How to Cover Greys on Dark Hair
The rumors are true: grey roots are more visible if you have brown hair, with the silver strays contrasting against your milk chocolate or deep espresso lengths. But, if you choose to embrace grey coverage, keeping white regrowth under wraps is much easier than you think. The answer? Ground-breaking color formulas that do everything from retouching roots in 10 minutes to transforming greys into an 'expensive brunette'.
Here, we're revealing how a trip to your nearest Wella salon can help you seamlessly hide grey hair if you're a brunette, whether you're looking for a roots-only cover-up or an all-over fix to make silver strands disappear...
What is the Best Color Product to Hide Greys on Dark Hair?
Your Wella Professionals colorist will be able to advise on the best formulas to cover your grey strands, but if you want to head to your next salon visit well-informed, get to know these pro color products:
For Dimensional Grey Blending: Color Touch
When you want to softly blend your greys so they melt into your base shade, our iconic demi-permanent formula, Color Touch, is the perfect pick. It’s been a cult-classic for years, and now it’s better than ever, thanks to the new built-in Metal Purifier that neutralizes metals in your hair. (You can’t see them, but they’re there!) The result: true-to-tone vibrancy and shine, no matter your hair’s condition, and a multi-dimensional shade that lasts for around 28 washes. To give you up to 70% grey coverage, your colorist can also combine your Color Touch shade with Color Touch Plus, so any grey regrowth is seamlessly blended into your dark base color.
For Intense Color with up to 100% Grey Coverage: Koleston Perfect
Our most intense permanent formula, Koleston Perfect, gives you up to 100% grey coverage with a boost of natural depth and shine that gives brown shades a vibrant glow. The brunette options are endless, thanks to the extensive palette of rich warm and smoky cool browns, so you can achieve a full cover-up that transforms or blends into your natural base color. This is also the first and only professional hair color that combines Metal Purifier with ME+ Dye Technology, so you get true-to-tone results that are kind to your hair from color to color. If you haven't heard of them before, the Metal Purifier neutralizes metal in your hair so your shade appears even and healthy-looking, while the ME+ Dye Technology reduces the risk of developing a new allergy to hair color1.
For Targeting Grey Roots on Dark Hair: Koleston Xpress
Image Credit: @danielmbeauty
Image Credit: @danielmbeauty
Just want to target the grey root area? Koleston Xpress is your speedy solution, delivering up to 100% grey coverage in just 10 minutes. It’s a non-progressive formula that helps to prevent overprocessing, so your color won’t continue to get darker after developing – a problem that can occur with other grey root touch-ups. Koleston Xpress also blends beautifully into the lengths of your hair, so you'll enjoy seamless results, no matter the brown shade you're going for.
For Natural-Looking Color with up to 100% Grey Coverage: Illumina Color
For full coverage that’s youthful, radiant and 100% natural-looking, ask your colorist to use Illumina Color. This permanent formula gives you up to 100% grey coverage in a range of beautiful brown shades, from warm, caramel-tinted hues to cooler, deeper espressos. Any brunette color is possible, and the finish feels uniquely yours; healthy, dimensional, and luminous in every light. If radiance is your goal, with every grey strand under wraps, its innovative MicroTones will mimic your natural hair tones for a brunette shade that glistens.
4 Techniques to Cover Greys on Dark Hair
1. Strategic Highlights
If you don't want the ‘get it all gone' coverage of full regrowth application, adding subtle highlights can be a flattering way of blending greys away. Tactically placed around the hairline, they make a scattering of silver strands look a little like cool-toned highlights, too, while the lift they lend to both your skin and hair has a youth-enhancing effect. Plus, if you go to a Wella salon, your colorist can use BlondorPlex, our bond-strengthening lightener that reduces breakage by up to 97%2 – ideal for dry, sensitized and delicate hair.
2. Root Cover-Up
With the right root coverage product, like Koleston Xpress, your colorist can home in on regrowth and target the roots only, while maintaining your shade on the lengths. It's a great approach if you want to keep your current color intact. We love combining it with a SHINEFINITY Clear Glaze for a zero lift, zero damage, glossy topcoat that revives radiance through the lengths and ends.
3. All-Over Hair Color
When you love a shade so much you want to wear it all-over, ask your colorist for root-to-tip color. Not only will you enjoy a fresh coat of color that makes you feel transformed, but your grey hairs will also be swept away, whether you've gone for full coverage or dimensional blending. This is also a good approach if you're tackling greys that have gone beyond the root area, as your colorist can blend them in with your dark strands so they appear undetectable.
