We all have a few tips up our sleeves. Want to share? Tell us your very favorite shampoos, conditioners, shine boosters, styling aids. What makes your hair go from gray to great?
Posted by on 12/06 at 02:12 PM
Hey, Christine—thanks for the nice compliments! For me, any book I’ve written takes a good year plus to write. Since I’m a pretty facile writer, it’s not the writing that takes so long—it’s the research, interviewing, and organizing. And, since this book has a LOT of photography, there were also many long days/weeks at the studio. Then there’s production time—looking at galleys, proofing, correcting. Nothing’s more exciting, though, than when you get that first book off the press in your hands! So it’s always worth it. It’s kind of like childbirth, I guess—you forget the pain when you’ve got the “product.” 
Posted by on 04/04 at 05:09 AM
Ladies, any tips on a product to control the crazy, wiry, life-of-their-own gray hairs?? I have very fine hair so I don’t want to paste it down with gel or anything, and I usually don’t use any product, but I’d like to find something to keep some control. My “virgin” hair just doesn’t want to behave!
Posted by on 04/07 at 09:38 AM
Thanks Carol! I’ll see if I can find that one.
Posted by on 04/08 at 06:05 AM
This one’s for Keri—sorry it’s taken me a few weeks to answer your question about allergies, but have been doing much research (and waiting for a few return calls!) My inclination was to recommend a good moisturizer to deal with the frizz. I think the reason the henna controlled it was because it coats the shaft, thus weighing the hair down a bit. But your hair is THIRSTY. Frizz is a sure sign of that—hair puffs up, trying to grab moisture from the air.
I also thought of recommending PureOlogy products to you. They are totally based on botanicals, 100% Vegan, and the fragrance of their products does not contain any of the 26 allergens as identified by the EU. THey have a new hair mask out, containing certified organic botanicals, a fruit blend of berries and pomegranates, three types of antioxidant-rich mushrooms, all delivering high-quality proteins and soothing anti-inflammatory properties which help moisturize and restore hair to a healthy condition.
Sounds good, right? But here’s the real problem—we don’t know what ingredient you are allergic to. (Even PureOlogy would NOT recommend any of their products without knowing that.) That’s the key, and that’s something your dermatologist SHOULD test you for. Just what is it that’s making your face blister, your eyes swell, etc?
I suspect the henna did not neutralize your allergy; it might have caused it. Henna is a flowering plant (lawsonia inermis, to be precise) that produces a red-orange dye molecule, lawsone. Do you have any allergies to other plants? Trees? Grasses? You can be patch tested for all of these. For all we know, botanicals could be the culprit, and you KNOW how many botanicals are now in cosmetic and shampoo products. The fact that your sensitivity showed up after you stopped coloring doesn’t let henna off the hook. Women who develop PPD allergies can continue to react to household products, fragrances, cosmetics, dye in clothing, etc. long after they stop coloring their hair. So even though henna does not contain PPD’s, it still could have antagonized a plant allergy you never knew you had.
But, of course, it could be something else altogether. Some obscure ingredient that your system just reacts to. You’ve got to find out.
Please don’t play Russian Roulette, or you’ll run the risk of your face erupting again. If you call PureOlogy at their consumer line, 800-331-1502, they will be happy to send you a list of ingredients for their NanoWorks Luxury HairMasque. Take this to your doctor. But find out what is causing your allergy in the first place. Armed with this information, you’ll be able to learn if this—or any product—is right for you. Hope this helps, Keri. D.
Posted by on 04/14 at 10:09 AM
I am not sure who recommended the"Goody add+shine jojoba oil infused styling therapy brush” but thank you! I bought one at Walmart and it made a big difference. My hair is shiny and smooth. The henna that I had used on my hair didn’t cause damage but rather the products I used to remove it. The Goody brush tamed the frizzies.
I know that products react differently on individual heads. Someday we should have a swap meet and bring all our unused products!
My mother (almost 80), who has dyed her hair many different colors through the years was not keen about not dying my hair. Today, Sunday, we were at the mall food court, sitting/ relaxing and having a coke. She looked at me and said that she meant to tell me today that the haircolor was shiny and beautiful. Maybe it was the Goody brush. How positive! Especially for a calico cat!
I use Roux during the work week but go natural on weekends. I work in education and have summers off. Once summer is over I will lose the Roux.
