Being told to stay home is the equivalent of being grounded when you were younger. You can’t hang out with your friends; you can’t engage in hobbies, you just sit in your house and think about what you’ve done. Or, rather in this case you sit at home to avoid contracting and/or sharing a highly infectious disease with loved ones or those that fall into the high risk category. I’ll be honest, I never thought with all the advancements made in modern medicine (we can 3d print BODY PARTS) that we would come across a virus that could wreak such havoc in multiple countries in record breaking time. And that we would be completely unprepared for it.
I am writing this as we are rounding out week three of the mandated “non-essential businesses” closure. Sitting still/being told to stay home is an unusual feeling for me. I’m used to seeing and chatting with multiple people a day – utilizing my creative skills, discussing (more positive) world events, families and future plans. All of that has come to a screeching halt. My new normal is one that involves Zoom meetings, TONS of virtual classes, washing my hands so much that my fingers now resemble Killer Croc’s (Batman villain) and hunting poultry (not literally, just attempting to find it at the grocery store). And, like many of you, I am embracing (not human beings because physical distancing is saving lives) but longer hair and an ever expanding line of regrowth.
I say like many of you because I have received many messages on social media pleading about what can be done with greys. Regrowth isn’t the most fun thing in the world to contend with, but there are solutions to help minimize it. And seeing as we will not be crossing paths again until (fingers crossed) May, I’ll share them with you.
First thing is first, DO NOT (let me say it with more emphasis – DO NOT) go out and purchase a box of hair dye. Doing so could (and most likely will) cause more trouble than it is worth. I explain box color like this: picture a one size fits all tee shirt. Sometimes the tee shirt fits well, but on many individuals it is either too big or too small. That one box of hair dye is trying to be to someone’s pure white hair as it is to a natural brunette as it is to a blonde as it is to a redhead. More often than not, it isn’t enough coverage OR it is the wrong tone. At Salon Enso, we customize your color specifically to your needs and wants. A box of color can’t replace what we can do. Not to mention if you do select the wrong shade, you are looking at an “oops” plus an additional color correction to fix it upon the salon reopening.
What I do recommend is a TEMPORARY spray in product. These sprays are dye free; they last one shampoo and are ammonia and peroxide free. Think of them like concealer for the hair. You apply and the next time you wash your hair they are gone. These products will not make dark hair lighter, but they will minimize the white line you see sprouting from your head.
A few brands that got great reviews:
- *L’oreal Paris Magic Root Cover up
- *Everpro Beauty Grey away Temporary Root Concealer
- *Rita Hazan Root Concealer Touch Up Spray: Temporary Grey Coverage
Another easy fix if you have brunette hair is to use brown mascara at the temples. Comb in, let dry and no one is any the wiser. If you are having difficulty finding a shade match with the root cover up sprays – a matte (no shimmer) eye shadow works brilliantly as well.
If you are looking for more inventive ways to cover regrowth (or you happen to be a guest who gets color to lighten your own natural hue) the solution for you is to get creative with your styling! I’m an 80’s child, so I fully approve of the following measures:
- Wearing a hard part or a tight top knot makes any type of regrowth remarkably evident. Try loosening your style or pulling a few wisps of hair out around your face to soften the line throughout the temples.
- Bust out the dry shampoo, hairspray and hot tools and create some TEXTURE! When you wear your hair in a tousled manner you are drawing the eye upward and the line that was your part becomes less obvious making your regrowth less obvious. This works as loose curls for longer lengths and a chaotic/messy pixie for shorter types.
- A hat! Whether it is a ball cap or a fedora hats cover a multitude of sins and give an outfit some pizazz. At Salon Enso we are all big fans of hats. Think of it as another accessory!
- I’m a MASSIVE fan of headbands and scarves especially when combined with messy short hair. A scarf also looks fantastic tied around the front hairline of hair swept up into a ponytail or bun. It keeps the hair neat and keeps regrowth under wraps (get it? Sorry, I had to!)
If all else fails, use those “wisdom highlights” and those dark roots to earn yourself some much needed cheer. Post a picture of your skunk stripe on our social media sites and tag it #salonensorooted and you could be entered to win $500 of products or services at Salon Enso. Cash which may come in handy if you decide to box dye 😉 But you won’t…will you?
Hope you are staying healthy, staying well and embracing time with your family by not going too insane! I (WE) miss you and will see you as soon as we are able!
