7 Ways To Conceal Unwanted Grays Fast

Gray hair can make an appearance when you least expect it. And despite the growing popularity of smoky silver strands, you may find yourself unwilling to embrace those grays when they first crop up. If you’re wondering how to cover gray hair, the best place to start is with hair color. Fortunately, you don’t have to hit the salon to disguise those silver strands—coloring gray hair at home is easier than ever, thanks to new and improved at-home hair color designed specifically for gray coverage. But, permanently parting ways with your current color isn’t your only option when it comes to covering grays. Here, we’ll share seven tips for covering gray hair and clue you in on some of our favorite products to get the job done—until you’re ready to get in touch with your roots, that is.

1. Reach for Root Spray

Root cover-up sprays are amongst the quickest and easiest solutions for covering gray hair. These formulas contain a temporary dye that mists onto your mane, quickly concealing grays so you can go about your day. Our pick: L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Cover Up. It’s available in eight quick-drying shades that offer seamless coverage that lasts until your next shampoo. Just choose the shade that most closely matches your natural hair color (go one shade lighter if you’re unsure), mist onto new growth, and let dry before styling as usual.

2. Use a Touch-up Pen

If you’re only facing a few stray grays, you'll want a product that offers precise coverage, as opposed to one that'll cover a large area. That's where a root cover-up pen comes in. The L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Precision Pen features a unique precision brush that allows for easy, smooth application on any hair type or texture. Simply rotate the pen to dispense the product, then lightly dab the brush onto stands as needed to cover gray hair. Wait a minute for the product to dry, and you're good to go.

3. Try Out a New Part or Hairstyle

We don’t usually go gray all at once—it happens over time, and you may find that some areas of your mane are gray while others, well, aren’t. In these cases, switching your part may prove helpful (at least for the time being). If your grays are mostly concentrated at the crown of your head, for example, you may try switching to a deep side part. Grays around the temples, meanwhile, can be concealed with a middle part and face-framing layers. Get creative, and enjoy the opportunity to experiment with a new hairstyle.

4. Opt for Permanent Root Coverage

Root color kits are great for when you want to cover gray hair but don’t want to commit to a full dye job. These kits are designed specifically to target gray roots while blending the color with the rest of your hair for a natural-looking finish. In this category, we love L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Root Rescue 10 Minute Root Hair Coloring Kit. It has a quick precision applicator that makes touching up roots fast and easy, with 100% gray coverage that lasts up to four weeks.

5. Use An At-Home Hair Dye for Gray Hair

If you’re not ready to welcome your gray hair with open arms, we suggest taking the opportunity to dye your hair (and maybe even experiment with a new color). Fortunately, there are plenty of permanent hair color kits on the market designed exactly for this purpose. Take your pick from some of our best hair dyes for gray hair:

L’Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Universal Nudes

Skip the salon and cover gray hair at home with this permanent (and ammonia-free!) hair color kit. Each of the eight shades in the collection is enriched with a Pro-Keratin Complex and caring agents to help protect hair as it colors, resulting in rich, vibrant color that feels gentle on the hair and scalp.

L’Oréal Paris Excellence Creme Cool Supreme Permanent Gray Coverage Hair Color

Beat brass and cover grays with this permanent color kit, which includes a permanent color cream, toning purple shampoo, and an anti-brass purple conditioner for complete gray coverage. There are eight cool-toned shades in the lineup, from a medium ashy blonde to a deep, cool black.

L’Oréal Paris Excellence Créme Permanent Triple Care Hair Color

When you’re in the mood for a new hue, pick up this ultra-caring color kit. The palette includes blondes, browns, blacks, and even reds, making it easy to find a new color to upgrade your look. If you’re looking for something low-maintenance, consider a lighter shade—the best hair colors for gray hair tend to be ashy blondes or light browns, as the minimal contrast between the dye and your silvery strands may mean less upkeep.

L’Oréal Paris Excellence Age Perfect

If your hair is 70% or more gray, try this color kit. It’s uniquely designed for mature gray hair, with a conditioning formula that helps replenish hair from within. You’ll get vibrant color full of shine, beautifully blended regrowth, and a volume boost, too.

L’Oréal Paris Men Expert One-Twist Permanent Hair Color

Men are too often left out of the conversation when it comes to gray hair and the best ways to cover it. Fortunately, we’re here with a solution. This easy-to-use dye requires no mixing whatsoever—just twist the cap and brush the color onto your grays for undetectable coverage that lasts until your next haircut.

6. Add Highlights

Highlights are a great in-between when you want something that’ll cover gray hair but not require a ton of maintenance. While you could head to the salon for highlights (consider it self-care), you can also take the DIY route with L’Oréal Paris Colorista At Home Hair Bleach and Lightener. The multipurpose kit includes a three-pronged applicator brush that you can use to apply your lightener for at-home highlights.

Keep in mind that sometimes, lightened strands can take on a brassy hue. To combat unwanted orange tones, follow up your at-home bleach job with L’Oréal Paris Féria Power Toner, Long-Lasting Anti-Brass Toner, which helps counteract brassiness with results lasting up to three weeks.

7. Play With Color

As far as we’re concerned, there’s no age limit on experimentation. Fortunately, gray hair, being so light, is the perfect canvas for playing with unique hues. If you’re up for it, consider using L’Oréal Paris Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color to camouflage your grays and add a playful pop of color to your mane. The ammonia-free formula is suitable for all hair types and textures and comes in a range of vivid shades, from pastel pink and lavender to deep, moody turquoise (and fear not: the color gradually fades after each shampoo).

8. Give Grays Some Glitz

Covering gray hair doesn’t have to require hair dye. If you don’t have the time (or desire) to color your hair, look to hair accessories to hide your grays. A silky scarf, chunky headband, or even a sunhat can quickly cover graying strands while adding a touch of glam to your look.

Is It Better To Go Lighter or Darker To Cover Gray Hair?

While there is no single “best” color to cover gray hair, we find that the best colors for gray coverage tend to be those in the ash blonde family. The reason for this is pretty simple: ash blonde is a light, cool-toned blonde, which means there’s very little contrast between this hue and silvery strands. With less contrast, grays are easier to blend—and in many cases, easier to conceal.

That being said, if you only have a few gray strands or have naturally dark hair, there’s no need to take the leap into blonde. Use a dedicated root touch-up spray, add in light highlights to help blend the grays with the rest of your hair, or embrace a dark, smoky silver shade that encompasses the best of both worlds. Ultimately, gray coverage isn’t one-size-fits-all—it’s all about finding the solution that works for you.

What is the Least Damaging Way to Color Gray Hair?

The least damaging way to color gray hair is typically with an ammonia-free hair dye that deposits color but doesn’t lift (the aforementioned L’Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Universal Nudes fits the bill, as does any washable color spray).

With that being said, if you opt for a permanent dye that includes ammonia, there are things you can do to help minimize potential damage. These include lifestyle habits (like cutting back on the heat styling) as well as updating your haircare routine. Since coloring your hair can leave it feeling dry or damaged, we suggest swapping out your current shampoo and conditioner for L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Bond Repair Shampoo with Citric Acid and the coordinating L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Bond Repair Conditioner with Citric Acid. The color-safe duo helps repair weak bonds, leaving hair feeling smoother and stronger—whatever color you land on.

Next Up: The Best Way to Cover Grays on Dark Hair

Photo Courtesy of L'Oréal Paris