We may earn a commission for products purchased through links in this article Shop the best shampoo for gray hair and showcase those shades of gray! Preserve those beautiful silver locks
Once upon a time, gray hair was associated with aging and stress. But today is a better time, and now many are clamoring to achieve sophisticated, shiny, silver tresses. But the fact of the matter is gray hair is one of the hardest colors to maintain, even to people with naturally gray strands. For one, they’re prone to yellowing (especially if bleached and color-treated). For another, they’re drier, coarser, and much more fragile.
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That’s why there are hundreds of products on the market dedicated to maintaining the beauty of gray hair. They’re mostly specially formulated treatments that strengthen and moisturize silver strands and keep them from becoming brassy. But before you invest in masks, sprays, and oils, you must first get your hands on the best shampoo for gray hair that works best for your hair type.
Whether you have a naturally gorgeous gray mane, salt and pepper locks, or salon-perfected platinum blonde, these products can help you maintain your tresses.
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Total Results So Silver Shampoo, $20, Matrix
A pioneer in the purple shampoo game, Matrix is one of the best shampoos for gray hair on the market. It corrects yellow tones and neutralizes brass, as well as adds brightness to both natural and color-treated gray to white hair.
Top reviews: “I recently decided to stop coloring my hair and embrace the beautiful silver color that I inherited from my mother! In preparation, I read a lot about how to take care of gray hair so it would look its best. The number one suggestion was to use purple shampoo to prevent yellowing, so I bought this product. It has done a great job of keeping my silver hair color pure and shiny. I don't find that it dries my hair, but I am going to stop using it for every shampoo and use it just once a week and use a moisturizing shampoo for my other two washes each week.”
Gray Hair Conditioner, $28.49, Just Nutritive
This conditioner hits two birds with one stone: it removes unsightly yellowing and moisturizes strands from the inside out. It’s packed with nutritive ingredients to give your hair a new lease on life, and helps even the most dehydrated locks regain strength and shine.
Top reviews: “I am hooked! I wanted a shampoo for my natural silver hair that wasn’t a purple shampoo. It is wonderful! It’s clear, smells great and doesn’t turn my hair yellow! You don’t have to use very much so it lasts a long time but I also have short hair! I highly recommend this shampoo and conditioner.”
Silver Brightening Purple Shampoo and Conditioner Set, $12.95, Jhirmack
This shampoo and conditioner duo offers a hair care regimen that removes yellow and brassy hues, boosts shine, softens, and even eliminates split ends. Formulated with macadamia nut oil and collagen, it livens up limp hair without weighing it down and leaving an icky, greasy feeling. It also features green tea extract and collagen, which does wonders in preventing the accumulation of split ends.
Top reviews: “I am 75 years old and I have a natural combination of very light grey with silverish highlights hair. All of my Aunts, and I had many of them, had the same color hair. All of us have always received many compliments. I'm a retired hairstylist and so were they. One day, for the fun of it I decided to try these 2 products and I really like them. The highlight color is beautiful and when I'm outside in the sun my hair is gorgeous. It's shoulder length, worn in all of today's styles, and is a soft beautiful shade of blueish silver. Everybody loves my hair and they are always so surprised that it does not age me at all. In fact, it actually brightens my facial skin color. The conditioner is very good also. It leaves my hair shiny and soft, and the products don't create any kind of smell. I will be buying these permanently going forward.”
Pure Silver Shampoo, $32, Philip Kingsley
Completely cruelty free and vegan friendly, this shampoo for gray hair is engineered to with optical brighteners and violet hues to cancel out discoloration and brassy tones. With ethylhexylglycerin as the hero ingredient, it also delivers moisture and enhances shine.
Top reviews: “I really like this shampoo. My hair has a lot of grey and this shampoo leaves my hair soft and clean feeling. I do wash my hair twice a week and have fine but a lot of hair. I use other product for extra volume because my hair is pretty straight. The shampoo is really the best; I have been using this for several years and think that it is really great for grey/white hair.”
Second Chance Repairing Shampoo, $29, Better Not Younger
This is one of the only shampoos developed specifically for women over 40. It repairs, strengthens, and revitalizes dry, damaged, and overprocessed locks, and has an impressive ingredients list that is rarely found in hair products. Its formula features rice bran oil that adds body to your hair, passion flower fruit extract for enriching the scalp, and argain oil for improving follicle health.
Top reviews: “I have to say I was unsure if the shampoo when I got it. Like most woman, I hadn’t used a low sudsy shampoo before. My hair is long and fairly thick. I was truly amazed with the results. My hair felt cleaner than it ever has with my normal shampoo. It not as frizzy. My hair is much easier to manage now. Im so glad I tried it. I will definitely be using this again.”
Silver Steel Hair Bath, $39, OWAY
This natural shampoo for gray hair is packed with plant-based active ingredients to neutralize pesky yellow tones, eliminate sebum and impurities, and add strength and density to your locks. Ethical carambola is used for fighting free radicals, phyto-peptides for adding volume and structure, and biodynamic rice for extra hydration.
Top reviews: “I love this shampoo. I’m letting my grey grow out from highlighted light brown hair. My natural hair color is white around the face and grey with white in the back. Going from a warm color to a cool one has been a challenge. However this shampoo has reduced the stark shade difference to make the transition more manageable. I love my natural white and grey. The texture is soft, shimmering and is very healthy, thanks to this outstanding product.”
Anti-Yellowing Shampoo with Centaury, $20, Klorane
Made with 86% natural origin ingredients, this shampoo neutralizes yellow and copper tones, enhances silver highlights, and maintains the hair’s vibrancy. It’s free of sulfates, parabens, silicones, and mineral oils, and gentle enough for use for all hair types, including color-treated hair.
Top reviews: “I have long gray hair and I was looking for a shampoo that was sulfate free. The shampoo lathers great but the best thing it does NOT stain your hands purple like other shampoos. My hair feels healthy and the gray looks more natural. I'm so pleased I found this!”
Healing Colorcare Silver Brightening Shampoo, $24.72, L’anza
This shampoo harnesses the power of lavender and viola flower extracts for natural purple tones instead of relying on chemicals. It’s formulated to combat brassiness and make your gray, silver, white, or blonde hair sparkle.
Top reviews: “This is my new go-to purple shampoo! I have tried SO MANY PURPLE PRODUCTS, and this is the first one that I have used that I have been like "oh, I am going to buy this again!" It is sulfate free and isn't nearly as drying as the majority of purple shampoos. I still follow up with a moisture mask 1-2 times a week, but I don't feel like I have to use one every time I wash my hair. It is wonderful!”
Everpure Brass Toning Purple Shampoo, $7.97, L’Oreal
Big beauty brands often receive flack for having too many harmful chemicals in their products, but this shampoo in particular is sulfate free, paraben free, has no harsh salts, and made with vegan formula. It’s infused with hibiscus and purple dye, two ingredients that work in tandem to eliminate brassiness and keep your locks moisturized. The best part? It’s under $10.
Top reviews: “I was taking a risk going with a different brand for purple shampoo, but boy am I glad I did! This shampoo smells amazing and makes my hair super soft and most importantly, gets rid of those brassy tones easily. :) For someone who may not dye/bleach their hair often or a beginner with purple shampoo, I'd suggest this to try before going for the bigger brands. Just to get a feel for how you like it and gain a familiarity with purple shampoo for less damage to your wallet.”
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