gray hair

If you don’t yet have gray hair you can thank your parents because how early you become gray can depend a bit on genetics. Getting gray hair is a natural part of aging and happens when the hair cells in shaft stop making pigment. Once your hair starts losing pigment the color will fade and turn gray. While there is not much that you can do to stop this process you can slow it down -for a while.

Here are some tips you can take that can slow down the advance of gray hair:

1. Give up smoking: It has been scientifically proven that smoking will age your entire body and that includes making your hair go gray. A 1997 by researchers in England discovered that smokers were up to four times as likely to have gray hair as their non-smoking counterparts. It’s yet another reason why smokers should ditch the habit.

2. Avoid Stress: Some doctors believe that stress causes the melanin production in the hair follicles to die quicker. And while this has not been scientifically proven, we do know that stress is harmful to the body. So if you’re stressed out take a a nice long run, try yoga or meditate. The results can only be beneficial.

3. Add more B12 or Folic Acid to your diet: A B12 or Folic Acid deficiency can cause gray hair so make sure that you’re getting enough vitamins and nutrients in your diet. Some vegetables that contain B12 are seaweed, soybeans, and carrots and Folic Acid can be found in spinach, romaine lettuce and asparagus.

Now, I will be the first to admit that I have gray hair – I started going gray at age 21. And for myself heredity played a very important part in getting my first gray hairs, since my mother also began to gray at 21. However I’m one of those women that likes to fight the aging process “every step of the way”. So if you’re young at heart, like myself and want to look your age, I’m sure you will enjoy these tips on learning how to avoid gray hair. A few simple lifestyle changes can really improve many aspects of your life, so enjoy!

It started when I was 16 years old just out of the blue, I wanted change, and I wanted a new look. So it was then that I had decided to dye my hair. My natural hair color is a deep dark brown, not a chestnut brown but more a dark bark color. My hairstylist at the time informed me that my hair color was mousy and I should consider coloring it or adding highlights to brighten it up. At the time I didn’t take his advice but I was already familiar with the process since I helped my mom (who is handicapped) to dye her hair several times a year. Well over the course of the years my hair has seen numerous shades, everything from blond highlights to browns to reds. In my twenties I settled on black hair, I really loved how a strong lip color can “pop” against the contract of black hair. I also continued to dye my hair because I saw my first gray hair at the ripe old age of 21. Needless to say I have tried and tested every hair color on the block. I’ve been dying my hair since my teen years and I have continued to do so into my 30s.

I recently tried a new hair color by the name of Bigen. I was intrigued since the product states that it’s ammonia free, peroxide free and there is no harsh odor. One thing that I don’t enjoy about dying my hair is the scent that it leaves behind so I was really looking forward to trying something new. Bigen hair color is recommended for those that are looking to darken their hair or to cover gray hair, the colors range from Auburn to Deep Burgundy. I tried Rich Medium Brown color, which is in the range that I usually get. So, here’s what’s included in the box:

In this hair color kit you get the Bigen Powder, a measuring tray and gloves. Unfortunately there was no conditioning packet that I usually get in other kits that I’ve tried.

Pictured above is the Bigen hair color powder which is activated with water. When I saw how much (or rather how little) powder there was I was a bit concerned. The package insert indicated that one box is enough for touch ups but long hair may require two boxes. I have shoulder length hair and I was only doing a touch up on my roots so I hoped that this would be enough.

I mixed the hair color with the proper amount of water and the mixture turned into a gel like consistency (see above). From glancing at the mixture I was not sure that this would be enough to cover my roots – and I was right! I was only able to cover the front, the sides and the crown of my hair before I ran out of the hair color. Luckily for me, I only hair a few strand in the front of my hair but of course I wanted to cover all of my roots for a consistent color.

The pros are that the color formula works, is gentle and really is odor free. My little gray “friends” now match the rest of my hair and my hair does not smell like ammonia or any kind of chemical. The hair color is easy to use, left my hair soft and took care of my little gray problem (mostly). The cons are that compared to other at home kits there is just simply not enough product, so long haired girls be forewarned that you will probably need at least 4 boxes to color your hair.

Bigen Hair Color retails for $4.99 (0.21 fl. oz/ 6g) and can be purchased at Wal-Mart, Sally’s Beauty, CVS and other fine retailers.

Disclosure: The product(s) featured in this review were provided for editorial consideration. Receipt of a product does not guarantee review and all opinions are my own. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.

Top 3 Tips To Help you Avoid Getting Gray Hair

Review: Bigen Hair Color

Disclosure: The product(s) featured in this review were provided for editorial consideration. Receipt of a product does not guarantee review and all opinions are my own. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.