How to Refine & Enhance With a Gloss for Gray Hair
Whether your client has naturally gray hair or it’s been colored to silvery perfection, a gray glossing service is one of the quickest ways to boost shine and balance the tone. Not only will it neutralize hints of yellow that can often show up in gray shades, but it also has glow-giving, tone-enhancing benefits for those clients craving a boost of shine.
That’s why we’re breaking down everything you need to know about carrying out a gloss for gray hair, no matter if their color is ‘au naturel’ or comes courtesy of your handiwork…
Image Credit: @jaripalin | @lesalondenico
Can You Use a Gloss On Gray Hair?
Yes, you can. In fact, you can apply a gloss to any hair color, whether it’s naturally gray, previously colored, pre-lightened, or has never even touched a drop of dye. On gray 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 color, 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 gray 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 color 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 gray won’t be gone – it will simply appear more luminous and balanced in a single session. And, if your client doesn’t want any color at all – just a boost of brilliant shine – go for a clear glossing service that’s all about giving their gray hair a glow.
Image Credit: @hairmoments.by.sandra | @njuk_
How Do You Gloss Gray Hair?
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 gray…
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 gray hair. This could be a silver, a charcoal or even a blonde. The colors 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 color 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 grays 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 color with the Welloxon Perfect 1.9% developer and Post Color 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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Image Credit: @loickdambrine_hair | @mareksyriste
Can You Glaze Gray Hair?
Yes, and we recommend you try it – especially on clients with dry hair who are seeking a zero damage alternative to coloring 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 gray 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 grays 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.
Image Credit: @maedai_maemura | @timurbegichevstudio
2 More Ways to Give Gray Hair a Glow-Up
1. An Illumina Color Glossing Service
As well as a Koleston Perfect Pure Glossing Service, the Wella portfolio allows you to enhance your client’s gray hair with a light-filled, luminous Illumina Color glossing service. It’s similar to the KP version, requiring you to mix their dream silvery hue at a 1:1:1 ratio with Welloxon Perfect 1.9% and the Post Color Treatment. However, while KP is all about that pure pigment, Illumina Color promises to bring out the natural light reflections in their hair for a radiant finish. Try it with our favourite gray shades, 9/60 and 10/69; two beautifully bright blonde hues that refresh their color while neutralizing brassiness.
2. Wash Hair with a Purple Shampoo
Let your gray clients know that they can wash their gray hair with a purple shampoo. It’s not just for blondes; the violet pigments can neutralize the hints of yellow in grays 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.
