The men’s guide to colouring grey hair

Ladies aren’t the only ones who worry about grey hair; men can be self-conscious about it too. Some guys are perfectly comfortable rocking a snowy hue, but there are others who would prefer to keep those grey hairs covered. Just like with women, it’s all about personal choice but a lot of men don’t feel comfortable going to the salon to get their greys taken care of – or just don’t feel like shelling out the bucks to get it done. So how do guys get rid of greys without getting it done professionally? Like us, they do it at home.
RELATED: How to grow a beard
RELATED: Beard baubles for men are the best Christmas accessory
The problem is that a lot of dudes, especially those experiencing their first smattering of grey hair, don’t know their way around a packet dye. This can result in a number of mistakes being made – the hair being dyed too dark, or too light, or it can come out patchy or just plain wrong. It’s daunting! So to make the process easier for the guys, we’ve put together some tips and tricks for dealing with mens grey hair and at-home hair colour for men. Ready fellas?
Dude, don’t feel embarrassed
Hair colour isn’t a female thing – it’s a hair thing. Loads of guys do it for a myriad of reasons. Some just like to experiment with their colour – Zayn Malik has been every shade under the sun, while Kanye West is constantly falling in and out of love with bleach. Others hit the dye bottle to cover their greys because they prefer a more youthful vibe. Either way is totally fine and can actually be really fun.
So embrace it! And don’t feel that you have to spend a lot of money to get your hair colour how you want it. “With so many really easy options for natural looking colours it is easy and fast to do at home,” says Schwarzkopf National Technical Educator Grant Withnell. “Our men’s colour range Men Perfect has an easy application bottle and processes in just five minutes.” So your greys could be gone in less time than it takes to watch an old Seinfeld rerun (and can even be done in front of one!).
Choose the right shade and type
The right hair colour for men will depend on the look you’re after. If you want something natural, it’s best that you don’t stray too far from your natural-born hue. “Your natural hair colour will determine the end result so identifying this is important and easy,” advises Grant. “Identify your natural colour and then see if the colour you have chosen is recommended for your hair colour according to the guide on the box – always use the guides on the box!”
If you’re wanting a drastic change, say from chestnut brown to platinum blonde, you might want to consult a salon to get the best results. But if you’re just covering greys and want to look like a refreshed version of yourself, choose a shade that’s in close proximity to your own. “I recommend using only one shade lighter for a natural finish,” says Grant. “Don’t go too dark it will look obvious.” So if subtlety is your endgame, keep the colour choice chill. And if you’re still unsure, call the nice people at Schwarzkopf’s consumer advice line (1800 022 219) to be 100 percent certain.
When it comes to the best type of hair dye for men, Grant reckons you’re best off with a semi-permanent if you’re just wanting to ditch the newly-sprouted greys. “Try to use a long lasting semi-permanent dye rather than a permanent as this will blend those first greys, as opposed to completely covering them.”
See ya later, greys!
The time has come and it’s best to go in prepared to avoid any hair dye disasters. “Read the instructions on the pack and get organised,” says Grant. “Use an old towel in case you spill any colour. Always wear the gloves and wipe off any colour on your face and neck to avoid stains on the skin.” One last pre-dye tip? Don’t use hair dye on your facial hair, as that isn’t what it’s developed for! Use a designated product instead, such as Just For Men Moustache & Beard.
If you’re grey all-over, brush the colour with the dye brush provided or a comb over the entire head. This will help to blend the colour through better with your natural hue while also covering greys. Pay particular attention to the sides of your head and your temples, as these are the most noticeable areas for greys around the face. Only spot-grey? Your job can be even easier. “If you only have greys in one area, there is no reason why you can’t just put the colour there and blend it into the rest of your hair,” suggests Grant. Once you’ve left the dye on for the time specified by the packet, rinse it out and you’re done.
Depending on the dye you’ve chosen, you’ll be able to tell when it’s time for a touch-up. A permanent hair colour will grow out, so when you start to see regrowth you can dye again. But if you go for a temporary colour, things change.“If you use a long-lasting semi-permanent, you won’t get a regrowth as such; instead the colour will naturally fade out,” says Grant. “Re-colour usually every five to six weeks or whenever you think those greys are becoming too obvious.”
bh loves: Schwarzkopf Men Perfect, Restoria Express For Men, Just For Men Shampoo-in Haircolour.
Does your man colour his hair?
Have you tried any of the products mentioned above?
Review them now to earn points that you can swap for free beauty products in RewardsRoom.
41 Member Comments
My man is going for the young silver fox look - he's embracing his grey and he looks good with it!!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Loving my grey haired man. Wouldn't want him changing his hair colour (like I do!)
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
It's true that most of the women are attracted towards the grey hair man because they think they are very sophisticated but a man having the baldness issue it's very hard for him to be attracted by women. the best solution for those men is the FUE hair transplant in Peshawar they should go to know more..
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 1
Most guys I know wouldn't go through the hassle.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 1
Have seen some bad hair dying attempts! Sometimes leaving it natural is best I think
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 1
Rock the grey no matter your gender!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 1
I don’t mind grey haired guys, it’s the bad hair dye jobs that look bad. Almost as bad as the comb overs.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 1
I love the greyish salt n pepper look too!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I like the salt and pepper look on guys too! I think they look handsome for some reason! I myself thought as a female can't do that until I'm older personally as I am far too self conscious being a young woman but for guys even in their 30's still look great!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Why does the mens hair product for greys take 5 mins while it can take me almost an hour to colour mine?
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Thanks BH this is actually really useful information. I have a friend who has no grey hairs at all throughout his head of dark hair, however his beard is totally flecked with grey. Shaving daily isn't an option he's very committed to, so I suggested using one of those mascara-like wand products to just disguise the greys, but he found it wasn't particularly reliable in terms of staying put, especially in the hotter summer months when humidity is a major factor. Now, thanks to this article, I am going to recommend he try the Just For Men Moustache & Beard brush-in gel, which sounds ideal based on the product description I've just checked out.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I think a touch of grey in a guys hair can look sophisticated.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I kinda like grey hair on guys.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I like the salt and pepper look for men. I well groomed guy can be a huge turn off sometimes.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
grey hair is more acceptable for a man than a woman in our society. unfortunately.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Having greys is a grey area, some embrace it and some hide away as long as possible, some looks great with greys and some look aged due to greys.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Grey hair can look great on a guy. My hubby wouldn't think about doing anything about it.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I really hope this becomes more popular I think it's so Important men groom just has never as females do
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
My husband has lots of grey hair in his beard and he has tried dying those hairs but the dye irritate his skin so he is looking for a good dye for his beard that does not irritate.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
My husband happily aged gracefully. Grey hair can be super attractive.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Not sure I agree with this article. I've seen too many males that don't look good with dyed hair.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 3
Nooo grey hair is super attractive! Both men and women should embrace their greys!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I love a silver fox! Don’t dye it men, we love it ;)
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Personally, I'm not a fan of men dyeing their hair to cover their greys (embrace it fellas!), but to each his own. I find that male dye jobs can look rather obvious, especially if they go too dark.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I actually think that a bit of grey can look very distinguished and sexy. I think we need to be embracing the grey hairs more.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0