Over time, white and gray hair appears and blends into our natural color. Faced with this completely natural phenomenon, two options are available to you: camouflage them with the help of coloring or take full responsibility for them. Recently, more and more celebrities have chosen to keep their hair white, this is the case of the successful singer Zazie or the actress Adeline Blondieau, for example. If you feel like it, you can also cover them with coloring or reverse balayage, for an ultra-natural effect. In this case, it is better to choose the right coloring based on your initial hair color.
However, one question remains: while some have white hair, others have gray hair, what is the difference between these two shades? In a video posted on Youtube, renowned hairdresser Tom Smith answers this question.
White and gray hair: what is the difference?
White and gray hair, we are not all in the same boat. However, as hairstylist Tom Smith explains: “there is no pigment inside [du cheveu, N.D.L.R]a better name would therefore be translucent hair.. As you age, your hair loses its pigmentation, also called melanin, in the hair follicle, making it lighter and lighter. This is what hair expert Andréa Da Costa, Trainer, recently confirmed to us. Christophe Robin in an interview given to Current wife : “depending on the amount of melanin remaining, the hair can be more or less dark and therefore gray or white“, explained the hair specialist.
How do you know if you will have gray or white hair?
So, contrary to what one might think, gray hair does not turn white or vice versa. These lose their pigments and their reflections can be gray or white depending on your original color. In fact, your translucent hair mixes with your other strands, so this is what gives rather white or gray highlights to your hair. “If your natural color is light, if you have a very light brown or natural blonde, and especially if you are a natural redhead […]. Your color will become whiter, creamier, more beige“, explains Tom Smith. For those with darker hair, when your hair lightens your hair will have rather gray highlights, so you will get a color “pepper salt“. Either way, these shade blends are lovely!