The Good. Clean. Fun.™ BLOG

Do you have gray tresses and looking for a way to embrace your gray? Good news, we have the answer! It’s a versatile technique that gives you a natural look with multidimensional tones. 

Gray blending is an excellent option for those who may need more time to be ready to go completely gray, are looking for a low-maintenance option, or are seeking a more dimensional look. If this sounds like you, read on to learn more about this popular method, including its benefits and how to achieve it. 

What Is Gray Blending? 

Gray blending is a technique that allows you to welcome your gray by enhancing it instead of covering it up. It involves blending your gray strands with shades similar to your natural tone.

If you want to conceal your grays completely, check out our post on how to cover gray hair at home. 

Benefits of Gray Blending

Are you considering giving gray blending a test run? You should be! It requires less maintenance, thanks to more subtle demarcation lines when your roots grow out. It also features depth and shine, which creates stunning color movement. While the gray is still mixed in, it doesn’t necessarily have to be the dominant color. The goal is to blend your silver strands with complementing hues seamlessly.

Gray Blending Options

Shadow Root 

One of the hottest color trends of 2023 is the humble yet impactful shadow root. It’s a technique pros use to extend the life of your hair color by creating a more natural fade from your roots to the rest of your tresses, eliminating any harsh demarcation lines, which makes it a desirable option for gray blending.

Applying a darker hue at the crown — typically a shade close to your natural color — is an easy way to make any hair color more manageable while providing depth and dimension. Its distinctive characteristic is the transition from one tone to another, creating an illusion of a subtle shadow. Check out our blog post on achieving a shadow root at home! 

Face-Framing Highlights

If you want to add more dimension to your gray hair, add a few face-framing highlights to the mix. These chunky highlights can be achieved with any shade for as much – or as little – contrast as you like. Depending on the shade chosen, color framing can highlight and brighten the face, give a contouring effect, or simply enhance all those selfies!

Regarding the application process, you will work with two hair colors: your base shade and a lighter face-framing shade on virgin, untreated hair. Check out our step-by-step guide on how to pull off face-framing highlights at home! 

Reverse Balayage

Balayage is a hand-painted highlighting technique that creates a more natural and less uniform result than traditional foiled highlights. It’s also easier to enhance or soften facial features. If you already have super blonde or silver hair, use a darker Better Natured® At-Home Hair Color shade that is 1-2 levels away from your natural color to reverse the balayage technique and add dimension to your hair. 

Gray Blending Hair Care

Gray hair is more porous than pigmented hair, which refers to how well your tresses can retain moisture. Porosity can vary based on several factors, such as your natural hair, whether or not you chemically treat your hair, environmental factors, and how often you use hot tools. 

Moisturizing dry hair starts with the right products, such as Better Natured®’s Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner. This formula is great for leaving dry hair feeling soft and moisturized. For salon-worthy results, quench dry hair with our hydrating conditioner, which makes moisture-zapped strands feel repaired. 

Give your hair a spritz of Better Natured®’s Hydrating Leave-In Milk for an extra moisture boost. This product hydrates, softens, detangles, smooths, amps up shine, and protects against your hot tools while providing all-day moisture. 

Ensure you give your gray-blended hair extra moisture with Better Natured® Moisture Replenishing Masque. This luscious treatment drenches strands with an epic dose of moisture while taking the struggle out of detangling and making combing much more manageable, thanks to protective lipids that mimic those found naturally in healthy hair. 

Better Natured® is here to help you with any hair color goal, including blending gray hair. Take our Hair Color Quiz so you can determine the ideal at-home hair color for you. 

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