I’ll be honest: I went into recording my latest Smiling Gives You Wrinkles® podcast episode with Karla Osborne, a grey blending specialist, sporting a fresh set of permanent roots.
I had just had them done a few days before, and coincidentally, my hairdresser had just suggested switching from using permanent colour to a demi, to help soften my grow-out line.
At 49, my relationship with my roots has become a bit of a scheduling nightmare. Every four to five weeks, I’m in my hairdressers chair, colour blocking the greys away - much to the expense of its condition, not to mention my bank balance!
I found my first grey hair when I was about 18 - I knew that it was in my genes, because for as long as I can remember, my mum has had grey hair. She has never dyed it and as you can see from the picture of her below, it is stunning. And in such great condition!
But I didn’t go down the same natural route as my mum - I have been dying my roots ever since my late 30s. Do I regret it? No. But I do realise that it is a battle that I will never win!
What is Grey Blending?
I first heard about Karla via my lovely friend and makeup artist, Donna May. They had met online after Donna had previously tried to grow out her greys.
Karla is a grey blending specialist, and is passionate about showing women that there is more to hair than block colour and zero greys.
For years, we’ve been taught that the moment a grey hair appears, we need full coverage. Karla calls this the Brick Wall. It’s opaque, it’s permanent, and it creates that dreaded ‘skunk stripe’ demarcation line the moment your hair grows a millimeter.
Grey Blending is different. It’s an intricate process of mapping your unique white hair pattern and mimicking it using foiling techniques. Instead of a brick wall, think of it as Stained Glass.
“We don’t want a brick wall; we want a picket fence. A little bit of coverage, but enough transparency to let the light in,” says Karla.
The Science of the Transition
As a Beauty Editor, I’m usually the one explaining the science, but when it comes hair colour, it all becomes white noise (no pun intended!), so Karla had to take me back to school to explain how it works.
🎬 KARLA EXPLAINS HOW SHE HELPS WOMEN GROW OUT THEIR GREY ROOTS
Here is a quick breakdown of how to transition to grey hair without the annoying demarcation phase:
The Switch to Demi-Permanent: Moving from permanent dyes to demi’s allows the color to stain the grey rather than cover it. This softens the regrowth line immediately.
The 10-Week Rule: To start a professional blend, you need about 8–10 weeks of regrowth. It’s the ‘uncomfortable’ phase, but it’s the only way for a specialist to see your natural pattern. And a good test to see whether you are ready for the transition!
Acidic vs. Alkaline: Permanent color is alkaline - it swells the cuticle and, over time, can leave aging hair feeling dry and brittle. Grey blending often uses more acidic products that keeps the hair’s condition and shine.
Are You Ready To Go Grey?
Even though I’m pro-aging, and encourage women to embrace aging with unapologetic joy - I’m not sure if I am ready to go fully grey. I’ve spent my career advocating for no-retouching and self-love, yet here I am, still tethered to a bottle of dark brown dye.
But it’s so personal and a bit nerve-wracking - especially as my hair is so tied up with my identity and confidence.
But one thing is certain: you are fighting an uphill battle when dealing with grey roots and while I’m not ready to go fully grey, I am preparing to allow some silver to show through.
The Grey Blending Toolkit
If you’re ready to start the journey, here is what Karla recommends for your kit:
Sulfate-Free Shampoo: Vital for preserving those delicate toners and stops dehydration (grey hair doesn’t produce oils so is extra dry). Karla loves Evo and Wella. I am currently trying Hairstory New Wash which is like the texture of a cleanser. They call it a detergent-free cleansing cream. I am going to do a write up on it soon!
Weekly Moisture Masks: White hair is naturally drier and coarser; it needs the ‘night cream’ equivalent of hair care. This is not a regular in my routine I admit, but I am reviewing some and will share my findings asap.
A supplement to support hair health from the inside out. I have heard amazing things about Nutrafol and I personally recommend Viviscal. Karla also recommends Glowwa which can bought from salons in the US and UK.
Listen to the Episode
To learn more about grey blending - including costs - listen to the latest episode of Smiling Gives You Wrinkles 👇🏼