Why Does Gray Hair Turn Yellow by Stylist Jamie Nguyen

Why Does Gray Hair Turn Yellow?

 

Yellowing gray hair will not happen to everyone, but if it happens to you and bothers you, here are the best ways to reduce and remove the yellow unwanted tones. Before getting into the how's and whys of yellowing gray hair genetics can also play a part in this.

 

Do you swim in a chlorinated pool? If you do, you will want to protect your gray hair first. One great solution is to wet your hair before going in the pool or protecting it with a leave in conditioner. Dry hair will yellow more quickly than wet hair. After you are done swimming, wash your hair with a good clarifying shampoo and conditioner.

 

Watch out for your styling tools! Curling irons, blow dryers, and flat irons can all cause gray hair to yellow. Fine gray hair is especially susceptible to yellowing and unfortunately, yellowing caused by heat or sun damage is permanent. Try to refrain from using heat tools if you can. If you must use heat tools, make sure to use ones that have temperature controls and use them on the lowest setting. And always use a thermal protectant beforehand.

So how do you get yellow tones out of gray hair? Purple shampoos are the best shampoos for gray hair, as purple is the opposite of yellow on the color wheel. Purple shampoos will only temporarily cover yellow, but they completely remove it. Purple shampoo and conditioner work to neutralize any yellowing, brassiness or full tones that clarify or regular shampoo washing just can’t get out.