Age limits no longer apply when it comes to our hair. Old ‘rules’ about how we should wear our hair as we grow older are being swept away by an each-to-their-own approach, where there are no right or wrongs.
So just as you don’t have to chop it all off to a more ‘appropriate’ length now, there’s equally no obligation to fight against every visible strand of silver. Grey hair has become a colour you can choose to embrace and enhance, not a sign of ageing that needs to be hidden away.
While the best box dyes can make it easier to get natural-looking results if you choose to colour your roots, it’s no longer the only acceptable option. With a host of celebrities from Andie MacDowall and Helen Mirren to Glenn Close and Kristin Scott Thomas leading the way, we’re seeing how flattering and, yes, youthful grey can be when it’s done the right way.
The pros are noticing a shift to silver, too. Skye Edwards, artistic director at Gielly Green, is seeing more grey hairs than ever in her salon chair, and clients aren’t rushing to hide them. 'People are embracing grey; it grows out naturally and surprisingly easily for some, and hair looks all the greater for it,' she says.
Here are the simple tweaks that will make all the difference to your grey journey, whether it’s a new cut or switching up your at-home haircare regime to cater for changes caused by the menopause.
Try the ‘face-lift’ trick
Going grey is a journey that should be planned in advance, especially if you’re naturally dark. ‘We don’t usually go grey evenly, so I’ll always start with “colour mapping' for my clients,’ says elite hairdresser Gustav Fouche who runs a top London salon. ‘We look at the hair and the pattern of greying, and plan how high or low maintenance we want the transition to be.'
'If a client’s greys are mostly at the hairline, a simple option would be to blend in brighter grey highlights to soften the contrast between dark and light. It adds vibrancy around the face without harsh regrowth, and it only needs redoing every three months.’
Creating this lighter halo around the hairline is what celeb colourist Josh Wood calls 'a face-lift trick’. He explains: ‘It’s been used by professionals since the Old Hollywood era, and can add softness when you’re losing your natural colour.’
If your roots stop looking pretty between appointments, Josh’s Root Smudge and Blending Brush fills in gaps in seconds and lasts up to three washes.
Think natural, but enhanced
Grey hair looks beautiful when it’s cleverly enhanced with colour. ‘Some people are lucky enough to have naturally white, glossy hair but they’re the exception to the rule,’ says Gustav. ‘When people go grey, there’s usually a slightly ashy or yellow tone, so I recommend adding creamy, soft, paler pieces over the grey to make it look polished. As well as looking on-trend, it enhances the skin tone and is a lot less maintenance than having monthly root touch-ups at the salon.’
Highlights and balayage don’t need to be uniformly applied either. 'A few pieces of balayage, even if they aren’t applied directly from the root, always look beautifully youthful,' says Nicola Clarke, creative colour director and founder of Nicola Clarke Salons.
Ask for toner
Yellow tones in greying hair can look brassy and old-fashioned, but Nicola has a simple fix. 'Whenever you’re at the salon, ask your colourist to use a toner. It will make hair look shinier and add depth to your colour. This will have the result of making hair look brighter, healthier and more vibrant,' she advises.
To cut the costs, you can try a DIY version as well. L’Oreal Paris has a new, salon-inspired Cool Silver treatment to polish silver hair at home. Available in three shades, it leaves natural greys glossier and healthier in just 10 minutes, with results that last two weeks.
To keep the tone of the hair cool, use a silver or purple shampoo and conditioner regularly in between appointments. You'll find the GHI's tried and tested recommendations here.
Avoid very severe cuts
As with hair colour, a softer haircut can instantly lift the face. 'Opt for softly layered styles, rather than blunt cuts,' says Hayley Gibson-Forbes, director at S J Forbes. 'A blunt bob with a centre parting and no layering, for example, can look very severe. This is because as we age, the plumpness in our face is reduced and our face shape appears more angular, so any style that accentuates these angles can have an ageing effect.'
A more graduated haircut such as the ‘lob’ – a long bob that sits slightly beneath the jawline at the front – is a great alternative. 'The subtle layers will frame the face, making it appear fuller.’
