If your hair has started going gray and you’re not ready to embrace the color change, don’t worry. While gray hair can certainly be more stubborn and more difficult to dye than other hair colors, all is not lost.
There are a number of different hair dyes formulated to work on our stubborn gray hairs, allowing you to keep them hidden away so no one will know you’ve started going gray. In the next few sections, we’ll share our picks for the best professional hair color to cover gray. Ready to learn more about our selections? Let’s dive right in!
Table of Contents
- Best Professional Hair Color to Cover Gray
- Best Professional hair Color to Cover Gray for Black Hair – Clairol Professional Beautiful Collection Advanced Gray Solution: Midnight Black
- Best Professional Hair Color to Cover Gray for Brunettes – L’Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Triple Protection Color
- Best Professional Hair Color to Cover Gray for Blondes – REVLON Colorsilk Permanent Hair Color
- Best Hair Color to Cover Gray from Sally Beauty – Wella Color Charm Demi Permanent Hair Color
- Semi Permanent Hair Color for Gray Hair – Clairol Natural Instincts Semi-Permanent Hair Dye
- Best Hair Dye for Grey Coverage – John Frieda Precision Foam Colour
- What Is the Best Hair Color to Cover Grey?
- Is It Better to Go Lighter or Darker to Cover Gray Hair?
- FAQs
- Choosing the Best Professional Hair Color to Cover Gray Hair: A Recap
Best Professional Hair Color to Cover Gray
Did you know that in some cases you can reverse gray hair? Some individuals who were able to reduce the stressors they were facing actually saw their gray hairs returned to their normal hair color. However, if your gray hairs are here to stay, or you need a professional hair color to cover them up while you try to de-stress, you’re in the right place.
What is the best professional hair color to cover gray hair? We’ve highlighted some top products you’ll surely want to consider, so keep reading!
- Clairol Professional Beautiful Collection Advanced Gray Solution: Midnight Black
- L’Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Triple Protection Color
- REVLON Colorsilk Permanent Hair Color
- Wella Color Charm Demi Permanent Hair Color
- Clairol Natural Instincts Semi-Permanent Hair Dye
- John Frieda Precision Foam Colour
Best Professional hair Color to Cover Gray for Black Hair – Clairol Professional Beautiful Collection Advanced Gray Solution: Midnight Black
Highlights
- Semi-permanent hair color
- Lasts for up to 12 shampoos
- Moisturizes hair and increases shine
- Gentle formula
- Free of ammonia and peroxide
- Available in 8 different shades
If you are trying to cover up your salt and pepper hair, take a look at the Clairol Professional Beauty Collection Advanced Gray Solution. This semi-permanent hair color is available in eight different shades, but we think the Midnight Black may be the perfect match for your black hair. The hair color has a gentle, ammonia- and peroxide-free formula and provides color that will last for up to 12 shampoos. The 02 Technology develops the coloring using the oxygen naturally in the air, rather than peroxide like other dyes. This formula is also designed to increase shine and leave hair feeling moisturized.
What Users are Saying
Most individuals who have tried this semi-permanent hair dye are very happy with the results they’ve seen. They have shared how the color is very easy to apply and that it does an excellent job covering up their gray hair. However, keep in mind that this is a semi-permanent dye, so it won’t last as long as permanent hair dyes. Some users wished the color would have stayed longer.
Best Professional Hair Color to Cover Gray for Brunettes – L’Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Triple Protection Color
Highlights
- Offers 100% gray coverage
- Permanent, long-lasting color
- Seals, replenishes, and conditions hair
- Includes conditioning treatment with collagen
- 20 shades available
The L’Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Triple Protection Color is another top choice. With 20 shades available, including a variety of browns, this may be the best hair color for brunettes looking to cover up gray hairs. The hair color offers 100% gray coverage. It is formulated with a Pro-Keratin complex that is designed to protect the hair to leave it healthy and shiny. Each box includes a color comb, pre-color treatment, develop, color creme, conditioning treatment, gloves, and an instruction sheet.
What Users are Saying
If you ask many users what they think of the L’Oreal Paris Excellence Creme, they’ll tell you it is the best hair color for gray hair. Many loyal users have shared how they have relied on this hair dye over the years to cover up their gray hairs and that they continue to be very satisfied with the results they see. However, a few individuals who tried this shared that some of their more stubborn gray hairs still resisted the dye.
