Blog
My #1, Most Favorite Hairstyle for When You're Growing out the Gray!
by BTW Co.
6 years ago
There's been a lot of talk about the ole' skunk stripe. It's the worst, isn't it? The super good news is that as hard as it is to deal with "the stripe," it only lasts a while. Soon it turns into a cascade of silvery strands and then you're left with a head of happy, healthy grays!
In the meantime, we need good tactics to help us battle through the stripy days, and I'm here to help! I want to share with you my #1 most favorite and life-saving gray hair hairstyle! I used it as soon as my short hair grew long enough to soften "the stripe," and I still use it today. It's the 1/2-up hairdo!
It sounds simple, but let me tell you my theory on why it works so well and some of the small tips that you might want to keep in mind. This isn't just an ordinary 1/2-up hairdo. ;)
First, let's talk about when you should deploy this secret hairstyle weapon! If you are like me, and you had a short haircut to help with your transition to gray, you can start with the 1/2-up as soon as your hair is long enough to pin back on the sides. Remember, this will be sooner than you think: you can use clips and bobby pins to pin your hair back instead of waiting for it to be long enough to pull to the back of your head (I'm going to touch on my favorite hair clips in a minute!).
If your hair is already long, and you're growing out your gray, you can use the 1/2-up hairdo at any time in the process. It really comes in handy when that skunk stripe begins to grow.
So....here's why, even if the 1/2-up isn't your style, you might want to use it as one of your temporary "tools." When you pull your hair back at each side, you are essentially softening your look and are in more control of what is seen and not seen. When you pull your hair back, you are breaking up the stark line between gray roots and colored hair. When you soften that line you just look....SOFTER!
There is something often harsh about the contrast between gray roots and one's natural hair color and the "stripe" adds a hard, linear effect. Gray hair has not always been equated with femininity if we're being honest, so doing what you can to lighten up might make you feel a bit brighter and more pretty during a challenging time!
If you happen to be struggling through this transition, anything to make you feel a bit more confident can be so worth it. Pulling your hair up and away from your face and letting in light can be amazing. Your face brightens up and your eyes sparkle! I always make sure to gently pull my hair back in a loose, soft way, instead of tightly. Think flowy! Also, for me, I add a bit of volume just to keep things looking youthful. You might want to try this by curling your hair with large rollers or a curling iron. You can gently tease or back-comb as well. I pull out soft strands and wisps, which can help soften this look too. You can choose to pull a lot of hair back on each side, or just a little like I did in the photo above.
I usually don't pin my hair all the way back behind my head because I find the look less severe when I use clips positioned to the side. I want to share with you my favorite clips because they've just been so great!
It's these medium-sized gray clip below..........
I'm very sorry, I just can't seem to find a link to these particular clips online. Here's why I like them....because they come in GRAY and they blend in with your hair! I highly recommend any gray or clear colored clips. They're out there and easy to find in a number of sizes. This adds to the"soft" look. The clips have worked great for me. They feel more comfortable than bobby pins and rubber bands and definitely do the job.
So that's my two cents on a very easy gray hairstyle. I hope it comes in handy and helps you as much as it helped me! For those of you who felt a bit down while growing out their gray like I did, this simple change might come in handy to lift your spirits.
Until next time!
xoxoxoxox,
Lauren
