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Articles from ‘Gray Hair’

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Ask A Stylist- Grey Hair

John asks:

“I want to know, when a hair turns grey, does it do so gradually or suddenly? I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen a partially grey hair. And does it become more brittle? Is there anything I can do to help give it that body that I had in my younger days?”

Interesting question John! Here’s what our stylists have to say:

Lancer says:

“The rate of graying hair is determined by genetics and stress. Sometimes the first grays that appear are visible because they sprout on top or on the sides of the head. At other times, a few sprout up in the back.

The hair loses its melanin from the inside out; the root may be gray and the ends your natural color, till those strands grow out completely. Gray hair usually is coarser, which lacks moisture. This can make the hair seem brittle and it needs special care.

A consultation with a professional stylist will assist you in obtaining the best professional shampoo and conditioner for your hair type; whether it is dull from aging, coarse and some mixture of gray and non-gray, or fine and some mixture of gray and non-gray.

As for giving your hair body, there absolutely are things that you can do. Again, it depends on your hair type. We carry Alterna’s Caviar Anti-Aging hair products at Emerson Salon. As we age, our hair loses its luster and sometimes also thins out. The Caviar products are designed with the latest technology to assist these specific hair needs.”

Ellen says:

“Grey hair is a loss of pigment, some people start graying around the temples or in spots and those hairs are going to be dry and wiry! To help with body and shine I suggest getting a clear gloss on your hair.  It is just to control the frizz and keep your grey hairs softer and more manageable while adding shine.”

Rusty says:

“Great question. As we age, or for genetic reasons, your natural hair falls out and is replace with a gray one. You don’t notice them until they get a little length on them, that’s why it seems like they suddenly appear. Gray hair is always a different texture from your other hair, and yes it’s usually more coarse. Conditioning treatments can help the feel of the hair. Hair color can also affect the texture of gray hair, making it more manageable.

Most over-the-counter conditioning systems are unable to penetrate to the cortex of the hair and don’t give a lasting texture change to gray hair. Many salon-quality systems use nano-tech to penetrate the hair shaft to the cortex, thus enabling a longer lasting texture change.

You should always have a conversation with your hair professional about what types of hair care products are right for you. I suggest you call and make an appointment with your favorite stylist. Consultations at Emerson are free, and it would be my pleasure to sit down with you and discuss your hair care needs.”


Thanks for your question John! Stop by Emerson to pick up some great anti-aging products, or make an appointment with a stylist to figure out what treatments will be perfect for your hair.

Keep an eye out for more Ask a Stylist blog posts coming up soon!

TagsAlterna Products, Ask A Stylist, Ellen Yates, FAQ, Gray Hair, Hair Color, Hair Science, Lancer Forney, Men's Hair, Rusty Jones

Saturday, March 14th, 2009

Even The President Colors His Hair

February 12, 2009, left, and September 19, 2008

Even the President likes to look his best. Though by the looks of the photograph on the left, it might be time to visit his stylist for a color touchup.

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TagsGray Hair, Hair Color

Monday, March 9th, 2009

Has the gray got you down?

For many, going gray affects our self confidence, can affect our image, and is associated with being old. On the upside, many find gray hair to be sexy, distinguished, and well-earned. Among those of us who aren’t celebrities, some choose to not go gray gracefully and choose to have our gray blended, covered, or highlighted. When considering whether or not to color your gray hair, here are some things to consider:

Professional vs. “DIY”: Though several home coloring kits are on the open market, a professional colorist has a much bigger color toolbox to work with, along with years of technical training and creative abilities. This combination allows us to custom mix exact color formulas for our clients; producing a natural looking result. We use excellent color at Emerson Salon. Our main color line comes from Italy, Framesi. The Framesi color line is extensive and with it, we are able to do permanent, semi-permanent, demi-permanent, and temporary color services. For gray blending for men, we sometimes use another excellent professional hair color- Redken’s Color Camo, which takes about ten minutes. The color fades over time, so you don’t get a dramatic color change as it grows out. This effect is also achieved with Framesi’s semi-, demi- and temporary colors.

