20 Best Products To Cover Gray Hair (Feb 2023 Update)

I rarely write reviews of products but wanted to write one for my grey haired sisters that need some help between touchups. I am in my forties but began greying in my early thirties. I have hair that is naturally very dark brown, almost black. I get it highlighted about every twelve weeks and have a root touch up every four weeks. Sadly, my roots begin showing at around week two. My hair grows very fast. They grey, of course, is concentrated on my part, crown and temples – those are all the places people can see. Honestly, it looks horrible when my roots are showing and it ages me ten years. I picked this up thinking it would not be great. It's been a lifesaver, honestly. I'm date frequently (that alone is a horrific thing in your forties), and simply cannot have these grey roots showing. Here are my tips: 1. Buy a shade lighter than your hair color. I bought the light brown despite my hair being dark brown. It blends in nearly flawlessly. 2. Do a small spray on a tissue first to get the spray going. 3. Wear an old t-shirt or a robe. You will get random droplets on your clothes. They will stain and they are dark. 4. Cover your face with one hand, particularly your skin around your hairline, and use the other hand to spray your part. Again, you will likely get droplets on your face and they will stain. This isn't a huge deal for me as I don't wear foundation but I'd hate to see someone do their makeup only to have it ruined by the spray. 5. Don't fiddle with it for several minutes. Just let it dry. There are some downsides, mainly I haven't found a way to spray my temples without it looking like a Just For Men bad hairdye job. It will get on your skin/scalp and it does look incredibly fake/weird. I tried spraying some on a plate and dabbing it on the side. It didn't work. I wish there was a corresponding wand for the sides. It is messy. It's VERY expensive. Despite the negatives, I highly recommend it for you dark hair ladies who are grey.Sunnydaze987

I have tried many, many, root touchups. And this has to be the best by far. My hair is dark blonde with the gray around my face, which is where I put the touch up. It covers that really well and blends in with my natural color. It’s very easy to use and you’re not rub off easily.
Some of the route touchups I have used in the past have made my hair look a different texture. This one does not. My hair is natural curly so I can easily add a product that will change the texture and make my hair look more coarse but this product does not do that!
I’m very pleased!Beth Lee

Some other reviews of Rita Hazan Root Concealer Touch Up Spray in color Dark Blonde complained that the color was too dark. Some even described it as black which I disagree with. It took a little time to figure out how to spray it on lightly wait a few minutes before brushing your hair to have a more natural look. I was happy to see the dark blonde color was a more neutral or ash tone rather than gold. I also have the Rita Hazan color Blonde, it is much lighter in color. I use both and am very happy with the product. I gave it a 4 star because I feel you should get more than just 2 oz for the price you pay.HoustonT

I watched a Utube video on how to apply product, and I highly recommend doing that because the application instructions are very brief. I like this brand because it stays put pretty well. After 1 washing it may require a touch-up, but compared to other brands I've tried this is a minor inconvenience. A small amount will transfer to fingers if you rub on it. As with all root sprays I have tried, it does leave a slight filmy feeling on hair, but not intolerable in my opinion.Carole

I have used several different brands of root touch-up and this one is my least favorite. It does not come out consistently, even when clicking the recommended 3-5 times after the initial priming. It is a thicker consistency and doesn’t apply evenly or easily at all. I really was hoping this one would be a good product due to the size and portability, unfortunately I can’t say I recommend it, even the pigment is lighter than other similar products I I have tried. I would save the money and purchase a different root touch-up, like the powders that have a dauber or mini-brush and compact. There are also other brush-ons with a more liquid consistency and better coverage.alexis.h

I’ve never written a review on any product but I love this product so much I felt I had to. I’ve used many products for temporary root touch up, from powder to crayons to mascara type. This product is so easy to use and works great. I just need to get the right color but otherwise I highly recommend it.Vmsarra

