Whether you are naturally going whiter as you get older or you like to colour your hair to give it an icy tone, you should look to introduce the best shampoo for grey hair into your beauty routine. Even if you're sticking to a low maintenance wash and wear haircut, washing your hair with specialised products will boost your colour and give your hair a shine that is beautifully bright and add moisture to reduce its dry and wiry feel.
What colour shampoo is best for grey hair?
In hairdressing, a hair colour wheel is used to show the relationship between certain colours. This is to help formulate the best hair colour for you and neutralise unwanted tones by looking at the colour opposite on the wheel. For hair with yellow and white tones, purple and violet colours can be used to counteract and correct them.
This is why purple shampoo is the best shampoo for grey hair, says Fudge Professional. Violet pigments in purple shampoo attach to any warm yellow tones and effectively cancel them out, leaving your hair the perfect cool grey colour.
No matter how often you wash your hair, it is recommended that you use a shampoo for grey hair once a week. You can control the intensity of the colour payoff by how long you leave it on your hair. Just lather up the shampoo on your hair, like you normally would, and leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing off. The longer you leave a purple shampoo on, the more violet-toned the pigment left on your hair.
It doesn't matter whether you describe your colour as blonde, white, silver or just simply grey, you'll find the best shampoo for your grey hair below.
Best grey hair shampoo for vibrant colour
Keep your hair looking super healthy and vibrant with Milk_Shake Silver Shine. Its violet pigment contains strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and blackberry extract plus milk proteins to give it a delicious smell.
Tried & Tested by Rosie Floyd, Commercial Content Writer: "This is my holy grail hair product!! I have bleached blonde hair and I love it to have an icier/grey-toned look. I use this shampoo once a week as part of my hair-washing routine and it helps to give my hair that salon-fresh feel again."
Pros
- Contains organic extracts to nourish your hair
Cons
- You don't need to leave it on for long as your hair will have a slightly purple hue to it
Best grey hair shampoo for neutralising undertones
Rrp: £30.78
If your hair isn't completely grey yet, this shampoo will colour correct any yellow and orange undertones that may still be there, helping you to maintain a bright, shiny grey and silver hairdo.
Review: "I find that this shampoo leaves a slight purple haze on the lighter grey elements in my hair. It’s quite a pleasing effect."
Pros
- Smells of orange and lavender
Cons
- Some customers found this shampoo to be drying on their hair
Best value grey hair shampoo set
Treat your hair to some much-needed TLC with this Aussie set. It comes with a purple shampoo and conditioner to eliminate some of the brassiness and one of their 3 Minute Miracle Deep Treatment hair mask bottles, which will give your hair a moisture boost.
Review: "I have decided to stop colouring my hair. Purple shampoo stops the brassiness as I go naturally grey. Easy to use. Makes my hair soft, bouncy and manageable. Good value for money."
Pros
- Paraben-free and PETA-certified cruelty-free
Cons
- Some customers expected the set to leave their hair feeling softer than it did
Best salon-standard grey hair shampoo
Achieve salon results at home with L'Oréal's Professionnel Shampoo. It's been specifically designed with grey, white and light blonde hair in mind, helping to deliver toning results whilst nourishing and protecting the fibres of your hair.
Review: "It’s rich and creamy as I have naturally grey and silver hair it really lifts it without my having to colour it which everyone assumes I’ve done. I recommend if you are grey or silver and feel like your hair looks dull or flat give it a try. The price is reasonable you can pay a lot more for this type of product."
Pros
- Lathers up well
Cons
- Some customers wished the shampoo had more of a scent
Best grey shampoo designed for over 40s
With its unique galenic formula and Phyto-Caffeine complex, Plantur 39 is famed for creating shampoos to combat hair loss and this one was created with grey hair in mind. As well as supporting natural hair growth, it will provide a fine silver shine to your hair with every wash.
Review: "This adds a nice silver sheen to my hair. I am letting the natural grey grow through and using this shampoo and conditioner once a week makes it a much prettier colour."
Pros
- Shampoo and conditioner included
Cons
- You may need to leave on for longer to get a strong result
Best for naturally grey hair
Transform your dull greys to shimmering silvers. This shampoo cleanses and enhances your greys using its silver gloss technology to give your hair a radiant shine.
