The Dye Strip Technique for Going Gray in Secret
Inside: All about the dye strip technique for growing out your gray hair secretly, with no demarcation line.
Every week, I receive emails from women who want to go gray but don’t want to cut their hair, don’t want to bleach their hair, and don’t want to sport a strong demarcation line (i.e., “skunk stripe.”)
What if I told you there IS a method that accomplishes ALL of these desires and that you can do it yourself, in the comfort of your own home?
Please note that this article may contain affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page.
GO GRAY IN SECRET WITH THE DYE STRIP TECHNIQUE
It’s called the Dye Strip Technique and it’s a fantastic solution for women who don’t want to go gray cold turkey, don’t want to cut their hair short, and don’t want to potentially damage their hair through gray blending at the salon.
This method of secretly going gray has been around for a while, but I wasn’t aware of it until I bumped into Diana Moffitt (@silver.is.the.new.black) at a silver sister meetup and she explained it to me.
Diana was kind enough to share her pictures and knowledge, so read on to find out more about this amazing technique!
Can’t use dye (or just don’t want to)? Then check out the other best way to go gray in secret: wigs!
- GO GRAY IN SECRET WITH THE DYE STRIP TECHNIQUE
- WHAT IS THE DYE STRIP TECHNIQUE?
- A VIDEO GUIDE TO THE DYE STRIP TECHNIQUE
- WHAT KIND OF HAIR WORKS BEST FOR THE DYE STRIP TECHNIQUE?
- WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS METHOD OF GOING GRAY?
- WHO SHOULD AVOID THE DYE STRIP METHOD?
- HOW TO USE THE DYE STRIP TECHNIQUE FOR GOING GRAY
- EXAMPLE OF GRAY HAIR USING THE DYE STRIP TECHNIQUE
- PROS & CONS TO THE DYE STRIP METHOD
- Dye Strip Technique FAQs
- CONCLUSION
WHAT IS THE DYE STRIP TECHNIQUE?
The Dye Strip Technique involves only coloring a small strip of hair at the crown of your head. You’ll re-dye the roots of only that strip of hair as needed.
In the meantime, your gray hair will grow out underneath the strip until you are ready to reveal your glorious naturally silver hair to the world! Any grays that DO peek through will simply look like sparkly highlights.
When that time comes, you’ll flip your part and – wowza! – you’ll look completely, gloriously, gray!
At that point, you can let the dyed strip grow out underneath your fabulous, sparkly gray hair and no one will be the wiser. That’s why the Dye Strip Technique is sometimes referred to as “going gray in secret.”
Isn’t that cool?
This post contains everything you need to know about the dye strip technique, but it’s a long, detailed read. If you prefer, you can purchase the PDF version for only $5. It contains the full article (including pictures and links to the videos) and you can print it out and refer to it any time you like. The PDF would be especially helpful if you want to bring this article with you to the hair salon to show your hairdresser how to do this technique! (Click on the book below to purchase)
A VIDEO GUIDE TO THE DYE STRIP TECHNIQUE
If you prefer video, you can see my interview with Diana below:
And you can find Suzan Barne’s video (that inspired Diana) here:
WHAT KIND OF HAIR WORKS BEST FOR THE DYE STRIP TECHNIQUE?
Due to the nature of the dye-strip technique, it works best with medium-to-long straight or wavy hair.
If you have bangs, short hair, or very curly hair, it will not work as well (if at all).
The whole point of the dye-strip technique is to grow out your gray roots underneath your dyed part.
So you need that dyed hair strip to be long enough to cover the gray hair that is growing out underneath.
WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS METHOD OF GOING GRAY?
This method works best for women who want to eventually give up hair dye altogether but are not in a huge rush to complete their transition.
It’s especially great for women who have an aversion to the demarcation line. A lot of us silver sisters loved going gray cold turkey, but let’s be honest – that’s not for everyone.
If you are uncomfortable sporting a “skunk stripe”, then this method of growing out your grays is for you!
The best candidates for the dye-strip technique are women with medium to long dark brunette hair. These are the women I hear from the most who are uncomfortable going out in public for a year or two with a strong demarcation line.
This method solves that problem!
Blondes and redheads can also use this technique, but for dark brunettes, the dye-strip technique is the best method I’ve found for going gray in secret with dark hair.