Rarely do I write reviews, but "No Gray Hair Color Additive" was so amazing, I felt I must spread the good news! Typically, I have used Clairol Nice 'n Easy Root Touch-Up in Medium Brown [5] mixed with a small amount of Light Brown [6]. Other times, I'll use L'Oreal Superior Preference Hair Color, mixing Medium Brown [5] with Light Brown [6] equally. Before I discovered there was this "No Gray Hair Color Additive," I had also tried Clairol Nice 'n Easy Gray Solution, mixing Medium 5 and Light Brown 6 of the Gray Solution products, but even that version of "Gray Solution" did not cover the gray completely; I guess it did actually "cover" the gray, but it left the roots a lighter brown than the rest of my hair. While reviewing some comments on Amazon regarding hair color, I stumbled upon this product "No Gray Hair Color Additive" in which I was informed I could simply add this product to my regular hair color, over which I got so excited! (Too much change all at once can be kind of scary!) So, in my first and only try so far, I added "No Gray" (which I'll call it for convenience) to my Clairol Nice 'n Easy Root Touch-Up in Medium Brown [5], (afterwards applying another mixture of equal amounts of Medium Brown [5] and Light Brown [6] L'Oreal Superior Preference Hair Color to soften the look). To my great delight, I found that "No Gray" effectually heightened the coverage to the gray, leaving my hair a uniform color, roots and all! Without "No Gray," the gray had not been effectively and uniformly covered. With "No Gray" added, the gray is completely gone! In viewing some negative comments about "No Gray," I must admit I was surprised ~ my experience of it seemed quite the opposite. Yes, I'll agree the "No Gray" product is pure liquid which can certainly feel a bit unwieldy (and can be somewhat messy in the using, but I was relieved it did wash off, and then I used my gloves), but when added to the texture of the hair color, I found the more liquified solution congealed just enough to easily cover my hair but with no dripping. I actually found the solution's increased liquidity made coverage of my roots easier, as well as being more thorough in reaching every strand! In summary, I have a lot of gray in my roots, so covering the gray seemed a massive undertaking. "No Gray" not only helped me to effectively tackle the challenge, but its increased liquidity even made the job easier for me! It feels like I have "tried everything" in terms of products that said they would fully cover the gray, but none did cover it (completely and uniformly) until I was able to add "No Gray." I am so thankful I found this product; I wish everyone could know about "No Gray" ~ consider this my way of spreading the word!!!GrayNoMore

The wand for application is like a mascara wand. The product is thinner than mascara. I chose brown/black and it seems to be a bit dark for my brown hair. However, it also has a little brush and comb on the opposite end of the wand which you can work the product a little and it seems to blend with the hair. Covers gray well and lasts throughout the day. This works well if you have small sections you want to touch up.ingrid.r

The color match was perfect for my hair. I brushed some product in, used the hard bristles to further brush it in, and finished with the soft bristles to blend it in. I had no issues with it not drying. It dried just fine. It didn’t feel cakey or make the application areas hard (like some sprays do). It didn’t run, nor did color get on my fingers when I touched my hair. I will definitely continue to use this product in the future between colorings.applesoranges

I have used pens and brushes to cover gray with decent results, especially for side burn areas. This is the first spray I have tried so I can’t compare to other products, some of which cost less. However, this works very well and looks very natural. It is also much much faster than doing brush on type color. So, if you need to cover roots in your part in seconds, this works great. As my hair has several colors, I am using more than one color to be spot correct. I will also try less expensive spray next time to see if they work as well. But in meantime this does the job quite well!ClearMindedOne

The color matches my dark brown hair. that is the only good thing I have to say about this. This product made my hair gross & coated it in weird sticky texture. Forget trying to touch your hair after you use this– it turns your fingers black and gets everywhere, like others indicated. It. Gets. EVERYWHERE. YET…. somehow, it also doesn't wash out. I just shampooed my hair 4 times with 4 different shampoos and could not get this gunk out. So now my hair still feels gross and sticky and when I touch that part of my hair, and my fingers STILL turn black. HOW? This is a freakin nightmare purchase. GET THIS OFF ME.discowitch

I've used the root touchup for along time and a bottle typically gets me through a month. I have light golden brown hair with lots of blonde highlights. I typically use the dark blonde. I have a lot of grey that comes in quickly and I just can't color my hair every two weeks. I started going more blonde to try and hide the grey. This root touch up is a great way to make it between colorings. It does get a bit of a texture to it. I wash and dry my hair and before styling (or before bed is best for me) I section my hair and get the grey. Then I brush it through well. It typically lasts til my next wash day. I usually wash my hair 2x a week, more in the summer. Sometimes i have to touch up my temples a bit in between washes, but otherwise the spray is long lasting and pretty natural. I went a little more blonde this last coloring and the dark blonde was just a bit too dark so I decided to try the the light to medium blonde. It's so awful! Like pee yellow. Not natural at all and it was so obvious. Not using this shade again. I'll stick to the dark blonde and spray it when my hair is slightly damp. That seems to lighten it up a bit. Otherwise I love this. Prefer it to the other root touch ups I've tried. It doesn't budge when I sweat or bleed on my face once it sets. I don't know if this would work for platinum blondes, it's just a very strange shade and looks so fake. But the product itself is awesome and I buy a bottle every month. $10 is cheaper than getting my roots touched up every two weeks.heather .a

In the era where many companies are finding success by offering a large variety of products, it seems your company is choosing to go the opposite direction. The Light Brown Touch of Grey was the perfect product for many of us who do not want to be noticed as coloring our hair. Why did you get rid of it? The claims that the new combination Light Brown/Medium Brown will adjust to your natural hair color and be darker or lighter based on your original hair is nonsense. The color that I get is a much darker brown than I ever had and many people noticed and commented in a not-so-favorable way (unless you call getting laughed at a positive thing). It was obvious I had colored my hair which is exactly what I was trying to avoid. The old product worked great with amazing results. Not once did I receive negative comments or suggestions I had dyed my hair. It seems to me that if you are trying to save money or increase profits by streamlining your product line, you will find that you are creating even bigger problems as over 28% of men have light brown/shades of blonde. You just eliminated anyone who wants to have that color without being noticed, because the new product produces a much darker, almost blackish brown color. Perhaps consolidation wasn't such a great idea. If the old product wasn't one of your top sellers and you were worried about store shelf space, you could still offer the product online. I think whoever suggested eliminating the old product needs to find another line of work. Business savvy certain isn't one of their talents.UsedtobeCustomer