I bought a Goody so Smooth 2-in-1 brush/comb which is ceramic infused which I like. So two products worth a try or bring to the swap meet!
Take care & happy graying!
Posted by on 04/20 at 02:52 PM
Hi Summer --
Welcome back! Haven’t heard from you in awhile. Glad your hair is coming along nicely (albeit still “calico cat!"). You probably read about the Goody add+shine brush here—so I just want to point out there is full information on it in the Products You Should Know About/Hair section for other viewers who want the scoop. So you think you’ll be done by the end of the summer? How great! And how fitting—for your name! Best, D.
Posted by on 04/20 at 07:30 PM
Hi all,
I just had to report--I had a lot of fun at the mall yesterday and purchased the Clarins smoothing product and their Bronzing gel! I love these products! Of course the sales representative gave me some samples to entice..a moisturizer for hot climates (that’s here-106 degrees supposedly today!) which I also used and like!
The smoother (mentioned in Beauty Basics here--thanks Diana!) really works to fill in fine lines and smoothes over my uneven pores. I can see the difference. I’m didn’t use any other foundation, just did some spot concealing. The bronzer makes a huge difference for me, it’s nice and light feeling and it really brightens me up! I feel like a million bucks 
Well off to work. Have a great day!
Posted by on 05/19 at 05:09 AM
Diana,
I am on the “hunt” for some fun color sticks for highlighting. I know colormark has some really wild colors...I was wondering if you could suggest anything else. I want to be able to put some fun “non-chemical” highlights in my hair and in my daughter’s hair. Of course we want pink...purple...blue… 
It’s summer! Time to play!
Posted by on 05/29 at 05:01 AM
Wheeee—sounds like fun! Actually, no, I don’t know of another product (other than ColorMark’s “Streekers” collection) that gives you such a wild range of shades. I DO know that ColorMark is a quality product, and that’s what you should always use on your hair. And the good news is, neither original ColorMark nor Streekers contains PPD.
If your hair is especially dry and porous, it might take a few shampoos (or a good clarifying shampoo) before the brighter shades of pink, purple, etc. wash out. Maybe you should just try a streak or two at first, just to be sure. Or you could always use styling wax under the Streekers to protect against staining. All of these tips can be found at http://www.Streekers.com in the FAQ section.
Have fun! 
Posted by on 05/29 at 10:56 AM
Thanks for the tip Diana!
I just read the “flat iron 101"… By far it is the best advice/direction on how to straighten and care for your hair while using a flat iron!!! I thought I was pretty up to date on hair stuff, the info that you provided is AWESOME! I’m even going to have my (soon to be)14 year old daughter read it! I am also going to be sending the link to a couple of my close friends who often use a flat iron. They mention in our “girly” conversations about their concern of over use and damage, they will love having this as a resource!
I’m very excited to try some new product and find these “velcro rollers” that you mention. My hair is fine and whenever I try to use hot rollers they always slip out. The velcro rollers sound like the ticket 
Thank you for all the time and energy that you put into GGLG! You bring a lot of sunshine and encouragement to many!
Have a Great Gray Day!!!
Posted by on 05/31 at 06:31 AM
Diana - I wanted to add my thanks on the flat ironing techniques, as well. Very helpful! I mostly use Redken, so I was happy to hear which products they recommended.
What would we do without you? :o)
Posted by on 05/31 at 07:08 AM
Awwwww. Thanks.
Now, if only I could find a product that gives me a third arm for blow-drying!!! Or at least a longer one that swivels. THEN I’d have a story!
Posted by on 05/31 at 08:46 AM
Ummmmm....I like to see a picture of that arm along with the story! 
Posted by on 05/31 at 08:56 AM
Hey Diana!
I just ordered 4 bright colors of “streekers”! My girls and I are very excited to play!!! Thanks again for the tip!
Posted by on 05/31 at 09:05 AM
Gotta see this too—take some shots! Ya know, gray hair is a great canvas, Picasso.
Posted by on 05/31 at 09:13 AM
This might be a BIG ask, but does anyone know where I can source ColorMark in Australia? Or if there is a similar product available here? I just had a look at their website, but it appears they don’t ship quite this far!
My transitioning is going really slowly (for me at least) and I’m not quite prepared to do the short cut that a lot of these brave ladies are doing! (Yet...)