Another benefit? A lot of us experience hair regrowth when we stop the dye. Even though you are continuing to dye that 1 strip at the top of your head, you may see hair regrowth in other areas.
Month 5 vs. Month 12
WHO SHOULD AVOID THE DYE STRIP METHOD?
If you are growing out your gray hair due to a sensitivity to hair dye, or if you are simply DONE with putting chemicals on your head, this is NOT the right transition method for you as you will have to continue dyeing your hair for a while.
HOW TO USE THE DYE STRIP TECHNIQUE FOR GOING GRAY
You can do this at home or at the salon – it’s up to you!
Supplies Needed:
Home Hair Dye Kit
Vaseline
** Remember to start with a side part – if you part your hair in the center and grab hair on either side of the center part, this method will not work **
Step 1: Part your hair on the side and section off about a 1.5” x 5″ strip of hair along your part line.
Step 2: Put Vaseline on all sides of the strip to protect your natural hair color from accidentally being dyed.
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Step 3: ONLY dye the roots of the strip of hair.
Step 4: When you wash out the dye, focus on rinsing out the dyed strip well before you add shampoo to wash out the Vaseline. (If you have trouble washing out the Vaseline, read this post).
Step 5: When styling your hair, part your hair down the middle of the dyed strip laying the dyed hair over your gray hair and style as usual. Voila!
Repeat the process every 4 weeks or so until you feel ready to flip your part to the gray side and show everyone your fabulous silver hair!
Once you flip your part to the gray side, just let the dyed strip grow out (undetected) underneath your gray hair. Eventually, it will be completely grown out and cut off.
EXAMPLE OF GRAY HAIR USING THE DYE STRIP TECHNIQUE
Diana’s transition photos will give you a great idea of the dye-strip technique in action!
PROS & CONS TO THE DYE STRIP METHOD
Pros
- No Demarcation Line
- Your gray hair grows out in secret (BONUS: it looks like peekaboo highlights!)
- Minimal cost
- Minimal upkeep
- No Cutting Required
- No Bleaching Required
- Hair regrowth in areas where you’ve stopped dyeing
Cons
- You will still have to dye your hair for a while
- Not a good solution for women with short or VERY curly hair
Going Gray? Make Sure to Read:
10 Transition Mistakes to Avoid At All Costs
In this post, I share the 10 most common gray hair transition mistakes to avoid so you can have a smooth and successful journey to naturally silver hair.
Dye Strip Technique FAQs
Do you have more questions about the Dye Strip & Flip method? Then check out the Live video I recently did with Diana all about it:
If you dislike video content, here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions:
Q: Can the dye strip method work on curly hair?
A: If your hair is super curly and isn’t long enough to drape over your demarcation line, the dye strip technique isn’t a good fit for you. (But if it is long enough, it could probably work – you might just need to experiment a little).
Q: I have bangs. How can I make this method work for me?
A. Growing out your bangs in advance is your best course of action. However, if you don’t want to do that, the next best thing would be to simply spray your bangs with root spray to hide the grays. Or you could let your bangs go gray first – that would be a bold choice, and you could get a hint of what’s to come.
CONCLUSION
I know that, for many of you, this technique is going to be a godsend! Four days after I put the video up on YouTube, it already had 7000 views, so it’s obvious that women are searching for alternative ways to go gray!
If this method isn’t for you, don’t worry!
There are many other ways to go gray. There’s not only one right way to go gray – you have to find the method that suits your temperament. I’m confident that you will.
If you have any questions about the dye strip technique please post a comment below and Diana and I will be happy to answer all your questions! And please make sure to follow Diana on Instagram @silver.is.the.new.black.
Read my full interview with Diana about her Dye-Strip transition journey here: Diana’s Unique Journey to Gray Hair
Related Posts:
100+ Gray Hair Stats (aka How Women REALLY Feel About Going Gray)
Color Lounge Answers Your Salon Transition Questions
Check out my Amazon Shop for all your gray hair needs!
Please do me a favor and share this post to social media, as it helps me grow my audience and spread the word about our Silver Revolution! And remember to subscribe to my YouTube Channel and Pinterest Feed for more gray hair tips and product recommendations. Thanks!
