How can I transition my hair to grey? Ask The Kit

“I’m inspired to let my hair go grey. I have no idea where to start, though. What are my options to make the transition?” —Silver Curious in Midtown

To grey or not to grey is a big question right now. I look in awe at friends and colleagues who put the isolation the pandemic offered to good use, taking the opportunity to get past the awkward regrowth stage of going grey in private.

I truly love and wholeheartedly support the grey hair movement, even as I remain firmly on the fence myself: Because freedom of choice is the real issue. I’m comfortable being in the vanguard on certain things (I had kids younger than my friend group; I also had more than my share of marriages back when only Liz Taylor was doing that), but as for my hair, it has remained steadfastly the same for lo these many decades.

Going grey shows a tremendous amount of confidence and comfort in yourself, both things I admire and aspire to. So, Silver Curious, I am delighted to take on your question, because examining how things could work is the first step to making any big life decision. I reached out to the star colourist who “did” the grey transition for an editor whose look I adore. Luis Pacheco is the founder of Medulla & Co, and creator of the TO112 (pronounced “two one two two”) hair care line.

“There are many different options, the first being to just to let the grey grow out,” says Pacheco. “If you are up for the journey, it can be really cool.” Or you could cut your hair really short, and as he says, “explore the whole pixie, short hair look.”

The third, which is a big investment in time and money, is to seek out a hair colour expert (and you want an expert here — this is high-wire colour work, so put the cash into someone whose work you have researched and revere). For most hair lengths, says Pacheco, that means removing “three or four years of hair colouring, so you can mimic your natural regrowth.” Then you can start playing with the dark to white ratios, but more on that in a bit.

“Different people go grey in different patterns,” he says. “Sometimes it starts at the hairline, sometimes it is condensed in the back, sometimes at the temples, or in that big, white streak at the front; there are so many different ways white grows in.”

A colourist, he says, has to let the regrowth pattern guide them, to work out how much of the dark to put back in, and how much of the light to put back in. This is what Pacheco calls the camouflage approach, and, aside from the initial time and money, it has the distinct advantage of meaning your “upkeep” is much less.

Because here is the hard truth: Yes, going grey means less upkeep, but do not be mistaken, says Pacheco, there will be some upkeep! “Grey hair still needs care,” he says. And sometimes it needs a colour adjustment. “Not everybody suits an ashy colour. If you are growing in grey, sometimes it is unflattering with your skin tone, and accentuates shadows under the eyes and wrinkles.” It’s all about the complexion: “Sometimes we need to make the colour a bit warmer, softer. Grey hair isn’t grey: It is white.” Adjusting the grey colour — quite aside from keeping it from going yellow — is what Pacheco calls “a filtering effect for your face. I’ve seen bad colour do nasty things, and great colour do magic as well.”

So, back to the camouflage process. Let’s break it down with Pacheco. Remember, he cautions, everyone is individual, and balancing out the most flattering transition will mean different things to different heads of hair. “You have to strip the areas that are white (under the colour) first. I hate using that word, but it is a harsh process; you remove the artificial pigment you have been applying for however long to create a white base. That means you bleach it in levels, removing first the red, then the orange, then the pale orange, then the yellow, the pale yellow and then you finally get to white.” Once you reach that point, your hair will likely be quite fragile. As Pacheco puts it, removing all the pigment is tantamount to “removing all the protein.”

“Once you have lifted hair to that point, you go into whatever is left in between, adding the dark part of the ration to match ends to the roots,” he says. Essentially, the idea is to use artificial colour to recreate what the root is telling you. These lowlights reflect off the white and give the overall “colour impression,” says Pacheco. For example, with male clients who walk this “camouflage balance,” he leaves some artful grey where you’d expect it, such as at the temples like a classic male newscaster. (If only the same were applicable to female newscasters, right?)

If you are a woman doing a “camouflage” approach, expect to spend about four hours in the hair colour chair for a transition appointment. “It depends what you are walking in with,” says Pacheco, and it helps if the colourist knows you and has been able to look at some regrowth over time. “There would be a number of treatments along the way, from removing buildup to removing pigment, adjusting the high and low lights, plus a final gloss.” With a senior colourist of Pacheco’s stature, that process would be $450. Add on a senior stylist, because that new hair is going to need a refresh, and it is another $250.

At that point, yes, you could probably wash and go, but to keep it up, you would likely need an appointment every six to eight weeks. (Believe me, this is much less than the clockwork every four weeks needed to keep up with banishing all grey; many clients come in to salons every three weeks, especially if they have dark hair.)

Homework is critical, too, says Pacheco. This is a major life transition and a sizable investment of both time and money. “Clients who are very serious about hair health get the most out of their investment,” he says. “It is like buying an expensive garment, and dry cleaning the silk shirt that says ‘dry clean only.’”

Pacheco describes the whole process as a bit of science, a bit of guesswork, a bit of praying, and a whole lot of confidence — on the part of the client, that is. In making that decision to go grey, “you are part of a category: the grey-haired person. You are showing you have the confidence to carry it, as opposed to colour carrying you. You are saying, ‘I am OK in my natural state.’”

A good hair dresser should support you in getting to that point and feeling like the best version of yourself, whether it’s by cheating your natural dark-to-light ratio or tweaking your grey to better suit your skin tone. “Nature doesn’t always get it right,” says Pacheco. But an expert colourist can.

Shop the advice

Hair products to keep your grey looking its best

Oribe Silverati Shampoo, $57, sephora.ca SHOP HERE

Pacheco recommends this salon formula from Oribe to keep your grey looking sleek and silver.

Matrix Total Results So Silver Deep Conditioner, $24, amazon.ca SHOP HERE

The violet of this colour-depositing conditioner neutralizes your undertone, getting the brassy out of blond and the yellow out of grey.

TO112 Collagen Hair Mask, $74, ca.to112.com SHOP HERE

Strengthen your strands in just three to five minutes after every wash. The hero product from Pacheco’s own hair care line is formulated to revive damaged hair.

Living Proof No Frizz Nourishing Styling Cream, $50 (250 ml), sephora.ca SHOP HERE

This no-silicone formula is great for grey hair, which can tend to be coarse and wiry, as it smooths the cuticle without weighing hair down.

When you make a purchase through the links in this article, we may earn a small commission. Our journalism is independent and not influenced by advertising. Learn more

SHARE: