The Gorgeous Way to Gray

Apr. 23, 2008— -- Wash that gray out of your hair? More of you are saying, "No way!"

According to L'Oréal, nearly half of women over age 40 are no longer hitting the bottle. Besides being profoundly liberating (no more pesky roots!), going gray with gray hair makes a statement of supreme confidence: This is who I am, and I'm proud of my natural beauty.

Gray hair can also look pretty darn fabulous: Think Meryl Streep's chic silver cut in The Devil Wears Prada, Jamie Lee Curtis' stylish silver pixie, or Emmylou Harris' stunning salt-and-pepper mane.

Still, if you want to give gray a try, you'll need to know how to avoid the awkward gray hair growing-in stage that occurs when you stop dyeing your hair; the mere thought of clashing incoming and outgoing tones keeps many women from returning to their roots. But fear not; this step-by-step guide will help you look terrific every minute of the way to gray.

Wait until your roots are at least 60 percent silver before giving up your dye job, so your new gray hair hue will look symmetrical and natural as it grows in, suggests colorist Jennifer J., owner of Juan Juan Salons in Beverly Hills, CA. But don't give up color altogether just yet.

"The contrast in texture and tone as your hair grows can look unkempt," she notes. During this phase, which can last up to a year, get a do-it-yourself highlighting kit or ask your colorist to weave in a few fine highlights or lowlights (darker streaks) to add dimension and blend in roots.

Cropping your hair above your collarbone during the in-between period will lessen the contrast between silver and pigmented strands. Layers can also help camouflage multiple hues.

"A choppy cut looks youthful and helps hide your roots," says Jonathan Gale, a colorist at the John Frieda Salon in Los Angeles.

When your gray has grown out, don't regress to a matronly 'do.

"For gray to look glamorous and chic, your cut should be contemporary," says Mark DeVincenzo, creative director at the Frédéric Fekkai Salon in New York City.

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1. Maximize manageability

Used weekly, Clairol Nice 'n Easy ColorSeal Conditioning Gloss ($4; drugstores) has safflower oil to control coarse strands.

2. Restore softness

Non-color-depositing Pantene Pro-V Silver Expressions Conditioner in Sterling to Snow ($6; drugstores) smooths hair without tinting it blue.

3. Beat brassiness

The chamomile-derived azulene in Phyto Phytargent Whitening Shampoo ($24; beauty.com) helps remove yellowing residue.

4. Boost shine

The luminosity-enhancing silica and rice bran oil in Aveda Brilliant Emollient Finishing Gloss ($23; aveda.com) take tresses from dull to dazzling.

5. Decrease dryness

Daily washing and styling can dry out hair; by absorbing excess oils, Bumble & Bumble Hair Powder in White ($19; bumbleandbumble.com for salon locator) lets you skip a day or two (spray powder directly onto scalp and brush out excess).***

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