I recently turned 53. It’s been five months since I dyed my whole hair. I stumbled across dye strip technique in a comment on a post, and so about 3 months ago I started dye strip technique (DST). I have repeated 2x so far. I love how I don’t have a skunk stripe. I love how the white underneath peeks through and shows a great deal in front. People are noticing but in a good way! I struggle with just giving up and going cold turkey but I really want to see it through. I just have about 2-2.5 inches of new growth in 5 months, of course, so it’s hard to see how the “flip side” is going to look yet. I reread the technique above and was relieved that she waited 14 months to flip. Personally I waver between thinking 9 months, a year, or is it wait until I like the flip look better than the dyed look. Yeah, the latter sounds good to me. Biggest question I have is that I didn’t realize the first time that it’s only supposed to be the roots that are dyed (along the part). I’ve been doing the whole length of the strip section (and trying to narrow it a bit because my first month seemed too wide). I guess I feel it’s working fine. Maybe next month I will just do roots of the strip. The Vaseline was the dickens to wash out! I used a different shampoo with tea tree oil in it after a couple unsuccessful attempts with my regular shampoo and it finally worked!
Thank you, thank you, thank you soooo much for sharing this technique. I’m fairly certain I’d have either caved and dyed my whole head again or that I’d be really miserable cold turkey with the skunk stripe!
Hi
I am really keen to try this method , I have a short fringe and my hair is dark brown and long. How do I manage my fringe during this process.
Thanks
Hi, Nickie: Unfortunately this method does not work well with fringe (I mentioned that in my post but we call fringe “bangs” here in the U.S. so that might have caused confusion). For the dye strip method to work, you need to be able to part your hair slightly off center, and to have hair long enough so that the dyed strip can hang down over the gray hair that’s growing out.
However, if you don’t want to grow your fringe out before doing this method, you could possibly spray your fringe with root spray to hide the gray (it washes out). Or just let your bangs go gray first 🙂
Hi
I love the photos of you. Do you know whether you are a deep autumn color or a winter ? I am a deep autumn ( dark autumn) with pale skin and the white just looks terrible with my warm face tone. I have warm dark brown hair. Not as black as yours.
I love the petroleum dark turkoise sweater with the dark raspberry pink lipgloss /lipstick.
Thanks
Karen from Denmark ( 2024)
Hi, been using this technique a couple of months now. Finding it great to discover my real colour without a demarcation line. Just wondering if any shampoo recommendations? my strip is dyed but the regrowth underneath is feeling heavy, flat and rough from my old shampoo. Many thanks for any tips.
Hi, Tracey! You can find a list of my favorite products here, with some tips on how to use them: https://katiegoesplatinum.com/current-gray-hair-care-routine/#weekday-routine. Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any questions.
hi… someone above had asked about curly hair & it went unanswered.
I have long naturally curly hair (3A/3B)…. im guessing you say it’s not good for that because the colored strips of hair would end up clumping together in a few curls… so it wouldn’t ‘cover’ my head?? is that why??
do you suggest something different to do instead??
I wonder if breaking up the curls & distributing the hair around my head would work??
any suggestions are very much appreciated & I eagerly await your response.
thank you..
Donna.
Hi, Donna – Yes, for this technique to work you need to be able to have long strands that hang down and cover the gray hair underneath. With super curly hair that could be difficult, but you can always give it a shot and see what happens. If it works, please let me know for sure as I haven’t heard from anyone who has been able to do it that way. But the dye strip technique isn’t the only way to go gray “in secret” – here are some other methods that might work for you: 3 Ways to Go Gray Gracefully (without a Demarcation Line)!
hi.. thanks for getting back to me. 🙂
I’d rather try this option than a wig or hair piece. I think it may still be worth it if it still breaks up the harsh demarcation line.
I think I will try a root spray in the beginning (my grey roots are already about 1.5″ long).
I think I may need to break up the curls more on the strip so that it’ll cover my sides & back better, & I think I’ll buy a dye that is 1-2 shades lighter than the shade I’ve been using…. as that color has significantly lightened since I haven’t colored my hair in about 3 months.
what may help me a little more in front… I already have a ‘money-piece’… A single strip of grey hair that starts at my forehead & goes down one side of my face. (I deliberately did not color that, tho colored the rest of my hair.)
thanks for your input. I’ll give it a try.
