There are plenty of men who love the sophisticated appearance and gravitas that comes with graying hair. That’s why it can be particularly disappointing when, instead of an attractive silver, you find your hair turning dry and yellowish.
Men’s grooming companies have put a lot of time, money, and research into solving this problem. As a result, there are tons of different options for renewing your gray hair, but that makes finding the best men’s shampoos for gray hair all the more difficult. Luckily, we’re here to help you separate the products that just look good from those that are actually capable of working wonders.
In this article, we’re going to go on a deep dive into six of the best men’s shampoos for gray hair that are out there. At the end of this article, I’m sure you’ll be confident about the best product for your needs.
Let’s get started.
Key Takeaways
I went through almost a hundred different products that each claim to be the best men’s shampoo for gray hair in order to put together this best-of list. After all that research, I narrowed it down to six.
Overall, my pick for the best men’s shampoo for gray hair is the American Crew Men’s Daily Silver Shampoo. American Crew is a great men’s grooming brand that has a serious reputation for creating great products for men of all ages. And their Silver Shampoo is no exception.
I’ve also included a great salon-quality shampoo that contains tons of colorants, the ColorSmith Anti-Yellow Men’s Toning Shampoo for Blonde, Silver, and Gray Hair. I’d also point out that I’ve included one gray-reducing shampoo on the list, Just For Men Control GX Grey Reducing Shampoo, just in case you’d like to go a few shades darker.
Our Top Picks
Why it’s great: The American Crew Men’s Daily Silver Shampoo is a shampoo that strikes a perfect balance between applying a soft and forgiving touch to your hair while still doing its job of making your hair look much less yellow. The formula won’t damage your hair, even if you use it daily, which helps keep your shower routine super simple.
Who is this for? If you’re looking for a men’s shampoo for gray hair that’s gentle enough for just about everyone to use every day, this is by far the best option for you.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: As a result of lacking toner, it’s not going to change your hair color as quickly as some of the other options on this list. But that does mean that there’s less of a chance of damaging your hair.
Benefits: Smoothing, Softening | Hair Type: All | Size: 8.4 oz | Cruelty-free: No | Scent: Unscented
Why it’s great: Even though it’s listed as our “budget” option, that doesn’t mean that the Pantene Silver Expressions, Purple Shampoo, and Hair Toner isn’t an incredibly able product. It’s a great way to quickly reverse hair damage, and, with its massive 17.9 oz bottle, you’ll have enough to last you a long while.
Who is this for? If you really want to get rid of any yellowish tinge that your hair has been developing but don’t see the need to spend a bucketload of money on a fancy shampoo, then this just might be the best option for you.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: The formula of this men’s shampoo for gray hair contains plenty of fairly harsh chemicals, which help you get results, but I wouldn’t recommend using this product every day.
Benefits: Hydrating, Brightening | Hair Type: Grey and color-treated | Size: 17.9 oz | Cruelty-free: No | Scent: Lotus Flowers Scent
Why it’s great: Our next recommendation, ColorSmith Anti-Yellow Men’s Toning Shampoo for Blonde, Silver, and Gray Hair, is a salon-quality product in the truest sense of the word. It not only contains powerful violet toner to reverse yellowing but also has caffeine to help you get a satisfying clean and quinoa to prevent color loss if you’ve dyed your hair gray. And, if all that isn’t enough for you, it’s SLS- and SLES-free.
Who is this for? Anyone who’s looking for the deluxe version of the familiar purple shampoo should consider this excellent men’s shampoo for gray hair from ColorSmith.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: To get the best effect, you should leave this product in your hair for ten minutes—which isn’t ideal for a quick morning shower.
Benefits: Prevents color loss, Brightening | Hair Type: All, Color Treated, Normal | Size: 10 oz | Cruelty-free: Yes | Scent: Fresh
Why it’s great: Softly Silver Shampoo for Gray Hair, 2-in-1 is an excellent unisex shampoo that can deliver wide-ranging benefits for your hair. It takes the approach that healthy gray hair is what’s going to look great, so it seeks to replenish the nutrients in your hair by using a combination of panthenol and aloe vera.
Who is this for? This is a great option for men who prefer to use 2-in-1 shampoos and conditioners while showering.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: There’s no dye or toner in this product, so it will be a longer road towards renewing your hair.
Benefits: Restorative | Hair Type: All | Size: 4oz | Cruelty-free: Yes | Scent: Aloe Vera
Why it’s great: Unlike the last product, the Jhirmack Silver Brightening Purple Shampoo and Conditioner Set offers both a shampoo and a conditioner that are tailor-made for men with gray hair. I really love the inclusion of collagen in the shampoo formula, since this is a great way to strengthen hair. I also love the convenience of ordering a combo set of shampoo and conditioner, which is a great way to kill two birds with one stone.
Who is this for? This is a product that can work for a pretty wide swathe of different hair situations.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: If you already have a conditioner you love, then you’re probably not going to want to order this set.
Benefits: Strengthening, Brightening | Hair Type: All, color treated | Size: 12 oz Shampoo + 12 oz Conditioner | Cruelty-free: No | Scent: Green Tea
Why it’s great: And, to end this list, we have a product that’s meant to darken and get rid of gray hair, putting off the days when you’ll need to use one of the other products on this list. Just For Men Control GX Grey Reducing Shampoo uses a patented formula for slowing reducing the amount of gray in your hair. It manages to do so effectively without using ammonia or peroxide, which really will help your hair stay healthy.
