Gray Hair 101 | 10 On-Trend Looks For A Silver Transformation.

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Are you someone who loves to keep up with the latest trends? Or maybe your hair is starting to turn gray and you’re looking for a way to hide it? Gray hair ideas are all over our Pinterest right now as a must-have, on-point color.

Today, it’s a hot trend for all generations. It’s becoming more popular among those who love to stay on-trend and looking their best, all year round.

Today’s ‘more mature’ people are not only sporting sassy silver locks but also youthful looking smokey tones to make themselves feel young and vibrant again.

Whether your goal is to cover up or just add some highlights, there’s a color out there that’s perfect for your needs.

Just read on before deciding which hair dye shade will work best for you!

What is gray hair?

Natural grays are the result of increased pigmentation in your scalp caused by a natural chemical reaction to ageing and environmental factors.

What this means is that, over time and with age, your locks begin to appear more and more white until all the color pigment has gone and your hair is completely white.

Silver hair, is also a smoking trend that’s making hot grannies out of all of us. These days, it’s not just a shade for the older generation – people of all ages are carrying off this shimmering look.

It’s not just for seniors anymore! Younger people are wearing hues or tones that make their locks look shiny and luxurious, making this shade accessible no matter what your age may be.

Gray hair ideas and inspiration.

Check out the latest looks over on our Pinterest board.

Gray hair ideas collection pinterest board

10 on-trend gray hair color ideas

Gray hair is no longer one-size-fits-all; it’s a spectrum of hues, each with its own personality and flair.

Whether you’re looking to transition into natural gray gracefully or experiment with this versatile color, there’s a shade and style for everyone.

#1 Smokey Gray Balayage

Smokey Gray Balayage is a sophisticated and modern hair color choice. It seamlessly blends darker roots into a lighter, smokey gray, creating a natural transition.

This style is perfect for those with cooler skin tones as it accentuates the undertones in a subtle, yet striking manner. It’s ideal for those wanting to embrace gray without a uniform color.

#2 Silver and Lilac Ombre

Silver and Lilac Ombre is a playful and trendy option. It starts with a bright silver base that gradually melts into soft lilac ends, offering a whimsical yet elegant look.

This color works beautifully on fair to medium skin tones, bringing out a youthful, vibrant aura. It’s perfect for those who love a touch of fantasy in their style.

#3 Charcoal Gray Highlights

Charcoal Gray Highlights involve weaving dark gray streaks into your natural hair color, creating a multi-dimensional look.

This option is great for all skin tones, particularly for those with olive or darker skin as it provides a stunning contrast. It’s a subtle way to incorporate gray while maintaining some of your natural color.

#4 Metallic Silver Sheen

Metallic Silver Sheen is all about giving your hair a shiny, almost chrome-like finish.

This full-color option suits cool skin tones exceptionally well, making it a bold statement for those looking to stand out. The metallic finish adds a futuristic edge to your look.

#5 Gunmetal Gray with Blue Undertones

Gunmetal Gray with Blue Undertones is a unique blend of deep gray with a hint of blue, creating a cool, edgy look. It’s particularly striking on those with fair skin as it highlights the cool undertones.

This shade is perfect for someone with a bold personality and a love for unconventional colors.

#6 Ash Gray Butterfly Layers

Ash Gray Butterfly Layering involves different shades of gray layered throughout the hair, creating a beautifully textured look.

It’s a versatile style that works well with most skin tones, particularly those with a neutral undertone. This option gives a more natural, softer approach to gray hair. Add bangs for extra softness around your face.

#7 Silver Pixie Hair

Silver Pixie is a classic, all-over light gray hair color that exudes elegance and sophistication.

This shade is particularly flattering on individuals with lighter skin tones, including those with pink undertones.

It’s a timeless choice for those embracing the natural aging process with style.

#8 Platinum Gray with Dark Roots

Platinum Gray with Dark Roots combines a striking platinum gray with natural darker roots for an effortlessly chic look.

This style is suitable for all skin tones, offering a low-maintenance solution to gray hair as it grows out. It’s perfect for those seeking a bold yet manageable hair transformation.

#9 Slate Gray Sombre

Slate Gray Sombre is a softer version of an ombre, blending natural hair colors with slate gray ends.

This style is particularly flattering on medium to dark skin tones, creating a smooth, elegant transition. It’s ideal for those who prefer a subtle hint of gray.

#10 Lavender Gray Melt

Lavender Gray Melt is a delicate blend of gray with soft lavender highlights, giving a dreamy, ethereal look.

This shade suits fair to medium skin tones best, particularly those with cool undertones. It’s a whimsical choice for anyone wanting to add a gentle splash of color to their gray.

Why does hair go gray?

Going gray can be a source of anxiety for some people. It’s also an inevitable part of ageing that many people don’t want to deal with.

For many, ageing is not something they want to do or accept.

Who does! However, it’s important to know the facts about why your hair changes and what you can do about it if you’re one of those people who doesn’t love the look.

Why does hair go gray?

  • Hair can go gray when the cells that produce pigment in your hair die.
  • The most common reasons for this are aging, stress, and smoking.
  • Other causes of graying hair include heredity, medical conditions such as thyroid disease or anemia, and medication use.
  • Most people start to see gray hairs between the ages of 20-40 years old.
  • It’s not a sign of poor health – it’s just part of getting older.
  • Stress may cause more frequent graying due to increased production of cortisol which damages your follicles over time.

Does stress cause gray hair?

Ageing and stress causes the body to produce less melanin, which can cause grayness in some cases.

