For most of us, grey hair is inevitable. The best hair dyes for grey hair can help you embrace your silver strands or keep them concealed for as long as possible. You can go with a permanent hair colour that you mix into a developer and apply with a brush (just like your colourist), zap the brassiness out with a toning conditioner, or go with a semipermanent box dye kit for less of a commitment. If you’re between appointments and want to avoid that grey balayage look, you can even go with a temporary root touch-up to mask the regrowth for a few more weeks.
Whatever route you take, there are a few things to consider when covering up greys. Since grey hair is prone to dryness — and hair dye can strip the hair of hydration — NYC-based celebrity hairstylist Mia Santiago from Sally Hershberger Salon recommends looking for formulas that offer full coverage with added moisture.
To find the best ones, we spoke with expert colourists. Whether you’re looking for a full head of colour, root touch-up, toner, or a dye suitable for a sensitive scalp, we’ve got picks for you.
The best hair dyes for grey hair, at a glance
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1. Best Root-Touch Up: L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Rescue 10 Minute Root Hair Colouring Kit
- Pros: Easy to use; 100% grey coverage; built-in applicator
- Cons: Not a lot of shades
Regrowth is one of the trickiest parts of dying grey hair. If you have concerns about your grey roots, reach for the L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Rescue 10 Minute Root Hair Colouring Kit, which Santiago says gets you “fast, precise root coverage in just 10 minutes.”
She recommends this easy-to-use permanent hair-dye kit for quick touch-ups. It comes with everything you need — including a convenient built-in applicator — for 100% grey coverage. While it doesn’t come in a ton of shades, the formula is available in several popular hair colours, including black and dark brown, so you can easily cover up starkly contrasting roots.
2. Best Gentle: Clairol ColorStrong Permanent Zero Ammonia Hair Dye
- Pros: Lots of blonde shades; 100% grey coverage; straightforward box dye kit; comes with a treatment
- Cons: Can get messy
If you have a sensitive scalp, Santiago says this Clairol dye is gentle on the hair and scalp “yet still delivers full grey coverage without harsh chemicals.” This pick is proof that drugstore hair dye has changed a lot. The box dye kit is ammonia-free and provides excellent grey coverage while also supporting hair health with AHAs and a bonding treatment for post-hair-dye care. The drugstore hair dye is available in 18 different shades, including plenty of blond options for low-maintenance grey coverage as well as several brunette tones and gorgeous copper colours.
3. Best for Men: Just for Men Shampoo-In Colour
- Pros: Easy-to-use shampoo-in formula; long-lasting grey coverage; application takes five minutes
- Cons: Amazon only carries the dye in four black and brown shades
This long-lasting permanent hair dye features a shampoo-in formula that is “easy to use and blends grey naturally in five minutes,” says Santiago. Thanks to its ease of use and quick application process, it’s a fabulous beginner-friendly choice for men who haven’t coloured before. It’s also enriched with strengthening and hydrating ingredients such as keratin, olive oil, and vitamin E to support aging hair and works well with all hair types.
4. Best Spray Cover-Up: dpHue Colour Touch-Up Spray
- Pros: Great for instant root touch-up; quick-drying
- Cons: Washes out (but doesn’t wear off)
This hairspray formula is enriched with biotin to strengthen strands and is great for those in-a-pinch moments when you can’t get in to see your colourist (or are in between appointments) and need some believable coverage. Santiago likes this option because it offers “instant [and] temporary root coverage that washes out.” And, despite its washable nature, it is quick-drying and doesn’t wear off unless you introduce water, so you don’t have to worry about it getting on your clothes or bedding.