4. LuxeLights
Love the breezy brightness of a few sun-kissed highlights? Then discover Luxelights, Wella's signature combination of balayage and a root shadow. An upgrade on traditional grey coverage treatments, it sees your silver regrowth seamlessly disguise, while the lengths and ends are set aglow with freehand sweeps of our bond-strengthening pre-lightener, BlondorPlex. The lightened sections are then toned with a Koleston Perfect Pure Glossing Service, so you get shine and richness in one for the most luxurious-looking balayage.
Image Credit: @lindsey.wella
Image Credit: @lindsey.wella
Is it Better to Go Lighter or Darker to Cover Grey Hair?
If you're wondering whether it's time to switch from brunette hair to a lighter shade, the answer is: it's up to you. There's no one-size-fits-all approach to covering grey strands, but there are some general guidelines that can help you decide. So, consider this:
- As you've seen above, it is possible to cover greys through darker hair. So, just because white hairs may be less visible on light hair doesn't mean you have to make a switch.
- That said, if you want lower-maintenance grey coverage, lighter colored hair can be a good choice, as it will contrast less against grey and white roots, so regrowth doesn't appear as stark.
- If you do decide to go a shade lighter – or even a few shades – you don't have to opt for an all-over transformation. A subtle scattering of highlights will still give you a lift, and will also help to blend grey hairs away.
- Ultimately, the choice is up to you. Work with your hair colorist to figure out what suits your skin tone, hair type and hair goals. You might even decide to make the full transition to all-over grey.
How to Maintain Your Dark Hair Color
After sweeping away those greys, adopt a color-kind hair care regimen at home; one that dials up shine and keeps your dark hair feeling beautifully hydrated. Here are your steps:
Bump Up Shine and Control Frizz
As hair turns grey, it can also lose hydration over time, which is why you might notice that wiry, coarse, brittle hair texture through grey roots. This has nothing to do with the color; it just so happens that, as well as creating less pigment, your hair follicles begin to produce less sebum as you get older. So, to defy the resulting frizz and put moisture back in, use smoothing hair care, like the ULTIMATE SMOOTH regimen. Packed with Squalane and Omega-9, the Shampoo, Conditioner and Intense Mask boost hydration from the inside out. The collection is also color-safe, so your grey coverage is kept intact from wash to wash, with intense nourishment helping your dream shade shimmer and shine.
Repair and Revive with this Power Pair
Whether you're already tackling damage or you want to prevent future wear and tear, try this this salon-approved, two-step regimen to give your hair its shine and nourishment back:
- First, repair hair damage in 90 seconds3 with ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue. The breakthrough mist harnesses a potent blend of AHA and Omega-9 to replenish each strand from the inside out. Spray it liberally through clean, damp hair from root to tip, let it absorb, and then move onto the next gloss-boosting step.
- Next, smooth ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum through the lengths and ends of your hair. The luxe hair oil gives you nourishment in 30 seconds and smoothness that lasts up to 3 days4. So, not only are frizz and flyaways kept under control, but your dark hair radiates health with a glossy glow that goes the distance.
Protect Against Heat Damage
Using a heat and UV protectant daily will shield your color from the fading effects of heat styling and sun damage – and ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum achieves both jobs in one. More than ‘just’ a hair oil, this frizz-defying powerhouse also protects your hair from every kind of heat. Use it before blow-drying, flat ironing or curling your hair, or just as you're about to head outside.
Top Up Your Dark Shade at Home
While grey hair coverage is a task that's best left to your hair colorist, you can still soften the appearance of silver strands and top up your brunette tone at home. Reach for Color Fresh Mask in Chocolate Touch and apply it through clean, damp hair. Use a wide-tooth comb to distribute it evenly, so you get a flawless finish. Then, wait 10 minutes before rinsing it completely clean to reveal a refreshed color. It's ideal for removing brassiness while elevating your beautiful brunette shade in between salon visits.
Looking for more tips on hiding silver strays? Discover our complete grey coverage guides, with tips on the techniques and products that seamlessly disguise every last white hair.
1 FOR PEOPLE NOT ALLERGIC TO HAIR COLORANTS.
Although the risk of developing new allergy is reduced, there remains a risk of allergic reaction that can be severe. Always ask your stylist to perform an Allergy Alert Test 48h before each coloration. Strictly follow safety instructions. If you have ever experienced an allergic reaction to hair colorants, you should not color. ME+ is present in specific shades of Pure Naturals, Rich Naturals, Vibrant Reds, Special Blondes and Deep Browns of the Koleston Perfect brand.
2 When using Wellaplex N°2 with Blondorplex, versus Blondorplex alone.
3 When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue.
4 On wet hair vs. non-conditioning shampoo, when using Miracle Oil Serum.