Hair Extensions For Natural Grey Hair

Human hair extensions are offered in grey/silver but do not necessarily match with natural grey hair or salt and pepper hair color.  As we are embracing our grey hair, at any age, we want hair extensions too. Many hair extensions and wigs are offered in grey hair in ratios of grey and dark hair, the downside is they are mostly made of synthetic hair.  Synthetic hair works fine for clip-on hair but does not work well on semi-permanent hair extensions since washing and styling are very difficult to perform on a daily basis.

Women of all ages have grey hair color and love their  "silver fox" shade.  If lucky enough silver hair extensions will match some, but they are meant to be more of a "fashion shade," such as blue, purple, and pink hair. 

A Stylists Approach To Matching Natural Grey Hair

1)  The methods of hair extensions that work best for achieving a grey/salt-pepper blend are individual hand-made strands and the sew-in method of extensions.

2)  Determine the percentage of grey present in the hair, this is the percent of hair extensions that will be used to blend.

3)  Determine the color level of the dark hair i.e.:  black, brown, or light brown.  

4)  Use light blonde to create silver/grey. Select a neutral blonde, not one that is toned silver.

5)  Take a small swatch of your client's hair for color matching purposes.  Next, we will begin toning the hair extensions to match the swatch.

6)  Start with the blonde hair, use a small sample of hair extensions for testing purposes.  You will be looking to tone the blonde hair to match the silver/grey hair.  Most silver hair can be toned using traditional hair color toner such as; double ash blonde toner.  If the hair is dark in tone, using the below direct dyes (demi-permanent color)  will help to achieve subtle hues like gun-metal.  

         a)  Pravana ChromaSilk Vivids Silver (no lift demi-permanent color)

         b)   Pravana ChromaSilk Vivids Smokey Silver (no lift demi-permanent color)

         c)   Pulp Riot Faction 8 Medium Grey (demi-permanent color) 

         d)   Pulp Riot Faction 8 Light Grey (demi-permanent color)

         e)   Pulp Riot Smoke (direct dye)

          f)   Pulp Riot Mercury

Matte Ash And Grey Tones From Faction8, Pravana and Pulp Riot

7)   The dark hair in the salt/pepper mix is often an ash tone, therefore, coloring brown hair will be important to create the blend.  Once the level of color is determined, choose the most neutral brown hair extension such as colors #4, #5, #6, and #8.  You will be using a semi or demi hair color. Once again, be sure to test on a sample of hair extensions.  Below is a sampling of suggested hair colors to achieve an ash-based brown. Pulp Riot Faction 8 is a color line that offers beautiful ash-based hair colors. 

Using your preferred color line in intense or double ash shades is recommended.

        a)  Pravana ChromaSilk Intense Ash Brown 8.11 (for light brown hair)

        b)   Fanola Hair Color Cream (.11 series) very intense ash colors

        c)   Matte Ash Brown Hair Color in SoColor AA series.

Blending Hair Extensions 

The best way to blend hair extensions is using a blending board.  The below is for keratin hand-made hair extensions and hair wefts.

Hair Extension Blending Board

 

 

Keratin Hair Extensions

1)  Lay down the more prominent color (dark or light) on the board, next insert the less prominent color, add another layer of the prominent color.  brush and blend. 

2)   Double check your blend to the client swatch.  Now you can carefully cut strands to create the strand by strand hair extensions.

3)   Use the keratin tip of your choice; melted keratin adhesive, keratin tips, and or keratin beads.

4)   Apply and re-check color blend.

Hair Wefts

1)  Using the above blending instructions, stack up 3 to 4 wefts of hair to achieve the appropriate color blend.  The ratios of weft color will vary.

2)  Once blended, stack the wefts onto your client's hair and sew in place.

This technique works especially well for creating hair extensions on natural grey hair.  For beginners; seek out a hair model to test the technique.  A post on your social media platform will render some happy models!  Many will oblige to pay for the hair if you perform the service.  

If you have any questions or looking for where to purchase the recommended products, comment below and I will answer in a timely fashion.

Hair Extensions Background

At Noelle Salon, we evaluate your natural hair, listen to our client's wishes on styling, color match, and look. We use human hair extensions like 100% Remy human hair, or Virgin Hair (unlike Bellami hair). Hair extensions can be used for short hair or 24 inches of a full head of hair, and have worked with different methods like tape-in extensions, clip-in hair extensions, Keratin and enjoy using our Pull-thru Veila Hair Extensions for ease of hair care. Styling can vary from flat iron, natural curl, or curly hair. Whether you are looking for a change of style or look for a day such as a Clip-in ponytail, having a high-quality ponytail extension can mix it up for you. Your natural hair journey with your hair growth can be enhanced with Hair extensions when protective styling is applied, and regular maintenance is used. You can change your hair in one day - feel free to reach out to us and explore the possibilities.