While some accept it and elegantly embrace becoming a silver fox (or vixen), others try to cover their grays as much as possible. Fortunately, there are many natural ways to cover gray hair at home. You can choose from the following 20 natural techniques to cover grays. Keep scrolling!
How To Cover Gray Hair Naturally At Home
Krysta Biancone, Hair Stylist, says, “The best color to cover gray hair depends on the individual’s skin tone and hair color. Generally, darker colors are better for covering gray hair than lighter colors because they don’t draw attention to the grays as much. Some popular choices include black, dark brown, and dark red hues.” Let’s now take a look at the natural methods to cover gray hair:
1. Amla And Henna Pack
1 cup fresh henna paste 3 tsp amla powder 1 tsp coffee powder Gloves An applicator brush
Processing Time 1 hour Once a month. Amla and henna work together to dye your hair naturally. Also, they are excellent ingredients for providing your hair with moisture and nourishment (1).
2. Black Tea Remedy
2 tsp black tea leaves 1 cup water
1 hour. Repeat this once every two weeks Black tea stains your hair, darkening it. It also adds shine to your hair, making it an excellent remedy for reviving dull, lifeless hair.
3. Henna Remedy
2 tsp black tea leaves 4 tbsp pure henna powder 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp amla powder An applicator brush Gloves Conditioner
1 hour Once a month. Henna is a natural dye that also possesses antifungal and antibacterial properties. Not only does it darken your hair, but it also restores the pH balance of the scalp and normalizes oil production (2).
4. Sage Water Treatment
A handful of sage leaves 2 cups water
2 hours Once a week. Sage leaves (salvis or sefakuss in Hindi), is one of the most effective ayurvedic remedies for gray hair. It restores the natural color of the hair and prevents the growth of gray hair (3).
5. Coconut Oil And Lemon Remedy
2 tbsp coconut oil 1 tbsp lemon juice
30 minutes Twice a week. While coconut oil and lemon juice do not reverse graying, it delays it by preserving the pigment cells in your hair follicles.
6. Curry Leaves
3 tbsp coconut oil A handful of curry leaves
1 hour 2-3 times a week. Curry leaves have the ability to restore the melanin in your hair follicles which help tackle graying (4). It also boosts hair growth by improving scalp health.
7. Ribbed Gourd
1 cup coconut oil 1 cup chopped ribbed gourd
45 minutes 2-3 times a week. The Ribbed gourd is another vegetable that is known for its ability to restore the pigment cells in your hair follicles (5).
8. Potato Peel Rinse
Potato peels from 6 potatoes 2 cups of water
5 minutes 1-2 times a week. The starchy solution helps mask grays by adding pigment. This is one of the easiest solutions for hiding grays.
9. Black Coffee
1 strongly brewed pot of coffee 20 minutes Repeat this twice a week. Coffee is not a permanent solution for gray hair. However, regular use, can stain your hair to a dark brown color and mask all of your grays (6).
10. Indian Gooseberry (Amla) Hair Pack
1 tbsp amla powder 3 tbsp coconut oil
1 hour 1-2 times a week. Amla contains vitamin C and antioxidant properties both of which help preserve the melanin in your hair follicles. This slows down the graying process (7).
11. Black Pepper Hair Mask
2 grams black pepper 1 cup yogurt
1 hour Thrice a week. With regular use, black pepper can darken gray hair. The yogurt in the mask helps condition your hair and make it softer.
12. Chamomile Tea Rinse
2 cups chamomile tea 5 minutes 2-3 times a week, or after every shower. Chamomile tea has hair darkening properties, and with regular use, it can mask gray hair over time.
13. Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 cups water
20 minutes Once a week. Apple cider vinegar is one of the best ingredients you could use to maintain scalp health. It helps curb graying by preserving the melanin in your hair follicles.
14. Blackstrap Molasses
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses 30 minutes Twice a week. Blackstrap Molasses can restore the pigment in your hair follicles to reverse graying. You will have to use it regularly over a period of at least three months to see significant changes. Alternatively, you can consume two tablespoons of molasses every day.
15. Fenugreek Seeds
1/4 cup fenugreek seeds 1/2 cup coconut oil
8 hours 2-3 times a week. Fenugreek seeds contain lecithin and essential amino acids which curb premature graying (8).
16. Oils For Gray Hair
For this remedy you can use one of the following oils:
Jamaican black castor oil Black seed oil Olive oil Jojoba oil
2-3 tbsp hair oil 45 minutes 2-3 times a week. Regular oiling helps keep the hair follicles healthy while preserving colors. While most oils can only prevent graying, oils like black seed oil help darken hair over time (9).
