Any tips for blending gray hair into brown?

[KathyBC]

First world problem - I like my hair, but it's thinning a bit in the same spot men often start to thin, and gray there as well. When hair is down the gray is visible but looks okay. No gray in the back as yet. But it's up a lot, between work, exercise, meal prep and baking. It looks very odd to see mostly brown hair and patches just at the front of no color/gray. I don't mind going gray so much, but the in between abruptness looks unnatural, lol.
DD says to bring a picture to the salon or I will probably be disappointed, but I don't know what search terms to use or what look I'm even going for. Do you think the hairdresser will be able to read my mind for me? ?

[MEmama]

There are lots of photos of "transitioning" on Pinterest.

For some reason they came up for me just last night, even though I have no intention of going grey yet. I wonder what other secrets they know? Lol

Edited November 8, 2018 by MEmama

[KathyBC]

Thanks for the search term. From the pictures on Pinterest, I would have to add more gray in. It looks more natural, just not sure how I feel about colouring perfectly good hair gray, lol.

[gardenmom5]

I did tri-color foils for a long time.  

in the 70s "frosting" was very popular.  now, it's simply called "gray/silver/whatever" -

the foil could add lighter brown highlights to your hair - as well as the gray part.  the difference is less noticeable.

[Lori D.]

Very happy having my stylist use Redkin "shades" on me. It adheres esp. well to the gray, and naturally fades a little with each hair washing, so never a "skunk streak" along the roots. It does cover the gray (which doesn't sound like what you're shooting for), but it looks like highlights, and gives a beautiful dimension to my hair. The other thing I love about it is that it smooths and "tames" the weird wiry gray hairs that do not look like or behave like the rest of my hair.I believe this is what she uses, but she is trained and she actually mixes to create a complimentary match for my hair color, so I recommend going to someone who is experienced in using the product.

It's not cheap to do, and is mostly faded out after 10-12 weeks, but it might be worth doing for a few years until more of your hair has transitioned to gray.

PS - You could also use shades to go all the way gray, too. My stylist says that shades actually adheres *best* to naturally white or grey hair, so going the direction that I do -- a gold/brown color to compliment what brown I have left -- works great, because all my grey turns into various gold/brown shades of highlights. Don't know how it would look covering your remaining hair color with grey... (:D

Also, I attached a before/after of using Redken Shades to fix a home color with that hard "skunk streak" (note: this is NOT me, lol). The 2 photos on the left are "before", the 2 on the right are "after".

Edited November 8, 2018 by Lori D.

[prairiewindmomma]

She did a great job!

I tried Redken Shades, and my greys were too stubborn to be covered at all. My only option is to do highlights and lowlights.....I can lowlight with Redken Shades and my non-grey will pick up the color, but I have to highlight to blend in the greys.

I gave up about a year ago.

[KathyBC]

34 minutes ago, Lori D. said:

Very happy having my stylist use Redkin "shades" on me. It adheres esp. well to the gray, and naturally fades a little with each hair washing, so never a "skunk streak" along the roots. It does cover the gray (which doesn't sound like what you're shooting for), but it looks like highlights, and gives a beautiful dimension to my hair. The other thing I love about it is that it smooths and "tames" the weird wiry gray hairs that do not look like or behave like the rest of my hair.I believe this is what she uses, but she is trained and she actually mixes to create a complimentary match for my hair color, so I recommend going to someone who is experienced in using the product.

It's not cheap to do, and is mostly faded out after 10-12 weeks, but it might be worth doing for a few years until more of your hair has transitioned to gray.

PS - You could also use shades to go all the way gray, too. My stylist says that shades actually adheres *best* to naturally white or grey hair, so going the direction that I do -- a gold/brown color to compliment what brown I have left -- works great, because all my grey turns into various gold/brown shades of highlights. Don't know how it would look covering your remaining hair color with grey... (:D

Also, I attached a before/after of using Redken Shades to fix a home color with that hard "skunk streak" (note: this is NOT me, lol). The 2 photos on the left are "before", the 2 on the right are "after".

That would be a huge plus... they're so weird and wiry!

[Lori D.]

18 minutes ago, KathyBC said:

That would be a huge plus... they're so weird and wiry!

Yes, I have very fine, straight hair, and those gray hairs just have a mind of their own, which makes it 10x harder to make my hair look decent -- it already is hard enough trying to make fine, thin, flat, straight hair with no body look like anything to begin with. (:0

[KathyBC]

UPDATE:
Stylist went with blond foils to start. Comparatively less expensive, easy to upkeep roots. He said it would be easy to add in another color later if I wanted to... and at this point I'm quite certain I will want to add some lighter brown, too. Hubby loves it, dd loves it, middle son and I are not so sure, lol. It will take some getting used to. You definitely do not notice the gray anymore, lol.
I appreciate the help and moral support!

On 11/7/2018 at 5:57 PM, gardenmom5 said:

I did tri-color foils for a long time.  

in the 70s "frosting" was very popular.  now, it's simply called "gray/silver/whatever" -

the foil could add lighter brown highlights to your hair - as well as the gray part.  the difference is less noticeable.

 

Edited December 1, 2018 by KathyBC