How to Go Grey
Going grey has never been more popular. For some it’s a trend; for others it’s about embracing their natural colour after years of covering it. Either way, clients across Oxfordshire are choosing silver and grey tones — whether that’s leaning into natural greys or dyeing hair grey for an edgy, modern look.
Whichever camp you’re in, the right tone and approach depends on your starting point, the look you want, and how much upkeep suits you. This guide covers both routes: for those who are naturally grey and want to stop colouring over it, and for those who aren’t grey but want to achieve a beautiful silver shade.
If a highlighting approach appeals, our highlights service is a good place to start. And if it’s specifically about covering grey, our post on whether highlights hide grey is worth a read.
How to Go Grey: FAQs
Why does my starting point matter?
It makes the biggest difference of all. Achieving a grey or silver shade is very doable, but your starting colour shapes what’s possible and how. As a rule, the best results come once hair has been sufficiently lightened — so the lighter and healthier your hair to begin with, the better the end result. Light, virgin hair (no previous colour or bleach) gives the highest chance of reaching your desired shade with the least work.
Conversely, hair that’s darker, drier, more porous, or has years of overlapping colour built up will be more resistant — which places limits on what’s achievable and can mean more appointments. Our post on getting hair really light explains the lightening side honestly.
How is a silver or grey shade achieved?
Once the hair is lightened, a silver toner does the work. The crucial stage is lifting the hair to a clean, very pale shade — ideally close to white or a very light yellow (a “level 10” in hairdressing terms). Reaching that clean base is what makes grey a genuinely achievable, effective result rather than a muddy or warm one. A good colourist will be honest about how many sessions that lightening realistically takes for your hair.
What about highlights and lowlights?
If your natural hair is mostly grey and you want to embrace it, highlights and lowlights are the most popular route. Most people grey gradually, with darker pieces still breaking up the grey — and highlights and lowlights give the stylist control over the balance of light and dark. A slightly darker lowlight sits alongside the lighter highlighted pieces, and it’s those lighter pieces that blend with your grey as it comes through. Our post on embracing grey with subtle highlights covers this approach.
What if I don’t want highlights?
That depends on your motivation and how often you’re happy to colour. If you want something lower-maintenance, balayage is a simple option with upkeep just two to four times a year. If you don’t mind more upkeep, a scalp bleach gives a uniform, all-over grey — every strand lightened, then toned to your chosen shade. And grey works beautifully as a creative colour too: scattered pieces, half-and-half, a money piece framing the face, or an underneath colour revealed when you style or wear your hair up. Our post on grey hair ideas has more inspiration.
So what’s the best option for me?
If you want to embrace your natural grey, highlights and lowlights with a silver toner are an easy, effective choice — they look excellent and work with your grey as it develops. If you’d rather something lower-maintenance without covering grey, balayage works well. And if upkeep isn’t a concern, a scalp bleach or creative colouring opens up plenty of options. Whichever route, our guide to managing your colour expectations is worth reading first — and our stylists offer a free, no-obligation consultation to plan the right approach for your hair.
