How To Make Gray Hair Shine

Simple ways to update your gray hair care routine and keep your locks healthy and shining.

Reviewed by Tiffany Young, Certified Trichology Practitioner
Written by Arshiya Syeda, BA (Literature & Psychology), PG Diploma

Edited by Ramona Sinha, MA (English Literature), Certified Skin Care Coach

Fact-checked by Medha Deb, Integrated MA • Feb 23, 2024

Image: Shutterstock

Gray hair is considered a sign of wisdom and maturity, and it rarely goes unnoticed. But dull and dry gray hair can grab attention for all the wrong reasons. So if you want to make your gray hair shine and become healthy, you should give your tresses some TLC. To care for your dull gray hair, you must first understand what it needs. In this article, we have listed a few hair care tips to make gray hair shine naturally. Scroll down for more information.

In This Article

Why Does Gray Hair Turn Yellow?

Environmental Exposure: Gray hair is more susceptible to picking up yellow tones from environmental factors. Smoking, air pollution, and exposure to minerals in water can all contribute to this discoloration.
Product Buildup: Residue from hair products like shampoos, conditioners, and styling products can accumulate on gray hair, causing it to appear yellowish over time.
Smoking: Tar and nicotine in cigarettes can discolor gray hair, leading to a yellowish hue.
Hard Water: The minerals in hard water can leave deposits on hair, particularly gray hair, leading to yellowing.
UV Exposure: Prolonged exposure to sunlight can lead to oxidation and yellowing of gray hair.

Now that you understand the reasons why and how gray hair can sometimes develop a yellowish tinge, let’s delve into the natural methods for enhancing the shine of gray hair.

How To Make Gray Hair Shine Naturally

1. Use The Right Shampoo

Image: Shutterstock

The right shampoo is the key to shiny, beautiful gray hair. Shampoos that are specially formulated for gray hair help transform your dull and unmanageable hair into shiny silver locks.

Use a clarifying shampoo at least once a week to remove product buildup, impurities, and pollutants. Ensure that you also include a moisturizing shampoo in your hair care routine. Opt for purple shampoos to prevent your gray hair from appearing yellow.

Quick Tip

You can use a volumizing shampoo to add bounce to limp gray hair. If you have weak hair, opt for a protein-based shampoo.

2. Apply The Right Conditioner

Gray hair is usually very porous and can absorb pigment from hair care products, especially conditioners. A conditioner with yellow pigments can make your gray hair look lusterless and brassy. To avoid this discoloration, use a conditioner specially meant for gray hair.

Gray hair conditioners have bluish or violet undertones that help seal the hair cuticles for long-lasting shine. They can make your gray hair look sleek and vibrant with a silvery finish.

On the other hand, Amanda, a YouTuber, shared her experience with managing gray hair and preventing it from turning yellow or dull. After she noticed some of her hair strands were turning yellow, she started using the purple conditioner on dry hair. She said, “It has been a total game changer for me (i).”

3. Add Serum To Your Hair Care Routine

Elderly woman applying hair serum for shiny gray hair

Image: Shutterstock

A serum is another must-have product if you want that extra shine in your hair. It makes your gray hair not only smooth and shiny but also soft and manageable. Always use a clear, colorless serum instead of amber-colored ones. This will add shine to your grays without affecting their tones.

4. A Toner Is The Way To Go

What sets apart a perfect silver-gray hair from normal gray hair is the undertone. Gray hair is prone to develop a yellowish undertone naturally. But to make it shine and look silvery, it should have a blue undertone. A violet toner neutralizes dull yellow undertones. Your gray hair absorbs the pigment and imparts a desirable shade of silver and platinum.

5. Keep The Heat Styling To A Minimum

Elderly woman using hair straightner at low temperature

Image: Shutterstock

Gray hair is weaker than normal hair due to high porosity, and the excessive use of heat styling tools will make it even more fragile, dry, and rough. Hence, use heat styling tools at the lowest temperature settings. You can also choose a hairstyle that does not require heat styling or opt for overnight curlers.