17. Kombucha For Gray Hair
4-5 tbsp kombucha 20 minutes Twice a week. Kombucha has shown tremendous results for people with gray hair (10). Regular use helps restore the melanin in your follicles and helps your hair grow out dark and healthy.
18. Onion Juice For Gray Hair
The juice from 1 onion 20 minutes Twice a week. Onion juice has a rich content of the enzyme Catalase which helps reverse graying. Regular application can help darken your hair from the roots (11). [ Read: Onion Juice For Hair Growth – 6 Amazing Ways To Use It ]
19. Vegetable Hair Dye
A vegetable hair dye of your choice 30 minutes Once a month. Natural hair dyes do not contain the chemicals that regular box dyes contain. However, they are usually temporary and wash away in 8-12 washes.
20. Sage And Rosemary
A handful of sage leaves 3-5 drops rosemary essential oil 2 cups water
20 minutes 2-3 times a week. Sage is known for its ability to reverse graying while darkening hair. It works with rosemary to improve scalp and follicle health (12).
Tips To Cover Gray Hair
Have vitamin-rich food: A balanced diet is essential for maintaining healthy hair for longer. Not getting the right nourishment is one of the leading causes of premature graying.
Stay hydrated: Consuming a lot of water helps flush toxins out of your body while keeping your hair conditioned and healthy.
Quit smoking: Smoking is one of the leading causes of premature graying. Quitting the habit will help in forestalling the graying process.
Eat oats. Oatmeal is a great source of biotin which is an essential vitamin your body needs to keep your hair healthy.
Dye your hair: While it is recommended to use a natural remedy, you may resort to dyeing your hair while in a pinch.
What Really Causes Gray Hair?
1. Genetic Impact
Most dermatologists claim that graying at 25 may be attributed to genetics. If your parents or grandparents had a premature graying problem, you too are at a greater risk of experiencing the same.
2. Medical Causes
Studies have shown that issues like a chronic cold, chronic constipation, anemia, or problems with thyroid gland can lead to premature graying. In fact, hyperthyroidism is one of the main factors for graying. Vitiligo is also a common cause for premature graying.
3. Deficiency Of Nutrients
If your body is not getting sufficient amounts of Vitamin B12, iodine, copper, iron, proteins, amino acids, and folic acids, you are more likely to get gray hair at a younger age. An improper diet causes a nutritional imbalance in the body. This tends to show itself in your hair and skin.
4. Overexposure To Chemicals And Heat
The overuse of chemical treatments and heat can cause irreversible damage to your hair and scalp, leading to premature graying.
5. Smoking
Studies have linked premature graying to an addiction to smoking. Smoking can cause a person to gray as early as in their 20s.
6. Mental Stress
When you are stressed over an extended period of time the vitamin B levels in your body drop considerably. This leads to premature graying. How to Use Walnut Shells for Gray Hair? Check out this infographic for some tips that will help you embrace greying hair without the distress. Krysta Biancone says, “Walnut shells can be used to make a natural dye to cover gray hair. First, grind them into a fine powder. Then, mix the powder with water until it forms a paste. Apply the paste to your hair and let it sit for about 30 minutes before rinsing it out. This should help to cover gray hair and give it a warm, dark color.” Is baking soda good for gray hair? “Baking soda is not bad for gray hair. In fact, baking soda can be used as a natural treatment to help maintain healthy gray hair. It can help remove excess oils and product buildup and increase shine. However, it is important to use baking soda sparingly, as overuse can cause drying and damage to the hair.” says Krysta Biancone What color covers gray hair best? You can go for beautiful colors like ash brown, caramel, golden brown, light auburn, butterscotch, silver, or icy blonde to cover your hair and add a splash of color to your hairstyle. Is it better to go lighter or darker to cover gray hair? Most hairstylists and experts recommend getting a shade or two lighter than your natural hair with darker roots to help break the contrast between your hair colors and add depth and dimension to your hairstyle. But if you do not like lighter shades, you can always go for a darker shade for a new look. Why won’t my gray hair take color? Scalp sebum production decreases with age, which makes gray hair drier and coarser. This makes it difficult for gray hair to take any color. However, washing your hair and using the right color developer will make it easier for your gray hair to take the color. How often should I dye my hair to cover the grays? You should ideally color your hair every four to six weeks to reduce the risk of drying and damaging your hair. However, if you think that is too long and expensive, you can go for a permanent hair dye that lasts between six to eight weeks.
