Grey blending: the hair colour trend that’s allowing everyone to embrace their greys

The technique

For someone transitioning into their natural greys, the focus is on blending and softening the line between previously coloured hair and new growth. When greys look unnatural, it is often because there is a strong line between old colour and new growth or because the tone appears dull rather than reflective. “Grey blending requires thoughtful colour placement. Stylists often add white-toned highlights, soft lowlights or translucent grey tones to give the colour depth instead of making it look flat. The idea is to create a blend where the greys sit naturally within the rest of the hair,” says Swati Gupta, director and head of creative development, Bodycraft Salon.

What is often underestimated is the complexity of the process. “It’s rarely an overnight transformation; sometimes the hair would need to be lightened several levels to match the grey tone, which is not always easy or advisable. Because of that, the process often involves gradual blending techniques that allow the hair to grow out naturally while reducing the contrast,” adds Gupta.

But does it work well with Indian hair and skin tones? Gupta believes that it does, when approached thoughtfully. Indian hair tends to have deeper natural pigments and many Indian skin tones carry warm undertones. If the grey tone is not balanced correctly, it can look harsh or flat. Because of that, stylists usually customise the shade to soft ash, pearl or smoky tones that better complement the skin.

Interestingly, finds Chudasama, it doesn’t reduce salon visits, it just changes them. Clients who blend their greys may come less frequently for root coverage, but they invest more in toning, glossing treatments, haircuts and hair health. Maintaining beautiful grey requires shine, hydration and the right cut. “So, the relationship with the client becomes less about constant correction and more about long-term hair care and design,” he says.

Is it healthier for your scalp?

Given that most chemical hair colours contain ammonia, paraphenylenediamine (PPD) and peroxide, Saloni Anand, the co-founder of Traya, a hair health-oriented wellness brand, believes mild blending is definitely healthier than intense colouring in the long run. “We’ve seen this pattern repeatedly in our hair test data. Women come to us complaining about thinning, dryness or excessive hair fall and when we dig into their history, there’s often a decade-plus of regular chemical colouring sitting in the background. They don’t connect the two. They think it’s stress, ageing or genetics. Those can be contributing factors, but the chemical damage has been compounding alongside those triggers, making the overall picture worse,” she reveals.

Dr Renita Rajan, cosmetic dermatologist and founder of CHOSEN by Dermatology says, “The problem lies in treating the scalp differently from the rest of the skin, simply because it is covered by hair. For decades, people have been applying hair dyes to the scalp every few weeks without thinking of it as repeated skin exposure. So from a dermatological perspective, using dye as far away from the scalp as possible is usually the wiser approach,” she says.