Its one of the ways in which our bodies age as we grow older. Stress also impacts how fast or slow it ages us by reducing production levels of melatonin, otherwise known as ‘nature’s sleeping pill,’ among other things like fatigue and an inability to focus on tasks at hand.

So while stress might not be the only reason, it may be one of many reasons why your hair has stopped being so vibrant and started getting more fragile over time.

Is gray hair fashionable?

Right now, it’s a hot topic in the world of fashion.

Celebs have long been rocking their salt-and-pepper with pride. But now with stunning silver hair dyes and gorgeous gray hair dyes so readily available, anyone can easily be a gray-haired goddess.

The key to pulling off this look is being confident with your style choices.

There are several ideas that can create an edgy yet stylish look. One way that you can bring your look up-to-date with this season’s trends is by adding some lighter pieces into your hairstyle.

From platinum blonde streaks or highlights for a more youthful approach, to going full-on gray for an even bolder statement.

How to go gray from colored hair.

There are two ways to go from colored locks to gray while making sure your hair is beautiful:

  1. By getting your hair color stripped – which will involve lightening your hair with bleach and then dyeing it an ashy, silver, or adding multi-dimensional blonde or platinum highlights.
  2. Or by waiting until your natural color grows out – which will be pretty unsightly while it’s happening, much like growing your hair out from short to long.

Keep in mind that natural hair is often quite brittle and can have an icky yellow tinge. So it can be a good idea to dye it silver or add highlights to give it a richer depth of color.

It’s not an instant process. If you want to do it on purpose it will take more than one visit to the salon or a short home DIY job to achieve the silver-haired style successfully.

Does gray hair look good long?

Sure it can! There’s no reason this shade can’t look good long AS LONG AS it’s in a healthy condition.

No one wants to look at a head of yellowing, matt frizz!

There are plenty of short and longer hair styles that suit it well. Stacked layers add volume and show off the smokey tones. You can add silver highlights or dusty lowlights to the mix to add depth and dimension.

Hair naturally dries and becomes more brittle as we age. So a cut above the shoulders is a good idea for older women who want to wear their natural hair with pride.

What are the best hairstyles for gray hair?

The best hair style for you depends on a lot of things including:

  • Your face shape
  • Your age
  • The thickness of your hair
  • The condition of your hair
  • Your natural undertones

Watch this video to see a few awesome hairstyles that will work for all ages.

How can I make my gray hair more attractive?

How to wear gray hair without looking old.

This trend can be stunning on you, and not age you or wash you out in any way, if it matches your natural undertones.

It’s a naturally cool color so you suit ashy tones, it’ll look great on you.

You can use our handy checklist to find out what color undertones you have and whether it will suit you.

If you have cool undertones:

  • Your skin tone is pink or pale.
  • You blush easily!
  • Jewel and pastel colors are so your thing.
  • The color yellow washes you out and does not look good on you.
  • You have blue not green veins in your wrist.
  • Pearls and silver jewellery look awesome on you.

If you have warm undertones:

  • You have red or golden tones in your natural hair.
  • Your skin tone is golden, tan or olive.
  • You might have freckles.
  • You have green not blue veins in your wrist.
  • You suit bright or rich shades better.
  • Gold jewellery looks awesome on you.
cool or warm undertones infographic

Which hair colors suit me?

You can also find out which hair color suits you by taking our quiz! Just answer a few quick questions to find out what other hair colors most suit you!

Which Hair Color Suits Me?

You can also try on some virtual hair colors with the Best hair color changing apps

How to disguise gray hair with highlights.

A lot of people have been asking how to disguise their signs of ageing!

One way is by blending in gray highlights, which will create the illusion that your natural color has some life in it again.

You can go for a natural look and still feel good about your appearance with highlights.

Highlights also give your head tons more volume too since there’re many tones mixed together with each strand.

Plus highlighting helps to add more shine and keep your hair looking healthier.

TOP TIPS

Select cool tones and ashy shades like ash blonde and platinum blonde that will blend in naturally in order to maintain an illusion of youthfulness and style without looking obviously fake or unnatural.

You can also add a pop of color with pink highlights or pastel colored tips or streaks.

How do I care for my gray hair?

Because of its lighter, cool tones, this color will fade fast. So you’ll need to give it extra TLC and use only products that are formulated especially for colored hair.

After you’ve achieved the silver look you love, you’ll want to deep condition your hair regularly and avoid a lot of heat styling if you can.  

Your hair will be fragile and more prone to breakage and split ends for a couple of weeks. Especially if you’ve lightened it too.

When you do heat style, use a heat protectant every time like the ones in Best heat protection sprays your colored hair can’t live without. 

You’ll also need to use specially formulated silver shampoos and purple shampoos and conditioners to keep the color from becoming brassy.


Parting words

If you’re ready to go back to your roots, there is a gray or silver look out there that’s perfect for you.

Whether it’s covering up grays or adding highlights, this on-trend color can take years off you!

What are you waiting for??

Found your perfect gray hair shade? We’d love to see it! Tag us on Instagram @colouredhaircare or Facebook and share your hair dye success stories. Looking for more hair care tips? Check out How to Look After Colored Hair: 11 Expert Secrets For Long-Lasting Color.

This article was written by:

  • Nicola Freeman, Creative Director & Content Lead
    Creative Director & Content Lead

    With over two decades of passionate hair dyeing experience, I've experimented with nearly every shade imaginable. My journey began long before blogging; as an award-winning copywriter in London and New York, I shaped narratives for iconic brands. However, when friends sought advice during lockdown for at-home hair dyeing, I realized my true calling. Beyond being your hair color expert, I'm a mom of two girls, wife to artist Tony, and an avid soccer player!