Even the best-dressed man can face a crisis of confidence when the
mirror reveals that tell-tale salt-and-pepper around the temples. Some
seasoning is hardly a disaster, but left unchecked your unkempt greys
can bestow the air of a distressed Doc Brown, not Clooney cool.
So
before you go gentle into that good night, or rage against the dyeing
of your highlights/brights, take steps to embrace grey gracefully and
ensure you’re considered distinguished, not on the downslope.
Why Do Some Men Go Grey Early?
Some
men seem to retain a dark head of hair until well into their fifties,
but others find their first Mr Grey much earlier. Of course, the answer
may be out of a bottle – and we’ll get to that – but what’s the prime
mover behind the early-grey mechanism?
“Hair goes grey when the
pigment responsible for the hair’s colour stops forming in the hair
shaft,” says Deborah Gayle, from expert barbers The Refinery. And it can happen whether your birthday cake is mostly candles or icing.
But
despite your body’s quirks, lifestyle also plays a part: although a
predilection for early greying can be inherited, it can equally be
caused by stress or malnutrition, which prevent your body from producing
vital chemicals including the pigment melanin.
Will Eating Right & Working Less Slow The Greying Process?
To
a degree – although don’t expect miracles. A better diet, more exercise
and early nights will apply the brakes, but if you’ve got the greying
gene then a fruit salad and nine o’clock bedtime won’t recreate that
graduation picture overnight.
“B-vitamins, selenium and iodine
rich foods are said to help slow down the ageing process,” says Lilly
Dillon, trichologist at London barbers Ruffians. Adding cranberries to your morning porridge helps, as will supplements, according to the International Journal of Trichology. So feast on both to avoid an overseasoned barnet.
What’s The Best Haircut To Show Off Grey Hair?
If
you’ve embraced the inevitable and want your grey at its best, you’ll
need a killer cut to show it off properly. “Short haircuts expose the
grey,” says Gayle.
For inspiration, look no further than street
style icon Nick Wooster (below), whose longer top and coarse-chopped
sides provide a welcome edginess to his genteel look. “Many guys are
quite happy to take this approach, especially if they have tonal grey, a
mixture of light and dark.” Think of it as an advanced take on that
deconstructed cut.
Nick Wooster
Gayle
also recommends longer length layers as one of the best haircuts for
greying hair. For the man that’s beginning to turn silver but still
short of Steve Martin, careful layering can blend grey and dark hair
seamlessly, offering a touch of maturity; mixing in the greys and
ensuring evenly chopped layers cedes enough of your head to father time
father time that you don’t look deluded, while still owning the look.
You’re
going for the latter day Pierce Brosnan, so dress to match; a suit does
more than a sweatshirt to cultivate a distinguished image. Your hair is
only half the battle.
Pierce BrosnanWhat’s The Best Way To Dye Hair, Or Care For Existing Greys?
If
you’re aiming to make the most of your whites and greys, stock up on a
good growth-promoting conditioner. White hair needs more attention, says
Dillon, as it doesn’t retain moisture as well. American Crew daily
conditioner is a good bet, but most will do in a pinch.
If
you want to fight, not submit, outflank the Silvio Berlusconi look by
blending grey hairs into the rest, instead of turning up one day with a
new head of jet-black hair. It’s rather unsubtle.
Gayle uses
L’Oreal Homme Grey Blending for camouflaging, although this will need to
be topped up every four weeks. Still, it’s better than people
whispering “bunga, bunga,” behind your back.
