Going gray can be a frustrating experience, especially if you’re not quite ready to fully embrace the silver locks. While some choose to proudly sport their grays, others prefer to cover them up through coloring. When it comes to camouflaging grays, picking the right hair color is crucial. The wrong shade can clash with your skin tone or fail to blend seamlessly with the rest of your hair. So what are the best color choices for covering up gray hairs? Here are some top options to consider.
How Gray Hair Works
Before getting into the best colors for gray coverage, it helps to understand what causes gray hair in the first place. Your hair color comes from cells at the base of each strand called melanocytes. These cells produce melanin, which is the pigment that gives your hair its color. As you age, melanocytes become less active, producing less melanin. This causes new hair growth to come in lighter and grayer. Once around 50% of your hair is gray, that gray color becomes visible.
Some people go gray prematurely, while others hang onto their original hair color for longer. But ultimately, graying is a natural part of the aging process for most. The good news is that gray hairs can easily be covered up with the right coloring techniques and products.
Choosing the Best Color to Cover Grays
When choosing a color to camouflage grays, it’s important to pick a shade that matches your original base color as closely as possible. This will create the most seamless, natural look.
Here are some tips for choosing the best color for covering gray hair:
Match Your Natural Hair Color
Ideally, you’ll want to match the color you had before going gray. So if your hair was a light brown, choose a light brown shade. If it was dark blonde, go for a dark blonde color, and so on. Matching your original base color will blend the grays seamlessly.
Stay Within 2 Shades of Your Base
It’s best to stay within two shades of your natural color when covering grays. Straying too far from your original hue will look artificial. So if you were a medium brown, go for light brown to dark brown shades.
Warm vs. Cool Tones
Determine whether your natural hair color had warm or cool undertones. Warm tones include hints of gold, red, or copper. Cooler tones lean ashy or blue. Choosing the right tone will make the color look natural.
Lighter is Better
It’s usually best to go a bit lighter rather than darker when covering grays. Darker colors can make the contrast with your gray hairs more apparent. Lighter shades blend better and brighten your complexion.
Use Semi-Permanent Color
Stick with semi-permanent rather than permanent hair color. Semi-permanent washes out gradually and blends with existing hair color. Permanent color is more opaque and doesn’t blend as seamlessly with grays.
Natural and Demi-Permanent Dyes Are Best
Natural and demi-permanent dyes offer the most natural results. Natural dyes gradually wash out over several weeks. Demi-permanent dyes last 4-6 weeks. Both blend well with gray hair and provide subtle, natural-looking coverage.
Best Hair Color Brands for Gray Coverage
Certain brands stand out when it comes to coloring hair and covering grays. Here are some of the top hair color lines for seamlessly camouflaging gray hair:
Clairol Natural Instincts
Clairol’s Natural Instincts features a range of natural-looking permanent and demi-permanent shades ideal for blending away grays. Their “No Gray” tones are formulated specifically for covering resistant gray hair.
L’Oreal Paris Excellence Creme
L’Oreal Paris’ Excellence Creme permanent hair color provides opaque 100% gray coverage with a conditioning formula. It comes in natural shades that mimic the look of salon highlights.
Madison Reed Radiant Hair Color
This ammonia-free hair color brand offers multi-tonal shades that provide natural-looking gray coverage. Their Radiant Cream Color comes in demi-permanent options.
Schwarzkopf Simply Color
Schwarzkopf’s Simply Color permanent hair dye contains built-in gray coverage with luminous color results. The nourishing formula adds shine while coloring grays.
John Frieda Precision Foam Color
John Frieda’s foam hair color applies evenly and covers stubborn grays. The conditioning formula comes in natural-looking shades to seamlessly camouflage gray.
Techniques for Coloring Gray Hair
In addition to choosing the right shade, application techniques also play a key role in getting the most natural results:
Use a Color-Blocking Method
Color-blocking, like balayage or ombre, mimics natural hair growth and graying patterns. The gray roots transition smoothly into colored ends.
