Whether you’re graying begrudgingly or with grace, you need to know how to care for your changing hair. Because sporting grays isn’t quite the same as rocking your pigmented locks, you need the best conditioner for gray hair for proper upkeep.
As hair ages, it loses density, shine, and the pigment called melanin that gives hair its color. Our oil glands produce less sebum, effectively drying hair out and making it more susceptible to sun damage and oxidation, turning it yellow and brassy. But a good conditioner for gray hair can work wonders against all that.
It will replace essential moisture lost through the natural process of graying and use gray, silver, or purple toners to eliminate brassiness and improve its luster. The best of the best contain powerful ingredients that boost hair’s strength while promoting its resistance to future damage. It can’t do it all, but boy, is it going to try.
Let’s take a peek at the 8 best conditioners for gray hair below.
Key Takeaways
I began this quest by poring over hundreds of photos, customer reviews, and even my own bathroom cabinet (and my husband’s) until I whittled it down to the 8 finalists you see on this list.
Overall, the best conditioner for gray hair is Milk Shake Silver Shine Conditioner because it is highly nourishing, softening, and hydrating and fights brassy tones while improving hair’s resistance to environmental stressors. For a hydrating leave-in conditioner, check out It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Conditioner
Why it’s great: Formulated with purple pigments to fight unwanted brassy tones, this conditioner comes in a yummy berry scent that customers seem to love. It utilizes milk proteins to add serious nourishment, strength, and resistance to environmental stressors. Dry, brittle hair is noticeably softer and shinier after just one use.
Who is this for? Ideal if you’re dealing with worn out, stressed hair with brassy tones and want a high-quality product at a decent price point.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: Don’t leave it on for too long to avoid adding a slightly lavender hint to hair.
Scent: Mixed Berry | Material Feature: SLES, Sulfate, Paraben, and Cruelty-free | Size: 1.7, 8.4, 33.8 oz | Form: Liquid | Hair Type: All, color-treated | Product Benefit: Strengthen, Soften, Shine, Conditioning
Why it’s great: Listen up, silver foxes. Geologie’s Smoothing Hydrating Hair Co-Wash is about to become your mane’s new best friend. As we go grey, our hair throws a bit of a tantrum – getting drier and coarser. This co-wash is like a chill pill for your strands, packed with avocado and coconut oils that mimic your hair’s natural oils. It’s a genius at taming that wiry texture and keeping your silver looking sterling, not yellow. Think of it as a fountain of youth for your hair, minus the mythical quests.
How to use it: Ready for some hair wizardry? Wet your hair thoroughly – we’re talking shower-singing wet. Massage this magic potion from roots to tips, giving your scalp some love. Let it marinate for a couple of minutes (perfect time to practice your shower karaoke). Rinse with cool water to seal the deal. You’ll be washing less often, which means more time to perfect that distinguished look and less time battling the shower head.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: Let’s keep it real – no product turns you into Gandalf the White overnight. If you’ve got fine grey hair, you might need to play around with the amount to avoid the “oops, I used too much” look (a.k.a. greasy-looking hair). And yes, there’s a brief period where your hair might feel like it’s learning a new dance. Stick with it, though. The payoff? Grey hair so good, people will think you’ve got a personal stylist on speed dial. Just remember, even this wonder product needs a sidekick – try a clarifying treatment once a month to kick any buildup to the curb.
Scent: Coconut + Avocado | Material Feature: Low-foam formula won’t strip hair and naturally moderates oil production for soft, frizz-free hair | Size: 8 fl oz | Form: Gel | Hair Type: All
Why it’s great: Dealing with frizzy and dry gray hair? This conditioning balm provides much-needed manageability and shine. In 1–3 minutes, which is how long they recommend leaving the product on before rinsing, it intensely hydrates the hair, locking in up to 72 hours of moisture and frizz control. A great choice for brittle, damaged hair.
Who is this for? Ideal for very dry, thick, and coarse gray hair that needs some extra love and management.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: I’ll be honest: the smell isn’t for everyone.
Scent: Lavender | Material Feature: Vegan, cruelty and paraben-free | Size: 13.5 oz | Form: Balm | Hair Type: Thick, coarse, curly, damaged | Product Benefit: Hydrating, conditioning, shine, manageability
Why it’s great: The revolutionary bonding brand now has a conditioner, which is great news for those unruly grays. Not only is it pH-optimized to reduce tangles and frizz, but it also uses a peptide formula to repair hair at the molecular level. It also protects against environmental aggressors and UV rays to fight brassy tones while softening and smoothing your gray hair, so it becomes more manageable, enhancing its shine along the way.
