OUTFOX HOW TO GREY HAIR

We talk to Grant Bettjeman about foxing, a colouring technique for grey hair that’s unique to his salon.

Asthe pigment cells in our follicles turn up their toes, a process that can start as early as your 20s, figuring out what to do about grey hair is a question that many women wrestle with. “How to manage grey hair is a personal decision. Some people don’t mind it, but in my experience most women want to take some kind of action”, says Grant Bettjeman. With years of experience and a clientele base of highly stylish women, nobody is better qualified to suggest strategies for grey hair than Grant. A short, funky cut is one strategy you can try. If you go this way, you need immaculate makeup, sharp clothes and great accessories – even if you’re just popping out to pick up the Sunday paper. But if you don’t want to embrace grey, and most of my clients don’t, I recommend a technique we call foxing.” Foxing works for medium to short hair. It involves lightening the ends of the hair, exaggerating what the sun would do naturally. >>

“Natural grey hair can look very ungroomed unless it’s beautifully cut.”

“Most women have dark hair in amongst the grey, so foxing creates contrast that looks extremely cool. While it works best on short hair, with a slightly different technique it can also work on mediumlength hair.” Apart from looking fabulous, foxing is practical and relatively inexpensive. It’s an ideal way to transit from a full-head colour to a low maintenance, modern look. Re-application is carried out every 12 weeks, so you only need to have your hair coloured four times a year.

Why do we love being lighter?

Grant theorises about why most people like themselves more when their hair is lightened. “When we were hunter gatherers, our hair would matt and dread as it grew. And constant exposure to the elements made it lighter. The result was a mass of long, thick, naturally lightened hair. I believe we instinctively like this look, because it’s what humans have experienced for millennia. When a hairdresser makes your hair fuller and lighter, you feel great – you’re a creature of nature again.”

Want to hear ideas before you commit?

At Bettjemans a 15 minute makeover consultation with a senior stylist costs $50. However if you decide to have the work carried out at Bettjemans, this amount will be deducted from your eventual bill. It’s a great way to get specialist input about colour, cut and styling before you commit to an appointment.