5. Best for Sensitive Scalps: Herbatint Permanent Hair Dye
- Pros: Alcohol and ammonia-free; 100% grey coverage; formulated with herbal ingredients
- Cons: Some customers say the formula temporarily causes an itchy scalp
Hair dye can cause some scalp irritation, so if you have sensitive roots, Santiago says to consider opting for this gentle at-home option made with organic herbal ingredients. The Herbatint Permanent Hair Dye is one of the best hair dyes for sensitive scalps thanks to its ammonia-, alcohol-, and fragrance-free formula. “[It’s a] natural, plant-based formula that’s gentle but effective for covering greys,” Santiago notes. The colour formula is enriched with tons of incredible herbal extracts, including meadowfoam, white birch, aloe vera, echinacea flower, rhubarb, witch hazel, walnut, and bark extract to support hair health. And despite its gentle formula, it can fully cover grey hair. To be on the safe side, be sure to do a patch test before diving headfirst (pun intended) into this kit.
6. Best Gloss Conditioner: dpHue Gloss+
- Pros: Lasts up to eight washes; great at-home toner; provides a natural colour look; up to 12 applications in one bottle
- Cons: Doesn’t permanently cover greys
If you need an at-home toner or are looking for low-key grey maintenance, the dpHue Gloss+ is one of the best. “[It] conditions and adds shine while enhancing colour tone,” says Santiago. She also loves that you can use this product to blend early greys without commitment. This hair gloss features a creamy texture that applies like a conditioner, offering a subtle semipermanent colour pop. While it won’t permanently cover greys, it’s a fabulous choice for those who want to enhance gloss and shine (the sheer tone is great for that). You can also use it as a toner for your DIY box dye do. In addition to its easy application and colour-enhancing formula, it’s also made without peroxide and is ammonia-free.
7. Best Value: Revlon ColourSilk with Bond Repair Complex
- Pros: Specially formulated to prevent breakage and promote stronger and healthier hair; conceals greys for up to eight weeks
- Cons: Not as long-lasting as others on our list
This drugstore kit takes budget-friendly to a new level: it comes in a pack of three for £15 (that’s £5 per colour session). Santiago loves its affordable price tag but also notes it’s a great “ammonia-free option that covers greys and helps protect hair bonds.” In addition to its excellent value, this at-home hair dye comes in 14 different shades, including several natural-looking brunette colours. And since it’s enriched with a bond repair complex and vegan keratin fillers, it can prevent breakage and promote stronger, healthier-looking hair post-colour. While it’s not as long-lasting as some of the other options on our list, it can keep grey hair at bay for up to eight weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Which hair dye covers grey the best?
For the best fuller coverage, go with a permanent hair colour, which Santiago says “penetrates the hair shaft, alters natural pigment, and gives long-lasting coverage,” making it one of the best options for those stubborn greys. This type of hair dye grows out rather than fading over time. Demi-permanent colour is another full-coverage option that deposits colour without lifting natural pigment. “It gently blends greys, adds shine, and fades gradually.” If you prefer a sheer, colour-enhancing formula, gloss is also an option. “This process adds shine, boosts tone, and blends greys temporarily,” says Santiago, noting that glosses usually last a few weeks.
If you need a quick fix or want to blend a harsh grow-out line from permanent colour between salon visits, Santiago says root touch-up kits such as the L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Rescue 10 Minute Root Hair Colouring Kit or sprays can do the trick.
Is it better to go lighter or darker to cover grey hair?
When covering grey hair, going lighter or choosing a shade that is closest to your natural colour can yield the best results and make regrowth less noticeable, especially if you have solid grey hair. Shades such as dark brown or black can look ultra-harsh against heavy grey roots.
What is the best low-maintenance colour for grey hair?
Demi-permanent formulas are the best low-maintenance colour for grey hair because they can provide full coverage similar to permanent dye, but also fade over time, so the grow-out line at your roots appears less harsh. If you need a quick refresh, you can also try using a gloss for some added pigmentation between salon appointments.
Flaunting greys is also always an option. To brighten those silver strands, opting for a toning formula that gets rid of the brassiness (such as a purple shampoo or even the Glaze Super Hair Gloss in blond) can brighten up your grey do. “You can throw in a clear gloss for that smooth, glowy vibe,” says Santiago.
