Going Gray … with Style

By Andrea Busche

Believe it or not, gray, silver, and “salt and pepper” hair is on point these days, and not just for senior citizens. Many in their 20s and 30s are experimenting with blueish-silver or purplish-silver hues. It’s quite possible that this interesting trend began in Hollywood.

After all, everyone from Ted Danson and George Clooney to Jamie Lee Curtis have ditched the dye and are happily embracing their gray or silver hair with confidence and style. And, while these “elder statesmen” of Hollywood have no doubt gone gray naturally, even younger stars like Lady Gaga and Pink are intentionally dying their hair a variety of gray and silver hues.

Cover it up or go natural?

Whether your hair turned prematurely gray in your 20s, or you’re in your 40s, 50s and beyond, many of us are alarmed when the silver hairs first start popping up. We quickly reach for the hair dye, or, alternately, many men opt to shave their heads. And while dyeing the gray away is always an option, many people, from Hollywood celebrities to our neighbors and friends, are choosing to simply embrace their silver locks.

Julie Miller, stylist and owner of JwMillz Salon in Proctor, offers up some tips for going gray gracefully. This can range from adding a few well-placed highlights to getting your hair dyed with a “demipermanent” color, so it can fade to gray gradually. Women should also consider updating their makeup accordingly, and those with gray hair may want to switch up their shampoo and other hair products to accommodate its coarser texture.

Large demographic Miller shared that a large part of her client base, roughly 50 percent, are people who want to cover their gray hair. While there are plenty of hair dye products one can use at home, Miller recommends visiting a stylist to properly ditch the gray.

Julie Mills, owner of JwMillz Salon in Proctor, works with many clients who want to either enhance or cover up their gray. “Highlights definitely help. It helps blend the grays out better and makes it a more gradual change,” she said.

“Gray hair can be difficult to cover properly,” she said. To fully cover grays, permanent hair dye is applied and must be touched up regularly at the roots, as the gray hair grows back in. Touch-ups are usually done every six to eight weeks.

Alternately, many of her clients are slowly embracing their gray or silver hair. As such, Miller has a few tricks in her back pocket to help make the transition easier.

GOING GRAY: Page 9