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On this season’s Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, the iconic Meredith Marks says to Angie Katsanevas across the table in Palm Springs, “You.Can.LEAVE.”
That, my friends, is what I say to my incoming grey hairs every single night.
Sadly, I don’t think I’ve channeled my inner Meredith’s ferocity enough to halt the greying process, as my greys continue to pop up. “You did this to yourself, Annie!” I can hear them squealing.
I’ve done just about everything I can do for my greys—vitamin C, collagen peptides, “stress management,” antioxidant support, an anti-inflammatory diet. Not one needle moved!
When I heard about Arey, the self-described “Wrinkle Cream of Haircare™,” I was amped to go all in. Founders Allison Conrad and Jay Small started Arey after years of knowing each other as “hair stylist” and “client” (Jay, the hair stylist, and Allison, the client). Tons of research led them to deduce that only one gene actually accounts for grey hair, which meant that vitamin and mineral deficiencies, along with oxidative stress, were the key players in loss of pigment. Rather than cover up or simply halt incoming greys, Arey promises to re-pigment wirey, sad, colorless newbies making their way onto your scalp using proprietary hair technology (that only a hair stylist and client could imagine), which would change the grey game as we know it.
And, they mean business—in fact, the brand recently conducted a 6-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, third-party clinical study of the effects of The System on the appearance of grey hair, and it showed that 88% of users saw no progression of grey hair compared to the baseline. Beyond that, they also experienced thicker, fuller hair with more volume and shine.
I had to see if all of the science-driven formulations were up to par with some hard-hitting results for me, and I was willing to give the products the time they needed to show themselves.
We like
- A diverse portfolio of products that are as effective apart as they are together
- High-powered, clean, gentle, and proven ingredients based in science and ancient wisdom
- Clean, gentle, and chemist-formulated for a healthy scalp
- A holistic view of the root cause of grey hair
We don't like
- Like anything in the “hair space,” some of the products may or may not work for certain hair types, so it’s essential to find what works for you personally
THE GREYING EFFECT
When I saw my first grey hair at the age of 26 while living in New York City, this whole “it just happens as you get older” concept flipped on its head. I was young, cosmopolitan, and having tons of reckless fun. I certainly wasn’t supposed to be greying and dying my hair until I was at least in my 40s.
Turns out: vitamin and mineral deficiencies are a main factor in hair turning grey (which can be exacerbated by a stressed microbiome). Jay explained that hair color is produced by melanin cells, which give hair its pigment. “When the body lacks the nutrients to potentiate the cells, the hair will start to depigment, which results in grey hair. Oxidative stress from UV exposure, smoking, pollution, and certain chemicals in beauty products or hair dyes can also contribute to loss of pigment in our hair strands.” The body uses Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) molecules to help defend itself from the potential stress or threat, protecting the deeper layers of the skin and tissue. The body then removes ROS with antioxidants that are supplied from food or supplements.
However, when the body does not have enough antioxidants, there is a build up of ROS called free radical, which can negatively affect cells in areas of the body and stifle the production of new cells or corrupt cells nearby. The result? Signs of aging like grey hair, hair loss, or wrinkles. Funnily enough, genetics only account for about 30% of why we go grey, with only one gene that is linked to grey hair—the IRF4 gene.
Even with all of this information to-date, Jay and Allison shared that there is so much more work to be done in the science community (that has not taken the cause of grey hair that seriously until recently).
BY WAY OF AREY
Arey’s conception is like a modern-day haircare love story. Allison, who I mentioned was Jay’s hairstyling client, ran to Jay upon her first grey sighting #FGS. “I wanted to get on top of my aging hair just like I was getting on top of my aging skin with sunscreen, wrinkle cream, and looking into Botox proactively. Nothing existed—especially when it came to grey hair.”
On the hunt for a proactive (not reactive) solution that would reverse greys from the inside out, Allison and Jay immersed themselves into endless research while combining western science with eastern medicine. The first test came with their supplement, Not Today, Grey, which was the first Arey product on the market that supplied the body with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to help balance any potential nutrient deficiencies tied to greying.
With so many users seeing positive results, Allison and Jay went on to create an entire suite of clean, gentle, and chemist-formulated products that contain their patent-pending complex, Mela-9, which is a combination of antioxidants, extracts, and a clinically effective peptide that supports hair health and pigment.
Before you get overwhelmed at the thought of adding several new products to your routine, Allison shared, “We created formulations that would allow users to have access to proactive ingredients from one or all of our products. We found that some people like the ease of supplements while others like the targeted application of a serum or they just want ingredients that can fit seamlessly into their shower routine.” She and Jay emphasized that using one product consistently was better than trying to use too many products infrequently. Better yet, over 94% of people found that their hair had improved (including fullness, softness, and less shedding) over a 24-week period, which is just an added bonus.
While many companies often look to drive engagement and sales, Arey’s top priority is to further educate consumers about why grey hairs happen, and what can be done proactively to prevent it.
MY ROUTINE TO GET OUT OF THE GREY AREA
As someone who can take directions almost too literally, I was pretty nervous to get acquainted with Arey. “But there are so many steps!!”
