Out of all the hair trends to come out of the last 18 months, breaking up with hair tools and dyes has been one of the biggest. Not only are more people embracing textures like kinks and curls, but they're also welcoming the process of going gray.
Surrendering to your silver siren can be pretty freeing (just ask celebrities like Andie MacDowell and Allison Janney), but it also comes with its own set of beauty challenges. Gray hair requires maintenance, too, so it helps to arm yourself with a powerhouse crop of products ready to rise to the challenge.
To help you get started, we consulted the pros, including celebrity hairstylists and salon owners, to find out which products they use on their clients with gray hair. Their picks will have you rocking those fabulous gray locks with ease!
Best gray hair products, according to experts
1. Klorane Shampoo With Centaury
"Silver, gray and white hair all require extra care, especially in the shower," celebrity hairstylist Kendall Dorsey said. "Klorane uses an extract from the centaury flower, which helps to brighten and remove any yellow-brassy tones. It is also really gentle and adds a nice softness to gray hair that has started to change/get coarser in texture."
2. Tresemmé Root Touch-Up Spray
"If you're in that in awkward in-between phase of going gray and growing out your original color, I love this spray that blends out stray gray strands and grown-out roots. It’s an instant temporary color spray and it easily blends with hair color for a seamless finish," celebrity hairstylist Justine Marjan, whose clients include Ashley Graham, said.
3. Sachajuan Hair Mousse
"For my clients with coarse gray hair, I love something with hold to apply to wet hair," said Brooke Jordan, owner and master stylist at Bird House salon in Brooklyn, New York. "Sachajuan’s medium-hold mousse is brilliant, and because of their ocean-silk technology (which uses algae), the mousse is miraculously moisturizing, unlike many mousses which are highly drying."
4. Paul Mitchell Platinum Blonde Shampoo
"Ideal for blond, highlighted, gray or white hair, this color-enriching formula brings out the best in blond and silver hair by softening strands, adding moisture and banishing unwanted brassiness," said Kathleen Firth, stylist and owner of Raika Studio Salon in New York City.
5. Aveda Blue Malva Shampoo
"With violet and blue color additives, this shampoo really helps brighten dull gray tones. It also contains babassu seed oil, which has some of the same properties as coconut oil and is a great hair treatment," said Lucy Gedjeyan, whose clients include Allison Janney and Hailee Steinfeld.
6. Olaplex No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner
"As hair begins to gray, it starts to become drier," Dorsey said. "Dry hair is more prone to breakage, so it is important to use products that repair the hair versus just covering it up with surface layer hydrators. The Olaplex Conditioner actually helps to re-link broken bonds and strengthen the hair."
7. Amika Bust Your Brass Violet Leave-In Treatment
"The ultraviolet pigment in this product really helps counteract any brassy undertones, which usually make gray hair look muddy. With ingredients such as sea buckthorn berry, your hair will also feel nice and hydrated," Gedjeyan said.
8. R+Co Outer Space Flexible Hairspray
"Never underestimate the power of a good hair spray to tame those flyaways that come along with gray hair. R+Co's Outer Space Flexible Hairspray is one of my favorites!" Jordan said.
9. RUSK Deepshine PlatinumX Mousse
"This lightweight alcohol-free styling product promotes luminosity and shine in gray hair," said hair and makeup artist James McMahon, whose clients include Britney Spears and Heidi Klum.
10. Redken Color Extend Graydiant Shampoo
McMahon also recommended this duo from Redken. "The purple/violet shampoo tones unwanted yellow and the conditioner actually deposits silvery tones back into your hair, enhancing the gray hue."
Redken Color Extend Graydient Conditioner
Complete your wash day routine with this matching conditioner. It also strengthens and softens hair, according to the brand.
For more stories like this, check out:
- This easy-to-use hair tool gives me long-lasting, voluminous beach waves
- Give your hair tools a break: 17 products to effortlessly air-dry your locks
- 14 Amazon products and tools that will save your hair this summer
- Thinning hair? A dermatologist explains how rosemary oil can help
- My hair went from limp to lifted after using this dry shampoo — and it smells incredible
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