As some of you may have experienced already, graying hair usually has a different texture than naturally pigmented hair. It is commonly thicker and may also change in texture a bit, possibly curling a little, even if the rest of your hair is naturally straight. But most of all, gray hair will lose its moisture more rapidly, as does our skin when it ages.
If you decide to dye your hair, switching to a color shampoo would be beneficial, as it prevents the cuticle from lifting and the color from seeping out, according to GoodDyeYoung.
As for those who keep their natural hair, first of all, let us congratulate you. So many voices are pressuring us to dye our hair way into our 70s and beyond, so enjoying and flaunting your silver strands, regardless of age or gender, is a beautiful act we endorse.
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With your newly gray or white hair, you might want to consider switching to a moisturizing shampoo and incorporate a purple treatment shampoo as well once a week. In addition, you can add a moisturizing mask now and then.
A purple or blue shampoo treats a problem that has to do with the discoloration of the hair. Gray hair, as well as artificially lightened hair, tends to gain a brassy yellow tone over time due to exposure to pollutants. A purple or blue shampoo neutralizes this color and keeps your graying strands shiny and silver, kind of like polishing the silverware! There are also complimentary hair conditioners with the same pigments.
When using your regular moisturizing shampoo, make sure it does not contain any color ingredients, as these will build up on your hair over time.
Purple shampoos will neutralize any yellow tones that may have built up in your hair while blue shampoos will rid your hair of orange tones. As a general rule, purple shampoo is a better fit for gray hair. It is a slightly colored shampoo that leaves the faintest layer of dye on your hair. Since yellow and purple are complementary colors, they cancel each other out, and so, mixing them together results in a gray tone.
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After washing your hair with normal shampoo, you will wring out the water from your hair and distribute the purple shampoo throughout the length of your hair. Leave it on for 2-3 minutes, or as instructed on the bottle, and rinse. If you use blue shampoo, note that it tends to stain more than the purple one, so consider using gloves. Lastly, always wait at least one week between purple shampoo treatments, and follow with a moisturizing mask, since tinted shampoos can be a bit more drying for the hair.