If your hair is fine or thinning, read our guide to the most flattering cuts here.
Switch up your styling
Softer styling also creates a youthful effect on grey hair, says award-winning colourist and founder of STIL salon Christel Barron-Hough. She advises 'working with your natural hair texture to create an undone feel, no matter whether you have long or short hair.’
Retaining movement helps hair to look thicker, but don’t go overboard with the backcombing and volumising products as this can leave hair looking stiff and cause it to become dry and brittle – two issues that already tend to affect hair as we get older.
As Gustav notes, 'fullness is the friend of grey hair'. Keeping volume in the hair, and adding a swingy, bevelled edge to your ends keeps things looking soft.
Take a break from the hot tools every now and again, too, as while overstyling can damage every hair type at any age, older hair is more vulnerable to breakage because it loses elasticity over time, just like our skin. Maintaining healthy hair condition can make even the simplest cut sing.
Try long grey hair
'There’s no reason why older women ‘shouldn’t’ have long hair,' Christel affirms. 'Fashion really has no age limit and women can look absolutely amazing with longer lengths.' See, for instance, Salma Hayek who is embracing silver strands while keeping her hair long.
'The only caveat is making sure that hair quality and density supports a longer styler, so regular nourishment and a focus on condition is important.' Christel recommends a hair-specific supplement such as Viviscal 'to keep hair healthy and promote growth'. You can also find the GHI's tried and tested guide to hair supplements here.
If you’re on the fence about length, that’s a fabulous place to be, too. Jamie Stevens, celebrity hair stylist and founder of Jamie Stevens Salon, suggests collarbone length as the perfect in-between. 'With subtle layering, this will help lift your neck and jawline to give a youthful appearance,' he says.
Tweak your haircare
As hair loses its pigment, it tends to become coarser, making restorative haircare more important than ever. Lightweight conditioners and weekly treatment masks will penetrate and smooth the more porous hair cuticle without leaving hair lank, and styling products infused with added moisturising ingredients such as ceramides will elevate both your style and the condition of your lengths. The best shine-boosting glosses will help, too.
Avoid overwashing hair, too, to preserve strength, hydration and colour, especially if you live in a hard water area. This will give natural oils a chance to move from your scalp down the hair shaft (our scalp generally produces less oil as we age), adding natural shine and nourishment, not to mention giving you some precious time back. You may want to consider a water-purifying shower filter for healthier hair.
On the topic of hard water, grey hair can be particularly prone to the dulling mineral deposits that it leaves behind. You already know vitamin C is great for your skin, but use it in your haircare routine too – its acidic pH ‘chelates’ the hair, removing the hard water residue and product build-up that causes discolouration.
Balayage specialist Sibi Bolan swears by monthly illuminating vitamin C treatments to keep grey hair healthy and bright; look for powder-to-liquid or paste formulas to ensure vitamin C is as potent as possible. Vitamin C is an unstable molecule, so breaks down easily with exposure to the elements.
A punchy 15% vitamin C content counters the dulling effects of hard water.
As a finishing touch, a hair glaze offers luminosity and colour that lasts beyond a single rinse. Wella Professionals UK colour trend expert Zoë Irwin recommends boosting grey hair with a tinted glaze such as Wella Professionals Color Fresh Mask in Pearl Blonde, £15.75. It imparts a hint of colour and shines bright for up to six washes, plus it delivers far more moisture than a traditional silver shampoo alone.
Wella Professionals Fresh Semi-Permanent Colour Mask - Pearl Blonde
Care for greys in the sun
It’s especially important to give grey hair some extra TLC before, during and after sun exposure, according to stylist Paul Windle. “Grey hair is more prone to UV damage as it lacks the natural protection afforded to hair by pigment cells,” he says. “Although hair can’t burn like skin, UV radiation causes protein damage, which results in brittle, weak hair,” he explains. “Look out for products with UVA and UVB filters to both reduce damage and slow protein loss.”
