When your Spring hair goes grey?

by Mary
(USA)

Mother and daughter

Mother and daughter

QUESTION

I have been confirmed as a bright spring 4 times since 1985, and I have lived happily with my palette. I'm now 57 and coloring my hair. At some point I'll let my hair go gray. What do you recommend that warm clients do with their warm colors and gray hair?



ANSWER

Hi Mary

Without knowing the color of your hair I'm going to assume that it leans towards golden blonde/light golden brown. Spring types can however have dark hair with fair skin.

First of all I would say don't worry about it as the bright eyes of the Spring Season will usually support the full color palette even when your hair goes grey.

Take a look at the photographs above of Vanessa Redgrave and her daughter Joely Richardson - there's a huge likeness between mother and daughter and you can clearly see how the Spring palette has aged. But Vanessa still retains the warm skin and bright eyes that fully support the same color palette.

When your are coloring your going-grey hair I would suggest that you have golden blonde highlights applied (even 2 or 3 shades) rather than an overall color which can appear harsh as it grows out. In this way you can adjust the amount and color of the highlights so that your hair lightens gradually and you won't have a sudden change.

You might even decide to keep a few blonde or deep blonde highlights and apply them less frequently. This will retain the blonde look and you won't feel that you have to adjust your colors at all.

kind regards
Pamela





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Jun 18, 2023
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		My season has changed
by: Anonymous

I had two in-studio draping sessions with a couple of companies. We covered my tinted hair and I removed all makeup. Both sessions concluded that on the spectrum between Bright Winter and Bright Spring, both palettes were practically interchangeable on me. My dominant characteristic is brightness. I do not believe I am a season at all, but Tonal Bright. My palette can have the brightest colors of Winter and Spring without worrying about the warm/cool factor. In fact, the drapes showed that I could handle the darker and saturated colors of Winter quite well. Extreme warm, cool, pale or muted colors were not my best.

So on with the hair. It is coming in a mix of #5N brown, #6 dark blonde and silver. It is a muted look. If it turned all silver or white, that would be good. But since I am only 25% gray and mostly in front, stripping my hair in a double process is not healthy. I also have permed hair. Therefore, I will continue depositing #5N to match the darkest natural color that remains. It's the healthiest choice for my hair. It gives me contrast, shine and brightness. It also looks great with the Tonal Bright palette.
Jun 18, 2023
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by: Pamela

That's lovely to hear. And a Spring can always wear silver jewelry very successfully. Gold may be for Warm skins, but silver works very well for the brightness in your coloring! Well done!
Feb 28, 2021
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starstarstarstar 		White Hair is a nice surprise.
by: Anonymous

Like many other women I have let my hair return to it's natural color during Covid, only to find it is completely white. I have styled it to resemble Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada" and get many complements on it. However I was uncertain as to how that would change my Light Spring color palette as some online stylists recommended moving to more of a Winter palette with jewel tones. After reading many opinions, I have decided that since my skin tone and eye color don't change, my color choices should not change. I have always had very little contrast between eye and skin tone and white hair only intensifies that so back to my Pastel colors. I do think silver jewelry will work better however.
Oct 29, 2019
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by: Pamela

Sorry this is a very late reply Karla. If your hair is growing through silver then I certainly think you should try the silver toner to blend everything in. Alternatively, if the silver is too stark you could try a beige blonde for more softness. Just avoid too much yellow.
Sep 04, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Thank you, Pamela
by: Karla

When I let my gray grow out it was a lovely silver but mixed with the non-grey made my hair look dull. I have gone very light blond and wondered about using a silver toner but thought it might clash with my warm skin tones. Surely it won't clash as my gray hair is silver. I'm pleased to see I can still wear my spring colors with silver hair.
May 02, 2017
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by: Pamela

Sounds lovely. I do enjoy reading about a successful transition into the wonderful shades that grey can bring.
Apr 20, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		go for it, Springs!
by: Anonymous

For the past year, I have been growing out my hair. I am a light spring and my colorist has been moving lighter and lighter over the years as I had a lot of grey. At 62, she suggested that I let my hair grow out and although it was stressful for the first few months, I am so glad I did. I love the freedom and the color. It is a light white blond color similar to the Vanessa Redgrave photo and I think it looks better than my natural or colored hair. What a pleasant surprise!
Feb 25, 2017
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by: Pamela

Ladies, thank you so much for your comments here. Everyone's color direction is different and no-one can tell you exactly what will work for you when your hair changes color because we are all so different.

And would you want to be told what to do? Of coure not, the way you feel is so very individual and it's a question of working through until you find a direction that feels right for you.
Feb 20, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Gray wasn't attractive
by: Anonymous

I color because I work in a younger woman's profession (sales). If I didn't, I'd look washed out. It wasn't graying attractively, It turned mousy taupe especially in front. I left it for 10 years before coloring the first time. Post-color I'm a striking shiny brunette and it looks healthier than before with daily compliments. I can wear any hairstyle I want and it doesn't have to be short or edgy (not my style anyway.) I don't see myself stopping unless I'm old and sick. When my girlfriend recovered from cancer, she was glad to have her hair back.
Feb 20, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Bright Spring Goes Grey
by: Anonymous

I'm a Bright Spring and stopped putting colour in my hair when I started to grey. I'm now a very nice salt and pepper that shines in the light. It's so freeing not to colour and so much healthier. As for my colours, I have found that going grey has not altered the ones I wear except grey which I never wore and now looks so great with my hair.
A note from my hairdresser is to make sure that the cut is sharp and up to date so that the style doesn't age you.
Feb 19, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Spring going gray
by: Mary Ellen

I have been told by color analysts that I am a Spring: Some say a warm spring and some say a bright spring. Yet I have been told by many that I do not look good with golden or red tones in my hair. My color savvy friends tell me that warmth in my hair makes my skin look red. They tell me overwhelmingly that I am much more flattered by my silvery white hair. I am thinking that perhaps I was not analyzed correctly in the past. When my colors were first done, the analyst had to Work very hard to tell if I was a spring or a winter. I am thinking that perhaps I have been a winter all along. I am also told that I do not look good in coral, peach, or Samon. I am thinking that I am really just a straight cool. Maybe I have been this all along.
Feb 19, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Going grey
by: Anonymous

I am a breast cancer survivor. I used to colour my hair. Chemotherapy made me lose it, and when it came back it was naturally salt and pepper. I love it!! So freeing not to have to go for touch ups. Hey just happy to have it back. Although being bald was pretty freeing as well.
Feb 18, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Thanks!
by: Anonymous

Thank you! This answers my question. I can't see myself wearing anything else but spring colors because my skin seems to need it regardless of my hair. In response to your original question, my hair in youth was the kind of brown that looked dark indoors but appeared almost blonde outdoors. I'm tinting it brown with demi-color to cover gray, but it appears deeper than I was naturally.

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