Review: "Having reached my seventies and been going grey gracefully since my 30s. Trying various products to hide the grey decided in late 50s to stop trying to hide it. Now decided on something to make it look better taking that dullness away found this to be a great product along with the conditioner of same name."
Pros
- Customers liked that the shampoo didn't stain their bathroom
Cons
- Some customers with salt and pepper hair felt this shampoo didn't suit their hair type
Best shampoo to use when you are beginning to embrace your natural greys
Creamy formula gives white and grey hair a shine-giving cleanse, leaving your hair with a glossy finish every day. The Keravis and White Truffle inside the conditioner strengthens and adds moisture back.
Review: "I love the shampoo & conditioner,they are both thick,creamy and luxurious. They left my hair so soft and shiny that I didn't need to put 'extraordinary oil' on the lengths like I usually do. My hair still smelt lovely in the evening. I would recommend to all grey/silver haired ladies."
Pros
- Customers liked that it left less of a purple tinge compared to other grey hair shampoos
Cons
- Some reviews expected better results for the price of the shampoo
Recommended shampoo for grey hair
Looking for a more natural grey hair shampoo option? This one is made with 86 per cent natural ingredients that will add silver highlights to white and grey hair. It has a vegetal pigment, with natural blue hues, that is proven to reduce yellowing.
Review: "Have been using this for the past couple weeks and I have definitely noticed a difference in my grey hair. I started having grey hair in my teens and had not found anything for me to keep me wanting to be confident of them, this product has given me that boost and has brightened my locks tremendously."
Pros
- Biodegradable and dermatologically tested
Cons
- Some customers weren't keen on how their hair felt after using it
Recommended shampoo for grey hair
For softer, bouncier and ashier tresses, use this duo by Fudge Professional. It is designed to eliminate impurities and product build-up while smoothing and repairing damaged hair from root to tip.
Review: "My hairdresser suggested this product as it would enhance the grey in my hair. I was initially concerned when it was opened and the colour revealed itself. Shampoo in, rinse and I don't have purple hair, and the grey is looking sharper. Leaves hair in good condition and soft. Def worth trying."
Pros
- Help repair damaged hair
Cons
- Shampoo and conditioner more suited to coloured hair
Recommended shampoo for grey hair
Banish any unwanted yellow tones and leave your hair feeling shiny and soft. This Osmo shampoo will breathe new life into your colour and adds shine to white and grey hair.
Review: "A subtle silverising shampoo. It's great as it doesn't stain your hands or your shower. Smells great!"
Pros
- Tones and refreshes light blondes and silvers
Cons
- Results will be more noticeable on coloured and dyed hair
Recommended shampoo for grey hair
Blended with blue malva and coneflower, this Aveda shampoo will balance your hair and scalp while intensifying your colour. It is one of the more expensive shampoos on our list but you get a lot of product for the price.
Review: "Brilliant product. My silver/grey hair always looks bright with wonderful natural highlights. I have used Aveda for years and would use no other."
Pros
- Get one litre of product for the price
Cons
- On the pricey side if you're unsure of the results
FAQs
What makes hair go grey?
Grey hairs appear when your hair follicles stop producing melanin. This is the pigment that gives hair its colour. Without it, hair will become a more transparent colour and appears white, silver or grey as it grows. It's a natural part of the ageing process but some people naturally go grey sooner than others. This is where genetics and stress levels come into play, according to the hair experts at John Frieda.
We tend to start to get grey hairs around the same age as our parents and grandparents did. Scientists have also discovered that levels of stress can be linked to the effectiveness of melanin production in the body, which could be why people who experience more stressful situations tend to go grey more quickly.
How is grey hair different from normal hair?
As you get older, you may find that the texture of your hair changes. You may find your hair is less thick and finer, and the ends feel a lot drier too. Grey hair has a different texture as oil glands start to produce less sebum. This causes the new hair to become coarse and rough, giving hair a dull and lifeless appearance. This is why using a grey hair shampoo is important as it will help bring your hair back to life.