Hair Color
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01.19.2021
How to Color Gray Hair Blonde
Going from gray hair to blonde is a process that’s always best done by a Wella professional. Not only do you have to get the roots under wraps, but you need to know how to lighten hair flawlessly, too. The good news is, unlike gray on dark hair, gray on blonde tends to blend a little more seamlessly, so when the post-color regrowth comes through, clients get a softer, subtler line.
Here, we reveal how you, as a colorist, can help them reach that point, with our need-to-know guide on creating gray to blonde hair in the salon. Keep scrolling for tips, tricks, videos and formulas…
The Basics of Going from Gray Hair to Blonde
Before you begin your gray coverage technique, there are five tips you need to know. These are the basics of a blonde cover-up; the tricks that unlock your client’s dream result.
1. Assess the Percentage and Distribution of Gray
First, take a good look at your client’s hair. Assess the percentage of gray that’s present, as well as how those silver strays are distributed throughout the head. This will help you decide on the right product and technique to use. For example, if they have very heavy gray and would like it completely covered, you may require a permanent hair color that saturates the regrowth area.
2. Choose a Lightener to Add Highlights and Lift
We all know the best choice for blonde is Blondor. Our award-winning lightener comes in a variety of forms, from bond-strengthening Blondorplex to sensitive Soft Blonde Cream. Unless your client’s natural regrowth is light (or you’re using Koleston Perfect, Special Blondes – but more on that later) you will need to select a product to lift their locks to the right level of blonde.
3. Pick the Best Blonde Hair Color to Cover Gray
As well as choosing a lightener, finding the perfect product to cover regrowth is key. This is determined by the percentage of gray and your client’s desired look.
For up to 30% gray coverage: Apply a semi-permanent color, like Color Fresh. It’s great for blending wispy grays, without leaving a strong line of demarcation. However, because it’s a non-oxidative color, it will not lift or lighten. You will need to use a pre-lightener on clients whose hair is not already blonde.
For up to 70% gray coverage: Opt for demi-permanent Color Touch or Color Touch Plus. These dreamy demis create a glossy color result in an array of blonde hues, and last for up to 24 washes.
For up to 100% gray coverage: Go for permanent formulas, like Illumina Color or Koleston Perfect, which provide complete coverage to the target area. If you’re using KP, make sure you mix in a Pure Naturals shade. Add ⅓ Pure Naturals on hair that’s 30-50% gray and ½ Pure Naturals for hair that's 50-100% gray.
For lift and color in one: For super-blonde color that lifts and tones, use Koleston Perfect Special Blondes; a range of high lift hues that should be mixed 1:2 with Welloxon Perfect Use 9% developer for three levels of lift, and 12% for three to five levels of lift.
4. Start Where Gray is Most Prominent
When applying blonde color to regrowth, you should always start where the gray is most prominent. Targeting the dense patches first means stubborn silver strays are exposed to the color or lightener for longer.
5. Use Heat to Speed Up the Process
If you’re hoping to reduce development time by around 50%, use a Climazon The blast of heat means grays will be gone after 15-25 minutes. Just make sure you double-check the results before you rinse the color out, using the tail end of a comb to peek at your client’s progress.
How to Color Gray Hair Blonde with Highlights
While you can hide regrowth with color, many clients prefer to blend grays away with highlights. Not only does this create a more natural-looking finish, but it also diffuses roots as they grow out. Apply the highlights first, starting in the area where gray is most present, and stroke the lightener from the gray roots to the tips using a tint brush. Next, apply the root coverage, making sure you saturate the regrowth area with your client’s chosen shade. Allow color to develop for 40 minutes (or up to 25 minutes under heat), then shampoo and neutralize. To revive lengths and ends, finish with a glossing service for soft tone and a boost of shine.
Watch: Covering Gray Hair with Highlights and Koleston Perfect
How to Color Gray Hair Blonde with Blonde Balayage
Because gray hair starts from the root, and balayage typically sweeps through the mid-lengths and ends, it’s unlikely you’ll be using freehand highlights to camouflage silver. However, balayage works together flawlessly with a dimension-boosting root shadow, so you can combine the two for a lived-in look with not a single gray in sight. Apply the root shadow first. Mix your client’s chosen color and brush it into the regrowth area, feathering downwards for a soft blend. Then, lightly backcomb just below the regrowth color. This creates separation between the root shadow and where you’re applying lightener, so the two can never mix. Once you’ve painted through the hair in balayage strokes, allow the roots, mid-lengths and ends to develop. Then, rinse and neutralize with Blondor Seal & Care to reveal soft, seamless, painterly color.
Watch: Covering Gray Hair with Blonde Balayage
3 Gray to Blonde Hair Transformations
1. Going from Gray to Dark Blonde Hair
Image Credit: @kai_sohn
In a bid to blend away silvery regrowth, Wella Passionista Kai Sohn swept highlights through the hair using Blondorplex + 1.9%. Lowlights came courtesy of Koleston Perfect 8/96 + 6/1 + 6%, while mid-lengths and ends were toned with 10/96 + 8/1 + 1.9%.
2. Blending Roots with Blonde Gray Hair
Image Credit: @elina.color
With a low percentage of grays to cover and brassiness through the mid-lengths and ends, Elina set about creating blonde gray hair with an icy-cool finish. First, Blondor + 1.9% was used to brighten up the regrowth area, before Illumina Color 7/ + 7/81 + 1.9% and 10/69 + 10/1 + 8/96 + 1.9% was applied over the top.
3. Disguising Gray Roots with Platinum Blonde
Image Credit: @philipchatzinikitas Opens in a new tab
Can you believe this before and after? From gray regrowth and brassy ends to platinum blonde, hair was transformed using Koleston Perfect 8/2 + 10/86 + 6% through the roots. Afterwards, hair was glossed in shades of Illumina Color, before dried and styled ends were spritzed with EIMI Glam Mist for a boost of shine.
