How To Transition to Grey Hair When Your Hair Is Coloured

Transitioning to grey hair, like any major change, can be intimidating. But there’s a lot of good that can come out of embracing your natural hair colour. Not only can grey hair colours be absolutely gorgeous (silver strands are trending for a reason), but they also tend to require less upkeep. Once your grey grows in completely, you can ease off of the salon appointments and at-home touch-ups. Plus, going grey may even bring about a new wave of confidence.

Of course, making this transition, especially if you’ve been colouring your grey hair, is easier said than done. No one wants to see harsh lines as their roots start to grow, but there are ways to make the process smoother. Here, we’re sharing tips for transitioning to grey hair when you have colour-treated hair, plus the best haircare products to use on a silvery mane.

How to Transition to Grey Hair

Here are 12 tips to make your transition from colouring grey hair to embracing your new, natural hue as seamless as possible.

1. Go grey for a day

If you’re not sure you’re ready to commit to grey hair permanently, take it for a test drive with a temporary silver-grey hair colour. When you’re ready to part with your temporary mane makeover, simply wash the colour out with your regular shampoo.

2. Let your roots grow in

If you’re looking to take the plunge and go grey, the first step is to stop colouring your roots. To avoid a harsh line of grey, you can head to the salon and have your colourist use the root smudging technique to blend your natural grey roots with the lengths of your hair. This will allow for a gradual transition between hues as your hair continues to grow.

3. Apply all-over permanent grey hair colour

With the right at-home hair colouring kit, transitioning to grey hair is a lot easier than you’d think. All you need to do is dye your strands with an all-over grey hair colour that closely matches your natural shade of grey. This way, it won’t be noticeable when your roots grow in.

Discover grey hair colour with the L’Oréal Paris Preference Vivids Hair Colour in Silver Grey. The range provides bold, luminous colour full of reflects, that lasts up to 8 weeks. This silver hair dye will provide vibrant long lasting colour.

4. Opt for highlights and lowlights

Transitioning to grey hair with highlights and lowlights is a great option for those who aren’t quite ready to part with their salon visits. Adding a mix of light and dark shades will allow your greys to blend beautifully with the rest of your hair and, as a bonus, add some brightness to your colour.

5. Apply hair colour with foils

Another grey hair colouring technique to consider is having your colourist apply your hair colour with foils. It will be much like getting highlights, except you won’t be lightening your hair, you’ll be colouring it grey. This will help you transition between the two shades more seamlessly and naturally.

6. Try root coverup

It may sound a bit counterintuitive to cover up your greys when the whole idea is to let them shine, but hear us out. You can use temporary hair colour as a quick fix to hide grey roots while you work your way towards a fully grey hair colour (either with one of the colouring methods above or by waiting for your grey to completely grow in).

Explore our Magic Retouch collection to help maintain your greys with ease, in a lightweight and targeted formula to cover them in a flash. Reach for the L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Cover Up, it works on any hair type and texture and is the perfect size to toss in your bag for on-the-go touch-ups. The spray can conceal grey hair in seconds, and it doesn’t leave behind any sticky residue—just seamless coverage.

7. Use a hair gloss to tint light hair

At-home hair glosses are a great way to enhance your hair colour and add shine. Depending on your hair colour, they can also help blend your greys with the rest of your hair. These treatments can work to deeply condition the hair. You can get shiny, vibrant strands in a single treatment—think of it like bringing the salon to your house.

8. Consult a professional

If you aren’t sure about the best option for colouring grey hair as you transition your shade, it can pay off to go to a professional. They can help determine what will work best for you. While blending hair with highlights might be best for one person, using all-over grey dye may make more sense for the next.

9. Embrace your hair texture

Grey hair tends to have a different, unique hair texture compared to other natural hair colours. It can be coarser and may even have a different curl pattern than your hair did pre-grey transition. Lean into this texture change with air-dried hairstyles like beach waves. You can also play it up with a texturizing spray.

10. Try an updo

Updos can be great for any kind of awkward transition time, whether you’re growing out bangs or grey hair. Consider a messy bun or a French braid to draw the eye away from your roots.

Editor’s tip: While you’re at it, try changing how you part your hair. This can help make new growth less noticeable.

11. Wear hair accessories and hats

An easy way to hide a distinct transition line (the point where your grey roots meet your coloured strands) is with accessories. You can wear a hat to completely hide your greys as they grow in, or place a headband right at the line to create a chic two-toned look. Adding a mix of different hair clips can also be a fun option—you can use them to draw attention to or away from your new growth, depending on your preference.

12. Cut your hair

If you don’t want to wait for your hair to grow out, you can get a haircut to instantly remove the colour-treated portion of your hair. You have lots of different hairstyle options to choose from, including a cropped buzz cut and a structured box bob. Just about any short style will be great for showing off your silvery hair.

How to Care for Grey Hair

As you age, your hair’s appearance goes through various changes in terms of colour, thickness, and shine. To keep it looking healthy, you should upgrade your hair routine with haircare products that suit grey hair. Here are four steps to revamp your routine:

1. Use a silver haircare system

Just as there are shampoos and conditioners specifically for brunettes, blondes, and redheads, there are lines meant to care for grey hair. Using one of these can help ensure your strands get the hydration they need (as grey hair tends to be drier).

2. Treat your tresses to plenty of deep conditioning

Deep conditioning should be the core of any grey hair routine. This means showing your hair plenty of TLC with a nourishing hair mask is a must. We love using the L’Oréal Paris Hyaluron Plump Hair Mask, which wraps hair in essential moisture.

3. Pick products that can help minimize visible damage

Minimizing damage can help keep grey hair shiny and healthy-looking. Look for formulas that reduce the appearance of breakage and protect against further damage. If you heat style your hair protecting it against heat can help keep it looking nourished, smooth, and shiny.

4. Book (and get) regular trims

No hair colour pairs well with thin, splitting ends. Keeping up with regular trims will help keep your grey hair looking its best.

How Long Does It Take to Transition to Grey Hair?

How long it takes to transition to grey hair depends on the length of your strands. Growing out just a couple of inches is going to inherently take less time than growing out long locks. For most people, hair grows about half an inch per month. Meaning, if you want to grow out a cute silver bob—a style that’s usually around eight inches long—it could take about 16 months.

It’s also important to keep in mind that transitioning to grey hair may not mean your entire head of hair goes grey. That could take much longer, as some people don’t go completely grey for many years. Going natural might just mean having a smattering of greys or a few silvery streaks.

Because transitioning to grey is so individual, the best thing you can do is be patient and not set strict expectations for yourself. It’ll all be worth it in the end!