Quick Tip

Keep the blowdryer at a low setting and at least 15 cm away from your tresses to prevent heat damage. Apply a heat protectant before using any heat-styling tools.

6. Befriend A Satin Pillowcase

Gray hair is fragile and can easily break due to friction. A rough pillowcase can wreak havoc on your gray hair for every twist and turn you make in your sleep. Hence, use a satin pillowcase to keep your hair breakage at a minimum.

The soft satin fabric will prevent friction and static, reducing the chances of hair breakage. You can also wrap your hair in a silk scarf while sleeping. This will help maintain healthy gray hair and eliminate fly aways.

7. Maintain A Healthy And Balanced Diet

Bowl of avaocado to maintain shiny gray hair

Image: Shutterstock

A balanced diet is equally important to slow down hair aging and boost the shine of your gray hair. For vibrant gray hair, consume proteins, healthy fats, and vitamins. These essential nutrients provide much-required nourishment to your hair and scalp. Also, consume mineral-rich foods to make your gray hair shiny and healthy.

Supplement your diet with these foods to make your gray hair shine naturally:

Salmon And Mackerel: Contain omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, and vitamins that keep the scalp moisturized and preserve the natural luster of your hair (1).
Walnuts: Rich in potassium and copper, which stimulate hair growth and prevent dullness (2).
Spinach: Contains magnesium and iron that improve your hair health and combat hair loss (3), (4).

Avocados: Help condition the hair and prevent breakage.
Carrot Juice: Makes the hair shinier and prevents premature graying.

Amla Juice: Enhances the natural hair pigment, reduces graying, nourishes the hair, and prevents balding (5).

Infographic: Simple Ways You Can Make Your Gray Hair Shine

While gray hair is considered modish in present times, lackluster tresses don’t exactly scream stunning. It is, thus, best to take care of your hair and ensure the shine never leaves. With a few tips and tricks and without extending your budget, you can now make your gray mane shine naturally. Want to know how? Check out the infographic below.

simple ways you can make your gray hair shine (infographic)

Get the high-quality PDF version of this infographic.

Gray hair is considered a symbol of wisdom. You can make your dull gray locks shine naturally. Using the right shampoo that is suitable for your hair texture and type, applying the right conditioner, trying nourishing hair treatments, adding a serum to your hair care routine, and avoiding or minimizing the use of heat hair styling tools may help nourish your gray hair. In addition, consuming foods rich in omega-3 fats, walnuts, spinach, and amla juice and drinking plenty of water can make your hair shine naturally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does vinegar make gray hair shine?

A vinegar rinse improves your overall hair health, and possibly hair shine too. Anecdotal evidence suggests adding vinegar to your shampoo to increase hair shine and remove any yellow hues from gray hair.

How can I turn my gray hair silver naturally?

You can try a vinegar rinse or a baking soda solution to make your hair whiter.

Can you use hair gloss on gray hair?

There are specific hair glosses made for white, graying, or light-colored hair. You can use these glosses to add shine, improve appearance, and make hair more manageable and easy to style.

Is there a silver rinse for gray hair?

There are products on the market that you can use to change your hair color from gray to more silver or white. The most popular one is the silver hair toner that removes other hues from your gray hair to make it whiter.

Key Takeaways

Gray hair requires the use of specially crafted products, be it shampoos, conditioners, or serums.
Never use pigmented serums as gray hair is porous and can absorb colors from hair products.
Besides using good hair care products, eating right is also important for making gray hair healthy and shiny.

Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team

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Personal Experience: Source

StyleCraze's articles are interwoven with authentic personal narratives that provide depth and resonance to our content. Below are the sources of the personal accounts referenced in this article.

i. How to deal with yellowing in your grey hair! Pro tip!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRdP5Jc6A0s

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