full-on dark hair to full-on gray like MacDowell, Abdullah recommends grabbing a "lightening shampoo and conditioner" or a "low-volume developer" to gently lift the color of your dark hair. "This will gradually make your hair a little closer to the light tone of the grays, so that they are not so obvious," she notes.
Udoh agrees, and adds that her main tips for successfully blending gray and dark hair are to "use a color that is two shades lighter than your natural color," invest in a good quality shampoo to "keep the colors looking vibrant," get frequent trims to maintain the look, and to "use semi-permanent colors rather than permanent dyes."
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2. Add Strategic Highlights
Adding highlights throughout your hair while switching over to gray like Berry can "create a multi-dimensional color," Abdullah says. "This actually works very well to make grays hide in plain sight," she continues, suggesting a "light ash brown or ash blonde highlights."
Udoh points out that letting your natural gray grow in while maintaining darker tones around the face, parting areas, and ends is key." You can do this by getting subtle highlights at the salon or using semi-permanent dyes at home to bring out more silver tones over time gradually," she advises. Additionally, Udoh recommends minimizing harsh lines by "keeping natural-looking highlights with soft transitions between shades."
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3. Utilize A Toner For That Perfect Gray Shade
Grabbing a toner can help you create the "perfect gray shade," Abdullah says. "If your gray has a yellow tone to it, you can use a purple shampoo to remove the aging look of the yellow," she continues. This will make your grays "look a pure white or silver color, which is much better than the yellow that forms as your hair is turning gray," she points out.
Parting your hair in a different way can "usually help you mask gray hairs," Abdullah notes, as they start forming "wherever your normal part is." Udoh echoes this, and concludes that in order to keep grays vibrant, you should "use purple shampoo and conditioner" that is formulated explicitly for "salt-and-pepper hair to banish brassiness." The more you know!
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