The Big Resistance

One of the biggest reasons today’s men color their hair is to hide the gray. What most don’t know is that gray hair is resistant to hair color. In order for hair color to penetrate gray hair a special additive is added to the hair color formula. Generally if your gray is shiny your hair is probably resistant. Look for a hair color product that is specifically formulated for coloring gray hair if yours is resistant.

If you’re one of the lucky ones who don’t have this type of hair, you can cover your gray with just about any hair-coloring product that is on the market today.

The Difference In Coloring Products

Now that you know what type of gray hair you have, you may be asking yourself what’s the difference in all of the hair coloring products?

Temporary hair color only lasts until your next shampoo. This is an excellent choice for guys who aren’t sure if covering their gray is right for them. A word of caution however, if you choose a shade that is more than one shade darker than your natural hair color it will not wash out in one shampooing.

A semi-permanent hair color will last through 6-12 shampoos and are another excellent choice for those who don’t want to keep the new hair color. As with the temporary products, never go more than one shade darker unless you want permanent results.

Permanent hair color is just that, permanent. The only way to get rid of this type of coloring is to grow it out, recolor it or shave it all off. This is a good choice for guys who don’t want the fuss of having to color their hair so much and like the color change. Keep in mind that you will need to have touch-ups done ever 6-8 weeks.

The How To’s

Once you have decided on the product that is right for you, your first step is to do an allergy test just to make sure you are allergic to the hair color product. You will find directions for this inside your product’s box.

Once you have done the allergy test, mix the dye by following the product’s directions and using the gloves provided.

Next, apply a petroleum jelly around your hairline and cover with cotton balls to prevent any excess dye from getting on your skin.

Apply the dye mixture beginning at the roots and working your way out to the tips. Be sure to work in small sections of your hair completely saturating every strand.

To help the dye penetrate even better, place the plastic cap provided with your product over your hair and secure with a hair clip. If your product did not come with a hair cap you can either purchase one ahead of time or you can use plastic kitchen wrap.

Depending on the product, you will want to leave the hair color in for the amount of time stated on the directions. Generally at most 20-25 minutes. Remember the more time the dye is in your hair, the darker the color. Also keep the dye in for longer than the product’s recommendation could result in severely damaged hair.

Once the time is up, remove the cotton balls and rinse the dye from your hair until the water runs clear.

Next, apply the conditioner found with your product to your hair. Leave the conditioner in for at least two minutes and then rinse thoroughly. Finally, towel dry hair.

Now just style your hair as usual and pat yourself on the back for a job well done. If you’ve chosen a semi-permanent to permanent color, invest in a shampoo and conditioner that is specifically meant for color-treated hair to prevent premature fading and keep your color look fresh and new.

On a final note: If you’re color turned out to be far from what you had imagined, seek the help of a professional hair colorist. He or she can help correct the mistake or at the very least, give you advice on where to go from there.

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