How to Pick the Right Hair Color to Cover Gray?

 1.Find alternatives to dark hair color

If you have only a few white hair, stay in the brown palette, such as medium brown or light chestnut brown. 

If your hair is more grey than black, you can flirt with lighter shades and see for yourself if blondes have more fun.

2.Purchase the appropriate formula

Between 10% and 50% of grey hair, you can use a semi-permanent or demi-permanent hair dye whose results fade with every shampoo. 

Between 60% and 100% of grey hair, your best bet is permanent hair dye. While you're at it, choose a formula that guarantees 100% grey coverage and long lasting hair color. You can see the results for 6 to 8 weeks.

3.Opt for a natural hair dye

If you can't stand the sight of your dark roots on blonde hair, you will need to schedule a root touch up session every 4 weeks. 

If you opt for a shade that is close to your natural hair color, you will only have to worry about your color every 6 to 8 weeks.

Conclusion: Choose a colour that is within one or two tones of your natural hair color.

4.Opt for flattering shades

If you have a warm complexion, opt for warm tints. 

For instance, if you have cool undertones, it is advised that you opt for warm hues of blond and brown, such as golden blond or rich caramel browns. 

If you have cool undertones, it is advised to opt for icy blond or dark brown.

5.Best shades for your eye color

If you're looking for the most natural look possible, the colour of your eyes is also important in finding your ideal hair colour. 

• Dark or brown eyes: stay in the same palette. Chestnut, brown or even red will emphasize your eyes. Think chocolate, mahogany or auburn. And avoid shades that are too light or worse, which draw toward orange. 

• Blue or green eyes: blonde or red colours will create a delightful combination. But be careful of too cool reflects especially if you have a very fair complexion. 

Where is the Best Place to Buy Hair Dyes？

There isn’t a "best" place to buy hair dyes from and at the time of writing there was good availability from US retailers.

The below shows some of the cheapest online stores and it’s always worth checking out eBay, too.

• Walmart:up to 4% cashback

• Best Buy:up to 0.5% cashback

• Stylevana:up to 3% cashback

• Walgreens:up to 4% cashback

• Rite Aid:up to 4% cashback

• Bed Bath and Beyond:up to 4% cashback

• CVS:up to 3% cashback
  

• Amazon:Cashback temporarily unavailable

• Target:Cashback temporarily unavailable

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Best Professional Hair Color To Cover Gray Hair

1. L’Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Permanent Hair Color

Price and Where to Buy:$9.97@Walmart

One fan-favorite permanent solution is this cream hair dye that comes in over a dozen different brunette shades. The dying system works to seal, replenish, and condition your hair after treatment, so not only will your color look vibrant for weeks, but your hair will still feel buttery soft. This is one of the most popular at-home hair dye options for brunettes out there, with over 23,000 reviewers weighing in and a 4.6-star overall rating.

It’s infused with ceramides, collagen, and keratin to strengthen your strands while moisturizing them for added softness and shine.

Type: Permanent | Available colors: 19

Lasts up to 8 weeks

Reviews:

2.BBLUNT Salon Secret High Shine Creme Hair Colour

Price and Where to Buy:$35@Amazon

One of the best professional hair colors to cover the gray roots of brunettes is BBLUNT Salon Secret High Shine Creme Hair Colour. The color will cover all your gray hair very easily & moreover;, it will not damage your hair.

The color does not contain any ammonia, so your hair is safe too. The grey coverage will last for up to 8 weeks, so just use it once & forget about your looks for two months.

Type: Cream | Available colors: 35+

Lasts up to 8 weeks

Reviews:

3.Revlon Colorsilk Beautiful Color

Price and Where to Buy:$4.99@CVS

The 100% grey coverage for brunette & that too at home can only be provided by good hair color. That hair color is Revlon Colorsilk Beautiful Color. This hair color is undoubtedly a permanent hair dye, but it does not contain Ammonia, so it will not be harsh on hair & moreover, it contains keratin which will protect your hair.

The at-home hair color from Revlon is available in gel form & will cover all your great hair in just 25 minutes. It will then give you shiny hair with minimum damage.

Type: Gel | Available colors:30+

Lasts About 3 to 4 weeks

Reviews:

4.Color Gel Lacques 10 Minute Color

Price and Where to Buy:$15.99@Walmart

Color Gels Lacquers 10 Minute permanent color technology provides up to 100% grey coverage in a 10 minute processing time, allowing you to schedule more appointments in a day or take some extra time back for you!

 The liquid formula is quick and easy to apply, helping you save time on your application as well as processing time. Better yet, the multi-dimensional & ultra-glossy finish you love from Color Gels Lacquers isn’t going anywhere, the 6 new express coverage shades deliver amazing coverage and mirror-like shine you love.The formula is perfect for quick root touch up clients with ½ an 1 inch regrowth and delivers up to one level of lift. 

