Can I use semi-permanent color on 100% gray?

[Anonymous]

I’ve growing out my gray since the pandemic started, as an experiment to see how it looks, and to give my sensitive scalp a break (plus my skin on my face and neck is so much less itchy). And of course, Covid prevents me from spending 2.5 hours in a salon. I don’t want to use a box dye because I don’t think I would do a good enough job - if I start coloring again, I will go to the salon.

Here’s my question - I have a job interview coming up, and obviously I can’t show up with half my head gray and half my head brown - NOT a good look. If I use a semi-permanent dye, will it cover the gray? Or might it give it a sort of blended, highlighted look so it’s not the 100% silver look?

FEIE, this isn’t for a corporate job - it’s social work.

Just figuring out my options. Thanks!!

[Anonymous]

^^ Meant - FWIW

[Anonymous]

Semi-permanent CAN work on gray, but it depends on you hair (whether porous or non-porous). You can give it a try. Alternately, you could probably get away with pulling it back and just giving yourself a thorough dousing with root touch-up spray, if this is a zoom interview.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it will work for a short period of time. I do it, but I am not 50%. It covers it up, not perfect but pretty good. I use Wella something, got it from Sally's. My hair is dark brown.

[Anonymous]

You can also attempt color depositing conditioner (like Overtone), since that would be better for your hair. I have had friends with great results getting grey coverage with it, while it turned mine yellow/orange.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it will work for a short period of time. I do it, but I am not 50%. It covers it up, not perfect but pretty good. I use Wella something, got it from Sally's. My hair is dark brown.

I use Wella too, but my hair is not 100% gray. I like it overall, but it covers great best when I leave it in for a few extra minutes. When it starts fading, it gets a bit of a transparent feel to it- that is, what was previously even color now looks different on the gray vs. Non gray strands.

[Anonymous]

I use the CLairol root cover up and it gives me a blended color as it starts to fade a week after I put it in. It doesn’t last long, so if you want to keep going gray, it won’t trip you up.

[Anonymous]

if it's just on zoom I would use the little spray of root cover up (they sell it at CVS next to the hair color). It's very good at covering it up. I have a little blue can (Loreal maybe?).
I would caution on the semipermanent color just because it won't really ever completely wash out -- it will turn your silver yellowish as it fades, so you'll have stripes of brown, yellow, and then silver.