Gray Blending Is the Secret to Concealing Grays Without the Need for Constant Touchups
Your guide to covering up grays for the most natural look
Going gray doesn’t mean you’re old, and it doesn’t mean you don’t have options for your hair color either. At least not these days! That’s because plenty of celebrities and real women alike are embracing their silver strands—from sporting stray grays to rocking a full head of them. And hair stylists have found new ways of keeping every kind of gray hair looking fierce and fresh. The latest technique for working with your grays and still looking youthful? Gray blending. It involves blending your grays into your base color, but there’s a little more to it. Here, learn all about this dyeing trick, what benefits it offers and the pro tricks for achieving the results yourself.
What is gray blending?
Think of gray blending as a low-key—and potentially lower-maintenance—strategy of disguising your white or silver hairs. “Gray blending is a technique where you add hair dye to a percentage of the hair, leaving some of the gray to help soften the line of demarcation that appears when the hair grows in over the next four to six weeks,” says Jay Small, a certified trichologist, hairstylist and co-founder of Arey. “Often, with full coverage, this line can be harsh. But when you leave a couple grays, it can help to seamlessly blend them and make the hair dye appear more natural.”
While stylists see gray blending as a more “natural” way of going gray gracefully, it can be done on your natural hair tone or dyed hair. The goal is to purposely omit some of your coverage for what Small calls a “lived-in” look. This coloring technique works well for all hair colors, but gray blending for dark hair is especially beneficial because of the contrast between grays and darker locks.
For another explanation on gray blending, watch this video from TikToker @raw.hair.
The benefits of gray blending
1. Gray blending is natural-looking
An all-over permanent dye job to cover grays creates a harsh line of growth. And this means you’ll have to cover it again and again with frequent touch-ups. With gray blending, you’re still taking care of some of the grays but preserving some of the hair’s dimension. And it’ll be that much easier to lean into a full gray transition one day, if that’s something you’re looking to do.
2. Gray blending can help hair stay healthy
Turns out this technique can be a little gentler on your tresses, thanks to the way the color is typically applied. “Limiting on-scalp color application, usually gray blending is done with foils or free hand,” says Small. “When you apply color to fully cover gray hair, the dye is typically put on the scalp, and this can expose the scalp to the hair dye and cause oxidative stress.” Essentially, the less your scalp is exposed to dye, the better, since oxidative stress can hinder normal hair growth.
3. Gray blending saves you time and money
“Another benefit is extending time in between color services,” says Small. “Hair grows, on average, a half inch per month, and for those covering gray, this can mean roots will be visible three to five weeks after a color application.” Because gray blending lets you keep some of your grays, the regrowth lines will be softer, which Small says can add weeks to your typical coloring schedule.
4. Gray blending can help you transition to gray hair
If you’ve considered ditching the dye and embracing your natural gray hair, this technique can help. You can blend as few (or as many) gray hairs as you’d like. For example, if you tend to get grays at the front of your hair or along your part, highlights can be created to enhance the grays while still blending them as they grow out. All of this is to say that gray blending can be customized to achieve your desired results.
How to do gray blending
Gray blending can be done in a few different ways. What technique you choose depends on how much gray you have in your hair in the first place, where it’s located, how much coverage you’re looking for and what your base color is. Darker hair is often simpler to address with a single shade of dye that’s close to your base, but gray blending lighter shades can often benefit from a mix of highlights and lowlights. Here, a few different strategies for gray blending depending on where you want to conceal grays.
Gray blending if you have stray grays
If you have just a few silver strands peeking out from your base color, a gloss or demi-permanent dye is the way to go. “For stray grays, I would use a free-hand approach and a demi-permanent dye — this is indicated by the level of developer, which for demi is 10 volume,” says Small. “This is a good choice for sporadic gray because it will not likely change the hairs that are not gray, and it will allow the color to fade naturally during the weeks after the color application.”
Guy Tang, celebrity colorist and founder of #myidentity, says to choose a shade that’s close to your natural base hair color. While demi-permanent dyes can come as liquid- or cream-based products, Small prefers cream formulas. “This will allow for more precise application, as liquid products can easily spread onto hairs you don’t wish to dye,” he says.
To paint your hair, Tang suggests using a brush for precision. And how you hold the brush and apply the color is key. “When working free hand, you will want the color application brush to be parallel with the strands, working from roots down the hair strand,” says Small. “After you have completed the application, I would use a comb to help distribute the color and blend in with the rest of the strand or strands,” he adds. Let the dye process according to the box instructions and thoroughly rinse hair.
To see this technique in action, see this TikTok from @vanessahairhtx.
Gray blending if you have all-over gray root growth
Grays coming in all along your roots? You’ll likely have to go a little stronger with the developer, and then carefully apply color to the roots, blending outward. “When you are experiencing a higher percentage of gray, I would suggest using a developer that can penetrate the gray but not over-doing it,” says Small. “Often we are told as hairstylists to use 20 volume developer for gray coverage, but in my salon, I would use somewhere between 10 and 20 volume developer, depending upon the client’s gray percentage, texture and hair density.” Tang suggests starting at the back as you section your hair for even application, remembering to not paint every last gray for that natural look.
And if you notice your color is fading too soon after application? Small says that this can be avoided by formulating the color one half to a full shade darker. “This will allow for more dye molecules and give better, longer-lasting coverage,” he says. “You may also need to increase the volume of developer, but only a little. I find with color, small tweaks observed over time will get you to the best formulation for your desired hair color.”
For a gray blending transformation, watch this video from TikToker @emchenhair.
Gray blending if you have grays at the temples
Tang suggests sticking to thinner sections at the temples, blending outward with your brush for a softer look. Small agrees but suggests going a little lighter in this spot for a seamless look. “For gray in the temples, I would take a free-hand approach, similar to how we discussed addressing sporadic grays with a demi-permanent dye and creme base,” says Small. “The hairs around the front hairline tend to be shorter, finer and lighter. When formulating hair dye for this area, I would start one half to a full shade lighter than the dye you would use throughout the rest of the head. Sometimes the front hairline can absorb more color and appear darker than the rest of the head.”
Subtle highlighting can also help camouflage grays as shown in this video from TikToker @melaniehasson.
Gray blending if you have grays at the part
When it comes to grays at the part, take a closer look at exactly how much pigmentation loss you have before you decide on your dye developer. “Depending on the percentage of gray, I would use lower developer for those with less gray/white and increase the volume of developer for those with more gray/white hair,” says Small. “When dealing with the part, it is important not to alter the hair around the grays, as those are hairs that still have pigment. If you formulate too dark or use too high a volume of developer, this can make it obvious that you have colored your hair. Plus, the grow-out process becomes more obvious too. For this reason, Small likes to use foils with very fine sections. “This will allow for the softest, most natural blending and a more precise application.”
To see a transformation using this technique, check out this video from @amberjensenhairstylist on TikTok.
Gray blending best practices
“When trying to blend color, I always recommend combing the product several times after application, and processing is almost complete,” says Small. “For example, after you apply color to the whole head, go back and section the hair and comb the product from the roots to the mid shaft of the hair. This will spread the dye and help it blend most naturally with the rest of the strand.”
With foils, the technique is a little different. “If you have applied the product in foils, about 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing, remove the foils one by one,” says Small. “With each foil you remove, comb the hair to spread the product throughout the strand.”
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