Donna
Hi Katie and Diana. I really, really want to try this method! I have a few questions and hope that you can answer them. I have thinning, light brown hair just past my shoulders, and am growing out my bangs for this method. Will this work on hair that is probably mostly white underneath? I notice in the video and in Diana’s photos that the hair is more salt with still a lot of pepper. Also, I have a straight horizontal line of demarcation at the back of my crown. Any suggestions for this problem, since my hair is thin on top? I really want to stop and go white/gray as the case may be, but the stark white line of demarcation on my part is very discouraging! I’m also worried about my appearance for work. Thanks in advance for any guidance you can offer.
Hi, Michelle! I think this method would work beautifully on hair that’s white underneath. And the dye strip technique will help break up that demarcation line issue, too. I hope that helps!
I’m about to try this method and finally grow out the gray. I’ve been coloring my hair with only henna and indigo for the last 10 years since having chemo & radiation and wanting to avoid chemical hair dye but not wanting to go gray yet. Now I’m finding I need to touch up more often and it’s just too messy and too much work. I’m wondering if anyone has experimented with combining the dye strip method with one of the blue shampoos to enhance the remaining brown hair and silver “highlights” to help blend the whole mix.
hii Ma’am I’m from India and very happy to see ur confidence with grying hair, but most of social person understands gry hair beauty barriers. I’m impressed and inspiring you. thanks, i want to aware ur pics, using by some Oil Company for showing grying hair in to black hair. if u aware about this so its ok,
Hi, is it Buddha Naturals? I’m trying to take legal action against them. Please let me know. Thanks so much!
Update to my experience…
It’s been almost a year since I started the strip method of growing out my gray. I switched my part to the opposite side, and colored just the strip with medium brown henna/indigo every 3-4 weeks for about 5 months, then I went “cold turkey.” I’ve been using a blue shampoo (I order one from Yves Rocher USA) and this L’Oréal toner every 10 days or so—[https://www.lorealparisusa.com/hair-color/hair-gloss/color-gloss-one-step-in-shower-toning-gloss-silver-slate]. The toner makes my hair very soft and manageable and the gray hair a bit purple-ish but it’s subtle and I get lots of complements on it. I never switched my part back to the old side, it seems I have more dark hair left on this side and much more gray along my old part, so, that was a bonus discovery! A couple more haircuts and the brown ends will be gone. It takes more than a year to grow from the roots to below-the-chin length, I have embraced ponytails and baseball caps for quite a few of these days. But all in, I’d recommend trying the strip method, it was less painful than looking at the skunk stripe and definitely helped ease the transition. Thanks, Katie!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad it worked out for you 🙂
No, but you just made me think… there’s a coloured conditioner called Clendtitioner that I’ve just bought in mocha.. instead of doing all my roots, I may just try THIS method (without needing box dye! )
I tried your hack. It worked perfectly. I have medium brown hair that I have dyed for at least 15 years. Thought I would go grey but hate it around my face. My grey has grown out about 1.5 inches. I used the strip method with a non-permanent color. It definitely looks a lot better. Thank you for the hack.
I’m so glad it worked!
why won’t it work if you part your hair in the middle and grab hair on each side of the part?
I have the same issue. I can’t change my part because of how my hair lays and it’s pretty thin. Also do you color a strip on each side of your part?
I have fought with my have for the last 10 years. Originally I have have been a dark brunette with ALOT of red highlights, then was pregnant at 40 and my hair turned BLACK , 10 years later when I dyed hair for first time, I found out I was quite allergic to these chemicals so so dyeing was done randomly.. 6 months ago, after trying to outgrow old dye; I decided to go from a short bob to wherever my natural hair growth was. Wow what change, now a VERY short pixie and I work with my colics and a lot of gel- it looks great. My only problem is some I got put in my parents group for a family reunion- I didn’t like being put with the much older group yet. 😩
I was so excited to stumble upon this method until I read, not for hair with bangs. Is there any way to do it with bangs and what would happen? I guess I’m too visual and I can’t picture why bangs would be a problem. Would you be able to explain the bang problem and/or if there may be a possible work around?
Thank you in advance
Hi, Susan: For the dye strip method to work, you need to be able to part your hair slightly off center, and to have hair long enough so that the dyed strip can hang down over the gray hair that’s growing out. If you had long side bangs, it could work but for regular bangs (straight across the forehead), there’s no way to “hide” the grays growing underneath easily. But you can certainly try it – just be aware that parts of your bangs will show the gray. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous and want to keep short bangs, you could just let your bangs be gray (why not?), part the hair behind the gray slightly off center and just do the dye strip behind your bangs. It won’t be a “secret” way to go gray in that case as the grays will be more obvious, but it still might feel less difficult than going gray cold turkey is for some people.
