8 Products To Enhance Grey Hair, Not Disguise It

We already know that it affects both our skin and our joie de vivre, and now new research has shown the toll stress takes on the colour of our hair. The study, published this week by Nature, found that mice who endured stressful events were more likely to have grey hair, thanks to an acceleration of the process by which pigment (which makes up hair colour) is produced. Put simply, when our nervous systems are put under stress, we run out of the stem cells that change into pigment-producing cells faster than we would if they weren’t. Cue grey hair.

The good news is, there are myriad methods to help soften and elevate the appearance of pigment-less strands of hair, to embrace a hair colour that no longer holds anything to fear (especially since it was embraced by the fashion world). “If you are going grey, the first step is to purposefully leave a little bit of grey around the hairline so it starts to break up that harsh regrowth,” says colourist and founder of the eponymous salon, Josh Wood. “It looks a bit more natural and helps to introduce grey gradually.”

Read more: The Ultimate Grey Hair Guide

Many will jump to disguise grey as soon as it makes itself known, but Wood recommends discussing a plan of action with your colourist instead. “It can be a good idea to introduce some kind of highlights or balayage to help break down the demarcation, where the line of grey meets the coloured hair,” he explains.

Just as blondes’ lighter hairs are more prone to becoming discoloured as a result of the environment and the chemicals they’re exposed to, the same is true of grey hairs. Using violet or blue-pigmented formulas will help to impart an icy fresh, youth-boosting finish to the hair, lifting its natural hues. Wood’s own Colour Shade Shot Gloss in Icy Blonde is both a semi-permanent colour and a hair treatment, which rids hair of any cigarette stain-esque yellow tinge while delivering hair-bolstering quinoa protein and moisturising shea butter.

Similarly, grey hair can often feel coarse, dry and unmanageable, so hydrating products are essential to keep it soft, shiny and as sleek as possible.

Here is Vogue’s pick of the grey hair saviours that deserve a spot on your bathroom shelf.