Who is this for? A good choice if your hair is damaged, curly, or difficult to manage.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: I do wish that this conditioner was cheaper, although it is extremely efficient and delivers results.
Scent: Not listed | Material Feature: Vegan, paraben, silicone, phthalates, artificial colors, and cruelty-free | Size: 8.5 oz | Form: Cream | Hair Type: All, curly/frizzy | Product Benefit: Detangles, protects from damage, fortifies, softens, smoothes, enhances shine
Why it’s great: If a separate conditioner ain’t your style, consider this shampoo + conditioner. It does an excellent job at softly cleansing while detangling and hydrating the hair for a good price, leaving it full and healthy-looking once it dries. The refreshing citrus mint scent smells great, especially if you’re a morning shower kind of guy.
Who is this for? Combo shampoo/conditioners are great for the simple, streamlined guy who feels like his hair isn’t lacking in moisture.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: It adequately moisturizes, but not exceptionally so. If your hair is very dry, or if it’s coarse, thick or frizzy, then you might want a separate conditioner to do some heavy lifting.
Scent: Citrus mint | Material Feature: Vegan, paraben, sulfate, and gluten-free | Size: 8.5, 33.8oz | Form: Liquid | Hair Type: All | Product Benefit: Hydrating, detangling, softening, cleansing
Why it’s great: If the silver bottle is any indication of what’s inside, here is a conditioner that will tone down brassy hues by penetrating the hair and brightening those grays. It leaves hair feeling strong and nourished, transforming dull, lifeless locks into bouncy, healthy-looking hair. And I love that it’s formulated with peptides, which adds body and contributes to hair growth.
Who is this for? A good budget option that is perfect for the guy looking to boost his hair’s volume in addition to toning and hydrating those grays.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: This conditioner might be a bit heavy for fine hair types.
Scent: Magnolia and bergamot | Material Feature: Paraben, sulfate, gluten, and phthalate-free | Size: 8.5 oz | Form: Liquid | Hair Type: All | Product Benefit: Hydrating, softening, shine, body
Why it’s great: Even if your hair is adequately conditioned, a leave-in can make hair softer and more manageable. This one provides ten different benefits to gray hair, including restored shine, replacing lost proteins, and detangling, making it ideal to apply before using a comb. It uses natural ingredients like green tea extract and silk amino acids to give hair a boost of body, hydration, and hair color protection.
Who is this for? Sometimes, hair needs extra love after the shower. If you find that your hair is hard to comb through or isn’t quite as silky soft after conditioning, then try a leave-in conditioner.
Flaws but not deal breakers: The effects are better if you heat style your hair. If you’re an air dry guy, then your locks may not feel quite as luscious as you’d expect.
Scent: Not listed | Material Feature: Paraben, silicone, and cruelty-free | Size: 1.33, 6 oz | Form: Liquid | Hair Type: All | Product Benefit: Shining, nourishing, protects color, enhances body
Why it’s great: Yes, you should be conditioning daily, but working a hair mask into your routine is also beneficial. This one stands out because it’s an organic brand that puts a slew of whole, natural ingredients to work instead of chemicals. It works by repairing each strand of hair from the cortex to the cuticle, returning hydration, restoring strength and elasticity, and preventing any future breakage.
Who is this for? Because it needs only 5–10 minutes to do its work, this quick mask is perfect for dry, distressed, and frizzy hair that needs a quick boost. I love a restorative mask once a week.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: It may be pricey, but consider it an occasional tune-up. It should last a while.
Scent: Not listed | Material Feature: Organic, paraben, sulfate, gluten, and cruelty-free | Size: 6 oz | Form: Cream | Hair Type: All, frizzy, curly | Product Benefit: Hydrating, strengthening, reduces breakage
Why it’s great: At the behest of my stylist, I actually used this on my blonde hair for a number of years to keep brassy tones at bay between appointments. Let me tell you, it works wonders on making the various shades of gray, silver, and white hair pop.
