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13 Best Shampoos for Gray Hair to Help Maintain Your Silvery Strands

Gray doesn't have to mean drab.

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Gray hair has come a long way in recent years. No longer a dreaded sign of aging, the silvery hue has become a fashion statement, with even women in their 20s and 30s welcoming the look with open arms — or even seeking it out. Whether you’ve just started your transition into gray territory, or you’ve been embracing the color for years, you should be using the best shampoos for gray hair to keep it looking healthy and feeling strong. Just as we switch up our shampoos and conditioners when we dye our hair blonde or red, we should be doing the same for our natural hue changes, too. 

What are the best shampoos for gray hair?

Why does gray hair turn yellow? 

As we age, hair follicles produce less melanin, leading to gray hair. Yet not all gray hair is created equally. Something many women notice as their hair begins to change color is brassiness, or a yellowish hue.

When it comes down to it, there are a bunch of factors that can be at play here. From medications and sun exposure to harsh water and hair-product build up, yellow-gray hair has many causes. Using a toning shampoo, also known as a purple shampoo, can make all the difference between mousy gray strands and shining, silver tresses.

Using Purple Shampoo for Gray Hair

Don’t let the name fool you: These shampoos, while pigmented with a very deep violet hue color, won’t actually deposit any purple into your hair (though we do know a great color-depositing conditioner that would!). Just as we learned in our childhood art classes, purple and yellow are complementary colors, meaning they sit across from each other on the color wheel. In essence, by using a purple toned shampoo, the purple pigments will neutralize any yellow that may appear in your hair. We’re fans of Amika’s Bust Your Brass Blonde Purple Shampoo ($20, Sephora), which also helps hydrate dry strands.

The Best Shampoo for Gray Hair 

Graying hair isn’t merely about a color change: It’s a texture change, too. Hair becomes coarse and dry for many women as they go gray. This is why, when you’re shopping for the perfect cleanser, you should also be looking for formulas that put an emphasis on nourishing and hydrating. By picking up a shampoo that cares for both your color and your texture, you’ll be one step closer to the luscious, silver locks of your dreams. 

Ready to find the right shampoo for your gray hair? Whether your locks are box-dyed or natural, there’s a shampoo for you on our list. Keep scrolling for Woman’s World’s picks for the best shampoo for gray hair. 

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13 Best Shampoos for Gray Hair

Matrix Total Results So Silver Shampoo

Best Shampoo for Gray Hair
best shampoos for gray hair
Ulta

Buy from Ulta, $31 for 33.8 oz

Why we like it:

  • Salon-approved
  • Neutralizes brassiness
  • Leaves hair shiny

When it comes to the best shampoo for gray hair, our favorite is Matrix’s Total Results So Silver. This powerful cleanser is used in salons around the world for one reason and one reason alone — it works. Not only does it neutralize any would-be brassiness or yellowing that may be occurring, it also does a great job of bringing a shining, shimmering quality to sterling tresses.

Happy customer: “I love this shampoo. It’s great for gray hair — it makes it shiny and silvery. And it smells divine. It also leaves my hair soft and shiny and tangle-free.”

Original Mineral Conquer Blonde Silver Shampoo

Best Natural Shampoo for Gray Hair
best shampoos for gray hair
Amazon

Buy from Amazon, $35.99

Why we like it:

  • Formulated with aloe vera
  • Helps remove yellow tones
  • Free of sulfates, parabens and gluten

If natural beauty is a must for you, pick up a bottle of O&M’s Conquer Blonde silver shampoo. Infused with aloe vera and desert lime, this concoction works to remove dull yellow tones from gray hair, no matter the type. What’s really impressive, however, is what it isn’t infused with. If you’re looking for a sulfate-, paraben-, phthalate-, triclosan-, gluten-, and propylene glycol-free purple shampoo that actually works, you’ve definitely found it.

Happy customer:This shampoo is phenomenal. It really enhances my gray and gives it awesome shine. I’m very pleased.”

