How to Refine & Enhance With a Gloss for Grey Hair

Yes, you can. In fact, you can apply a gloss to any hair colour, whether it’s naturally grey, previously coloured, pre-lightened, or has never even touched a drop of dye. On grey hair, a glossing service will gently shift the shade and correct any unwanted tones, allowing you to refresh your client’s silvery hue. The trick is to mix up a gloss that’s close to their existing base colour, so it subtly veils their locks in a subtle tint without dramatically changing the tone.

You can also add a corrective tone to their glossing formula. After all, naturally grey hair is prone to steering a little bit yellow or looking dull over time. If it’s yellow tones you’re trying to counteract, choose a light blonde or silver with a touch of violet, as purple sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, which means it will have a neutralizing effect. The sheer finish of a glossing service means that even blonde shades can be applied to gently brighten locks. The grey won’t be gone – it will simply appear more luminous and balanced in a single session. And, if your client doesn’t want any colour at all – just a boost of brilliant shine – go for a clear glossing service that’s all about giving their grey hair a glow.

It’s quick and easy to give your clients a gloss with our Koleston Perfect Pure Glossing Service. Follow three steps to gorgeously glossy perfection for every shade of grey…

1. Find Your Client’s Target Shade

From the 100+ shades of Koleston Perfect, choose a hue (or a combination of hues) to gently brighten and enhance your client’s grey hair. This could be a silver, a charcoal or even a blonde. The colours are all numbered in a X/XX format, with the first digit denoting the depth, the second identifying the major tone, and the third standing for the minor tone. If you’re looking to tone yellow hair, choose a colour with the number 6 as the major or minor, as this means it has a dose of neutralizing violet added in. Some of our favorite violet-tinted greys or silvers included 10/16, 9/16 and 10/86. Aiming for a clear gloss? Then 0/00 should be your target hue.

2. Mix and Apply the Glossing Formula

Now it’s time to get mixing. Combine your target colour with the Welloxon Perfect 1.9% developer and Post Colour Treatment at an equal 1:1:1 ratio. Then, apply the formula from root to tip on towel dried hair for an all-over gloss, or focus on specific sections that require enhancement, like the mid-lengths and ends of a balayage, or a root shadow in need of a touched-up tone. Allow to develop for 5-10 minutes. Your clients will love how quick this service is.

3. Wash Out and Style the Hair

Complete your client’s glossing service like by rinsing and shampooing their formula out. Our favorite product for this step is INVIGO Color Brilliance Color Protection Shampoo. Apply conditioner if the hair needs it, then go ahead and style your client’s hair as desired.

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Yes, and we recommend you try it – especially on clients with dry hair who are seeking a zero damage alternative to colouring their hair. With the Shinefinity Zero Lift Glaze, they can enjoy a sheer, translucent tint that refreshes their shade and neutralizes brassiness in just 20 minutes. Want in? Here’s how you carry out a glaze for grey hair:

1. Prep Your Client’s Hair

You can apply a Shinefinity Glaze to clean, dry hair or – for a softer result – just-shampooed, towel-dried hair. Prepare your client’s hair depending on the result they want.

2. Mix Up Their Glaze

To mix up a Shinefinity Glaze, all you have to do is mix your client’s chosen shade at a 1:1 ratio with the Bottle Activator or Brush & Bowl Activator (depending on your chosen application method). There are 32 shades to choose from, but some of our favorites for glazing greys include 06/02 Dark Sage, 05/98 Steel Orchid, 07/81 Smoky Opal and 08/98 Silver Pearl.

3. Apply and Allow to Develop

Apply your client’s glaze all over or on targeted sections of hair, then allow it to develop for up to 20 minutes. To intensify their shade, apply heat with a Climazon.

4. Wash Out and Glow

When your client’s glaze has developed, rinse and shampoo with the Elements Renewing Shampoo and Conditioner. There’s no need to neutralize with Shinefinity – simply wash and style to perfection.

Glossing and glazing aren’t the only ways to give your client’s grey hair a radiant boost. Discover two quick fixes that boost shine and help to refresh their silver hue… 

1. The Silver Glow By True Grey Toners

The True Grey collection features subtle toners that were specially developed to enhance grey hair, whether your client’s locks need brightening, neutralizing or a touch of dimension-boosting shadow. There are seven toners for all grey needs, from light to medium to dark, offering damage-free toning that’s beautifully sheer.

A Silver Glow Service is specifically designed for grey hair clients. Simply mix the True Grey Toner of choice with the True Grey Activator in a ratio of 1:1. Develop up to 30 minutes and rinse, then shampoo using Elements Renewing Shampoo and condition with the True Grey Clear Conditioner Perfector.

For a more tonally delicate service, consider introducing a naturally grey-haired client to the Silver Glow Express Service. On towel-dried hair, apply a formula that mixes their chosen True Grey Toner with the True Grey Activator and the Clear Conditioner Perfector at a 1:1:1 ratio. Develop for 15 minutes then simply rinse.

2. Wash Hair with a Purple Shampoo

Let your grey clients know that they can wash their grey hair with a purple shampoo. It’s not just for blondes; the violet pigments can neutralize the hints of yellow in greys and silvers too. All they have to do is lather up with the INVIGO Cool Blonde Color Refreshing Shampoo, leave it on for 2-5 minutes, then rinse and follow with a conditioner.