Type: liquid formula | Available colors:6 

Lasts About 3 to 4 weeks

Reviews:

5.Clairol Professional Beautiful Collection

Price and Where to Buy:$9.89@Sally Beauty

If you don’t want to get your hair through the harsh chemicals treatments of permanent hair color, then it will be suitable to use a semi-permanent color to cover your gray hair. The Clairol Professional Beautiful Collection, Semi-Perm Hair Color, will be ideal for you. The color will stay for long & will provide the gray blending in the hair.

The color is enriched with Aloe Vera, Jojoba Oil & Vitamin E, so it will not harm your hair. Moreover, it does not contain any harmful chemicals like Ammonia, parabens, or sulfates. So you will not get any damage from it.

Type: Semi-Permanent | Available colors:13+

Lasts up to 6 weeks

Reviews:

6.John Frieda Precision Foam Color

Price and Where to Buy:$11.99@Walgreens

If you are looking for permanent hair color for a brunette, then there cannot be better hair color than John Frieda Precision Foam Color.

John Frieda Precision Foam Colour is a top pick on Oprah.com. This permanent hair color is a non-drip, easy to use foam that spreads evenly to hard-to-reach areas of your head and offers salon-quality color saturation results. It is available in 21 colors ranging from light blonde to black, and the website provides assistance with shade selection for those who are not sure which color will work for them. 

Type: Permanent | Available colors:  15+

Lasts About 2 to 3 Weeks

Reviews:

7.Wella Color Charm Demi Permanent Hair Color

Price and Where to Buy:$9.89@Sally Beauty

Wella Color Charm is a demi-permanent hair color that has received great customer reviews. Color Charm gives natural looking, long lasting results on up to 50 percent gray hair. It uses no ammonia and comes in 17 colors ranging from light ash blonde to black that process in 20 minutes or less. This product does not come already mixed. You must mix the tube of color with Color Charm Activating Lotion. 

This formula doesn' t contain any ammonia, so you don' t have to worry about how much damage your hair cuticles have incurred. It also has a fresh, floral smell, which makes for a pleasant and relaxing coloring session.

Type: Demi-permanent | Available colors: 17

Lasts about 8-10 washes

Reviews:

8.Style Edit Root Touch-up Powder

Price and Where to Buy:$27@Walmart

For a temporary fix, this binding powder is basically a miracle worker. For one, there are no parabens, peroxide, or mineral oils in this powder, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally damaging your hair. It’s also so easy to use. Just dip the included sponge applicator into the powder and dust over your roots until you achieve the desired color effect. The binding agents lock color into place all day until you wash and rinse it out at night. It comes in three brunette shades (light, medium, and dark brown), plus reds, blondes, and black.

Type: Temporary | Available colors: 10

 Lasts until you wash it out

Reviews:

9.Schwarzkopf Keratin Color Permanent Hair Color Cream

Price and Where to Buy:$13.79@CVS

Another hair color that covers up those persistent grays is this permanent color cream by Schwarzkopf. It comes with a pre-color serum that conditions your hair and allows coverage to be even across gray strands.

This hair color is made with a special K-bond Plex anti-breakage technology, preventing hair breakage by up to 80%.Thus, it makes your hair look fuller and more lush since you won' t have to deal with hair fall and split ends.

Type: Permanent | Available colors: 15

Lasts up to 6-8 weeks

Reviews:

10.Christophe RobinTemporary Color Gel

Price and Where to Buy:$35@Sephora

Chistophe Robin’s hair color gel comes with the approval of Emaly Baum as a temporary solution for covering visible grays. You can apply it all over the hair or use the included applicator brush to get coverage where you need it. In 40 minutes, your locks will take on the selected shade. It’s available in four colors on Amazon, including two brunette shades: Light Chestnut and Dark Chestnut.

If you are looking for temporary non-toxic hair dye to cover grays, this is perfection, because it is inexpensive, safe, and it really works. 

Type: Temporary | Available colors: 3 (Light Chestnut, Dark Chestnut, and Dark Blonde)

Lasts about 5-7 washes

Reviews:

11.Elgon Moda & Styling Cosmetic Hair Color Cream

Price and Where to Buy:$17.30@Amazon

With Moda Styling Colour Cream you get perfect coverage of gray hair with total respect for hair structure. Natural-like color. Reds extremely resistant to washings. 75 shades divided into the series: Natural/Ash/Golden/Copper/Red/Mahogany/Purple and 0/0 - Elgon's proprietary formulation. It enhances the dye's coloring power, evens the color and the stripes of the red hues, it helps covering refractory hair.

This Italian-made hair color creates a hydrophobic barrier around your hair to keep your color intact even as you wash with shampoo. The antioxidants in the formula also help to prolong your color’s lifespan.The dye also leaves a protective barrier on the scalp to avoid staining.