I was able to work (or rather collaborate) with Jay to devise the perfect strand plan. I told him my hair type, texture, amount of greys, and current routine. Together, we landed on the below:
Not Today, Grey | 2 capsules every day after food (Jay recommended the evening, post-dinner)
To The Root | Apply on wash days after shampooing and conditioning to wet hair. Dispense directly to your front hairline, natural part and any other areas that you see your hair color changing. Apply one pump to each two-inch area and massage into the scalp. For fine hair, three-to-five pumps per use. Also apply in the evening before bed to the same areas, as it is designed to be used multiple times between wash days without building up residue.
Wash + Smooth | On shampooing days, rinse hair and massage Wash into your scalp and allow it to sit for up to three minutes and then rinse. Follow with Smooth conditioner on the midshaft and ends of your hair. Smooth does not contain the Mela-9 complex, so there is no need to use it on your roots or scalp.
Mend | Use as you would any leave-in conditioner. Apply a dime size amount to wet hair from mid-shaft to ends, spreading throughout the hair strands. Follow with a comb or brush to evenly distribute. Mend can be used as a natural styling cream or as a heat protectant / breakage-preventer, thanks to vegan collagen.
Live In Mist | After towel-drying, apply two-to-four pumps, then scrunch to style. Also use it as sun protection if you’re going to be spending a lot of time outside.
Wait A Sec | Once hair is dry or on days in between washing, use it on the hair near the scalp to add volume, texture, and balance natural oils.
Scrub | For days when your hair may not need to be cleansed, but your scalp could use a deep clean. Apply to your dry scalp using the nozzle to get the product directly to the scalp, massage, and let sit for up to 10 minutes. Rinse after Scrub has sat on the scalp, and follow with Smooth conditioner if needed. For fine hair, you may just need to use Live In Mist to style. Jay and Allison recommended using Scrub once-to-twice per month to maintain a healthy scalp.
Jay assured me that I could mix and match some of my pre-existing core products alongside Arey as long as I hung tight to their Mela-9 complex, which can specifically be found in To The Root, Wash, Scrub, and Wait A Sec.
MY THOUGHTS + FEELINGS
As someone who has committed to another hair system for quite some time now, I was nervous to leave all of my products behind for something new and undiscovered. I have experienced hair loss and frizz in the past (I have wavy, fine, yet coarse hair), so I was pretty apprehensive to clean the slate. You know that feeling when you order new skincare and then something terrible happens? That was my fear.
I’m relieved to say quite the opposite happened.
I’ve been using the Arey hair system for over a month now, and while I’m still waiting to see change with my greys (it’s too soon to tell), I have noticed that my hair is thicker, healthier, shinier, and shedding less—so much so, I literally look forward to washing my hair (which has not been the case for YEARS, given how much hair I lose in the shower). Oh, and I’m obbbbbbbssssssesssssed with Wait A Sec, which I assure you is the best dry shampoo I’ve ever used.
What I have loved the most is that everything worked really seamlessly together and prompted me to pay more attention to my scalp health (which I’m learning is the root cause of absolutely everything haircare-related).
Personally, I love a little variety in my wellness / beauty routines, so over my trial period, there were certain products that I felt were not as “for me” as others given my hair type. BUT, I saw the most positive change with…
- Wait A Sec
- To The Root
- Mend
- Wash
- Not Today, Grey*
Since there’s been so much scientific chatter about how your skin is your body’s largest organ, so whatever you put onto it goes into your bloodstream, I’ve reached a new level of appreciation for hair products that are steadfast with supplying people with the cleanest, most gentle products on the market. Every time I used Arey, I felt I was doing something great for my body and my hair at every level (I’m talking cellular).
*Like any supplement, check with a practitioner first to make sure this is right for you.
A DEEPER UNDERSTRANDING
Even though Arey has found a sweet spot as the leader of the grey hair market, Allison and Jay have no plans to quit while they’re ahead. “We are always working hard to research and test new ingredients to help combat the growth of grey hair. We recently added a new ingredient to our formulas and will continue to add effective ingredients as we see them develop because it is our goal to always be on the forefront of aging hair!”
And if you’re wondering if these products are right for you, the Arey team would say “maybe, maybe not!” highlighting that their products work best in the early stages of greying (<30% grey). However, with a product portfolio of eight products, they feel there is a perfect offering for everyone, whether they have no greys, one grey, or some grey.
“Do you put wrinkle cream on deep wrinkles and expect them to disappear? No. Our products are not meant to be put on a head of grey hair with the expectation of full reversal. Our products work to help stimulate melanin in the roots of the hair that still has melanin left, so it is working to preserve the pigment in the strands that still have pigment and can help repigment those that are losing pigment, but haven’t completely lost that pigment.”
For those that are looking to see the best results as they get started on their journey, they recommend getting started with The System, which is Not Today, Grey and To The Root. If someone isn't interested in taking a supplement or using a serum, their other Mela-9 products—Wash, Scrub, and Wait A Sec—are just as effective at getting their proactive ingredients directly into the scalp.
I’ve never been more excited to get out of the grey area.
Get to the Root of Your Greys
