10 Best Gray Hair Dyes for Shiny Silver Strands

The GH Institute Beauty Lab regularly tests at-home hair color, both in our Labs and by sending out blinded products to our consumer testing panel. When we test hair dye in the Lab, we dye uniform hair swatches with different dyes and see how well each covers stray grays. Of course, we also want to see how long each dye lasts, so we put them through 20 wash and dry cycles and 10 hours of UVA light exposure.

We also have real consumers test out at-home hair color and report back on different factors like ease of use, gray coverage, color richness, and uniformity to make sure the color holds up (and that it doesn't damage hair!).

There are three main factors to consider when choosing a DIY gray hair color:

✔️ Type of hair dye: "Consider whether you want a permanent hair dye that will last until your hair grows out, a demi permanent dye, or a more temporary color from a color-depositing conditioner," advises GH Beauty Lab's Reviews Analyst Chiara Butler.

✔️ Current hair color: As mentioned above, gray hair dye typically works better on lighter hair colors. "If you have darker hair and want to go gray, this may be better done in the salon as it requires more steps," says Ashley.

✔️ Desired color tone: Gray or silver hair comes in many shades with various undertones including ash blonde, blue, purple, or pink. "Consider what tone of gray you want, but remember there can be a range of shade outcomes depending on your base color," says Butler.

Many colorists get asked how to transition to gray if you've been coloring your hair for years. Korab advises "to either let your natural hair grow out fully or see a salon professional who can guide you in the right direction."

While going gray or silver can be fun and a welcome change, it does require some maintenance and upkeep. Korab suggests touching it up about every four weeks and consistently using a shampoo formulated for silver or gray hair.

Make sure you know the basics of dyeing hair at home and consider keeping a bottle of shampoo formulated for colored hair on hand to take care of your newly gray hair.

"Gray hair is an often a mix of black and white hairs and is usually more matte and subdued," says Ashley. "Silver is more reflective of light lavender undertones and is usually achieved with hair colors done in the salon."

"If your natural hair is darker than the tone of gray you want to achieve, then you will not be able to achieve the gray color you want without bleaching it first," says Butler. "If your hair is already light gray or light blonde then you could dye it gray without bleaching it depending on the tone of gray you want to achieve."

Both Butler and Ashley recommend consulting your stylist to determine the best route for your hair, especially if you are starting with a darker shade or are trying to avoid bleach.

ELLE Beauty Editor Katie Berohn originally wrote this guide as a beauty assistant at Good Housekeeping. She frequently worked on our top-tested product roundups, collaborating with the GH Beauty Lab's scientists and chemists to best inform our guides.

Contributing Editor Dori Price regularly updates this piece with the most relevant picks, both from online reviews and from our in-Lab experts. She has over 18 years of experience researching and writing haircare and hairstyling stories, combining her knowledge with the expertise of top industry professionals such as hairstylists, hair colorists, and trichologists.

GH Beauty Lab's Reviews Analyst Chiara Butler helped with the most recent update by sharing new product picks, shopping tips, and information about gray hair dye. In the Lab, she regularly conducts hands-on testing of health and beauty products.