Best Professional Hair Color to Cover Gray for Blondes – REVLON Colorsilk Permanent Hair Color
Highlights
- Infused with keratin and silk amino acid
- Offers 100% gray coverage
- Designed to provide natural-looking color
- ammonia-free
- Available in over 40 shades
With multiple blonde color options such as ultra light sun blonde, light blonde, light ash blonde, golden blonde, and medium blonde, the Revlon Colorsilk Permanent Hair Color is the best hair color to cover gray for blondes. There are over 40 shades in all, including a variety of shades for other hair colors as well. This permanent hair color promises 100% gray coverage with Revlon’s 3D Color Gel Technology. The ammonia-free formula is also enriched with keratin and silk amino acid to leave hair smooth and silky.
What Users are Saying
Customers who have used this hair dye are happy with the results they have seen. They have shared that the dye is easy to use, does a good job covering grays, and leaves their hair looking shiny and silky. Some users were not as happy with the results they’ve seen and said the dye left their hair too dried out and had an unpleasant smell.
Best Hair Color to Cover Gray from Sally Beauty – Wella Color Charm Demi Permanent Hair Color
Highlights
- Semi-permanent color
- Refreshes hair color
- Long-lasting and fade-resistant
- Over 15 shades available
The Wella Color Charm Demi Permanent Hair Color comes in over 15 shades to help individuals find the right color for their hair. It is designed to offer a fade-resistant color that will last for a long time. You can use the hair dye to cover gray hairs, blend, tone, gloss, or add lowlights to your hair.
What Users are Saying
Many individuals swear by this product when dying hair gray to make it look more like their natural color. They are very happy with how the dye helped to blend away their grays. Many also shared that they were happy with how easy the dye was to use and that it didn’t burn or irritate their skin. However, some individuals thought that the finished color on their hair was much darker than what was shown on the box.
Semi Permanent Hair Color for Gray Hair – Clairol Natural Instincts Semi-Permanent Hair Dye
Highlights
- Gentle formula
- Contains 80% naturally derived ingredients
- Suitable for use with all hair textures and types
Looking for a semi-permanent hair color for gray hair? Consider trying the Clairol Natural Instincts Semi-Permanent Hair Dye. This hair color features a formula made using 80% naturally derived ingredients. Its gentle formula can be used with all hair textures and types, including gray hair.
What Users are Saying
Many individuals who use this for covering grey hair are pleased with the coverage it offers. They have shared that the color lasts for a long time and that it leaves their hair with a shiny and glossy feel. On the other hand, some individuals were upset that the color didn’t wash off more quickly, since this is a semi-permanent hair color.
Best Hair Dye for Grey Coverage – John Frieda Precision Foam Colour
Highlights
- Delivers 100% gray coverage
- Non-drip, easy-to-apply foam
- Color lasts a long time
- 15 shades available
If you want to get the best gray coverage at home, take a look at the John Frieda Precision Foam Colour. This hair dye promises 100% gray coverage and features a unique and easy-to-apply foam formula. The no-drip foam makes it easier to spread the color over all of your hair to get the roots and other more challenging-to-reach areas. If you have gray hair, you may find that this is the best hair color for stubborn gray. And, with 15 different shades to choose from, you should be able to find the right match for your hair.
What Users are Saying
This is a very popular hair color among individuals who have tried it. Many have compared the results they were able to achieve with those they have seen when they went to a professional salon. Customers were also happy with how well the foam color covered their gray hairs. They found that the dye was easy to apply and liked that they didn’t need to worry about it dripping. However, some individuals who have tried this hair color were disappointed with how quickly the color faded. They found they had to reapply the color sooner than they needed to when using other hair dyes.
What Is the Best Hair Color to Cover Grey?
What color covers grey hair best? The best color to cover your gray hair may look different depending on your natural hair color. Some top options include:
- Silver
- Blonde highlights
- Low lights
- Warm brown
- Ice blonde
- Red
Regardless of the color you select, be sure to color your hair correctly if you want the color to look its best and last for a long time.
Is It Better to Go Lighter or Darker to Cover Gray Hair?
