Silver and Old? Tips for making grey hair great

Silver & Old?  Tips for Making Grey Hair Great for the Holidays - How to make grey hair styles shine for the season

fist published by  Gerit Quealy on Life Goes Strong December 21, 2011


If you've let hair grow in grey all the way, this holiday could be considered yours! Let's face it, silver bells are everywhere – might as well make them silver belles.

I immediately turned to Diana Lewis Jewell (great name for a grey hair champion) to find out what to do to make grey hair sing this holiday season.

Diana Jewell is the author of Going Gray, Looking Great, and gave us the excellent advice of giving your own gray hair a name: Silver hair... Platinum, Pewter, Pearl, Sterling… even Tinsel.

"Well, you're talking about hair care here," she said. "For holiday, it's really important to get silver hair shining."  Although Diana sometimes laments that there are not enough products out there catering specifically to grey hair, she does have her favorite five Super Shiners to make grey (ahem) silver hair its glossiest:

    Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Sheer Shine Mist 5 oz / 147 ml    
    Pureology Anti-Fade Complex Glossing Mist, 4.2 Ounce
    John Frieda Liquid Shine Clear Hair Glaze, 6.5 Fluid Ounce
    Ouidad Shine Glaze Serum 2.5 oz
    Redken Vinyl Glam Finishing Spray, 3.4-Ounces Bottle

Shiny, healthy-looking silver hair gives men a boost, too — these will work just as well for the guys!

But for women, don't stop there, Diana says:
Just as important — it's all about styling. Now is the time to put a little dazzle in your grey hair. Try a sparkling headband, or make one yourself by tucking a fabulous silver flower into a plain headband."

Diana Jewell suggests these versions from Nordstrom, but she emphasizes that "there are lots of other (cheaper) ones available, too!" I say make sure they are "new" looking and not an '80s retread, which would jut make you look out of date.

I also think adding something trendy like hair feathers or better yet, hair tinsel is a great way to go – it looks gorgeous in grey hair and it's festive and fun. Find a salon that will put it in for you – it will last throughout the holidays and into the New Year.

Aside from the holiday season, the guru of grey hair  offers up some sage advice:

1. Name Your Shade. Brunettes come in chestnut, cinnamon, tortoise shell, espresso … and let's not forget strawberry blonds, etc. By naming your gray, you give it its own unique vibrancy, and personalize it to you. There's a whole color wheel of gray to choose from: steel, pewter, silver, platinum, sterling — find what you like (one woman we know opted for diamond glint gray).
2. Protect It! Like blond hair, the sun sucks out the blue molecules, making gray hair dull and even more fragile. Always protect gray hair from the sun with a hat and sunscreens/sealants (it needs protection from smoke and pollution too).
3. Go True Blue. Yes, you need to use a use a blue shampoo. It keeps that  icky yellow from creeping in and dulling the gray gleam. Popular blues to use: Aveda Blue Malva; Clairol Shimmer Lights is a long-time favorite; L'Oreal Colorist Collection in White Violet. 
4. Beware Blue Hair. No, you don't want to be called a "blue hair." The way to avoid that: don't over-use the blue. Once every two weeks or so, no more. Otherwise your hair ends up with that Avatar hue.
5. Nurture & Nourish: Nothing looks more 'grandma' than gray frizzy hair. To counteract that, you must give your tresses a deep-conditioning treatment once a week to retain smoothness. Good treatments come at every price point, from Pantene and Neutrogena to Kérastase and Fekkai.
6. Get a Sharper Image: It's all in the cut. A sharp, well-defined style makes gray hair look fresh, modern and chic. Chin-length blunt cut, well-defined bob, pixie cut, or layers — your options are endless. Think Meryl Streep when she walked off the elevator in Devil Wears Prada. It commands attention and demands respect.
7. Shine It Up: This is where gray hair really has an edge. Healthy gray hair can gleam like sheet metal. A lot of women are averse to silicone but it's great to seal the hair shaft which is what gives you the high shine. In fact, it's in a lot of shampoos too.
8. Go Au Natural: Many women go gray because they're tired of  using all those processed chemicals on their hair. For shine and care the natural way, try white vinegar. Follow up with conditioner (mostly to counteract the smell), or try coconut oil, avocado oil or wheat germ oil.
9. Brighten Up. If you're having a dull hair day, give it a quick rinse. Roux Fanci-Full (the rinse not the mousse), is a reliable standby. Or pop in a salon for a glaze which will last up to 5 weeks.
10. Try Special Effects: If you don't like the gray god gave you, you can tinker with shades of gray. Highlights (of white) and lowlights (of deeper tones) give the gray dimension, much the same way it works with blonds. Or try different glaze hues to see what suits your coloring the best (just remember to give each one the time to wear off before trying the next ).