And I have my sister-in-law’s wedding in a few months that I thought would be the perfect occasion for a once off touching up!
Keeping my fingers crossed that someone can help!
Cheers!
Posted by on 06/03 at 04:47 PM
Hi Christie—You’re in luck. I got in touch with ColorMark and they do have a distributor in Australia. You can call them and ask if there is a salon near you that sells it. The number is 613-9416-1300.
Hope this works for you. Otherwise, my only advice is to have a friend in the US or Canada order it for you and ship it to you. The credit card that is used must have a US or Canadian billing address.
Let me know how it goes. . .
Posted by on 06/03 at 07:55 PM
Thank you so much Diana! I will give them a call and certainly let you know what happens.
I did not expect a reply from you so soon..I thought it would be sleep time in your part of the world
Cheers, thanks again!
Posted by on 06/03 at 08:02 PM
Who sleeps? 
Posted by on 06/03 at 09:04 PM
Not me! 
Posted by on 06/03 at 10:00 PM
I have thick, bushy, curly, coarse hair that never ever had a natural shine. I love L’Oreal Studio GlassShine, which is a spray. It makes my hair (which I wear in a short bunch of layers) shine like silver jewelry. I was never one that got any compliments about my hair when I was coloring it. Now that I have let it go natural (it has been 6 months since I stopped coloring it) and found this wonderful product, I cannot believe how some people tell me they love my hair and that if they thought theirs would look like mine, they would stop coloring their hair. I will be 60 in another 2 months, and believe me this makes me feel wonderful. I have a lot of allergies, and this product does not bother me. Only problem is that now I am having trouble finding it.
Posted by on 06/07 at 03:59 AM
Hi Graybarb,
I have had really good luck finding the “hard to find” item on ebay of all places. Usually at a pretty good price too. Recently I have been purchasing almost ALL of my hair products on Ebay...it’s working great for me.
I too am pretty sensitive to product...even SPF! I’m happy to hear that you are getting wonderful compliments! That always seems to put an extra little “dance” in your walk!
Have a great day and happy “hunting” on Ebay.
Posted by on 06/07 at 04:10 AM
Hi again Graybarb,
I went on ebay and typed in the product you are looking for and 3 new bottles popped up for sale.
Hope this helps!
Posted by on 06/07 at 07:12 AM
Elizabeth -thank you for your response. I will be certain to check that out. Thanks so much. Have a wonderful day.
Posted by on 06/07 at 08:26 AM
Hi Everyone
I stopped colouring my shoulder length hair to it’s original dark brown in mid January. After two haircuts I had the ‘into the wood’ cut on 26th April. A friend said “That’s a haircut!” and it was…
I had watched the growth of the grey hair and was desperate to see it without colour on the ends. But I have to say when I looked in the mirror, I did get a wee bit of a shock! I had had dark hair my whole life, here I was with a very white fringe and salt and pepper over the rest, and supershort too! It was momentary, I loved it after 10 seconds and still do. It’s growing, people are getting used to the change. Most compliments are from men, only now after 3 months are female friends coming round to saying they like it.
I have been using Phyto Whitening Shampoo since the very first day. I love it. There has never been any trace of yellow at all, it looks bright and light! I highly recommend it. I had to buy it online, no stockists in my Scottish town.
I found the site in February and have been an avid fan ever since. I love seeing all the transitions.
A woman at work is doing it too!
Here’s to us!
Marilyn
Posted by on 08/05 at 04:19 PM
Hi Marilyn—Is this the first time you’re posting? If so, welcome! Thanks for the tip about Phyto. I may have heard/read that the line is being discontinued, but I’ll check that out. Hope not—it sounds great. Nice to hear about your journey so far. Others have spoken of the “shock” of going extremely short AND gray at the same time. Must say, you came around rather quickly! How long is your hair now? Or are you keeping it super short? Of course, we wouldn’t mind a few pictures!
So glad you like the site!
Posted by on 08/05 at 04:55 PM
Hi Diana
I suppose I should fill you in a wee bit. I found a few grey strands when I was 14. Didn’t start colouring til mid 30’s and at then end was having to do it every 3 weeks. I am very close to my 55th birthday.
Oh I must find out if Phyto whitening shampoo is being discontinued! I will stock up before/if that happens.
