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Inside: All of Katie Goes Platinum’s favorite products for gray hair
When I ditched the dye and went gray in 2018, I felt totally confused about what products to use.
So I went all-in and became a bit of a gray-hair detective—talking to my fellow gray-hair bloggers, reading articles, connecting with other silver sisters, and testing tons of products on my own hair.
Now I’m super excited to share my top picks, so that you can love your gray hair journey as much as I do!
Note: This list is updated frequently, so you can feel confident that you’re getting my current recommendations.
Please note that this article may contain affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page.
Katie’s Favorite Gray Hair Products
This list of products should encompass any products you’d need to get through your transition to gray, and to take care of your fully gray hair.
Note: To learn more about why I recommend these products, and how to use them properly, please click on the related blog posts under each section.
Blue Shampoos
Blue shampoo neutralizes brassy orange tones in fading brunette dyed hair, so it’s a great product for any brunettes who are going gray cold turkey!
Make sure to check out the related article to find out how to use it properly, as it can be very drying.
Note: Do NOT use blue shampoo unless you have brassy orange tones in your hair. It won’t hurt your hair, but there’s absolutely no need for blue shampoo unless you are trying to combat brassy orange tones.
Related: Why Blue Shampoo is Fantastic for Brassy Brunettes
Clarifying Shampoos
Use a clarifying shampoo once a week to remove product buildup. Clarifying shampoos can dry out your silver hair, however, so make sure to use a deep conditioner after clarifying.
My absolute favorite clarifying shampoo is Aveda’s Detoxifier. However, you can only buy it at your local Aveda salon. Do not attempt to buy it online, as the online versions are not legitimate – they are counterfeit.
Daily Shampoos and Conditioners
These shampoos and conditioners are the ones I swear by for regular maintenance. They don’t target specific problems with gray hair, but they maintain it beautifully.
By The Way Your Hair Looks Fabulous
Related: See my full review of BTW Co’s entire product line HERE
SEEN
Get 15% off all SEEN products with coupon code PLATINUM
Deep Conditioners
Deep conditioning treatments are essential after you’ve used any products that dry out gray hair (such as clarifying, blue, or purple shampoos).
If your shampoo comes with a companion conditioner, you might not need to use a separate deep conditioner. But if you find that your companion conditioner isn’t strong enough to moisturize your naturally silver hair, try a deep conditioner.
Leave the conditioner on for at least 5-10 minutes, or as directed by the manufacturer.
Hair Oils
Oils are great for tamping down gray hair flyaways, adding shine, and moisturizing.
Note: Avoid using colored oils on your gray hair as they can stain it.
These three are safe and effective:
Hairsprays
These hairsprays are effective and safe to use on gray hair:
Hair Towels
Gray hair requires a little extra care. I always wrap my hair up and let it dry for about 20 minutes before air-drying or blow-drying.
Heatless Hair Curlers
Many of us prefer to use heatless hair curlers on our naturally silver hair to avoid potential heat damage. These two work very well:
Purple Shampoos and Conditioners
Purple shampoo neutralizes yellow tones in naturally gray and bleached blonde hair. It doesn’t remove yellowing permanently but it does a great job of covering it up. If used properly, purple shampoo can also make silver hair look brighter and shinier.
Make sure to check out my purple shampoo guide to find out how to use it properly to avoid damaging or staining your hair.
Note: Do NOT use purple shampoo unless you have unwanted yellow tones in your gray hair. There’s no need for it, unless you are targeting yellow tones.
Below are my personal favorites, although lately I’ve been using Silvering’s Tonal Control instead of purple shampoo. It’s a great alternative!
Katie’s Favorite Purple Shampoos and Conditioners:
Best Budget-Friendly Purple Shampoos
- Dove Love Your Silver Shampoo
- Dove Love Your Silver Leave-In Conditioner
- Pantene Silver Expressions Shampoo
Best Fragrance-Free Purple Shampoos and Conditioners
Best Alternatives to Purple Shampoo
Related Articles:
- The Ultimate Guide to Purple Shampoo
- Dove Love Your Silver: An Enthusiastic Review
- Pantene Pro-V Silver Expressions Purple Shampoo Review
- Silvering Beauty: Game-Changing Products for Gray Hair
- Interview with Joli Campbell of QuickSilverHair
Root Sprays and Powders
Root touch-up products come in handy for a lot of women at the beginning of their transition to gray hair. You can use them to either hide your roots completely, or use them to blend your newly gray hair into your fading dyed hair.
Scalp Oils and Treatments
A healthy scalp is vital for healthy hair. Massage either one of these excellent serums onto your clean scalp to promote hair growth, and prevent hair loss:
Shower Filter and Replacement Cartridge
If you don’t have a whole-house water softener, you can easily add a shower filter to your showerhead to remove minerals and other impurities that can stain your gray hair.
- AquaBliss High Output Revitalizing Shower Filter
- AquaBliss Replacement Multi-Stage Shower Filter Cartridge
Styling Products
I don’t use styling products much myself, but these products have been recommended to me by our fellow silver sisters.
- Redken Wax Blast 10 High Impact Finishing Spray
- D:fi D:struct Molding Cream
- Suavecita Pomade for Women
Sun and Heat Protection
These products will protect your gray hair from heat and/or sun damage, which will help prevent yellowing
- SEEN Blow-Out Creme
- COOLA Mist – use this in combination with the SEEN Blow-Out Creme to protect your hair if you don’t want to wear a hat.
- Wallaroo Sydney Sun Hat
Final Thoughts
I hope this list of gray-friendly products is helpful for you. If you have any questions, or would like to submit any recommendations, please comment below.
Also, if you need to find a gray-friendly stylist, check out my directory!
And for further information, make sure to check out this fantastic article about which ingredients to avoid in hair products. It’s very informative!
Please do me a favor and share this post to social media, as it helps me grow my audience and spread the word about our Silver Revolution! And remember to subscribe to my YouTube Channel and Pinterest Feed for more gray hair tips and product recommendations. Thanks!
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Please do me a favor and share this post to social media, as it helps me grow my audience and spread the word about our Silver Revolution! And remember to subscribe to my YouTube Channel and Pinterest Feed for more gray hair tips and product recommendations. Thanks!
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