Do You Need a Special Shampoo for Gray Hair?

Gray hair, silver hair and white hair are a natural part of the aging process for most of us. That means, in addition to changing how you care for your health and skin, you’ll want to update how you care for your aging hair. If you’re at that stage in life where your hair is growing shades of silver and gray, you’ll want to update your routine to keep your hair healthy — starting with your shampoo (and conditioner).

 

It isn’t news that using shampoo for your specific hair type can make all the difference in how your mane looks and feels. And using the right shampoo becomes even more essential when dealing with natural or color-treated gray hair. To help you ensure that you’ve got the right products in your arsenal, we’re sharing details on the best shampoo for gray hair from L’Oréal Paris, to use on natural and color-treated gray, silver or white hair. 

 

Why Does White or Gray Hair Need Special Care?

All hair types need special care in some way, not just white or gray hair. However, certain hair types like curly hair and gray hair are genetically predisposed to dryness, per the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), making it necessary to use dedicated hair care. For white or gray hair, it’s important to target concerns that may occur with this natural color and its wiry texture over time. 

 

Things like brassiness from external stressors like smoke and the sun should be combated with toning products, while dryness and unruly flyaways need extra moisture through nourishing shampoos and conditioners for the healthiest hair possible. Silver, gray and white hair may experience these issues, making it vital to take special care of tresses — especially in the hair care department. 

Our Best Shampoos for Gray or White Hair

L’Oréal Paris EverPure Silver Care Shampoo, For Gray Hair

Naturally, silver, white or gray hair deserves its dedicated shampoo (and conditioner) just like all the other hair types and hair colors, including color-treated like platinum hair. That’s where this silver care shampoo for gray hair truly shines, no pun intended. It brightens and the gentle formula removes all residue from your scalp. 

Complete your silver care routine with the matching conditioner — L’Oréal Paris EverPure Silver Care Conditioner, For Gray Hair — to   locks in moisture and shine. This nourishing formula is designed to reinvigorate and enrich silver hair with strengthening peptides to leave hair looking shinier, silkier and more voluminous.

L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Bond Repair Shampoo with Citric Acid

If your hair isn’t naturally gray or white, the dyeing process can also be super drying, meaning a color-safe repairing shampoo should be in your arsenal to strengthen hair. Reach for this bond repair shampoo, formulated with citric acid to deeply replenish parched strands, giving it a softness and luminous shine while repairing broken bonds from within the hair. This shampoo also has no salts or surfactants (which strip color and damage strands) so your box-dyed gray or silver color will be safe for weeks. 

For a complete routine that focuses on repairing and keeping your hair as healthy as possible, add the other two steps from this system to your in-shower hair care. Apply L’Oréal Paris EverPure Bond Strengthening Pre-Shampoo Treatment before you shampoo to saturate hair with moisture and then use L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Bond Repair Conditioner with Citric Acid after shampooing to lock in moisture and further detangle strands.

L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Clarifying Shampoo with Antioxidants

For the days you need an extra deep clean, use a purifying shampoo that will work to cleanse the scalp of dirt and product build-up. This shampoo gently clarifies the scalp while adding nutrients with the formulation of antioxidants, vitamin C and glycine. It’s also formulated with vegan ingredients which are great for working on fragile natural gray hair. Make sure you follow up with L’Oréal Patis EverPure Sulfate-Free Restoring Conditioner with Antioxidants to complete your hair care routine. Together, this duo will help keep your mane looking healthy and feeling soft.  

L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Purple Shampoo For Colored Hair

Light hair colors (from platinum blonde to gray) should regularly use a purple shampoo to tackle brassy tones that infiltrate strands over time due to poor water and air quality. If you notice your colored gray or white hair starting to turn orange or yellow, swap out your regular shampoo for gray hair with this one instead. It’s a sulfate-free purple shampoo formulated to hydrate and neutralize brassy tones in silver hair. Complete your toning session with L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Toning Purple Conditioner, which softens and nourishes your hair while slightly toning strands with the light purple pigment. 

L’Oréal Paris Elvive Hyaluron + Plump Hydrating Shampoo, Paraben-Free

As you age, you may notice that your natural gray or white hair tends to get pretty dry. That’s because the oil glands in your scalp are becoming less active, meaning less oil is being produced. So to keep your strands hydrated and moisturized, reach for a nourishing shampoo like this one. Formulated with hyaluronic acid, this shampoo works to deeply nourish and transform dry, lifeless hair into soft and healthy-looking strands for 72 hours, in just one wash.

Add the corresponding conditioner for the ultimate nourishing experience. The L’Oréal Paris Elvive Hyaluron + Plump Hydrating Conditioner, Paraben-Free is formulated with the same moisturizing ingredients to lock in nutrients for a healthy main.

Next: What to Do When You Find Your First Gray Hair

Photographer: Stephanie Price, Photo Assistant: Thomas Miller, Digi Tech: Sergio Colon, Art Director: Hannah Packer, Creative Producer: Becca Solovay, Content Director: Shalwah Evans, Visual Designer: Sarah Duvivier, Makeup Artist: Kelly Bellevue, Hair Stylist: Akihisa Yamaguchi, Wardrobe Stylist: Rika Watanabe, Wardrobe Assistant: Fausti, Model: Jacky Lee