Whether your hair is naturally silver or you bleach it, you already know that maintaining the perfect shade of icy blonde (or silvery gray) requires a fair amount of maintenance. Aside from going to the salon for touchups and applying the the occasional mask, the most important thing you can do is make sure you're using the right shampoo. The best shampoos for silver hair typically fall into one of three categories: purple toning shampoos, which use color theory to banish yellow or orange undertones; non-purple shampoos that work to brighten silver hair and keep brassiness at bay; and deeply nourishing shampoos that aim to repair any breakage that was wrought through the bleaching process.
Ahead, you'll find 13 great shampoos for every shade of silver and hair concern. There are plenty of purple shampoos, and several non-purple options as well, whether you're hoping to repair serious damage, protect your color from fading, or temporarily dye your hair silver to extend the time between your next salon visit.
To find your perfect match, scroll on to shop the best shampoos for silver, gray, white, and icy-blonde hair.
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You can't really go wrong with this classic purple shampoo from Pantene's Silver Expressions line. It comes in a generously sized, 17.9-ounce bottle; helps keep brassy undertones at bay; and rings up at just $15 on Amazon. It also gets bonus points for its handy, pump-top bottle and lovely, lotus scent.
Here's another (even cheaper!) drugstore shampoo to consider, but it does have a few key differences. Most notably, this isn't a purple shampoo, though it is still formulated to help remove brassiness and keep your silver (or blonde) looking bright. And instead of a dark purple color, this has a shimmery, lavender tint, so it won't stain your bathtub. Another major bonus for color-treated hair? It's completely sulfate-free.
Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo is maybe the best shampoo for damaged hair out there, period. If you've bleached your hair silver, invest in a bottle of this stuff, and alternate with a purple shampoo every other wash. This doesn't offer any toning benefits (in fact, it's a great choice for anyone who has dyed their hair any color), but it'll help strengthen, hydrate, and repair hair that's been showing signs of damage. For best results, follow up with the brand's best-selling No. 3 Repairing Treatment.
As master colorist Cyd Koyanagi told Elite Daily, "Industry standard has always been Clairol Shimmer Lights shampoo." And it's true: Every salon I've ever gone to has used this shampoo to tone my hair following a bleaching session. This is a dark purple shampoo with a slightly overpowering scent, but it does its job wonderfully, and comes at a very reasonable price considering you get over 30 ounces of product for less than $25.
Another great find from L'Oreal's sulfate-free EverPure line, this purple shampoo comes with a bonus purple conditioner (and both products, which come in 6.8-ounce bottles, will set you back less than $15 on Amazon). Formulated with hibiscus extract and a deep purple tint, this duo will help fade your silver hair's brassiness in just one wash, though it can also be used to banish any orange undertones that are popping up in brown, highlighted hair.
If you dye or bleach your hair, this is an ideal shampoo to use every time you wash your hair (whereas purple shampoos are best reserved for occasional use). As its name implies, Pureology Hydrate Moisturizing Shampoo focuses on restoring hydration to coarse, dried-out hair, and like all of the brand's products, it contains their signature Antifade Complex to help keep your color looking vibrant and fresh in the long term. Note that despite its purple bottle, this is not a purple shampoo.
While this sulfate-free shampoo is designed for medium to thick hair, Pureology also makes a similar shampoo — Hydrate Sheer — that's meant for fine or thin hair.
If you're looking to stock up, invest in this massive, 33.8-ounce bottle of Redken's Color Extend Graydiant Purple Shampoo. Another pro-favorite pick, this deep purple, anti-yellowing shampoo was specifically formulated to keep silver or gray hair looking, well, silver or gray. If you don't need such a big bottle, this does come in smaller sizes, and it has a matching conditioner as well.
Like the pick above, milk_shake's Silver Shine Light Shampoo also comes in an enormous, 33.8-ounce bottle. However, this is a bit less intense than the other purple shampoos on this list — hence it being called a "light" shampoo. It still tones silver (or blonde/gray) hair to remove brassiness, but it's a lot less pigmented, so you could use this more often if you'd like. Like all milk_shake products, this is made with milk proteins to help condition and soften your hair.
A personal favorite, I love this purple, anti-brassiness shampoo from Scandinavian brand SACHAJUAN. Formulated with the brand's Ocean Silk Technology to encourage shiny, hydrated hair, it also offers UV protection — a bonus for anyone who's in the sun a lot. As an aside, the minimalist bottle will look so chic in your shower (which is admittedly one of the reasons I love it so much — no shame).
Instead of purple dye, French pharmacy brand Klorane uses the extract of the plant centaury to help reduce brassiness in silver, gray, or blonde hair. Their anti-yellowing shampoo is also pretty modestly priced, considering the export cost, high-quality formula, and 13.5-ounce bottle. This is a good choice for anyone who wants the anti-yellowing effects of a purple shampoo, but doesn't want to risk dyeing their hair lavender.
Oribe's Silverati Shampoo is satisfyingly silver in color, and, like the Klorane shampoo above, also helps banish brassiness without the use of purple dye. Obviously, this one is a lot more expensive, but there are a few justifications for that price tag. For one, this is made with lots of unique, botanically derived ingredients, including silver fir and Oribe's Signature Complex — a mix of watermelon, edelweiss, and lychee — to help protect hair from environmental damage, as well as arctic fruit and mallow flower to promote soft, hydrated hair. Also, this shampoo (like all Oribe products) boasts the brand's signature Cote D'Azur scent — a fragrance so decadent, it inspired its own perfume. Finally, this comes in a gorgeous, decently sized (8.5-ounce) bottle, and it's sulfate-free. A real treat for your hair.
In the So Silver kit from MATRIX, you get a purple shampoo, conditioner, and hair mask for less than $35. That makes it easy to switch up the way you tone your silver hair — some days, you can use the purple shampoo and follow up with your favorite deep conditioner; on others, you can wash your hair with your go-to shampoo — whether that's a moisturizing, volumizing, or dandruff-fighting one — and follow up with the So Silver conditioner or treatment mask. All of these products are dark purple in color, so they're ideal for eliminating yellowness in gray, blonde, and silver hair.
If you're looking to temporarily dye your hair silver, you can do it with this color-depositing shampoo and conditioner from Punky Colour. Though it's available in 11 different shades, 'Diamondista' leaves behind a bright, silvery-gray tint, while ingredients like keratin amino acids and hydrolyzed quinoa help condition and strengthen your hair. It'll work in just one wash — the longer you leave it on, the more dramatic the color will be. You can use this as often as you want to help maintain your ideal shade.
Another personal favorite, I've been using amika's Bust Your Brass Cool Blonde Shampoo on and off for years. It does exactly what a purple shampoo should — counteract brassiness and clean your hair — without the use of sulfates. In fact, unlike a lot of other purple shampoos, this one leaves my hair feeling moisturized and soft; that's thanks to ingredients like avocado oil and hydrolyzed keratin in the formula. I love how the tall, thin bottle doesn't take up a lot of room in showers that are low on storage space (and like all amika products, it smells fruity and delicious).
