Gray hair happens to everyone at some point, whether they want it to or not. Some people get gray hair earlier than expected, while others are lucky enough to dodge the curse of gray hair until several decades later.
In addition, while some people are comfortable with their graying locks, most people don't like the way gray hair makes their complexion look – washed out and dull.
If you are intent on getting rid of your gray hair, but you can't fork out hundreds of dollars to keep a professional stylist on call, take heart! There are natural and inexpensive, ammonia-free methods for covering your gray and making sure your tresses look fresh, colorful, and rejuvenated as you grow older.
Here are some suggestions for banishing those gray hairs from your head without having to pay big bucks to do so.
Ways to Get Rid of Gray Hair
Go Natural and Cover Grays with Herbal Rinses
If you want to get rid of gray hair, but you don't want to use harsh chemicals, consider natural herbal remedies to return your hair to a more natural-looking color. There are several herbs that will color over the gray that you can purchase from natural health stores.
One herb you can use to color your hair is sage. Simply boil sage leaves in water and let the herbal water sit for a few hours.
Be sure to cover your entire head with the boiled sage-leaf mixture, including the tips of your hair. Work the sage mixture into your hair thoroughly and let it set the remainder of the day. Do not shampoo your hair for at least 24 hours.
The process may take a couple of months before your hair is fully colored, but it's a method that doesn't use artificial colors or man-made dyes. The end result will be hair that is a dark color, so if you have black hair, this may be the remedy for you.
Henna has been used for thousands of years for dying hair, and for good reason! It's another way to get rid of gray hair without using harsh, generic dyes or commercial coloring products.
The resulting hair color will be a bright red, almost brassy, so if you're a natural redhead, henna is likely a wonderful choice. If you're not a redhead but you've always wanted to give it a try, this might be a good time to give it a whirl.
Change Things Up with an Inexpensive Semi-Permanent Solution
If it's your first time or you're not settled on which color you want to stick with, going the semi-permanent hair color route could be your wisest choice. When you use this hair-coloring method, you can expect to pay between five and nine dollars, on average.
Semi-permanent hair dyes are designed to fade over time—the average dyes last four to six shampoos. There are plenty of affordable semi-permanent hair dyes on the market, and most of them you'll easily find at your local grocery store, drugstore, or at large discount retailers such as Target.
If you find the first color you try doesn't quite suit you, it won't be long before you can try another shade. Keep trying until you settle on a color that fits your skin tone, style, and personality. If you want to change things up on a frequent basis, semi-permanent hair color is the perfect answer. You can get creative while on vacation, then change back to a more professional coloring in time for your arrival back in the office.
Make Your Shade Permanent
When you decide on the shade you want to stick with, there are permanent hair coloring products that will deliver great coverage as well as staying power – without costing you a fortune.
Revlon ColorSilk also scored a high grade on keeping the grays at bay, according to Good Housekeeping. Costing less than four dollars, this product was the least expensive and performed the best out of selected at-home hair coloring brands.
There are many brands and products out there that focus on covering gray hair without breaking the bank, so do plenty of research both online and at your local stores before making a purchase.
Extend Your Color a Shade Longer with Demi-Permanent Dye
Finally, if you are looking to darken or enhance your hair color while washing away the gray, demi-permanent dyes will typically stay in your hair for up to six weeks. Look at it as a step between semi-permanent and permanent dyes. As a bonus, demi-permanent hair color won't damage your hair like some permanent hair products might.
If you’re interested in a demi-permanent brand, check out Clairol's Natural Instincts. It only takes about ten minutes to color your hair, and no ammonia is involved. There are 35 shades available, and the color will last for nearly 28 shampoos, according to Clairol. In addition, about two weeks after you color your hair, you can use the conditioner provided to refresh the color and redeposit the pigments throughout your hair.
Remember, you might not be able to prevent your hair from turning gray or silver. However, you can keep your gray under control and your hair looking great without spending a ton of money in the process.
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written by: Bev Sninchak