My hair is still shorter than I’ve had it for years. It was an inch and half after the cut and it’s now about 3 inches on top. (My son is a hairdresser and is completely against the whole thing but he gave me a good cut which has grown well into a nice short style.) I intend to let it grow back to my old shoulder length, layered style but I’m open for a change. He reckons grey hair should have a striking cut/style, we’ll see.
Marilyn
Posted by on 08/06 at 12:02 AM
I am new to this site. I love my grey hair. I am 56 and was and auburn color naturally. When I started to go grey I kept up my auburn by coloring. Then my colors started coming out crappy so I decided to cut it short and go grey. Its lighter in the front and salt and pepper but darker in the back. I wish it was white though. Does anyone know of any products to make my hair whiter?? Thanks
Posted by on 08/15 at 05:30 AM
Hi Chris—Welcome! Glad you found us, and so glad you love your gray! Alas, the only way to lift color from hair is by bleaching it. And, if you go to the “Diana Does Silverizing” article, you’ll see that sometimes bleach won’t lift all the color out, won’t make it white-white. So then you’d have to use a toner or a glaze on it. Either one will eventually fade out, and you’ll have to keep repeating that every 5 or so weeks to get the effect you want. With auburn hair, you might get a nice soft buttery shade, and that would give you a lighter effect, but not a whiter effect!
In addition, bleach can make the hair more porous, so you might have to start contending with a frizzier texture. I so wish there were an “instant white” product—my hair is salt and pepper in back, too. But, really, time is the best product of all! 
Posted by on 08/15 at 07:38 AM
Diana,
Question for you. I wonder if it is worth it to get an electric heat cap? I currently use a leave in conditioner once a week and it helps, but my understanding is that heat is the way to get it to penetrate the hair shaft.
I want to see a heat cap in person before buying but I have not been able to find a store that sells them.
I was wondering what you think about this, I’d rather do something that I can do at home since money is tight these days.
Roe
Posted by on 08/23 at 07:42 AM
Hi Roe—Glad to hear from you again!! And thanks for the lovely compliments on the interview—I appreciate that.
Now—electric heat cap? Why do visions of Frankenstein dance in my head? I’ll ask some of the pros I know about the advantages, but in the meantime, here’s what I do. I put on a conditioning treatment, wrap my hair around my head and plop on a plastic shower cap. The heat generated by your own body (and you know heat escapes from your head) does a fine job of “heating” your treatment. Some people have been known to put a treatment on their head, and wrap it with saran wrap. You can even go to bed like that. Try these things first before splurging on an electric version. And in the meantime, I’ll check out if they’re really worth it.
Posted by on 08/23 at 09:12 AM
Diana,
I was cleaning out my “hair product” cuboard about 2 weeks ago and came across a KMS product, I started using it on my hair to “test” it out. I am so excited with the product! It’s called KMS Silker Therapy Plus. It puts a great shine on my hair and it keeps it “calm”! I’m not having the “fly-away” issues. I use a pea size amount and a little goes a long way! I love it!!! I have been getting a lot of comments lately on how “soft and shiny” my hair looks, I’m sold on this stuff! Too bad I can’t remember where I bought it!! 
(I’m sure I’ll be able to find it again when I run out)
Just thought I’d see if you or anyone else has ever used it.
Posted by on 08/26 at 01:24 PM
Hello fellow gray friends.... I read through many of the comments and may have missed it but, I am looking for more info on yellowing hair. I did see the biggest culprit is the sun, and I suppose over the winter it will grow out… but, in the meantime… has anyone found a product that actually works? I’ve never had this issue before and I have been gray for many years. Thanks!!
Posted by on 09/21 at 01:13 PM
Yup—it’s been all through here a zillion times! But it’s hard to go back and read through every chat. That’s why having the book as a resource is so helpful, since there are products listed for every type of hair concern, from off-color hair, to fine, limp hair, to frizzy, unruly hair. And the product suggestions run the gamut, from shampoos to styling aids.
For just a few quick tips, there are a lot of what’s called “blue shampoos” on the market, and these DO counter the yellow cast gray, silver or white hair can get. Among them, Aveda Blue Malva Shampoo, Artec White Violet, Frédérik Fekkai Polished Platinum, Bumble and Bumble Color Support Shampoo—Violet, and the list goes on and on.
