Review (5/5): Opinions may differ but I've searched In earnest, tried It all, and I've found *THIS IS THE BEST*
I'm pretty particular, got a pretty good eye for discerninbg fine detail, worked in production for Universal Studios where where cosmetic detail is priority, , and for my aging beard, I've tried every product I can find. It's been a little over 2 years since I tried the Grizzly product and have not looked for or tried anything since. It's settled in my mind that you'll get the most realistic, undetectable, natural looking color enhancing of your beard. I mix about 1/3 Dark Brown with 2/3 Black. I do leave it on much longer than recommended sometimes 2-3 hours.
I also do it before I go to sleep to avoid down time waiting. IT DOES LOOK FUNNY WHEN YOU FIRST RINSE..."but"....it slowly changes to a natural look so you may want to DO IT AT NIGHT BEFORE BED or at least 6-8 hours before you venture out. I've gotten both green and purple tint upon rinsing but again, *this is part of the process* and the exposure to air and time slowly oxidizes the pigment and it will look amazing in several hours. Don't be afraid to mix shades to nail exactly what you want. I've used it with 3-4 inches beard length but lately keep it the "unshaven" stubble look with 1/8" to 1/4" length. As far as cost goes, I buy two shades, I apply twice a week, and from those two bags I get a full year. My last purchase was Oct. '17 and I'm just coming back to re-order. The previous year my beard was longer, maybe 3", and I re-ordered twice in a 12 month period. ..so it's now costing me around $2.50 per month to keep my beard looking much younger and natural looking.
My beard has much more gray than my hair, I'd say about 90% is white hairs. It took 2 or 3 applications in the first week or two for it to fully "take" , then it's just maintenance. I find the second and third days the best as it begins to fade just a little.... so the blend of just a bit of your natural gray with the treated looks impossible to detect any unnatural coloring. I find day four fading a little more than I want so hit again on the fourth night. I can start at 9pm, have the colors blended in a bowl, mixed with hot water (microwave), and applied on my beard by 9:05. I'm retired now so sometimes I'll watch movies and leave it on until 4am... but I could rinse at go to bed by 10:30 and still wake up with the best, most natural looking color enhancement out there.
The BOTTOM LINE:
1. If you just use the basic shades Grizzly should look better than anything you've tried before but don't be afraid to experiment by mixing colors if you want to nail your natural shade. Even if you miss it will still look presentable and natural because many have hair/beard color differences.
2. Don't panic, freak out, or get discouraged when you first rinse. The oxidation that will take place from exposure to air is part of the process that will give it the most natural appearance. The browns will have a bit of a green tint, the black will be purple. THIS CHANGES and transitions into a natural shade over the course of a few hours so it's best to do it before you go to bed. I've also found you can't leave it "too long". I've actually fallen asleep for the night with the stuff on...it hardens as it dries but softens with water then rinses right off. i find much better results when I leave on longer than instructed. I try to go at least 90 minutes and much longer if time allows. You forget it's on but don't leave the house. I usually keep mine on until it dries and hardens before washing off.
Henna is also a plant leaf so you'll smell like spinach until you rinse it off. Pretty weird at first but I no longer even notice the smell.
3. If there are negative reviews or you try and don't get what you want, it's only because you didn't use the patience to allow it to work. With a few tries I was able to come up with exactly what I wanted. If you'll give it a chance, (it's a quick, simple, 5 minute process to mix and apply but does take an hour to "take" before you rinse, then few hours afterward to transition) use a little patience, THIS IS THE BEST product you'll find and you should be able to get exactly what you want, sharpen your appearance significantly ,with a completely natural, undetectable enhancement to your appearance. 5 STARS !!