How to take care of gray hair? Have you decided to take up gray hair? Follow our tips to make it shine. Long hidden under color, gray hair is now worn with pride by the elderly! But beware, they need special attention to be beautiful and healthy.
Just take a look at the social networks on your cell phone to realize that men are no longer the only ones proudly sporting silver hair: women are increasingly taking a higher self-esteem approach to their gray hair, even going so far as to make it a hair trend.
TAKING CARE OF GRAY HAIR: EXPERT OPINION
Before knowing how to take care of gray hair, experts specify that the nature of hair that becomes gray or white is very different from pigmented hair: A gray or white hair is an aged hair, which loses its pigmentation but also its protection.
It will therefore be more fragile and more sensitive to external attacks: pollution, UV, cigarette smoke, hair products, etc. This is why it is essential to take particular care of this type of hair.
ADAPTED CARE FOR GRAY HAIR
The first reflex is to find a shampoo and conditioner suitable for your hair type: Even though everyone’s hair ages, it will do so differently depending on its nature.
Some will lose in vigor, others in mass. It also depends on what we did with it for several years: if we used to color our hair often, for example, as we age, they become drier, more brittle…
To pamper your gray hair, get away from shampoos sold to the general public. Instead, go for professional products, sold in specialty stores and hairdressers, which will be more focused on active agents. Some brands have developed some anti-pollution or anti-UV shampoos that may be of interest for protecting gray hair.
Apple cider vinegar to care for gray hair
To increase the shine of your hair, use apple cider vinegar with every wash. Tip: In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar in 6 tablespoons of fresh water. Apply to hair and then rinse with cold water.
Forget heat sources for gray hair care
White or gray hair is more fragile in contact with heat. We therefore avoid heating appliances (straightener, hair dryer, heating brush, etc) which can yellow the hair.
A hair tool that is too hot can make hair turn yellow (especially the thinner hair). It is important to coat the strands with a heat-protective styling product before using the hair dryer, straightener or curling equipment at a mild temperature.
Preferred haircuts for gray hair
In addition to daily care, experts advise us to opt for a cut that gives texture to gray hair, such as gradients or above-shoulder cuts: Use dynamic cuts that give an interesting structure and texture to mature hair, which often loses in mass and vitality. In this way, one will get the impression of having more hair, and this will highlight the nuances of gray.
Short boyish and square style cuts are perfect for highlighting white hair! Over time, the color of our hair changes and transforms, it is natural. This phenomenon that many fear is due to the lack of pigments called melanins, the same ones that give color to our skin. Gradually, the hair turns gray or completely white.
The post-shampoo
After shampooing and rinsing, don’t forget to use the post-shampoo, to make the hair more flexible and soft: If it is not an automatic, it should become one: after each wash, use a post-shampoo suitable to the nature of your hair.
Avoid tearing out the first strands of gray hair
We have all had the reflex to pluck out our first gray hairs as soon as they appeared, but we should resist the temptation. This hair removal can damage the hair follicles (the cavities where hairs root) and sometimes the hair will not grow. By encouraging this bad habit, you can end up with increasingly thinning hair with age.
How to care for gray hair?
Gray or white hair requires special attention because it quickly becomes dry, dull or even yellow. Therefore, it is essential to maintain them regularly, especially if you want to have healthy and shiny hair. Therefore, to restore the flexibility of the hair fiber, the watchword is hydration. Apply a nourishing care once a week, such as an oil bath.
Then comes the washing step, alternate a mild shampoo and an anti-residue or purple shampoo to neutralize the yellowing effect of white hair and thus add more shine to your mane.
Avoid heating appliances that can yellow unpigmented hair and thus make it even more fragile. Also, consider hair products to preserve white hair from UVA and UVB rays.
