Old age. For most people, the concept of getting older is often associated with sorrow-inducing physical tiredness, wrinkles, and the commonly dreaded grey hair. But who says it has to be that way? After all, transitioning into our older years is a natural process that all of us can easily adapt to. And our hair, still alive and kicking more than ever, is more than ready for a glow-up!

Contrary to popular belief, maintaining silver hair naturally shiny and healthy isn’t all that difficult. In fact, it involves pretty much the same process that hair in the prime of its age would require. All it needs is just a touch of extra care, a little bit more moisturizing than usual, attentively selected products, and voila! Who says lush and vibrant hair ever went out of style? 

Certainly not us. Here’s what you need to know:

 1. Why Greying Happens
 2. How to Care for Grey Hair Properly
  2.1 Use Purple Shampoo Occasionally
  2.2 Use Shampoo Twice Per Wash
  2.3 Invest in a High Quality Conditioner or Serum
  2.4 Invest in Heat Protection

Why Greying Happens

In general, hair greying occurs due to a mix of age and genetics, with rarer occurrences of it resulting from health-related causes. 

Generally, hair might turn grey starting with age 35, but it can happen sooner to some and later to others. Each hair follicle contains pigment cells that produce melanin, the chemical responsible for the natural color in our hair. While modern-day society remains puzzled by this process, at one point during the body’s natural aging cycle, the cells do not produce as much melanin, making the hair appear grey. Furthermore, when they do not produce any more melanin at all, the hair becomes completely white. 

With greying, you may notice that the gray hair also appears dull and coarse, losing its natural volume and shine. This is because the oil glands do not produce as much sebum as before, making the hair dryer and rougher in texture, consequently damaging its physical appearance in the process. 

How to Care for Grey Hair Properly

Caring for your silver hair implies paying just a little bit of extra attention to it whenever you go about your usual hair routine. From shampooing technique to the products you are putting into it, we have laid out the best tips and tricks for white hair management. Follow these, and your naturally shiny grey hair will be the envy of the season:

Use Purple Shampoo Occasionally 

If your hair started greying, chances are that you might find some discoloration in the form of yellow strands. This is natural, and there is no need to worry, especially because there is a way to treat this – purple shampoo. 

The way purple shampoo functions differently from normal shampoo is that it counteracts the yellows by neutralizing the tones. To use a little bit of color theory: yellow and purple are on opposite sides of the color wheel, and when combined, opposite colors neutralize each other. If you do not want to invest in a completely different shampoo, you can also buy a purple conditioner and use that to achieve the same coloration effect.

You should use the shampoo once every other wash, or when you see that the yellow tones start reappearing. Unless you have orange strands, do not replace purple shampoo with a blue one, as the two colors might combine and make green, potentially staining your gray hair with the newly-created color hue.  

Use Shampoo Twice Per Wash

A common and efficient practice, especially for people who struggle with greasy roots. Put a generous amount of shampoo on the palm of your hand, rub it in a little to create heat and then apply it to the scalp, scrubbing gently while giving your scalp a relaxing massage, which in turn will also stimulate the secretion of your hair’s necessary oils. 

This is also when you break down any remaining build-up of previously-used hair products. Rinse everything off, then the second time you apply shampoo you can reduce the amount, because the hair will already be clean, and won’t require as much product. This second wash will ensure that there is no stubborn residue left in your hair. 

For this heavy-duty scalp purification process, we recommend that you use the ACV Shampoo and Coconut/Avocado Oil Conditioner combo. The concentrated nutrients found in the Apple Cider Vinegar shampoo will help purify the scalp both on the first wash as well as on the subsequent one. Moreover, the fruit-based nutrients in the conditioner make it the perfect option for a before-rinse added bonus, as its dynamic bioactive formula ensures that your white hair is left smoother, flake-free, and more malleable after-use. 

Invest in a High Quality Conditioner or Serum

To get that gray hair shine, you need to make sure that your hair has all the moisture it needs. Dark hair appears shinier because light bounces off it easily, but when the hair becomes lighter, the contrast will be gone, which is where leave-in conditioners and serums come in handy, sealing the hair strand with the added moisture it needs. 

Following the application of its accompanying shampoo, we greatly recommend the Moroccan Argan Oil Conditioner, for its added efficiency in combatting grey hair dehydration. Since it seals in the moisture that is naturally absorbed by the hair follicles, the hair’s natural glow is maintained regardless of how advanced the hair greying process is.

Only apply these types of hair products from the end up to the middle of your hair, so that there won’t be any build-up on the scalp and that there is no risk of greasy, unappealing roots. 

Invest in Heat Protection

Besides using a good shampo and conditioner, if you use heat to style your hair, you should always ensure that you apply a form of heat protection first. 

Heat dries out your gray hair, which might already feel coarse, as explained previously, resulting in its dull and brittle look. It’s best to avoid heat on your gray hair as much as possible, but if it can’t be avoided, at least use heat protection to minimize the damage, and keep the heat at a low intensity level. 

Natural hair oils, such as the onion-based Black Seed Hair Oil or the cold-pressed Castor Oil, are efficient heat protectors by themselves. They do so by creating a seal around the hair strand, not allowing any external heat to damage the hair follicles in the process. 

A Brighter Grey

Taking all of these tips into mind, you now know exactly how and when to apply the extra care that your greying mane needs to be as vibrant and as lively as it once was. 

More than that, you now have a much better understanding of how non-frightening the hair greying process actually is, and, just like any other part of the aging process, how easy it is to work with it, not against it. With the right care, and the right products, you can keep on rocking your iconic hair looks. Who says turning 61 can’t feel like turning 21?