Color Maintenance: Color retouches at Emerson are $45.00. For most clients, follow-up appointments are necessary every 4 months, and for others, it can range from 3 to 8 weeks. This depends on a few factors:

  • Original Color
  • Percentage of gray hair
  • Desired tone
  • How light or dark the final color is in comparison to your natural color(s)

Home Color: The chemical make-up of home (box/OTC) color is inferior and can go too dark, not cover gray, or fade off too soon. That said, should you choose to color at home, purchase a non-permanent color first, at least a shade lighter than your desired result, in case it does go too dark. It is easier to reapply with a darker shade afterward. Always do a patch test, and follow the instructions on the box.

-posted by Lancer

TagsAsk A Stylist, Gray Hair, Lancer Forney, Styling Tips

Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

Is the gray taking over?

I was chatting with an former high school classmate on Facebook yesterday. She told me that her gray hair was starting to take over her hair. Here’s the advice I gave her.

This will be the first time she has had her hair colored professionally. Since she lives in Nashville, TN she can’t come to Emerson Salon, so I told her to go check out her local stylists. When she begins her search she should first endeavor to find someone who is a Framesi educated colorist, who uses Framesi 2001 hair color. If that isn’t doable then she was to address potential stylists with this statement. ” I would like to have a single process level-on-level demi-permanent, deposit only hair color.” I told her that if the stylist looks at her funny or doesn’t seem to understand what she is saying, she should thank them as she is exiting the building.

Any good colorist should understand this language. If they don’t they don’t have enough training. If they tell you that they don’t have demi-permanent color, semi-permanent might suffice but you might have a more noticeable out growth.

I told her DO NOT GET FOILS or highlights. Since it is her first professional color, and she is beginning to get gray, highlights will not eliminate the gray. Demi-permanent hair color like Framcolor Eclectic by Framesi, or Framesi 2001 using Mixtones as a developer, are the perfect start to deciding whether or not you want to color your hair. They give 100% gray blending and will leave your hair shiny, conditioned, and manageable. They will fade over time and won’t leave a noticeable line of outgrowth. Low ammonia makes these colors ideal because they cause the least amount of cuticle damage.

I hope this little piece of advice will help you avoid any potential hair color disasters. If you have questions please feel free to set up a consultation.

Thank You,

Rusty Jones

TagsFramesi, Gray Hair, Hair Color, Rusty Jones

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008

The Science of Gray Hair

WHAT IS GRAY HAIR?

Graying hair is actually not turning gray at all. When you get older (oh no!!) the hair pigmentation from within the hair follicle starts to slowly shut down over time. While this is happening, the hair slowly turns to a barely pigmented strand to a shimmering white/translucent hair. Some call it “natural highlights” and others call them “their sparkles.” The hair’s cuticles become tighter and can become “wire-y”, kinky or spiral/coil in nature. This cuticle tightening can result in difficulty styling and color coverage. This is known as RESISTANT hair. When making decisions about what to do with your graying hair, consider the following options.

WHAT DO DO WITH “GRAYING” HAIR?

Some people like their gray and choose to let nature take it’s course. Others like to defy time and cover their gray. When coloring, you have a few options:

  • Permanently cover hair with hair color all over: This requires a skilled colorist who can custom formulate to your hair and wishes. Regular maintenance every 6-8 weeks is necessary as grow out can occur that can show the difference between the colored hair and the new growth. This can be matched to your natural hair color, formulated to lighten all over in order to show less demarcation with the incoming “gray,” or formulated darker to create a different look.
  • Temporarily cover hair with hair color: This requires a skilled colorist who can custom formulate as well. The grow out is minimal as the hair can be covered 100% but will fade out over time. Gray blending is what it is known as and can be matched to your natural color or a level(s) lighter depending on the desired effect. These formulations can add shine, moisture and proteins to the hair which can aid in overall appearance and manageability as graying hair can be more difficult to style.
  • Permanently Highlight: Dimensional color (foiling) can blend the incoming lighter hair with lighter highlights and can lighten the overall appearance of the hair depending on the concentration of highlights. Some choose to do this while also “lowlighting” in order to keep the appearance of their natural level as well as the health/condition of the hair.

When deciding to color you hair you should have an in-depth consultation with your stylist in order to achieve the perfect results for you. Our color lines are technologically designed to bring predictable results when combined with a thorough consultation based on maintenance needs and personal preferences.

Remember: Appropriate shampoo and conditioner is essential to the longer life and quality of your color based on your stylist’s recommendations.

post by D’Arcy

TagsD'Arcy Harrison, Gray Hair, Hair Consultation, Hair Science