Hope that helps!
Why couldn’t a person with bangs dye their bangs along with the strip at first? As more grays appear after a few months, couldn’t a person just color a few hairs here and there with the hair color? ( like highlights), so the bangs would be gray blended.
I have about a 1” strip of longer bangs (they reach my nose) will this technique still work?
As long as they are long enough to hang down over the gray roots underneath, you should be good to go!
I want to try this. Is the vaseline necessary? Please advise. Thanks.
The Vaseline is pretty necessary to protect your undyed hair from the hair dye. But maybe these alternatives would work? I’m just not sure as I’ve never tried them:
Get an application bottle with a comb end, mine is 2 1/2 inches wide, mix the dye and developer in there, and make a pass or two over your target area and the Vaseline is not necessary 🙂
Can i use the method with very thin hair??
It should work – the main thing that matters is that the dyed strip will hang down and cover up the gray underneath. It doesn’t have to be perfect- the main goal is to break up the demarcation line so it’s not so obvious. Hope that helps!
I’m so glad I found this I sick of constantly dyeing my hair I’ve got dark brown hair so my grey grow out is really noticeable
You’ll love this technique, Chris! Hope it goes well for you!
This sounds potentially good for me. I have been dyeing my hair more or less for 25 years. I used to be blonde but now think I have a lot of grey. Like 75percent. I Want to quit my permanent dye. I have about 1inch regrowth at my roots. Can you confirm
What type of dye I should use? Temporary? Semi permanent? Anyone got a recc for a brand? Been using Madison reed but that’s permanent. Will finding a temp or semi permanent color to match my existing dye be tricky?! Thanks
Since you’re only dyeing the strip, I think semi-permanent should work find. I don’t think it should be too tricky to find a color – try going to a good hair supply store to talk to someone and I bet they’ll find one for you!
Thankyou. Very interesting! I would try this if I’d ever been able to change my part but have a strong cowlick that I assume makes this technique not suitable for me?! Any experiences out there please?
I’m a bit confused. Are you dying the whole strip or just the roots? If just the roots won’t they wind up not matching the rest of the hair as the original all over dye fades?
I just dyed the roots of the strip of hair. The dyed ends did lighten but there was never a stark contrast between my roots and the dyed ends. I did not have the problem of my dyed ends lightening too much but I have heard of women go into their stylist to dye their ends because they do not like how much it lightened over time. I also got regular trims so if the hair did lighten it was trimmed off. I hope this helps!
Is it difficult to wash vaseline out of hair? Any special shampoo needed?
Hi, great question! I found this online: How To Get Vaseline Out of Hair
I did not have any difficulty washing out the Vaseline for my hair with regular shampoo. I also used a permanent dye that needed to be washed out after being on my head for about 45 minutes. I am aware that there are certain dyeing techniques where the hair is not shampooed until the next day. That is not the process I used.
What if I have major grey roots around my face; will this method still work?
I don’t see why not – with this method, it won’t hide ALL your gray, the point of it is to keep you from getting a harsh demarcation line between your dyed hair and gray hair. So your gray hair will still peek through, but the dyed hair that hangs down over it will disguise it a bit and make it less noticeable as it grows out.
Thank you! I will be trying this method this weekend.
If you have gray around your face like most of us do, you can use a root spray to cover the gray around your face if and when you want to pull your hair back. But as Katie said, it is not very noticeable when using this technique.
Are you able to portion out the same bottle of hair dye for multiple applications or are you investing in a full box of dye and throwing away the excess after each application. It would be great to only mix exactly what’s needed without waste. Not sure if that’s an option.
Unfortunately, I don’t think you can save the dye. If I remember the box dye instructions correctly, you always have to dispose of unused dye within 24 hours (?).
A good option would be to get a tube of professional permanent creme color. They’re usually available at beauty supply store like Sally beauty. You squeeze out whatever amount of dye you need, and you mix it with developer (sold separately). The unused portion can be recapped and stored for awhile, as it hasn’t been exposed to much air or mixed with developer. Buying the dye and developer together is usually less than ten dollars, so it’s comparable to box color in price.
