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The best shampoo for softening and nourishing grey hair
Get those silver strands shining
With celebrities including Dame Helen Mirren, Andie MacDowell and Dawn French celebrating their grey hair, it's no wonder many of us are putting the box dye down and letting our silver shine through.
However, grey hairs can be trickier to look after, as they’re naturally stronger and more wiry in texture, while a natural reduction in collagen levels can leave locks looking duller and feeling dry. On top of that, grey can also be susceptible to brassiness – we’re talking those unwanted warm tones that can spoil your icy silver or salt and pepper strands.
That’s where the best shampoos for grey hair come in. While some are designed purely to nourish the hair and combat dryness, others will also help to tone down any yellow tinge and keep your colour looking fresh.
These are our top picks for giving your gorgeous greys some TLC but read on for everything you need to know before you buy.
If you’re not quite ready to ditch the pigment, check out our box dye and toning shampoo reviews: Best home hair colour | Best purple shampoos | Best blue shampoos
How does hair change as it goes grey?
“The texture of grey hairs is different,” says Stéphane Ferraira, senior colourist at Live True London. “It becomes thicker and can also change shape. So, if your hair used to be straight, you may find it becomes wavy or curly when it turns grey. Grey hair can also lose its moisture and will need hydrating treatments more often.”
But that’s nothing a little pampering can’t sort. Using a nourishing treatment, like a hair oil, on top of a hydrating shampoo can help replenish moisture (use them after conditioning or apply to dry ends between washes), while a weekly treatment with the best hydrating hair mask will help to seal cuticles and prevent further water loss.
Should you use a special shampoo for grey hair?
It’s a good idea to seek out a shampoo that’s specially developed for grey hair, and you may want to double up, as Ferraira explains. “If you want to keep the greys in top condition, you may need a couple of shampoos,” he says. “A moisturising shampoo to maintain hydration, and a purple-blue shampoo that you use once a week.
“Grey hair tends to turn slightly yellow due to external factors such as pollution, wind and sun. The purple shampoo will help counteract those unwanted effects and keep hair looking bright and shiny.”
The shampoos we’ve included below are a mix of toning and hydrating formulas, with some promising to do both.
How we chose the best shampoos for grey hair
When hair greys, it can start to feel coarser and drier, which is why our beauty team has focused on shampoos boasting nourishing ingredients, such as nut butters and oils, as well as those with bond building technology to help reduce breakage and increase smoothness.
Formulas targeting brassiness were also a big consideration, which is why you’ll find that most contain a purple or blue pigment to balance any yellow or brassy tones.
Throughout, we used our years of experience testing and writing about the hair treatments to help guide our picks.
Purple or silver pigmented shampoos are a great way to counter any brassiness and yellow tones, but they can sometimes be drying on the scalp. With grey hair already more susceptible to dryness, you don’t want to strip it further, so it’s important to look for a formula that nourishes as well as tones.
Thankfully, this shampoo is enriched with fortifying and restoring Rahua oils, which work to repair damaged strands and maintain follicle and scalp health. It also prolongs and brightens colour in both natural and processed hair by using super-fine molecules to push pigmentation deep into the hair shaft for long-lasting vibrancy. Plus, it’s formulated with Amazonian lilac clay, a natural solution known for reducing brassiness.
Olaplex No.7P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo
This purple shampoo from Olaplex is a great pick for those with grey or blonde hair, both natural and dyed. It’s formulated with the brand’s revolutionary bond-building technology, which works to repair broken and damaged hair bonds from the inside out, reducing breakage and taking hair from dry and brittle to smooth and shiny.
This one also contains highly concentrated purple pigments that help neutralise any yellow or brassy tones. The longer you leave it on, the brighter the finish.
As the runner-up in our best purple shampoo test, this one busts any brassiness without compromising hair health.
The nourishing plant butters, including shea, mango and borage oil, and quinoa protein will help keep your strands feeling soft, while the ultraviolet pigments will put the shine back into your grey.
Both a toner and a treatment in one, this shampoo brightens greys and leaves hair feeling soft and smooth. It dispenses colour-correcting dye to remove any unwanted yellow tones, as well as ultra-nourishing ceramides, which work to strengthen strands and restore hair fibres.
Application differs slightly from a standard shampoo, as you need to leave it on for 10-15 minutes for it to get to work. Once rinsed out, your grey will be gleaming.
Despite the name of this product, we're all about embracing greys. But we can understand if you want to ease your way into the grey, so this one is designed to gradually darken silver roots for a less dramatic switch. It’s ideal for dark or brown hair.
It’s also enriched with a Phyto-Caffeine Complex, which the brand claims will leave greys smoother and more manageable.
This deep purple shampoo is formulated with violet pigments and magnesium to help neutralise the yellow, brassy tones that can be common with grey hair.
The result? A more vibrant grey or white shade. The formula is also designed to protect and nourish the hair fibres for a shiny finish. Plus, the chic grey bottle will look lovely in your shower.
Many brightening and toning shampoos for grey hair use a purple pigment to counter yellow tones, but this one uses blue instead.
The formula contains sustainably sourced blue malva, a flower with blue pigment that works as a natural blue rinse for grey hair. Not only does it act as a natural colour preserver, but it can also help soften coarse hair and add shine, thanks to its soothing properties.
With grey hair prone to dryness and often coarser in texture, an ultra-hydrating shampoo can work wonders. This ‘Youth Revitalising’ blend from Kerastasé is infused with hyaluronic acid, a popular ingredient in skincare, which helps to draw in moisture, keeping the scalp and hair fibres hydrated and soft.
It also contains edelweiss flower and abyssine, which help to strengthen and repair, banishing breakage and dry ends.
Save your silver (in every sense) with this affordable and effective brightening shampoo from John Frieda.
It’s formulated with the brand’s SilverGloss technology, which claims to cleanse the scalp and neutralise brassiness, to leave hair with a “radiant shine”. At under £10, it’s an absolute steal.
Madeleine is our Lifestyle Writer, specialising in expert-tested reviews and round-ups on the latest beauty Beauty and Health & Wellness products. From skincare to protein powders, Maddie is committed to providing honest and helpful reviews to help guide readers to the best product for them. Maddie has a BA in English Literature and Language, which stemmed from her lifelong interest in reading and writing. She started her post graduate life at Hearst UK within a marketing capacity, which quickly turned into a desire to fulfil a writing career.
When she is not writing about the latest expert reviewed products, you can find her rifling through vintage shops or car boots, reading a print magazine, or capturing portraits on her film camera.
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