Amika Bust Your Brass Cool Blonde Shampoo

Best Purple Shampoo for Gray Hair
best shampoos for gray hair
Sephora

Buy from Sephora, $20

Why we like it:

  • Made with vitamins A, D, E, and B
  • Provides a less brassy appearance after each wash
  • Infused with minerals

Another fan-favorite is Bust Your Brass cool blonde shampoo from Amika. Not only is this ultra-violet hair wash a powerful weapon against brassiness, it’s paraben-, pthaltate-, and sulfate-free. It also gets a fortifying boost from sea buckthorn berry, vitamins A, D, E, and B, amino acids, and minerals, to name a few.

Happy customer: “I always want to get the grey tone on my hair, and this Amika purple shampoo is the best one I have ever used… This Amika purple shampoo worked on me the first time I used it!

Clairol Shimmer Lights Shampoo Blonde & Silver

Best Drugstore Shampoo for Gray Hair
Amazon

Buy from Amazon, $9.99

Why we like it:

  • Protein-rich
  • Helps keep brassiness out of blonde and gray hair
  • Under $10!

Clairol’s Shimmer Lights is one of the most popular shampoos around for those looking to maintain light, silvery locks. On top of being extremely affordable, it uses a protein-enriched conditioning formula to keep hair soft and nourished while simultaneously keeping brassiness at bay for both blonde and gray hair. 

Happy customer: “I have been using this product for years and don’t like using anything else. Frequently, I am stopped and asked how I get my hair ‘that color.’ I inherited the basic color from my mother and her father, but Shimmer Lights keeps it silver and shiny with no yellow.

Klorane Anti-Yellowing Shampoo With Centaury

Best Anti Yellow Shampoo for Gray Hair
Amazon

Buy from Amazon, $15

Why we like it:

  • Non-purple base
  • Helps remove yellow tones from hair
  • Plant-based formula

Klorane is a non-purple, plant-based option that still does an excellent job of keeping any unwanted yellow tones out of hair. The secret here is centuary extract, which highlights the natural brilliance of gray hair while keeping warm, yellow tones away.

Happy customer:Keeps my grey and white hair shiny and does not cause dryness, unlike the purple shampoo I had been using — my hair was dry and brittle and always breaking. This shampoo is very gentle and my hair looks and feels healthier.

Drybar Blonde Ale Brightening Shampoo

Best Silver Brightening Shampoo
DryBar Blonde Ale
Ulta

Buy from Ulta, $59

Why we like it:

  • Brightens your hair
  • Uses violet pigments to fight against brassiness
  • Formulated with lemon extract and chamomile

Drybar’s Blonde Ale is the bottle to reach for to brighten your blonde, gray, silver, or white hair. This shampoo uses a combination of violet pigments, lemon extract, chamomile, and keratin to keep hair vibrant, shiny, and strong, and neutralize any unwanted warmth that may be present.

Happy customer: “I bought this on the recommendation of the very helpful sales staff for my gray hair. This brightened it up without drying it out (like the other products seem to do). LOVE it!”

Davines Alchemic Shampoo

Best Color Depositing Shampoo for Gray Hair
Amazon

Buy from Amazon, $30

Why we like it:

  • Clarifies and tones hair
  • Uses hydrolyzed milk proteins
  • Strengthens hair

For ladies whose hair skews a little more on the white side, there’s Davines Alchemic shampoo. The well-know Italian hair brand created this clarifying and toning wash with hydrolyzed milk proteins, so you can rest assured that your strands will not only be yellow-free, they’ll be soft, smooth, and stronger with each use. 

Happy customer: “I have very dark hair (about an eight) and have recently gone silver. This shampoo has helped me maintain my color and keeps those annoying brassy tones from showing up!”

Aveda Blue Malva Shampoo

Best Blue Shampoo for Gray Hair
Nordstrom

Buy from Nordstrom, $61

Why we like it:

  • Uses blue instead of purple
  • Promotes healthy scalp health
  • Made with a plant-based formula

Much like a purple shampoo, blue shampoo, like this Aveda Blue Malva formula, is an excellent choice for anyone looking to keep their gray hair pristine. Gentle and plant-based, this blend of blue malva and coneflower will intensify your grays and balance out your scalp for all-around health.

Happy customer: “I love this shampoo! It’s my number one choice, as I have had white hair since I was 27. It leaves the hair soft and silky and removes any yellowing. Pairs well with rosemary mint conditioner.

