If you're silvering up faster than you’d like, and the face looking back at you in the bathroom mirror is starting to remind you of your dad, you may be thinking about dyeing your hair or beard. You’re not alone – a recent survey1 found that 38% of US men dye their grey hair.
How Much Grey Hair Is Too Grey?
A lot of men are not ready to embrace their grey hair. When I started to go grey in my late 20s, I was ok with a little salt in my pepper, but I wanted it to stay at about 15% grey. That was my comfort level. Any more and I would be looking older than I felt.
I’ve been there myself – you’re fighting the good fight against dad bod, and more aware of fine lines and wrinkles, and then along comes grey hair. It can play tricks with your self-image.
As a hair product formulator and haircare expert, I decided to treat my greying hair and beard as a personal and professional challenge. I didn’t want my only option to be reaching for the dye bottle. I wanted to understand more about why hair and beards go grey so I could have more control over my greying process. Discover Arey’s The System – grey hair solutions to slow, delay, and repigment grey hair.
When you’re looking for ways to slow or cover your grey hair and beard, it’s important to look at all your options. Only 30% of the reason your hair goes grey is down to your genetic destiny. The other 70% is where you have more control. Your nutrition, environmental exposure, lifestyle choices and the natural aging process are all factors in greying. That’s why the core of Arey’s grey hair solutions is The System – a clinically-proven combination of our nutritional supplement Not Today, Grey and our lightweight serum To The Root™.
Is Hair Dye the Right Choice for Men?
When it comes to men and hair dye, everyone has an opinion. Just remember that the only opinion that really matters is yours.
There’s more than one way to find your perfect grey hair solution:
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Option A – use The System to delay and repigment grey hair. This was my preferred option. You should see fewer greys, and thicker, fuller hair growth after around 24 weeks of consistent use.
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Option B – combine The System with professional hair color. As your grey hair growth slows, you can reduce your color appointments. You will also see fuller, shinier, healthier hair (counteracting some of the damage from dye).
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Option C – commit to regular salon color to cover grey hair. Remember that hair dye is only masking your greys and can be damaging to your hair and scalp health over time. That’s why we recommend adding Calm It Down
® scalp soother to your hair-dye routine.
Whether you’re looking to reduce, cover, or repigment your greys, make sure your choices will benefit your hair and beard health for the long term. Hair dye can be a safe and effective way to reduce grey hair immediately and for a short period of time, but you should still make sure you’re giving your hair the nutritional support it needs.
Related: why your hair and beard goes grey and what you can do about it.
The Best Ways for Men to Dye Grey Hair
In the past, hair and beard dye for men has had a bit of a bad reputation because all-over, too dark color is more aging than any grey hair could ever be. If you’re looking to reduce your greys without looking like a throwback to the 1970s, here’s what you need to know:
My dos and don’ts for men considering hair dye:
❌ Don’t do it at home: all-over box color can come out too dark or uneven. Grey hair can resist dye and turn brassy and fake-looking.
❌ Don’t go too drastic: go for a color close to your natural tone. Too dark or too light can make you look washed out or older.
✅ Blend, don’t cover: a salon professional can blend away greys with highlights or lowlights that won’t leave you with visible roots as your hair grows out.
✅ Take it slow: subtly transition your hair and beard color over a few visits. This gives you time to decide how much grey is right for you.
Related: the safest ways to cover grey hair.
The chemicals in hair dye can be harsh on your hair health, so when you’re considering hair dye, you also need to think about your scalp and skin health.
Protecting Your Scalp When You Use Hair Dye
According to a recent study2, hair dye is a frequent cause of scalp rashes and allergic reactions. The longer the dye is in contact with your scalp, the more likely you are to experience irritation.
Common scalp reactions caused by hair dye:
- Redness – a rash on your scalp and along your hairline
- Itching – your scalp skin may feel dry and itchy after coloring
- Inflammation – your scalp skin can become red and bumpy
If you’re committing to regular color you may want to start using a scalp soothing serum like Calm It Down
Calm It Down
How to Look After Dyed Hair for Men
If you start down the hair color route, you need to work a little harder to maintain your hairstyle. That means more frequent visits to your barber for root touchups, and more attention to the products you’re using on your colored hair.
Here’s what you need to know about maintaining your dyed hair with color-safe haircare that delivers fuller, thicker hair and reduces new grey hair growth:
Shop Arey’s Recommended Color-Safe Haircare for Men:
Shower Duo
The bestselling shampoo and conditioning duo Wash & Smooth cleanses and conditions your hair while also delivering powerful ingredients that help slow grey hair growth. 71% of users reported thicker, softer hair and a reduction in grey hair growth.
Wait A Sec®
Washing your hair too often can fade your color and dry out your scalp. Try using this clean, non-aerosol dry shampoo as the perfect style refresher to extend the time between shampooing. Wait A Sec® blends into your hair to invisibly absorb oil, boost volume, and deliver pigment-protecting Mela-9® Complex to your roots.
Live In Mist®
The sun’s ultraviolet rays can fade your color and turn darker hair shades orange and brassy-looking. Live In Mist® protects your color from UV damage with Raspberry Seed Oil and Black Spruce Extract. It’s also a handy way to add instant texture and hold to short hairstyles.
Scrub
Scrub scalp exfoliant is an easy way to wash away dead skin and excess sebum (skin oils) and prep your scalp to absorb all the nourishing ingredients in To The Root™ scalp serum. Scrub is safe to use on dyed hair and contains our clinically-validated Mela-9™ Complex to preserve your hair’s natural pigment and slow grey hair growth.
Arey, the Best Care for Your Greying Hair
Going grey doesn’t have to be stressful. That's why we offer up to 25% off on all subscription orders to help keep you on track with your hair health goals. Because we believe that science + consistency = results.
We are Arey.
Have questions? Check out our FAQ page or say hey@areygrey.com.
Jay Small is a sought-after hair stylist and Trichologist in Los Angeles with over 22 years of experience. His clients consist of high-profile business and creative leaders. He trained as an apprentice to the owner of Paul Mitchell and worked in education and product development for Paul Mitchell Systems. Jay is incredibly passionate about the creative process both in terms of styling hair and developing effective products.
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