Ace-Haircare

Your Grey Hair Care Guide

The silver hair trend isn’t slowing down, so embrace your greys with our care guide

Women have dyed and re-dyed their grey hair since the dawn of time. But now it’s time to turn this thinking on its head.

Silver is in fashion

What if going silver isn’t such a bad thing? Grey hair is officially trending, as Jessica Patching, hair stylist and founder of Marla Hair (marlahair.co.uk) points out “Grey hair has stepped off the catwalks into an everyday look for both younger and older women. It’s a trend that has developed from the white and ash blonde tones we were seeing in 2016 and 2017. We are also seeing far more ordinary women leaving the greys alone to creep through naturally and this fits in with the softer more natural look everyone wants to see. People are wanting to look fabulous but without looking like they have tried too hard. “On average, women start to go grey in their early 30s, but it can sometimes happen when they’re in their early 20s. It isn’t linked to how you take care of your locks or whether you colour your hair, it’s actually largely due to genetics. Stress can also play a big role in when hair begins to change.”

Learning to see greys as a positive shift will free you from the regular and everexpensive root touch ups that covering the greys means undertaking.

Texture – A grey area

To embrace grey hair, is to take care of it, and grey hair requires a different (but not necessarily more intense) level of maintenance and TLC. Jennifer Hirsch, beauty botanist at Noughty (noughtyhaircare.co.uk) explains: “One of the myths around grey hair is that it’s coarser and more wiry. In fact, the science shows that as we age our hair gets finer. It’s actually the rate of sebum [oil from the sebaceous glands located next to hair roots] production that slows, which causes hair to feel drier. This means grey hair isn’t getting the natural moisturising benefits of sebum and translates as coarser-feeling, more brittle hair. A mix up of products and regime could be required to account for these changes.”

Hair textures vary widely depending on our genetics and, as all textures can go grey, it’s important to note the differences in care required. Jennifer has the same view: “What is true is that, as hair ages, it becomes finer, so your personal texture might change over time. If you have finer grey hair, use oil-free shampoos which blend with moisture without weighing hair down. Look for ingredients like amino acids, the prescursors to proteins which will strengthen and thicken the hair shaft.

“However, if your grey hair is coarser, moisture and conditioning treatments are even more essential, so reach for hydrating products or co-washes to provide an extra layer of moisture to stop it drying out. A clarifying, purifying or detoxing shampoo will also help to lift away build up – the grime, residual product, pollution and minerals that your hair collects everyday. As this residue will weigh the hair down, it could leave it limp, greasy and lacking volume – adding one of these shampoos will remove deposits, add volume and reinvigorate your mane. A silver lining of going grey is that it’s natural from root to tip, so all you need to do is ensure you regularly use a clarifying shampoo to make sure that build up doesn’t change colour or adversely affect the volume.”

Feed your hair

It’s not only products that can help, making adaptations to your diet can work wonders for your locks. Jennifer continues: “Just because your hair has gone grey doesn’t mean it’s stopped growing or doesn’t need the same care and attention it did before. Hair is made up of protein, so ensuring that you’re eating plenty of protein-rich foods like eggs, fish and beans is important. Eating a rainbow bowl of vegetables and fruits will help ensure that you’re getting the vitamins and minerals essential to growing healthy hair.”

It’s key to not only feed your body the right things but to also feed your hair. Jennifer emphasises how important it is to remember this. “Moisture is key to healthy-looking and feeling hair. Using a good hair mask weekly, will replenish hydration, bringing condition and softness back. A good example of this is Noughty’s To The Rescue Intense Moisture Hair Treatment which, when used weekly will replenish hydration, bringing condition and softness back. This miracle product contains argan oil, coconut oil and sweet almond extract, which are all rich in fatty acids – these nurturing ingredients increase hair’s elasticity and trap moisture in the tresses. Avoid shampoos with sulphates, as these can strip out even more precious moisture leading to a disappointing finish.”

Whether we like it or not, going grey is a natural part of getting older and, with this care advice and our recommendation ‘hero’ products to try, you’ll be rocking your grey tresses like the superstar that you are.