Still celebrating Halloween? Here's something spooky: gray hairs that just won't go away. Boo! "That's the worst. You think you've dyed your gray hair, and it comes back a day or two later," says Dana Ionato, a colorist at Sally Herhsberger Downtown in New York City. It's a problem mostly faced by brunettes, since their grays tend to be most visible, but almost anyone can fall prey to this stubborn issue. Don't worry—your grays don't have Super Woman strength. Here's how to make sure they stay disappeared:
Leave the dye on longer (duh). "When grays aren't fully dyed, they can look almost like a highlight, especially on brunettes," says Ionato. "It can be really tricky to tell if you've got enough dye on them." If you color your hair at home, she suggests leaving the dye on for 30 minutes. If you go to a salon, ask your colorist to leave it on for about five minutes longer than he or she did last time.
Cover them with highlights. But only in the salon—it's seriously tricky to get them right at home. Ask your colorist to hide your grays using a permanent dye that's a shade or two lighter than your base color. If your hair is very dark, your colorist may need to use a permanent dye that's darker than your base to blend in wiry grays.
Don't fidget so much. "You wouldn't believe what a difference that can make," says Ionato."If you touch your hair, talk on the phone, or even take your glasses on and off, your color slides around, and some of it is going to move off your gray hairs."
Know how to touch up. If you notice gray strands (or roots), try Color Wow, a temporary root cover-up. The compact contains a tinted powder, mini brush, and mirror, so it's supereasy to paint over grays. And the coolest part? It won't run in the rain or snow.
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• No Longer Science Myth: A Treatment for Gray Hair Actually in the Works
