I found my first grey (gray for my American readers) at 18! That pesky strand of silver or gray hair among all my luscious locks. I had a whole new battle to fight besides surviving university, and the battle continues….sigh……
Did you know that the timing of your first grey hairs is kinda like a genetic roll of the dice? Yep, according to the wise words of Dr. Jennifer Chwalek, it can be passed down from either parent. Sadly, there’s not a whole lot you can do to control it, but things like stress, smoking, and diet may speed up the process. Personally, I never touched a cigarette and my diet was top-notch thanks to my chef dad and veggie-growing mom. But life still threw me some curveballs. Within a span of just three months when I was 18, I lost my little bro to cancer, then my grandpa, and then my aunt. It was a tough time, and I guess my hair decided to show it.
Over the past 20 something years (ok, ok, pushing 30 now!), I’ve coloured my hair ever since and it’s taken a bit of a tole. Now that I’m older and wiser, I deal with it in different ways.
The only colour I now use is Herbatint. Made in Italy, it’s a gentle and odorlous dye that’s free from Ammonia, Resorcinol (a skin irritant toxic to the immune system), Parabens (a common preservative found in cosmetics that interferes with the function of hormones), Alcohol and Fragrances. This is especially important for me since I also suffer from psoriasis and get flare ups easily. The Herbatint permanent get colorant covers the greys pretty well and leaves my hair soft and shiny. The best part is the little conditioner packet it comes with. Why don’t they sell it separately is like keeping a secret!
I stretch my colouring to about 1 1/2 – 2 months. In between, I use a root spray touch up. I’ve tried the Clairol Root Powder (like applying eyeshadow to your roots) and the Garnier Express Retouch Gray Hair Concealer (colour comes through a sponge applicator), but I prefer the spray method. I’ve tried many and my favourite one by far is the Schwarzkopf Root Retoucher. This product is just the perfect match for my hair color, and it looks super natural. It’s definitely far from that messy toddler-spray-paint vibe!
Another trick I recently stumbled upon on TikTok (only because my teenage daughter is on the app, like most teenagers 24/7) was a DIY dry shampoo with cocoa powder, but I haven’t tried it yet. As soon as I see those pesky greys coming out, I’m giving it a try!
I know a bunch of lovely ladies who do the blonde highlights thing to hide their greys. But that’s a heck of a lot of work. Plus, it costs a pretty penny and puts your precious locks under so much stress. I wish there was some kind of magic potion that could turn back the clock to when I had my natural brown hair. I mean, who needs all the fuss of hair colouring when you can just let your locks do their thing? But alas, now it’s a game of do or go grey, and I’m not sure I’m ready to take that leap just yet.
Are you a hair-colouring enthusiast or do you prefer to embrace the natural look like Jamie Lee Curtis? Share your thoughts in the comments!
PS- Read on our trending beauty tips inspired by the MET gala
