Along with the multitude of changes our body goes through as we age, the transition to natural grey hair can sometimes feel the most nerve-wracking –leaving many of us struggling to embrace the inevitable silver strands. But going grey can be empowering and needn’t mean leaving your old self behind. Here are our expert tips for caring and nourishing ageing, thinning and grey hair.
How to care for grey hair
1. Add moisture to brittle, thinning hair
While grey hair may feel coarser than its predecessor, it’s actually finer; it’s the lack of melanin and the reduction of sebum that comes along with ageing that causes it to feel dry, course, wiry and sometimes even brittle.
This can cause hair to appear dull and somewhat lifeless at times, however, caring for grey hair with the right products will help.
As your oil glands generate less sebum – which helps to moisturise both the skin and hair – it’s important to keep drier follicles nourished with richer shampoos, masks, conditioners and leave-ins that bring back the moisture you might’ve lost over time. Grey hair needs more moisture than non-silver strands to stay looking its best. It might take a little extra work, but the smooth, shiny, extra-luscious silver-grey hair is worth it.
One of our favourite conditioning products for soothing and rejuvenating ageing hair? The Powder Conditioner’s Hydrating Volume Conditioner, designed for fine, dry and thinning hair. The sustainably-minded, waterless conditioner stimulates hair follicle growth for thicker, stronger and shinier hair and deeply moisturises strands to reduce breakage and improve softness.
Housed in a recyclable aluminium bottle, the Hydrating Volume Conditioner is a powder-to-cream formula activated with water. Simply sprinkle onto wet palms, rub together to form a cream, apply to damp hair for 1-3 minutes, then rinse off for silkier, moisture-revived hair.
2. Remove build-up & prevent dryness with a clarifying shampoo
To keep grey hair healthy, use a gentle clarifying shampoo on a weekly basis, and avoid sulphates which are especially drying for grey and curly hair. This will also remove any build-up from the use of dry shampoo or styling products, which can dull grey hair if not properly removed.
The Powder Shampoo’s Invigorating Shampoo ticks all these boxes. Designed for thinning and ageing hair, it harnesses a blend of bergamot, biotin, ginger and ginseng to create a healthy scalp environment for hair growth, encouraging thicker, resilient and voluminous strands.
3. Prevent brassiness with purple shampoo & sun protection
When you aren’t using a clarifying formula, your daily shampoo should enhance the look and feel of your mane. The absence of pigment in grey hair can cause locks to turn yellow due to sun exposure, metals and minerals in our water, heat styling and the like, so investing in purple shampoos formulated with grey hair in mind to prevent brassiness is key.
Although many think it looks that way, grey is not white, but transparent like glass because it has lost its melanin, a natural protectant against ultraviolet radiation. This makes it more sensitive to the sun’s rays, which results in the oxidation of hair proteins and hair looking yellow and tarnished. Keep your hat on whenever you’re out in the sun to protect your grey, and if you hair is long, try and tuck it up as much as possible.
4. Book regular trims for healthier hair
Whether you choose a long or short style, keep hair healthy and frequently trimmed. Naturally white hair can ooze sophistication when worn well and just because you stop colouring your hair doesn’t mean your cut should take a back seat. Work with your stylist to find a shape that flatters your hair texture and features, and consider long layers to encourage movement.
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