Go for All-Over Color
Apply semi-permanent dye evenly all over for the most seamless blending with gray growth. Refresh color as needed.
Use a Demi-Permanent Glaze
A demi-permanent glaze blends grays subtly without fully lifting original hair color. Reapply every 4-6 weeks.
Highlight Strands Around Face
Create a highlight effect by applying lightening color around the face to naturally disguise grays in that area.
Use a Color-Depositing Conditioner Weekly
For maintenance between coloring, use a color-depositing conditioner weekly to tone down grays and boost color.
Best Colors for Covering Gray by Original Hair Color
Now let’s get into the best colors for camouflaging grays based on your original natural hair color before going gray.
If You Had Black Hair
– Medium Brown
– Dark Chestnut Brown
– Espresso
– Dark Chocolate Brown
If You Had Dark Brown Hair
– Medium Chestnut Brown
– Light Chocolate Brown
– Milk Chocolate Brown
– Dark Ash Brown
If You Had Light Brown Hair
– Beige Brown
– Taupe Brown
– Ash Brown
– Caramel Brown
If You Had Dark Blonde Hair
– Light Golden Brown
– Dark Ash Blonde
– Light Ash Brown
– Medium Ash Brown
If You Had Light Blonde Hair
– Beige Blonde
– Dark Ash Blonde
– Sandy Blonde
– Honey Blonde
Best Colors for Skin Tones
Along with your original hair color, your skin tone also impacts what shade will be most flattering for covering grays. Here are some best colors based on different complexions:
For Fair or Pink Skin Tones:
– Beige Blonde
– Ash Blonde
– Ash Brown
– Platinum Blonde
For Light or Warm Skin Tones:
– Golden Blonde
– Honey Blonde
– Caramel Brown
– Beige Brown
For Medium or Olive Skin Tones:
– Chestnut Brown
– Chocolate Brown
– Dark Ash Brown
– Espresso
For Dark or Cool Skin Tones:
– Jet Black
– Dark Chocolate Brown
– Cool Ash Brown
– Dark Caramel Brown
So in summary, the best colors for covering gray hair depend on your original natural base color and skin tone. Match your former shade as closely as possible while staying within 2 shades lighter or darker. And choose cool or warm tones based on your complexion. With the right strategies, you can seamlessly blend away grays for natural-looking color.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions about finding the best color to cover your gray hair? Here are answers to some of the most common questions.
How do you pick a hair color to cover gray?
Match your natural base color as closely as possible and stay within 2 shades lighter or darker. Also choose a tone that flatters your skin’s undertones. Lighter, warm shades often work best for disguising grays.
What is the best way to color gray hair and look natural?
Using semi-permanent or demi-permanent dyes in a shade close to your original produces the most natural results. All-over color or highlights around the face help gray hairs blend in seamlessly.
Does toner work on gray hair?
Yes, toners and color-depositing conditioners help reduce yellow tones and brighten gray, white hairs. Purple- or blue-based toners counteract yellow discoloration. Use them between regular color treatments.
Should you go lighter or darker with gray hair?
It’s usually best to go slightly lighter rather than darker for the most natural, seamless coverage. Darker shades can make the contrast between colored and gray hairs more obvious.
What is the best gray hair dye?
Top brands for gray coverage include Clairol, L’Oreal, Madison Reed, Schwarzkopf, and John Frieda. Look for demi-permanent or permanent dyes in natural shades ideal for your base color.
Conclusion
Disguising gray hairs with color is an art. The most flattering results come from choosing the right shade for your base and skin tone. Semi-permanent dyes in lighter, natural colors typically create the best blend with gray regrowth. With the techniques and tips above, you can find a hair color that makes your grays virtually disappear while looking vibrant and natural. The secret is sticking close to your original shade and enhancing what you already have. Embrace your new look!