dhaI’m of a certain age (okay, I turned 50 last August) and have been battling gray hair for at least 10 years. It all seemed to start innocently enough … a few hairs here, a few there, and then before I knew it, it was much more than a few and I didn’t think twice about coloring it.

There are two camps when it comes to the gray hair thing: those that embrace (and rock) it and those that well … don’t. I’m definitely in the latter. I look fairly young for my age (really! I’m the lucky recipient of great genes and plumpy skin) and am sure gray hair would age me. And the thing is, I just don’t want to look older. I have a seven-year-old daughter and even though I usually am the oldest mom at the park (I once had the lovely realization that another mom was exactly half my age), I’m vain enough that I don’t want to look like the oldest mom at the park.

So I color my gray hair. Every four weeks. Like clockwork. I’ve not only tried just about every kind of hair coloring there is but I also worked for Clairol for almost seven years and know a little something about coloring gray hair.

Disclaimer before we get started: If you’re squeamish about the idea of using hair dye, you should go to a salon and have it done professionally. It’s not hard to do but depending on the product/shade you choose, it is possible to screw it up.

The Options:

Temporary Hair Color

Exactly as it sounds, once applied, temporary color lasts until it either wears off or you wash your hair. It’s a fast and easy way to get started coloring your gray or to use on your roots between at-home or professional coloring. It comes in a variety of formulas including liquids, mascara-like wands and color sticks (which my daughter has seen me use on my roots and gets a big kick out of telling people that her momma colors her hair with CRAYONS) and is easy enough to use. Apply it, let it dry and style your hair. The one caveat with temporary color is that depending on the product and how much you use of it (and if you get caught in a big rain storm), it can run or rub off.

Check out:

Fanci-Full Temporary Hair Color

No Gray Quick Fix Temporary Hair Color

Roux Temporary Haircolor Touch-Up Stick

Demi-Permanent Hair Color

The next step up are products that you apply, let sit, and then rinse out; the color lasts for up to 28 shampoos. The nice thing about demi-permanents is that the color looks natural, is easy to use and doesn’t rub off or run like a temporary product. It contains peroxide but not ammonia so it can’t lighten your hair but you can give your hair a boost by choosing a shade lighter or warmer than your color. For example, if you have naturally medium brown hair, you can use a light brown shade that will only work on the gray and voila! … no-commitment highlights! Keep in mind that demi-permanent color works best on hair that’s less than 50% gray or on gray hair that covers easily. The other bonus is it can brighten your overall hair color and add shine.

Gray Hair

Check out:

Clairol Natural Instincts

L’Oreal Healthy Look

Garnier HerbaShine

PERMANENT HAIR COLOR

Permanent color gives you the most options for both covering your gray and coloring the rest of your hair. It contains ammonia and peroxide so permanent coloring can (and will!) change your natural color — you can go lighter, darker, redder, warmer, ashier, or more golden. For the most realistic results, however, don’t go more than two shades lighter or darker than your original hair color. The one thing you should consider is that because it doesn’t wash out, your natural color (including gray hair) will show at your roots as your hair grows so you will need to recolor once every 4 – 6 weeks. To keep your hair healthy, you should plan on coloring just the new root growth. Fortunately, there are several products on the market just for your roots that take just 10 minutes so it’s easy enough to maintain.

Check out:

Garnier Olia

Revlon Luxurious Colorsilk Buttercream

L’Oreal Sublime Mousse

L’Oreal Root Rescue

A few tips before you take the plunge:

  • Every coloring product has a guide to help you choose the best shade for covering your gray hair. If you’re just starting, stay as close to your natural color as you can for the most flattering result.
  • If you can’t decide what shade to choose, contact the brand’s color experts for help. You can call, email, chat online and even download apps to get advice.
  • Before you use the color all over, always do the recommended strand test. Clip a small piece of your hair and put it in a bit of the solution to make sure you like the result before you do your whole head. It’s an extra step that’s totally worth it if it keeps you from making a mistake.
  • Also do the recommended allergy test; put a bit of the solution on your skin to make sure you don’t have an allergic reaction — it’s rare but it does happen.

Coloring your gray hair is a personal decision, but if you choose to give it a try, it can be a fun and exciting way to get a little boost and feel like a renewed version of your worn-out midlife mom self.  Happy coloring!