That’s a great tip, Dawn!
Yes
I used to dye with Sally stuff and it works exactly like this. Developer by itself can be kept indefinitely when stored properly. The color tube recapped tightly also lasts for a very long time
Hi LRB, you can probably portion a box color for three times depending how much hair your are dying. All you have to do is empty 1/3 of the coloring liquid and 1/3 of the developer cream in an small glass or plastic bowl, mix it and apply it with a brush. Make sure the recap tightly the remaining coloring liquid and developer cream and store it in a cool or regulated climate location. Use the original containers or airtight containers. As long as the developer has not already been mixed with the color, it is safe to keep it.
I mix a small amount of color and developer with a paint brush and apply. Leave the rest unmixed for the future. One box lasts for months.
if you buy dye at a beauty supply store like Sally you can mix only as much as you need.
I understand how this would work to cover gray on the top and sides of one’s head, but what about the back? Thank you.
Hi, you need to make sure you separate out enough hair that can drape over both sides, as well as the back of your head. I’ll try to do a video soon that shows a close-up of how much hair to grab.
Reno, I was surprised by how little hair it actually takes to cover the back of your head. The strip was approximately 2“ x 6“. Remember, the intention of this technique is to break up the demarcation line, it is not meant to completely hide the gray coming through.
I am thankful I came across this. Thank you for the video
How does this look during the proces of growing out, in straight hair? I mean, it will look way nicer with the big barrel curls. However I am not doing that every day. I have straight fine hair. (Dark brown).
I’m wondering is there an up to date video of someone actually applying the dye etc
Hi, Natalie – not yet, but I can see if I can come up with a video like this. Great idea!
Throughout the process, I never made a video as I was applying the dye. The important thing to remember is to use just enough dye to cover the roots. If you pile it on it begins to seep into your gray grow out and even the Vaseline isn’t a powerful enough barrier to prevent it from potentially dying your gray roots. I enlisted the help of my daughter to ensure that I was picking up the same dyed strip each month so I didn’t accidentally dye my hard earned gray grow out. Then, I applied Vaseline on the gray grow out bordering the strip and began to apply the dye with a brush applicator.
I have been coloring my hair blonde for years. I have dark hair (closer to black than dark brown) I’ve been coloring, highlighting, and adding lowlights. I’ve recently moved and have been unable to find a stylist….so my roots are dark and of course gray, and the the rest is blonde-ish.
I’m so interested in trying this method however I’m wondering if I should color my hair all one color…before trying this?
Hi Katie,
I’m planning to try the dye strip technique. I have two cowlicks at my crown. I generally part my hair down the middle and have a widows peak. Where do you recommend I take the do the strip?
Hi, Johanna – I know the widow’s peak might make it difficult, but are you able to force a side part (even a mild one) in the meantime? If not, I’m not sure. I will keep thinking about it!
I saw this idea a couple of days ago and since I have a two month gray grow out and I don’t like the first few months of demarcation line I thought this was a great idea for me. I had an appointment with my hair dresser and I told her to do this and I showed her the article but she ended up coloring more than a stripe and I told her that she was going to far but wouldn’t stop. So now what I have is my top and front part of my hair colored and won’t be able to flip my hair. Now I don’t know what to do. Any thoughts?
Hi Graciela, I’m not sure when you left this comment but I’d like to say I’m so sorry your hairstylist did not listen to your directions. I’m sure she knew exactly what she was doing. You do not have to start from scratch. As long as you dye the hair along a side part when you are ready to dye your roots next time, you are good to go. I would suggest going to another hairstylist or talking to your stylist about a root color you can purchase at a beauty supply store to do the process from home, which is what I did. All you need is to enlist the help of a friend or older child to assist in tht application. Good luck!
This process sound like something I could do. I’m already discouraged by the line of grey after only three months! Here’s what I am wondering about…does this process work if you have bangs? Thanks.
Hi, Carol! I think this would be difficult to do this with bangs unless they were long bangs. You need to be able to flip the dyed hair over the gray hair.
This is something among this line. I’ve been gray since 2013, but lately I have been putting peek-a-boo highlights under the back of my hair. You can see the highlights when your hair if pulled up. Just because we’re women if a certain age doesn’t mean we can’t have fun!
