The conversation isn't just about the how-to's; it's about the heartfelt journey of embracing your authentic self. The gray hair movement is more than a trend—it's a statement of self-acceptance and style. I'll introduce you to the art of gray blending, a softer, low-maintenance way to wear your wisdom without the constant upkeep. Whether you're looking to seamlessly transition to your natural silver or want to add dimension to your current color, this episode will empower you with the confidence to let your true hues shine. Join me for a session that’s as much about self-discovery as it is about the science of hair.
The conversation isn't just about the how-to's; it's about the heartfelt journey of embracing your authentic self. The gray hair movement is more than a trend—it's a statement of self-acceptance and style. I'll introduce you to the art of gray blending, a softer, low-maintenance way to wear your wisdom without the constant upkeep. Whether you're looking to seamlessly transition to your natural silver or want to add dimension to your current color, this episode will empower you with the confidence to let your true hues shine. Join me for a session that’s as much about self-discovery as it is about the science of hair.
Welcome to All About Hair, the go-to podcast for stylists, salon owners and anyone passionate about hairstyling. Whether you're a seasoned stylist refining your skills or a curious listener looking to enhance your hair knowledge, we've got you covered. I'm your host, denise Kylitz, a former stylist and salon owner with four award-winning salons under my belt, with over 30 years of experience, I've dedicated myself to helping stylists excel in foundational haircutting, color theory, client communication and more, enabling them to build six-figure careers they can be proud of. My mission is to uplift our industry by sharing valuable insights gathered along my journey. Get ready for enlightening discussions, captivating interviews and practical advice on marketing, sales and technical skills. This is the podcast all about hair.
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Embracing your gray has become a symbol of self-acceptance and a commitment to a more natural beauty journey. Women often face judgment based on their looks. Surprisingly, the pandemic started a gray hair movement, encouraging women to celebrate their natural hair color. With salons closed down, monthly color touch-ups became a thing of the past. Despite the challenges, we showed resilience and adapted as our roots grew. What started as an inch soon became three. Many women sold their natural color for the first time and they loved it. This newfound appreciation for the gray hair blossomed during a time free from judgment, allowing them to reconnect with their authentic selves. But let me tell you, transforming into all gray is a big commitment that requires both emotional and style considerations. For many women to stop coloring their hair all together would be difficult. Unlike during the pandemic, when we were mostly at home, now we're out and about every day, so transitioning to partially gray hair might take some getting used to.
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Before we define what gray blending is, let's discuss some basic gray coverage terms. Okay, you've got full coverage. This covers 100% of the gray with one process color. Think of this as wearing colored wool tights. Then you've got demi-permanent coverage, which covers about 80% of your gray. It uses a less pigmented dye and this process lets in some of your natural tone and your gray hair show through. And think of this as wearing sheer colored pantyhose. Then you got no coverage. This allows your natural gray and your silver color to come through completely, but glosses the hair to add shine and tone, and it eliminates that yellow and brassy tones. And think of this like wearing sheer nude pantyhose. Just makes things look better, wouldn't you agree?
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For years, these three methods were the go-to choices for covering gray, with many women preferring full coverage, while this all-over color can match your natural shade, preferring full coverage. While this all-over color can match your natural shade, it often results in a noticeable regrowth line at the roots. Today's formulas come in a broader variety of shades and offer more dimension than ever before, yet they still typically require touch-ups every four to six weeks. Some women have been using this method for so long that they have forgotten their original hair color has evolved over time. So that leads us to gray blending. Have you heard about it?
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Gray blending is a hair coloring method that uses both foil, highlights and lowlights to craft a personalized color just for you. Whether you have blonde, dark auburn or red hair, this technique can work wonders. Instead of covering up gray hairs, gray blending incorporates them into a blend of multiple shades, creating a seamless transition with your natural or your chosen base color. The result a softer, more natural appearance that's easier to maintain than single process coloring. You can choose to maintain this blended look or use it as a stepping stone towards embracing all over gray hair. So again, what exactly is gray blending? Gray blending is a term used for various techniques that can help to combine and disguise gray hair. Unlike the one-process color, gray blending can give a more natural-looking result without a hard line of regrowth. It can also extend the time needed between services. Gray blending techniques incorporate foil, highlights and lowlights that vary in weight and placement to provide a highly customized color unique to you. And gray blending uses multiple shades of hair color to create gradual transition that includes your gray hair with your natural color. With this multi-tonal technique, gray hairs aren't covered. They're surrounded with a pattern of color, resulting in a softer, more natural look that needs less maintenance than one process color. You can choose to maintain your gray blended look or use this process to slowly transition toward all gray.
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Now what if you've been coloring your hair a darker shade for years and you want to grow out your natural color? Well, you have a few options. You can use your existing color as a reference and your stylist can strategically add highlights or lowlights around your face. While highlights lighten specific sections, lowlights do the opposite they add darker shades of depth and dimension. This method breaks up your gray regrowth and avoids a hard line of demarcation. Plus, if you have longer hair, you can easily pull it back into a ponytail and disguise any gray in the back. Your stylist can also select a few areas where your gray hair is growing in, like through your part around your face, and place a few strategically painted highlights. They'll lift close to the color of your silver hair. They'll lift close to the color of your silver hair. A toner should then be applied to unify the color tone, the brassiness, and add a lot of shine.
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Choosing to stop coloring your hair altogether is another option. Your hair grows about half an inch a month, so growing your hair to a manageable shoulder-length bob will take you about a year and a half without cutting. Many people cut their hair short to remove most of the dyed hair and then let it grow out, while getting regular trims to remove the remaining colored portions. Once the dyed hair is gone, your natural hair color can grow as long as you want it, to long as you want it to. Dyeing your entire head silver in one session is an option, but one that comes with a few cautions. Many of you are curious about how long this process takes, because you've probably seen incredible transformations on social media. While it is technically possible for some people's hair to lift enough artificial color in one session, this level of adjustment is not the norm. Despite online videos that seem to show quick and easy solutions. The truth is that these types of color appointments are costly like thousands and it could take anywhere from 10 to 12 hours on up in your stylist chair, with no guarantee of the desired results.
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Yeah, I always recommend a toner or a tinted gloss for all gray blending methods and existing gray clients. Natural gray hair can be yellow, brassy or even mousy brown. A toner will brighten and balance these undesirable tints. Adding a mirror-like shine will give you healthy looking hair. The time it takes for your hair to regrow and reveal its gray pattern can be different for everyone. Factors like your hair's health, the length, the coloring method you and your stylist pick and how soon you want to reach your desired look all play a role. Ideally, your stylist would like to see about three to four months of regrowth to understand your gray pattern better. While this time frame isn't set in stone, it does help your stylist come up with the most suitable color strategy for you, and once you start the transition process, you can expect your maintenance and upkeep to be about 8 to 12 weeks apart, depending on your chosen method. Typically, it takes about 3 to 4 salon visits to complete the whole process and then to get your hair to the desired state. And remember, nothing is ever permanent. If gray blending isn't your thing, you can always go back. Hope this has helped you understand what gray blending is all about.
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If you have questions, please reach out. If you're finding value in my videos, remember to subscribe. Remember to subscribe and please share with your friends. And remember always, when you know better, you do better. Thank you for tuning in to today's episode of All About Hair. Don't forget to subscribe to stay updated on future episodes and to continue your journey with us. If you have any questions, feedback or topics you'd like us to cover, feel free to reach out. Any questions, feedback or topics you'd like us to cover, feel free to reach out. You can find us on Instagram or our website at denisekeilitzcom. Until next time, remember when you know better, you do better.
