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A Harper’s Bazaar beauty report brings together hair and makeup professionals and public figures on ways to manage the transition to gray hair. Their suggestions include regular conditioning and trims, temporary or demi-permanent color, and styling choices that help people decide how visibly and how quickly to go gray.
Harper’s Bazaar has published a guide to going gray, combining advice from hair professionals with accounts from producer Mara Brock Akil and makeup artist Pati Dubroff. The report describes gradual approaches to growing out dyed hair, caring for changing textures and choosing whether to blend or show gray—decisions that can affect both hair condition and how manageable the transition feels.
Akil told the magazine that she noticed five gray hairs at age 29 while producing the television series Girlfriends. She recalled jokingly giving them names and connecting their appearance with the demands of her work at the time. Dubroff said her hair began turning gray in her mid-to-late 30s, after she became a mother. Both described gray as something they have come to accept, despite the stigma they say can attach to women’s gray hair.
Colorist Kadi Lee advises people transitioning from dyed hair to keep strands hydrated and strong, and says regular deep conditioning can help manage the differing textures of new growth and previously processed lengths. Lee also cautions against using too much protein-based product, saying it can weigh hair down and may contribute to delicate strands breaking. These are expert recommendations in the report, not a guarantee of a particular result.
A dramatic haircut is not presented as necessary. Lee favors regular trims to remove processed ends over time, with glosses or temporary color to soften the contrast while roots grow in. The guide says glosses can last up to six weeks and temporary color may fade after a couple of washes. For a longer-lasting blend, Madison Reed color and trend expert Shvonne Perkins describes lowlights and highlights or demi-permanent dye as options that can soften the line between dyed lengths and gray regrowth.
Choices for a Gradual Gray Transition
The report’s practical point is that going gray does not require one fixed method. People can let natural regrowth show, trim colored ends over time, use temporary products, or consult a colorist about blending. Those options may help readers weigh time, cost, upkeep and the condition of their hair before choosing an approach.
The guide also addresses how gray hair is perceived. Dubroff challenges the idea that gray necessarily takes away youthfulness, while Akil describes her journey as part of self-acceptance. Those are personal perspectives rather than universal experiences, but they show why appearance decisions may carry social and emotional significance alongside routine hair-care concerns.
Readers should treat product and salon advice as individualized: hair history, texture and existing color can affect the process. The source does not provide comparative research showing which approach is best or works for everyone.
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From First Strands to Blended Color
The guide says hair commonly begins turning gray in midlife, often in the 30s or 40s, citing the American Academy of Dermatology. It names genetics, stress and oxidative damage as factors associated with graying. The supplied report does not detail the evidence behind each factor, and the timing can differ from person to person.
For people with previously colored hair, the transition can take time because new growth and treated lengths may look and behave differently. Dubroff said lightening dark dyed hair without brassiness can be difficult and may cause damage. She described her own change from regularly touched-up brunette roots to gray as a long process. Perkins’ suggested lowlight-and-highlight blend is one salon option; Lee’s gradual trimming and temporary gloss approach is another.
Gray strands can appear wirier or more fragile, according to the report, which is why its experts emphasize moisture and careful handling. Akil and Dubroff also described using clothes, glasses, blush and lip color to create contrast with their hair. These styling choices are personal examples, not requirements for wearing gray.
““I was 29, and there were five of them, literally five, and I used to joke that they were named Tracy, Golden, Persia, Jill, and Reggie.””
— Mara Brock Akil, producer and writer, speaking to Harper’s Bazaar
Results Depend on Hair and Color History
The supplied report does not specify its publication date, offer independent testing of the products mentioned, or compare the effectiveness of different transition methods. It also does not establish that stress or oxidative damage caused either Akil’s or Dubroff’s gray hair; their accounts describe when they noticed it, not a confirmed cause.
How long a transition takes, how much damage a color process may cause and which products suit an individual remain dependent on factors such as prior dye, hair texture and desired result. The report does not give a single timeline or outcome that applies to all readers. People considering lightening or changing previously colored hair can ask a qualified colorist about their own hair history and options.
Choosing a Plan with a Colorist
The guide does not announce a new study, product launch or scheduled follow-up. For readers considering a transition, the next step described in the report is to choose whether to grow out gray gradually, blend it with salon color, or use temporary products while deciding. A consultation can help set expectations based on existing dye and hair condition.
Readers can also adjust their routine as new growth appears: the experts recommend regular trims and conditioning, while cautioning against excessive protein products. The pace and styling choices remain personal; the report offers options rather than a prescribed endpoint.
Key Questions
Do you have to cut your hair short to go gray?
No. Colorist Kadi Lee recommends regular trims as one gradual option for removing processed ends. A larger cut may suit some people, but the report says approaches differ by person.
What can help soften the line between dyed hair and gray roots?
The report describes glosses, temporary color and salon blending as possible ways to soften the contrast. Madison Reed expert Shvonne Perkins also discusses lowlights, highlights and demi-permanent color. Results depend on hair history and the chosen service.
How long do glosses and temporary color last?
The guide says glosses typically last up to six weeks, while temporary color often fades after a couple of washes. Actual wear can vary by product and hair.
What hair-care advice does the report give?
Colorist Kadi Lee recommends regular deep conditioning and says to avoid too much protein-based product, which she says can weigh hair down and may contribute to breakage in delicate strands. The advice is not a substitute for individualized professional guidance.
When does hair usually start turning gray?
The report, citing the American Academy of Dermatology, says graying commonly begins in the 30s or 40s, though timing varies. Akil said she noticed her first gray hairs at 29.
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