Type: Cream | Available colors: 75

Lasts about 2 weeks

Reviews:

12.AGEbeautiful Permanent Liqui-Creme Hair Color Dye

Price and Where to Buy:$17.30@Amazon

AGEbeautiful is professional hair color formula with Biotin, melanin, keratin peptide, silk protein and a patented conditioning technology to replenish hair with the essential components that are lost with aging. The unique formula penetrates deeply and absorbs quickly to cover gray 100% and deliver beautiful, rich color that lasts for up to 8 weeks. 

This Zotos permanent hair color covers up your grays while fighting the signs of hair-aging.It' S infused with melanin, silk proteins, and keratin peptides to replenish your aging hair with the essential nutrients it needs to make it strong again.It also has vitamin E to care for both hair and scalp. All these ingredients work together to keep your hair strong, shiny, and silky-soft.

Type: Permanent | Available colors: 100

Lasts up to 8 weeks

Reviews:

How to Cover Gray Hair on Brunette Hair

1.Saturate The Roots

Don’t be afraid to saturate the roots with color, using a large tint brush to reach every layer and really cover those grays.

 For clients who are ultra-conscious of silver strands, you can even go back in halfway through developing, adding a little more formula to any particularly stubborn roots.

2. Check Developing Color

The  thing you must to do is rinse out a tint before it’s had the chance to work its magic.

 Typically, color needs 15-25 minutes with heat and 40 minutes without, but you can extend the development if the hair is resistant, keeping in mind that the maximum development time is 40 minutes.

To check how it’s going, use the end of a tail comb to gently slide color off a section of the roots, then look for any lightness peeking through. If you spot it, the color still needs more time.

3.Mix The Perfect Formula

It goes without saying that every good color creation starts with the perfect formula. How you mix it will all come down to the level of gray you’re working with…

4. Get A Little GlossI

This doesn’t technically cover the roots, but hair that’s going gray tends to be a little drier, which can result in a dull, lackluster finish from root to tip. 

If you wants to go for a glow, suggest following up root cover-up with a glossing service  Opens in a new tab, which will subtly enhance their color and give their locks a high-shine boost.

How do You Care for Colored Hair?

Here's how to prolong your colored hair for as long as possible:

1. Tailored haircare for colored hair

Your first step is to start using a shampoo and conditioner designed specifically for colored hair. We recommend the Lumino Contrast collection by Serie Expert, which also includes a serum and a spray. If you've gone gorgeously grey, the Silver shampoo is perfect for you!

2. Don't over-wash

It seems obvious, but the more you wash your hair, the more quickly your new color will fade, especially if it's semi-permanent. You're also more likely to strip the scalp of the natural oils that keep the hair fibers moisturized.

3. Dry with care

Rubbing at your head roughly with a towel can weaken the hair and leave it unable to retain its color. Try to soak up excess water after showering by using downwards squeezing motions, ideally with a soft cotton material, not a coarse towel.

FAQs

Read these frequently asked questions to learn more about changing hair color.

1.How often should I dye my hair to cover gray?

Because gray hairs can be so sneaky, maintaining a lapse-less hair color schedule is probably the most important part of managing them. 

How often you’ll need to come back depends on the difference between your natural shade and the salon color, as well as the technique your stylist uses. It’ll be a little bit different for everybody, but certainly not an opportunity to walk away for six months at a time.

2.Can highlights cover grey hair on brunettes?

Highlights are a great way to cover grey hair on brunettes. Using a lighter color like a warm blonde is a great way to cover greys and bring life into your hair at the same time. 

3.What type of hair dye lasts the longest?

Permanent hair dyes last the longest. As previously mentioned, permanent hair dye penetrates through the hair shaft, causing the color to be permanently absorbed into your hair. Semi-permanent dyes will be stripped away over time by shampoo. 

4.When Is Permanent, Demi- Permanent, Or Semi-Permanent Color Right For You?

Permanent hair colors last practically forever (well, until you get new hair growth), while temporary colors  like demi-permanent and semi-permanent colors - wash off over time.

• Permanent color 

Permanent color is made with a developer that lifts your hair cuticles so that the pigments can penetrate your hair shaft and stay there forever. 

You should go with permanent color if you' re willing to sport that color forever. It’s perfect if you' re not looking to retouch your color every couple of months and have no interest in experimenting with other shades.

• Demi-Permanent And Semi-Permanent Colors

Demi-permanent and semi-permanent colors, on the other hand, gradually wash out in a couple of months, so they’re perfect if you like trying out new colors now and then.These temporary dyes are healthier for the hair because they have lttle to no ammonia.

Related Read:

15 Best Hair Dyes for Brown Hair with Highlights in 2024

25 Popular Hair Color Ideas for Asian Skin Tones in 2024

Top 17 Drugstore Hair Dyes for Asian Hair in 2024

7 Least Damaging Hair Extensions for Fine, Thin Hair That Look Natural and Real 2024

L'oreal Hair Color vs. Garnier vs. Clairol: Which Brand Is Best for You?

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