Gray hair can certainly be difficult to cover, and many people wonder whether it is better to go lighter or darker when covering gray. While darker colors may cover the gray a bit better, you may not desire to make your hair that much darker than it already is. Plus, when new hair grows in at the roots, the contrast will be much deeper, making the gray hairs stand out even more.
Instead of going darker, consider going lighter to cover gray hair. Choose a hair color that is just one shade lighter than your hair’s natural color. Doing so will help ensure that the gray blends in with your hair, but it will also help make sure that your roots don’t scream “gray hair” when they start to grow out between colorings.
Is it better to highlight or color gray hair is another common question. While you may think that coloring your gray hair will help keep it the most hidden, this isn’t always the case. The texture of gray hair is very different from that of the other hairs on your head. The coarser texture can make gray hair more resistant to coloring, which can sometimes lead to an uneven look when you use the hair dye. If you highlight your hair, rather than coloring it, the gray hairs can blend in better with the rest of your hair if they don’t absorb the color in the exact same way.
FAQs
How do salons cover gray hair?
Knowing the right gray coverage tips can help you learn how to get salon-quality results at home. When you have your hair colored in a salon, the stylists use professional, top-quality products.
Comparing salon vs box dyes, the formulas for salon products are typically better than store-bought brands at providing even and lasting color for stubborn gray hairs.
Professional stylists are also experienced at covering gray, and because of this, may be able to do so better than you’ll be able to do on your own at home.
Salons use permanent hair dye when covering gray hairs. Permanent dyes are more highly pigmented, which is absolutely essential when trying to cover up gray hairs.
Regular root touch-ups are also part of the salon experience. Scheduling a root touch up (or doing your own at home) every four to six weeks is necessary to keep your gray roots from growing out too long and being too obvious.
Does salon color cover gray longer?
Salons use permanent hair dyes, which will provide much better and longer-lasting coverage for gray hair than semi-permanent hair dyes. If you’re looking to cover your gray hair at home, choose a permanent hair dye to get the color to last longer.
Should you go darker or lighter with hair color as you age?
When the COVID-19 pandemic left them without access to their hair salons, many women decided to embrace their natural hair color and let their hair go gray. If you do not want to embrace the gray, you may be wondering whether coloring your hair in a lighter or darker color is best as you age. In most cases, letting your hair get lighter with age is better than letting it get darker.
When your hair is too dark, it can actually make you look older. Darker hair can make more shadows on your face, which will draw greater attention to any fine lines and wrinkles you may have. Additionally, if you have a lighter scalp and darker hair, others will be able to more easily see if your hair is thinning, since it will be more visible against the lighter scalp.
Another reason you may want to opt for a lighter hair color is to provide less contrast between your roots and your natural hair color. If you dye your hair a dark color, when your roots grow out, there will be a lot of contrast between their gray color and the rest of your hair. If your hair is a lighter color, there will be less contrast. This may allow you to go a bit longer before needing a root touch-up.
When should I start dying my grey hair?
The decision about when to start dyeing your gray hair is a personal choice. Some individuals who have started to go gray, have been able to reverse the gray color by decreasing their stress levels. If you aren’t quite ready to start dyeing your hair, but don’t like the gray hairs you see cropping up, it may be worth it to take some measures to minimize stressors in your life. Even if your hair doesn’t return to its original color, you’ll still be less stressed, so it’s really a win-win.
Other women have decided to let their gray hair grow out and aren’t trying to hide it. Some celebrities are even keeping the gray and finding new and attractive hairstyles to show off their gray hair.
However, as we mentioned above, the decision about whether or not to dye your gray hair is a personal one. If you don’t want to keep the gray, you can decide to start dyeing it whenever you feel ready to do so. Trying oVertone Coloring Conditioner may be a good starting point for you, or you may decide to just jump right in and choose one of the best professional hair colors to cover gray that we recommended above.
Choosing the Best Professional Hair Color to Cover Gray Hair: A Recap
There are many different interesting gray hair facts, including that smoking, some health problems, genetics, and other factors can all cause you to go gray earlier. However, once your hair has started going gray, your biggest focus may be to determine how to hide the gray color, rather than trying to diagnose what caused the change!
Hopefully you’ve found a few professional hair colors that will work with stubborn gray hair by reading through our reviews. Which one do you think you’re going to try first? But of course, don’t feel compelled to dye your hair if you like the new gray, you’re beautiful whatever hair color you may choose!
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