Who is this for? Anyone who isn’t quite feeling ready to go gray should use this standout product, simply one of the best men’s shampoos for gray hair.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: Just For Men Control GX Grey Reducing Shampoo won’t completely remove any trace of gray from your hair, just reduce how much of it there is. On the bright side, that’ll leave you with a salt-and-pepper look.
Benefits: Reduces gray hairs | Hair Type: All | Size: 4 oz | Cruelty-free: Yes | Scent: Unscented
Buying Considerations for The Best Men’s Shampoos For Gray Hair
Ingredients
Most of the products on our list can be described as purple shampoos, which means that they contain purple pigments that are meant to neutralize the color of yellow hair. Since purple shampoos are meant to change the color of your hair (though not as drastically as an actual dye or bleach), they are usually considerably harsher than normal shampoos.
As a result, you have a choice to make between a powerful toner shampoo, which will be more effective at changing the color of your hair quickly (like the ColorSmith Anti-Yellow Men’s Toning Shampoo for Blonde, Silver, and Gray Hair, for example), and a product that works more slowly but contains less harsh ingredients (like American Crew Men’s Daily Silver Shampoo).
Size
Next, I want to talk a little bit about the size of shampoo orders because, when you consider the cost of shipping and the time it takes to make an order online, it can make a big difference to how much you end up spending. I’m a big advocate of making large orders since you get enough shampoo to last you a while and won’t have to deal with making another order (or paying for shipping) for a really long time. You just want to make sure that you’re ordering a shampoo you know that you’ll like.
Your other option is to sign up for a subscription plan. You’ll get regular deliveries of the grooming products you need (since you can often get bundles) and might end up getting a good deal if you look around.
Hair Type
What type of hair you have is a huge factor in what the best shampoo for men’s gray hair will be for you. If you have sensitive skin or dry hair, then I’d recommend getting either a sulfate-free shampoo or an all-natural product in order to minimize any damage that might occur.
That’s because some of the less harsh shampoos for gray hair will allow you to keep some of the naturally occurring oils in your hair, which means that your hair won’t dry out as a result of the shampoo. If none of that describes you, then you should be able to use a conventional purple shampoo without any problems.
How We Chose
Shampoos are definitely one of those products for which function matters a whole lot more than form. I don’t care what a shampoo bottle looks like, nor about whether a brand’s marketing is good or not. I care only about the results that a shampoo offers me. And, therefore, when I’m making a list like this one about the best men’s shampoos for gray hair, my estimation of the quality of a shampoo is the primary thing I consider.
In addition, I always pay close attention to the following four criteria that we use in the evaluation of every product we consider here at FashionBeans.
Company reputation: To put it frankly, if a brand or company doesn’t have a long track record of making products that have exceptional quality, then we’re not comfortable recommending them to you.
Customer reviews: What real people who have bought a product, whether it’s a men’s shampoo for grey hair or anything else, say about it is incredibly valuable information that we would be crazy to ignore.
Price: The price tag that a product has can either be inflated over its actual value or be a fair price for what you’re getting. We work hard to ensure that all the products we put on our lists are in the latter camp.
Transparency: And, finally, it’s important for us that every brand we recommend is transparent about the little, crucial details, like the origin of the ingredients that go into their shampoos.
Why Trust Us?
There are decades of experience in writing about men’s grooming on the editorial board of FashionBeans. Whether we’re writing about the best pomades for thin hair, hair clay, or hair powder, we know what we’re talking about.
For so many decades, in fact, some of us have been starting to go gray and confront the problems outlined in this article. As a result, we also have a lot of personal, hands-on experience with the best men’s shampoos for gray hair that we considered for the list. It’s always great when that happens, since we can lean on a lot of knowledge when putting together the list.
We used our regular process to create this article. It includes each member of the team coming up with a personal shortlist of our favorite products to take with us into a general meeting. That’s where we decide on the final lineup and ordering of products, usually after some spirited discussion and debate. It’s definitely an exhaustive process, but we think that the confidence we can have in our picks more than justifies all the work.
Final Verdict
At the end of the day, the best men’s shampoo for gray hair is the American Crew Men’s Daily Silver Shampoo. It’s a great formula that’s excellent for slowly but surely renewing your hair with daily use. Just use it like you would any other shampoo, and you’ll start seeing results in no time at all.
FAQ
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There are certainly a lot of products that promise to reduce gray hair for men. Some of them are great and will actually leave you looking much younger after a few washes, but others don’t live up to their promises. For my money, the best shampoo to reduce gray hair for men is Just For Men Control GX Grey Reducing Shampoo. Yup, a product by the same brand that makes great men’s shampoos and deodorants, big surprise.
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There are lots of ways for men to maintain grey hair, as well as encourage overall hair and scalp health. Exactly what steps you should take will depend on what type of hair you have and which specific problems you’re facing, but it will likely include using a great men’s gray hair shampoo like American Crew Men’s Daily Silver Shampoo.
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Well, not always, but men with gray hair who are facing the problem of their hair turning ruddy and yellow should definitely use a purple shampoo. That’s because the violet pigments in purple shampoos are perfect for reversing that color change and helping your hair look more like silver and less like straw. That’s a good outcome if you ask me.
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