Maintaining a fabulous and evenly-toned mane between salon visits can be a challenge, especially when grays start to make an appearance. Whether you’re considering covering or blending those silver strands, selecting the best hair color for gray hair is crucial. You’ll want effective coverage, a natural look, non-damaging products, and long-lasting results. To simplify your decision-making process, we’ve compiled a list of the best hair color options for tackling gray hair, as recommended by stylists and reviewers.
Here are the top choices:
1. L’Oréal Paris Excellence Creme Permanent Triple Care Hair Color – $11
Best Overall
2. Garnier Hair Color Nutrisse Ultra Creme – $8
Best for Moisturizing
3. Naturtint Permanent Hair Color – $13
Best Ammonia-Free Option
4. L’Oreal Paris Magic Root Cover Up Gray Concealer Spray – $10
Best Root Concealer Spray
5. KISS Root Touch Up 2-in-1 Cover & Conceal Kit – $9
Best Root Touch-Up Stick
6. Clairol Root Touch-Up Permanent Hair Dye – $11
Best Permanent Root Touch-Up
7. Herbatint Permanent Haircolor Gel – $16
Best Natural Choice
8. Softsheen Dark and Lovely Fade Resist Rich Conditioning Hair Color – $5
Best for Relaxed or Permed Hair
9. Schwarzkopf Keratin Color Permanent Hair Color Cream – $12
Best for Brittle or Thinning Hair
10. Revlon Colorsilk Beautiful Color – $11
Best for Easy Application
Covering gray hair can be a challenging task due to its unique characteristics. Gray hair is often coarse with a tightly closed cuticle, making it resistant to color penetration. To address this, experts recommend applying color around the hairline first, allowing it more time to process. Additionally, gray hair lacks natural pigments to serve as a base for color to adhere to, which can complicate the coloring process. To overcome this, selecting a warm-toned hair color is advisable, as the warmth acts as a “filler” to deposit color molecules onto the hair.
When choosing hair color for gray hair, it’s crucial to opt for a permanent hair color, as semi- or demi-permanent dyes may not provide full coverage and tend to fade faster. The decision to highlight or cover gray hair depends on your desired outcome. Lightening the hair with a lightener or highlighter softens it and opens the cuticle, which is beneficial for gray blending. Choosing a color with excellent gray coverage in a light shade can help reintroduce tone to the hair.
Regarding color selection, opting for neutral or ash tones is recommended, as darker shades may create more noticeable demarcation lines as the grays grow out.
Lastly, it’s important to consider the safety of the dye you choose. Gray hair is typically finer and more brittle than pigmented hair, so be cautious about products containing peroxide, which can potentially cause damage. The frequency of coloring gray hair varies from person to person, with an average suggested time of 4 to 6 weeks between colors. To minimize potential damage, consider using products with ingredients like keratin or rely on root touch-up solutions between full coloring treatments.