It’s intensely hydrating and makes my hair feel strong, which is exactly what dry, brittle hair needs. It may not work on wrinkles, but it does seem to restore youthfulness, elasticity, and shine to aging hair like a charm.
Who is this for? Because it’s a bit of a splurge for white, gray, or silvering locks, this is for the guy who thinks of a good quality conditioner as an investment in the overall health of his hair.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: This one may set you back a coin or two, but it’s worth every penny.
Scent: Not Listed | Material Feature: Paraben, sulfate, sodium-chloride, gluten, and cruelty-free | Size: 6.8 oz | Form: Liquid | Hair Type: All | Product Benefit: Hydrating, strengthening, shine
Buying Considerations for The Best Conditioners For Gray Hair
Hair Type
Most of the conditioners on this list suit all hair types, but some are designed for thick, coarse, and frizzy hair. Others are light enough for thin, fine, and oily hair types. Pay attention to your hair type before choosing.
Hair type not only determines which conditioner to use, but also which conditioning products you should invest in. I personally believe that a few spritzes of leave-in conditioner can benefit even the healthiest of hair by keeping it healthy. The same goes for a mask. But more than anything, you should make sure that you’re invested in the best conditioner for gray hair at a minimum.
Hydration
This is probably the most important element of the best conditioner for gray hair to consider. Because gray hair is drier, you need lots of moisture to counteract that lack of hydration.
Look for conditioners that focus on hydration and use nourishing ingredients like oils, avocado, and various ingredients designed to quench dry hair. Don’t be afraid of that extra moisture weighing your hair down, either. If your current conditioner isn’t cutting it, then you’ll need a balm or cream conditioner to lock in hydration.
Pigment Protection
Some of the best conditioners for gray hair not only hydrate but also protect the integrity of those gorgeous white, silver, and gray tones. They do this by being safe for color-treated hair and by using toners to cut brassy, yellow colors.
You’ll often see a conditioner for gray hair in a silver or purple color, which neutralizes unwanted hues. This isn’t an absolutely necessary feature of the best conditioner for gray hair, but if you’re experiencing dullness and/or brassiness, it’s something to consider.
How We Chose
Lots of conditioners claim to be nourishing and toning for gray hair. But sometimes, these claims don’t seem to hold up. So, wherever possible, I chose gray hair conditioners from reputable brands that are truly known to strengthen and hydrate gray hair while brightening it and eliminating brassy tones.
I sifted through hundreds of customer reviews and photos to find the proof in the pudding, landing on the top 8 you see here that people are likely to purchase again.
Company reputation: Has the brand been popular and in business for some time, garnering loyal consumers along the way? I prioritize companies that put out gray hair conditioners in a consistent and timely manner, always ensuring that their customers are satisfied.
Customer reviews: What the people say matters most to me. Do people feel that these conditioners really moisturize the hair while toning down, or at least protecting the hair from brassy tones?
Transparency: What’s going on inside the bottle matters most. Do companies clearly print the ingredients and clarify what doesn’t go inside? I pay attention to ingredients and the company’s willingness to be clear about it.
Why Trust Us?
Rachel Cascella knows a thing or two about hair. Not only did she write for years for TheRightHairstyles, which covers hairstyles, hair care, and more, but she’s also been covering various aspects of hair health for FashionBeans for some time now.
Not to mention, she has more than 16 years of experience as a model in the fashion and beauty business, working with some of the best hair stylists in the world.
Over the years, she has focused on the latest research, technology, and innovation in hair care as well as styling. From the best products, like leave-in conditioners to the best pomades for curly hair, her expertise is something that you can trust.
Final Verdict
The best conditioner for gray hair should protect the integrity of white, silver, and gray tones while nourishing dry, brittle hair. Milk Shake Silver Shine Shampoo is my top pick because it’s intensely hydrating, removes brassy tones, and prevents hair from undergoing future damage.
FAQ
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Because gray hair is drier and more brittle, it needs a deeper, more penetrative conditioner, not necessarily more. Conditioner should be used after every shampoo.
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The best way to keep gray hair moisturized is with a specifically hydrating conditioner and potentially a hair mask and conditioning mask in the mix.
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To keep hair soft and shiny, apply conditioner after every shampoo, let it sit for 2-3 minutes, and rinse clean. Follow up with a leave-in conditioner to boost moisture levels and luster and oil on the ends of your locks if your ends seem dry and your hair is on the longer side.
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