One caution—they can be drying. Don’t use them every time you shampoo. I generally use them about once a month, but if you want to make a concerted effort, you can use them every two weeks. Just be sure to keep your hair well conditioned.
Posted by on 09/21 at 02:48 PM
Thanks Diana.... I have the “blue” shampoo, use it about once a week.... but, I am impatient as it is not eliminating the yellow immediatly! I did not know about the drying aspect, so thanks for the tip. Great site, great information and great grays! Best, Donna
Posted by on 09/21 at 05:29 PM
Hey Donna—That’s very curious. I don’t know which blue shampoo you’re using, but I’ve found (with Artec), it usually crisps up the color immediately. Alas, it does nothing on the strands that were chemically bleached when I did the silverizing process. Only a toner or a glaze would help those. And I’m not gonna do that. Since I have just a few streaks of yellow, which are growing out nicely, I’d rather just cut off those ends! But if you have a “whole head” problem, I’d stick with the blue shampoos for awhile, and if you are still not satisfied, consult with a pro to see if a glaze would work for you. Now, that’s instant gratification!
Posted by on 09/22 at 05:49 AM
Diana,
I saw the picture of Pink with silver hair. That got me wondering if her hair dresser can get that color from a bottle, then why can’t we go get highlights that color while transitioning?
I’ve seen pictures of pink before she was pink and she has pretty dark hair naturally.
Lori
Posted by on 09/27 at 10:57 AM
Good question, Lori. In fact, that’s exactly what I expected when I did the silverizing. White-white streaks. But it didn’t happen. Dark hair turns that sickly shade of pale yellow you get with bleach, then it must be toned. Had I been willing to sit with that powerful bleach on my hair for more hours, maybe it would have gone whiter. And maybe it would have all broken off. The whiter you go, the riskier it gets. If you start with naturally pale hair, it’s easier to bleach it out a shade or two. Otherwise, you could seriously fry it.
I’m not entirely sure what Pink’s natural color is. I’ve seen her blonde, brunette, pink and white. But I will look into this, and get back to you.
Posted by on 09/27 at 11:32 AM
Hi,
I’m not sure if this is the thread where I heard about using baking soda on colored hair to help lift the color but I have been using it about once a month. I use about half a box and mix up a smooth glop of it. I get my hair thoroughly wet and then apply it. I work it in and let it set for several minutes. After that, I jump into the shower and thoroughly wash my hair. I have VERY hard water and I think this helps get rid of built up gunk from the water. Since I only had semi-permanent color applied all these years, my hairdresser isn’t sure if the color will oxidize into a coppery red or not. I don’t see any lightening but I don’t see the color getting brassy either. In other words, I don’t know if it’s really helping or not...but it isn’t hurting the process. The colors on my head tend to look softer and more blended in florescent light. Has anyone else tried this or have I gone off the deep end again?! 
Posted by on 09/27 at 10:45 PM
I don’t know about that—but your hair may rise! What you are essentially doing is making a paste of the baking soda. A paste that can lift tarnish from silver, but probably not the color from hair. It’s a good cleanser in the sense that it is pH neutral, but it’s also a bit abrasive. Reason why it can be an effective exfoliator, help remove plaque from teeth, and aid in whitening. Probably the best thing it does in your case is to neutralize the hard mineral content of your water, since it is an alkalinizing (or buffering) acid. However—and here’s the big BUT—baking soda can suck water out of the skin and hair if it remains on too long. Read—drying. The stuff is used to remove hard dirt from pots and pans. Hair proteins are fragile. Your once-a-month mask may be fine to refresh, deodorize, and remove oils and build-up from your hair, but I wouldn’t do it any more often than that.
Posted by on 09/28 at 04:52 AM
Next entry: Conditioner -- love it or leave it?
Previous entry: Talk on!
Click here to register (current members please login). A Member Registration screen will come up, and you can fill in the fields you see. Be sure to click “I agree to the terms of service,” then hit submit.
In a few short moments, you will receive an email thanking you for your new member registration, and asking you to click on a link to activate it.
Now you can re-join Café Gray. Login, and leave a comment to any posting you like. We’ll all find out the products we like best, the problems we’re having, the triumphs we’ve felt. You’re a Member! Tip: If you don't want to login each time you come to the Café, simply never log out.