What is grey blending? How does this hair colour technique keep you looking fresh at every age?

The struggle against greying hair is real. When the first pesky strands start to appear, you may want to reach for tweezers to yank them out (this is not advisable though, as you may damage hair follicles over time). As the greys multiply and plucking is no longer a viable option, perhaps you’ll start carting out hair mascaras to cover up the peeking whites. Eventually though, home hair dyes and trips to the salon to mask those telltale signs of ageing will become a regular thing.

In the past few years, however, an intriguing new option has emerged: Grey blending.

This is when you are not quite ready to let those whites and greys run amok on your crowning glory, but are tired of the constant conceal. Grey blending is the happy balance between the two, a way to cleverly blend coloured hair with grey hair in a way that looks natural.

In essence, grey blending is when a stylist introduces highlights, lowlights or babylights into your hair, in a bid to break up blocks of colour and camouflage grey hair by adding in other colours that are close to your hair’s natural shade.

For Asian hair, the original dark colour may be lightened, and parts of these may be further highlighted to achieve hues that are closer in tone to the existing grey hair, so that the greys blend into the other hair colours, creating a multi-dimensional effect, along with movement and depth. The grey hair will still be in the mix, but instead of standing out against hair that hasn’t gone white yet, they will now play peekaboo among a plethora of hues.

While this technique has many advantages, the top one being that greys growing out would be less noticeable, as there would now be less contrast between the lighter and darker coloured hair, there may be something more formidable at play here.

Putting it perfectly is Ted Kim, director of Korean salon Suchehwa by Ted: “Many women are making the powerful and confident decision to embrace their natural grey hair. Although ageing often carries a stigma, more and more women now, instead of trying to appear younger, are opting instead to age gracefully."

He added: "Grey blending provides an elegant method to welcome the natural transition towards predominantly or entirely grey hair. With this approach, you can maintain your original hair colour while enhancing it, celebrating the emergence of silver strands with grace.”

It seems that after generations of bowing to pressure to deny one’s real age, covering up grey hair and Botox-ing away of wrinkles, women are reclaiming their right to, well, grow older and wiser. After all, why should men who have salt and pepper hair be deemed “distinguished”, while ladies with grey hair are called “old”? 

Helping this movement along is social media, where you can often find powerful messages of self-acceptance. Thanks to silver influencers like Colleen Heidermann and Dominique Sachse, and closer to home, Yan Ong, ageing with grace has never looked more chic and beautiful. And grey blending is a great trend to try if you’re thinking of letting your silver light shine. 

Suchehwa by Ted’s Kim said: “Asians have darker hair, so grey blending works best when at least 25 per cent of your hair is already grey. Otherwise, more hair needs to be bleached, which can be damaging for the hair, and costly to maintain."

He added: The effect of grey blending can vary depending on the individual and their desired outcome. It can help soften the contrast between grey and non-grey hair, potentially making a person appear more youthful and natural. Ultimately, whether grey blending makes someone look younger or older can be subjective and varies from person to person, and also depends on other factors like hairstyle, skin tone, and overall grooming.”

According to Prix Salon’s Linus Loh, expect to spend upwards of three hours at the salon to achieve that Insta-worthy grey blending look.

“We typically use babylights (very fine highlights that blend naturally with hair colour) or do shadow roots (where a darker colour is used at the roots so that regrowth looks more seamless). I like to work with beige-browns or pastel browns – these blend well with grey," he said.

"The good thing about grey blending is that when your hair grows out, it looks less obvious. When you do block coverage with just one darker colour, you would see the regrowth in a week or two, and because of the stark contrast, you would need more frequent touch-ups.”

Here are some styling tips to make the best of the grey blending look, from Suchehwa by Ted’s Ted Kim: 

Choose the right haircut: Consider a haircut that complements your grey blending. Talk to your stylist about styles that work well with your hair texture, face shape, and the distribution of grey and natural hair.

Use quality hair products: Invest in quality hair products, such as shampoos, conditioners and styling products specifically designed for colour-treated hair. These products can help maintain the vibrancy and health of both your natural and grey hair.

Regular maintenance: Keep up with regular touch-up appointments with your stylist to maintain the grey blending effect. This ensures a consistent and polished look.

Experiment with styling: Experiment with different hairstyles, such as updos, curls, or braids, to showcase the contrast between your natural and grey hair. Styling can add dimension and interest to your overall look.

Maintain healthy hair: Healthy hair looks better and holds colour longer. Maintain a good hair care routine with regular conditioning and hair treatments, minimal heat styling, and a balanced diet to promote hair health.

Confidence is key: Ultimately, the key to rocking the grey blending look is confidence. Embrace your unique hair colour and style, and carry yourself with confidence to showcase your individuality. Remember that grey blending is a versatile and stylish choice, and there are numerous ways to make it work for your personal style and preferences.