When you make that decision to embrace your natural grays and start down the path of your own gray hair journey, one of the first things you’ll want to consider is the best shampoo for your newly graying locks.
Take it from me, a fellow #silversister, who is now more than two years into my gray hair transition, the right shampoo can make a big difference to the condition and color of your hair. You’ll want to keep reading to find out about some of the best shampoos for gray hair that will help you through the transition.
Gray and silver hair is deprived of pigment, and it often gets yellow. Why does this happen? Your hair can absorb unwelcome yellow pigments from the environment. Very often, brassy tones are a result of washing your hair with chlorinated water or just water having high mineral content. Another common reason for your silver or gray hair getting unwanted yellow tones is sunlight, so consider protecting your silver mane from sun rays at all times.
A similar effect is produced by heat – curling and flat irons and tools alike can all cause white or gray hair to yellow. If you use a yellowish shampoo, conditioner, or mask, pigment particles might build up on your naturally gray hair, too. Thankfully, there is a way to fix that and keep your hair color looking its best.
Instagram / @silver.isthenew.black
Regardless of what brand you choose, it’s nice to know there are so many options today to support those of us embracing our natural tones. No matter whether you are gray by design or by nature, the shampoos for silver hair listed here will help you and your hair look and feel your best.
I love this super silky, deeply rich, purple shampoo for gray hair. It’s designed to reduce dullness and help your silver strands shine . It does all this by neutralizing yellow tones brought on by exposure to the environment. It’s so good for your hair, too, being 100% paraben-free and silicone-free. Its delightfully light, lotus flower scent is a bonus.
While this Amika brand may be marketed as a blonde shampoo, it can still have amazing results for those going gray. It’s an ultra-violet shampoo that helps offset brassy colors, giving your hair a cool-toned look. Morgan Ashley Parker, contributing author at PopSugar Beauty, recommends this product, stating, “If you are interested in trying out the brass-fighting shampoo and conditioner (plus the leave-in cream) or simply want to bring a color-care routine on the road, this Amika Blonde Maintenance Bust Your Brass Starter Set includes all three items, plus a bonus dry shampoo.”
If you are looking for a shampoo to offset the effects of aging, the J Beverly Hills Rescue Shampoo is formulated to do just that. Made with blueberry, honey, coconut and silk amino acids, it’s designed to give your hair extra shine and flexibility, all while strengthening weakened strands. It’s sulfate-free and made to give your hair that youthful look you desire. It also is said to smell great, which is a real plus.
A unique platinum shampoo, OYA Hair Care is designed to give your hair a healthy, gentle cleansing. Made with sea kelp, blue sea kale, green tea, panthenol and sunflower extract, it’s an amazing mixture of natural ingredients meant to care for your hair. Whether you’re at the beginning of your gray hair journey or, like me and, your transition is complete, this shampoo for gray hair can be safely used on color-treated or natural-colored hair.
Known as a salon-quality product, the L’Oréal Serie Magnesium shampoo can be used to diminish any yellow or brassy undertones in white, gray, silver or blonde hair. It is safe for color-treated or natural hair, with a gloss protection system that’s designed to bring the shine back to your hair. After use, you should notice an enhanced shine and soft supple feel. It also contains amino acids that hydrate your locks, which makes it a splendid shampoo for gray hair that’s on a dryer side.
If natural oils are your preference, you’re going to want to try this amazing product on your gray strands. Good for men’s or women’s hair, Just Nutritive Gray Hair Shampoo uses a variety of naturally occurring oils to cleanse and brighten graying or silver hair. Guava and clover flower extracts clean without leaving heavy residues. The formula also contains avocado, pomegranate and black currant seed oils, along with rosemary, geranium and lavender essential oils – that’s how it strengthens hair and leaves it healthy and shiny.
As a well-respected brand in the hair care industry, Aveda is a trusted name when looking for the best shampoo for gray hair. Their Blue Malva shampoo is unique in that it uses natural, plant-based extracts, such as the malva flower to give it a blue tint, rather than purple tint. It is also known to reduce brassiness and promote a healthy shine. It may be a bit pricier than other options, but worth the expense given its results.
A celebrity hairstylist Jonathan Colombini was among the first to salute L’Oréal on introducing its first sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner color-toning system, noting its concentrated dose of purple pigments to neutralize yellow and orange tones. And we can’t but agree! It is suggested that you use the full shampoo and conditioner system for best results on your bleached, highlighted, blonde and gray hair color. This shampoo is reasonably priced and a good option for those of us looking for our first toning shampoo.
As we get older and often, as our hair ages, it can become dryer and more brittle. That’s why Kerastase’s Densifique hydrating shampoo is a great option to explore. Made with hyaluronic acid, this shampoo helps thinning hair by repairing breakage. It is marketed as having the ability to increase hair density and plumpness from roots to ends. I know, as my hair has transitioned to gray, it has needed an extra boost of moisture now and then, so I think this would be a great shampoo for gray hair to try.
Touted as an “award-winning shampoo”, this Clairol Shimmer Lights is formulated for all styles and variations of brighter hair. Whether you have brassy blonde highlights, or your hair is silvery gray like mine, you can use this shampoo by Clairol to tone and condition it to a glossy shine.
Blue and purple shampoos are both good at fighting off yellow tones if you have gray or white hair. Considering hair color science and the color wheel, blue shampoo cancels out orange hues, while purple pigments neutralize yellow brassy tones better. That’s why these products are recommended to brunettes and blondes respectively, and these are the cases where the pigment in shampoo really matters. If you have gray and silver strands, feel free to experiment and see which works best for your hair.
Instagram / @mysilver_lining_2019
Hope you liked my list of the best shampoos for gray hair. Keep embracing your natural hair color, learn to keep your gray hair bright and luscious, and don’t be afraid to go for that bold new hairstyle. Remember, I’ll be here, cheering you on, every step of the way.
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