Learn all about gray hair care - Garnier Learn all about gray hair care - Garnier

How to Care for Gray Hair

Spotting your first silver strands can be a nerve-wracking experience. Whether you’re all for it or reaching for the dye, your new gray era brings new challenges. Along with changes in color, you’re going to see changes in texture as your hair starts acting in whole new ways. But there’s a silver lining. With the right gray hair care routine, platinum hair can be healthy, beautiful—and, yes, super chic. In this guide we’ll show you how to take care of gray hair, and look at why hair turns gray, how it’s different, and how to style it.

Why does Hair Turn Gray?

Our hair contains cells called melanocytes which produce melanin, the pigment that gives hair its color. As we age—or during stressful times in our lives—these cells begin to die, and hair grows back white, gray, or silver.

Differences of Gray Hair Care

Once the graying process begins, hair becomes more porous, and oil glands in the scalp produce less sebum, creating changes in hair texture. Our once luscious locks become coarse, dry, and wiry. And the loss of melanin strips away the hair’s natural protective mechanism, making it more sensitive to the sun, and more prone to damage. So, as you look to care for natural gray hair, you’ll need to make your routine a little kinder, with more hydrating and nourishing products.

Gray Hair Care Products for Your Hair Routine

To give yourself the best hair care for gray hair, avoid drying sulfates, and look for protective formulas. Whole Blends Honey Treasures Shampoo is enriched with Beeswax and Vitamin A to seal in moisture and form a barrier against breakage. Combine with the nourishing conditioner to keep hair soft and supple, and a weekly hair mask for deep hydration.

For an intense quenching effect, apply Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Intensely Smooth Leave-In Conditioning Cream, and cover your hair with a shower cap before bed. The next morning, wash it out with Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Shampoo, and follow up with Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Conditioner for the best care for gray hair. 

The absence of pigment in gray hair makes it more vulnerable to the sun’s rays. Add in product build-up, styling and exposure to minerals and metals in water, and you’re at risk of those dreaded yellow hues. Nutrisse Ultra Color Toner Treatment For Brassy Hair will help neutralize brass, and give your tarnished locks a refresh.

For luxurious gray hair care, treat yourself to a satin pillowcase which will prevent friction as you sleep.

How to care for gray hair - Garnier

Protect Gray Hair from Heat and Sun

Recommended gray hair care routine - Garnier

Gray hair burns easily, so it’s important to wear a hat when outdoors to prevent yellowing. If sun exposure is unavoidable, apply a Nutrisse Color Reviver between colorings to refresh your color and vibrancy. And, when it comes to styling tools, make sure you use heat protection such as Whole Blends Hair Honey Milk 450°F Heat Shield Spray before you get started, and stick to lower settings on your tool.

Haircuts for Gray Hair

Think gray, think classic bob or pixie cut, right? Yes, and no. There’s actually no hard and fast rule when it comes to styling your silver strands. What matters is complementing your natural texture, and features. So, work with your stylist and be willing to experiment to uncover what suits you best. Done right, platinum locks exude style and sophistication! Click here for more tips.

Haircuts and hair care for gray hair - Garnier

Coloring Gray Hair

So, you’re not quite ready to embrace your silver strands, and you’re looking for a suitable color. If your whites are few and far between, you might decide to blend them in with highlights, such as the Olia Ammonia-Free Highlight Kit Blonde or Olia Ammonia-Free Dye Brunette H03 Highlight Kit. 

But, if you’re taking the plunge with a full head of color, try our new Nutrisse Ultra Coverage range in a full palette of shades. Formulated with CoverPlusTM technology, it offers exceptional hair care for gray hair, nourishing, targeting and erasing ultra-stubborn grays, and delivering rich, radiant, permanent color.

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