L’ANZA Healing Colorcare

Best Sulfate Free Shampoo for Gray Hair
Amazon

Buy from Amazon, $31

Why we like it:

  • Sulfate-free
  • Uses natural ingredients
  • Tones hair so it’s less brassy

For many women, especially those with curly and natural hair, using a sulfate-free shampoo is not a want, it’s a need. L’ANZA’s Healing Colorcare shampoo is a sulfate-free blend of natural viola and lavender toning agents that will remove unwanted warmth from gray, silver, and blonde hair with ease. Plus, its added gugo bark and L’ANZA’s award-winning keratin complex work together to heal and protect. 

Happy customer:Truly is a phenomenal product. I’ve use cheaper products with little to no results. My hair is silver-gray and after one use it brightened up… I highly reccomend this product!”

One ‘n Only Shiny Silver Ultra Shampoo

Best Conditioning Shampoo for Gray Hair
Amazon

Buy from Amazon, $17.95

Why we like it:

  • Helps keep hair smooth
  • Moisturizes hair for a straight-from-the-salon look
  • Eliminates brassiness

Looking for a purple shampoo that will nourish hair while cleansing it? One ‘n Only’s Shiny Silver Ultra shampoo is the pick for you. Designed to eliminate brassiness from gray hair, it also does a great job of keeping hair smooth and moisturized for a straight-from-the-salon look.

Happy customer: “I’ve used this product for two years now on white/grey hair and the outcome is superb. Even my stylist thinks so, and has begun using it professionally. I highly recommend One ‘n Only Silver shampoo.”

L’Oréal Serie Expert Magnesium Silver 

Best Neutralizing Shampoo for Gray Hair
Loreal Serie Expert Shampoo
Amazon

Buy from Amazon, $17.75 (originally $28.93)

Why we like it:

  • Neutralizes yellow tones
  • Helps keep scalp healthy and hydrated
  • Gives a boost of shine

L’Oréal’s Serie Expert Magnesium silver-neutralizing shampoo does just what you’d expect: neutralizes yellowing. Its deep purple hue counteracts brassy tones for vibrant white or gray hair, and nourishes and protects hair while adding a little shine.

Happy customer:This shampoo is exactly what I needed for my silver hair. Takes out the yellow and leaves it looking beautiful. I have had many people compliment me on my hair color. They can’t believe I don’t color it!

SACHAJUAN Silver Shampoo

Best Silver Shampoo for Gray Hair
best shampoos for gray hair
Amazon

Buy from Amazon, $28

Why we like it:

  • Built-in sun protection
  • Uses Ocean Silk technology to hydrate hair
  • Cleanses hair

What really sets this SACHAJUAN silver shampoo apart from the rest is its built-in sun protection. Sun damage is a major contributor to hair-yellowing, and the UV filters found in this cleanser not only make it a great shampoo for gray hair, but for summer, to boot. It’s also plenty hydrating, thanks to the company’s proprietary Ocean Silk technology. 

Happy customer: “I have tried numerous purple shampoos in my day and the Sachajuan Silver Shampoo is by far the best yet!! After the first use, my ash-blonde and silver highlights were brighter and the brassy color of my natural hair was gone! I definitely recommend trying this shampoo, it’s a miracle worker!

Kiehl’s Damage Repairing & Rehydrating Shampoo

Best Hydrating Shampoo for Gray Hair
kiehls hair damage repairing rehydrating shampoo
Kiehl’s

Buy from Kiehl’s, $20

Why we like it:

  • Made with hydrating ingredients
  • Repairs and fortifies hair
  • Keeps the scalp moisturized

When caring for gray hair, brassiness shouldn’t be your only concern. As we age, hair not only loses pigment and turns gray, it loses moisture and becomes brittle. That’s why it’s super important to make sure you also have a good hydrating shampoo in your roster. We like to reach for Kiehl’s Damage Repairing & Rehydrating shampoo, which is made with Moringa Tree oil, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides that gently cleanse while repairing and fortifying.

Happy customer: “I’ve been using this product for almost a year now. I went into a salon and was told that I should use silicon, sulfate-free shampoos. I’ve also colored and bleached my hair numerous times causing my tips to be extremely dry and frizzy (like a broom). I’ve tried numerous hair masks and repairing shampoos, it did not work until I found this product! My hair is now back to its original condition, soft and shiny.”

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