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Toner is your best friend
The fate of the perfect grey shade lays in the hands of toner. After your hair has been bleached, it’s down to the toning to achieve your perfect shade, and it’s really important to keep it up if you want your colour to last. Sapphire explains: “Grey can sometimes start to look a little green over time if it’s not regularly toned. If you decide to go grey or silver, be aware that you will probably need to tone your hair every two to three weeks to keep up the colour.”
Toning at home is actually surprisingly easy. Keep your silver tones from turning brassy by switching to a purple shampoo and conditioner. It’s important to note that over-toning can lead to a blue or purple tint to the hair, so it’s best to start with a small amount of toner or purple shampoo and gradually add more as needed. With regular toning, your silver hair is bound to stay gloriously bright for weeks to come.
Treat it right
After any kind of extreme dye treatment, your locks are going to be left a little worse for wear. To keep your hair in peak condition, you’ll want to invest in a good hair mask at home to treat your roots and ends to some much-needed nourishment. Regular use of hair masks can help to restore the natural oils in the hair, which can be lost due to styling, environmental factors, and chemical treatments.
Find a good mask that is specifically designed to penetrate the hair shaft – delivering vitamins, minerals and other beneficial ingredients to help repair damaged hair and prevent breakage, specially after colour manipulation. Whether you have curly, straight, thick, or fine hair, using a hair mask once or twice a week can make a noticeable difference in the health and vitality of your silver strands. Siobhan’s favourite is Paul Mitchell Keratriplex Awapuhi wild ginger treatment, which she says works on strengthening and hydrating.
How to go grey without the commitment
If you like the idea of this experimental colour but don’t want to commit (or fork out for a salon trip), there are several at-home products that allow you to dabble in silver strands.
Hair Dyes:
Prep your locks with Fudge Whiter Shade Of Pale, WAS £12.95, NOW £11.01, Look Fantastic. For a subtle blonde/silver hue, give the Knight & Wilson Colour-Freedom Gloss Silver Blonde, WAS £8.99, NOW £5.99, Superdrug a go. For a more full-on grey shade, the Renbow Crazy Color 027 Silver 100ml, £3.95, Sephora is ideal. L’Oreal Paris Preference Vivids Permanent Hair Dye, Intense Luminous Colour, Silver Grey 10.11, £8.99, Boots also offers you colour that actually lasts. Or you could opt for less commitment products such as Moroccanoil Color Depositing Mask Platinum 200ml, £28.85, Sephora or the one day Manic Panic Amplified Temporary Colour Hair Spray Greys 125ml, £11.95, Sephora
Silver shampoos and maintenance:
Bleach London Silver Shampoo 250ml, £7.50, Cult Beauty eliminates brassy tones and helps to maintain a silver hue. Davines Alchemic Shampoo in Silver 280ml, £21.50, Cult Beauty & Conditioner, £25 in Silver Grey are also great products for maintaining your silver strands. Finish with OSMO’s Violet Tone and Protect Styler, WAS £8.80 NOW £7.35 Amazon to protect your colour.
If all else fails, try a wig
I did and I’m obsessed. It’s easy to forget that wigs are an option, but at least 50 percent of the time you see the likes of former GLAMOUR cover stars Kylie Jenner and Saweetie with a glamorous new hair colour, it’s actually faux. You can always keep costs down by going with one that’s synthetic – although be prepared to have to replace it often as you won’t get much use of it, nor will you be able to heat style it comfortably. Read our wig guide for a step-by-step on how to properly put one on.