I decided to try this technique after dyeing my hair for about 20 years. My hair used to be black, thick and it grows pretty fast, so I had to be in the salon every other week. I am very optimistic about it. I dyed the strip last time, and now I can see about 2 fingers of gray hair underneath. My question is: what is the length of the underneath hair when you can actually start seeing the different colors? Thank you!
Hi Maysa, I’m not sure you when you left this comment but I’m just seeing it now. I’m sure you are already noticing the different colors within the first couple of months. I hope this technique worked for you!
How would you describe “very curly” hair? I have curly hair (2b/c).
Thank you for your help!
Hi Diana,
I’m excited to try this method of growing out my grays. Here are some question I have:
1. Do I use a temporary hair colour to dye the strip?
2. Do I continue to dye the same strip for 12 months before I flip my parting to the other gray side?
Thank you so much, I think this method will be my choice to transition my grays out.
Hi, Ivy!
Diana might not see this for a while, so here are my answers in the meantime:
1) You can use semi-permanent to dye the roots of the strip. Temporary might wash out too quickly.
2) You dye the roots of the strip only for as long as you like – you flip your parting to the other side whenever you feel ready to show off you gray! You might want to be gray one weekend (to test it out) and go back to dark for a while – it’s totally up to you and what you feel comfortable with. That’s what’s so fun about this method – you get to decide when you are ready to show off your grays!
I am excited to try this technique! I have dark brown hair but after not dying it for 4 months, the dyed hair looks more brassy. I’m concerned that it will be tricky to find a dye colour for the strip roots that matches my washed-out dyed hair. Does anyone have experience with this? Thank you.
I would suggest consulting with a stylist because this can be a major problem since you will likely dye the strip for 8-12 months.
I recommend using a blue shampoo, such as brass to sass found at Sally’s. This takes that brassy orangey look out of dark brown dyed hair. This stuff really works to tone down my hair.
I don’t think that this is for me , although I do appreicate the heads up , my grays aren’t really popping out for some reason , but once there is a big enough change I will come back for another question .
I came up with something like this, and it worked really well. I have thick hair that was dyed brown.
The worst part of growing out your dyed hair is the first few months when you have that stripe. Keeping my part touched up got me off of that. Once I got to 3-4 months I could see how my uncolored hair was going to look, and that was encouraging.
I did a lot with clips, and began to feel comfortable with the grown out gray hair. By the time I got to a year I had enough streaky gray that I just quit with the dyed strip and the grow out didn’t bother me.
When I started out I switched my side part to the side that I thought had the least gray. I knew the other side had a big streak at the temple and thought I’d like to end up with that showing. Originally I’d planned to go on like this for a year, then flip the part and go with a really short asymmertical cut to. I also considered bleaching the dyed strip and going blue, just for fun, but I didn’t end up doing that because about the time I hit a year we had a stay-at-home order and I missed two hair appointments. By the time I got in for a cut (I was there the week they opened) I’d already flipped to part and decided just to keep with what I had.
Hi Rose!
I love that you figured out this technique on your own. I have met so many women who did this technique to help them embrace their gray and did not realize it was a technique.
?? I have just bought my fave semi permanent dye to do the whole head but just found your secret section tip, amazing! My only problem is that my greys also frame my face so should I do a kind of T-section of dyeing? Thanks for your advice!
Great question, Lucy. I see what you’re saying and I have lots of gray at my temples as well. During the transition, I used a temporary root spray some days and other days I left it alone depending how I wore my hair.
Another option for those grays around the face is eye shadow. Just a stiffer makeup brush and “slather” that eye shadow over the grays and blend. Is a nice way to use up eye shadow you might not use regularly AND keep those grays blended in!
Hi Lucy,
I have gray around my fade and temples as well but it didn’t bother me. If you do like the look I would suggest using a root spray around your face. If you dye it there is no easy way to hide the grow it out. Good luck and have fun!
Genius idea! I am doing it! Heading to my hairdresser this week and asking her to do the dye strip technique! Thank you!
Hi Sheila! I’m so glad you want to use this technique to transition to gray. How did your hairdresser respond to the request for the dye strip technique?
Should you use a Demi permanent so,it will wash out when you are done with the transition ?
Hi Terry! I would be very careful with semi/demi permanent hair color. It does not always wash out completely. If you decide to use it, just know that you may still have to flip the part and wait for it to grow out. Good luck!