Everything You Need to Know About Going Grey

It is believed that hair goes grey because aging slows down or stops hair from retrieving melanin (a pigment that also determines skin colour), and therefore comes out in its basic, unpigmented state of grey, silver or white.

Hair stem cells are responsible for making hair, while pigment-forming stem cells create pigment. They typically work together, but can wear out, occasionally prematurely.

A hair grows for one to three years then falls out, and you grow another. Every time hair stem cells make a new strand, pigment-forming cells need to re-form. When they wear out, which happens with age, they are more likely to be white or grey.

RELATED: Tricks to make your hair grow faster.

Latest research suggests grey hair is caused by an accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (typically kept regulated by catalase which is responsible for converting hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen) in the hair cell, causing strands to bleach themselves from the inside out. However, less catalase is produced as we age, therefore more hydrogen peroxide accumulates, blocking the hair’s natural colour pigment.

RELATED: Why you shouldn't bleach your own hair.

It’s all hereditary. It’s the genes you’re born with that are responsible for when and how your hair will go grey. But, generally speaking, 6 to 23 per cent of people are half grey by age 50.

Caucasians typically go grey in their mid-30s, while redheads go grey the earliest of them all. Asians tend to sport grey strands in their late-30s, while African Americans usually do in their 40s.

Researchers say there seems to be a connection between stress and grey hair. Need proof? Take a look at President Obama when he was running for president, compared to his first term in office.

RELATED: Stress affects more than just hair.

It’s called the Marie Antoinette Syndrome. It’s been rumoured that the French queen’s mane turned white the night before she was beheaded. In actuality, once hair is grown out, the pigment cannot be changed naturally.

A 2013 study found smokers were two times more likely to note premature grey hair than their non-smoking counterparts.

Having low levels of Vitamin B12 has been notorious for being the cause of loss of hair pigment. Get your levels up by eating foods like liver and carrots.

Just like the hair on your head, body hair loses pigment over time and can turn grey, but often at a different rate than your main mane.

RELATED: Avoid any and all body hair disasters.

Scientists in Europe have found a treatment for those with Vitiligo, which is a disease where skin loses pigment and develops whitish patches. Therefore, current research proves promising and can lead to greater progress in the cure for grey hair.

Think plucking one grey hair will result in two more growing back in its place? Stop worrying, it’s not true. Each follicle can contain only one hair, and pigment-forming cells have no influence over each other. Therefore, it’s just not possible that plucking one grey hair will lead to multiple grey hairs sprouting from the same follicle.

To rock grey locks, embrace a special shampoo that offers a bright, sparkling effect. Since gray hair is naturally more dry and coarse, it’s common for it to look full and flat. The fix? Klorane’s shampoo which enhances shine for both white and grey hair.

Klorane Shampoo with Centaury, $30.

RELATED: Grey continues to be gorge.

It’s easy for grey hair to give your complexion a dull and washed-out look. Choose an illuminating foundation or primer, like Smashbox Cosmetics’ primer for a natural-looking glow.

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, $59.

Brighten up your look with a vibrant blush. Go for Bobbi Brown’s which comes in a variety of vivacious pinks and corals and subtle rose and salmon shades.

Bobbi Brown blush, $38.

RELATED: Get something fun for Mom this Mother's Day.

Another way to brighten up your look with a grey mane? A juicy-looking lip colour in a bold berry or punch hue. Our pick? Guerlain’s Rouge Automatique.

Guerlain Rouge G de Guerlain Exceptional Complete Lip Colour, $60.

RELATED: Guerlain is pricey but worth it.

Lend your eyes a sparkling hand by applying a nude-coloured shimmering shadow to the lids, which will reflect light and offer a radiant effect. Go with Sephora Colorful Eyehadow in Glazed Donut.

Sephora Colorful Eyeshadow, $15.

Black liner can be a little too dramatic with a grey mane. For everyday, opt for a java-like shade instead.

Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner, $31.

Another essential way to add definition to and brighten up your face is by filling in sparse brows with a pencil. Go with a classic, and try Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Brow Wiz, for a product that basically guarantees standout brows.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, $27.