Hair Stylists Say This Celeb-Approved Hairstyle Is A Great Way To Go Gray Seamlessly

While going gray may feel scary, gray hair is no longer the taboo it used to be. There are so many ways to gracefully and seamlessly settle into the hue. The latest in gray innovation is herringbone highlights. Similar to gray blending, which is a hairstyle that offsets or accentuates gray strands by mixing in extra pieces of highlights and balayage. This creates a more natural, easy way to settle into your beautiful gray hair. We spoke with Lisa Abbey, hairstylist, and founder and CEO of Flygirl Beauty Brands LLC and Strength x Beauty Clean Hair Care about herringbone highlights and how this genius technique is a great way to embrace your grays. Read on to learn more!

Herringbone highlights

Not only are herringbone highlights super classy but they're also a celebration of your natural hair color in all its multifaceted glory. "Herringbone highlights are very finely woven highlights placed in an angled pattern, typically using several shades to seamlessly blend color, highlights, and some of your natural color and gray. It looks much more natural because almost all virgin hair color is a blend of several complementary shades, not just one," Abbey says. Herringbone highlights are a flattering hair color for women over 40. "The modern update that is making Herringbone highlights so hot right now is that we are leaving more of your own color–and gray hair–exposed, so the result is not only natural looking but much more low maintenance than typical highlights or balayage."

Like many of the hair trends 2023 has in store, herringbone highlights are being spearheaded by celebrities including Sarah Jessica Parker, Andie MacDowell, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jennifer Aniston, who have embraced the best of both worlds with 'dos that combine multi-tonal highlights with transitioning to gray hair.

"The reason they work so well is that the color and highlights are both woven in very fine strands and placed at an angle that follows the hairs' natural growth pattern," she explains. "This placement softens regrowth by eliminating any hard retouch lines, lasts longer than regular color or highlights, and grows out gently. Plus, it allows some of your natural gray to peek through and creates a more natural-looking, 'uncolored' result." They are also lower maintenance than your average color job. Any woman familiar with a four-hour slog in the salon chair will no doubt agree that's a very good thing indeed.

That's why Abbey highly recommends this highlighting technique for her clients, she says, "especially clients who want to get away from having to touch up their roots so often, want to start going more natural or let their gray grow in." Clients who have stopped dying their hair and have been gray for years are now using herringbone highlights to brighten and add dimension to their gray hair.

"For this, we weave in very few foils, alternating a lightener (to brighten) and a hair color tint one shade lighter than your natural color, to add dimension," Abbey explains. "Typically, getting foiled 2 or 3 times a year is enough to maintain this soft, fresh look."

"We definitely recommend that our over 40 clients stay away from going too white, too light or too bold, or 'chunky' on their highlights because they can tend to make the hair look dry, wash out your skin tone or have a 'frosty, dated look," she continues. "We also suggest staying away from too dark and 'single process' colors, which can be artificial looking, and instead, recommend a soft, blended, multi-tone look, like Herringbone highlights because it helps the hair look naturally youthful and retains more shine." Noted!

So, if you've decided to take the plunge and go gray, look towards celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker or Andie MacDowell. Hairstylists like Abbey highly recommend the herringbone highlights.