I had been using this product for several years with good results. Lately, however, after a couple of weeks, my black color turns a fake brownish shade. If I reapply when this happens, it comes out too dark. If I wait, it looks like a fake dye job. I apply it correctly, according to the instructions, and I use a dye-safe shampoo between uses. Is there anything else that I can do to avoid this? Also, previously, there was a "jet black" color. I never had this problem when I used that color. Is there any chance that you will bring back the jet black option? Additionally, before the "AirActiv" branding, I did not have this problem. Is AirActive just re-branding of the old formula, or was there a formula change? Is there any chance that the new formula is to blame? Lastly, is it perhaps that I've just been using the product for too many years, or have too much natural grey, and the product will no longer be effective?Andonopolus

I have used hair coloring products (Original JFM + others) for years and also used Touch of Gray previously. Since I have colored my hair 6-8 times per year for over 10 years, I find it relatively easy to color my hair. My recent experience was frustrating because it seemed like the coloring out of the tube was a lot thinner and runny. I didn't care for the comb included. I left the product on my hair for 10 minutes versus the 5 minutes (starts when 100% complete with application) as instructed. Results were HANDFULS OF GRAY and not touch of gray. The frustration when dealing with a runny product was compounded by the weak gray coverage. Maybe I got a bad batch. This product was not easy to use, did not get rid of desired amount of gray and was messy to apply. I will switch to the Autostop product because of all the prior success with JFM products.Percyboy50

This hair color is mild and amazing! My hair has never looked so shiny, black, and healthy. Complete coverage on gray hair, doesn't fade. The color looks natural. One is not enough for long or thick hair. I have to use all 3 at once, but my hair is long, porous, and medium thick.Dub

This is a great little touch up product. It’s in powder form and comes with a applicator with two sizes-very useful to have both sizes for different areas of hair. The color blended well into my dark hair and the wonderful thing is it doesn’t wipe off onto fingers or pillows. I do notice that if I already have a lot of product on my hair it doesn’t stick on as well. I wish it were a little cheaper as it’s expensive for the amount of product you get. Overall it’s a good root coverup for in between dye jobs. Dfareena.a

WOW is right! This is the best root touch up product ever for me. Comes in a portable small oblong compact with creme and powder based product inside and a perfect application brush. Comes in every color imaginable and is easy to use Doesn't spill or flake Waterproof and doesn't rub off in rain or if it gets wet. Only comes off with shampoo. Works like a charm on roots and bald spots (of which I have one near a cowlick). Awesome stuff – LOVE it. I've tried sprays, powders, powder fillers, etc. and none compare to this one! Definitely recommend highly!catherine.t

I'm very happy with this product although think it's quite expensive for the size. The colour is perfect for auburn/red hair & I'd absolutely recommend it. It's a touch messy but probably unavoidable, being a powder & the difficulty in applying powder without it 'puffing'. It's also quite good to use as a dry shampoo for when your hair is oily & you don't have time to wash it. Unfotunately it's not readily available in Sydney and I had to order it from a pharmacy in Melbourne! I'll certainly be using this product again!digregs

It's a powder and not fibers so it works! It covers your bald/thinning spots. I'm not crazy about the color but I like the black better then the dark brown. I tried fibers and they did not cover anything for me! I only like a powder!sonyalanee

This color match powder goes on dry at your part and makes it look as if I don't need to color my hair even if I have an inch of gray at my roots. It looks totally natural and holds me until I have time to color my hair. I've searched for years for a product like this one and have had nothing but mediocre results that did not look right. This stuff is amazing and a no-brainer to apply.Judy

Usually when a product is replaced, it’s because a “ new and improved” version is available. A 2.0, an upgrade, better technology.. just something better. This product is bizarre (it’s red tinted) and the bottle is impossible. You add the item in drops to the dye but there is no dropper built into the bottle or included. Try pouring 4 drops out of a bottle of water. It just went everywhere trying to open the bottle and dyed my hands and sink red. Didn’t see a huge improvement in gray coverage, I also went up to a 20 developer from a 10 and still not a huge difference. Only reason for dye was a root (gray) touch up to match my natural color. Please bring back gray magic!Ker

I dare you to try and get drops out of this bottle. There is absolutely no control. I have tried several times and it just pours. I hope SBS gets the other gray additive I have previously used in stock. I won't be buying any more of this.Mary

I received this package as a complimentary product from sally beauty x zotos professional x influenster. I had a natural light brown hair. Out of all the colors I chose intense red. Kept it for just merely 20 minutes rinsed it off. It gave me a beautiful color. Upon checking at its price it is one of the most affordable brand. This color has given an extra shine to my hair and my hair looks healthy. I am absolutely in love with this hair color. Very easy to use. I would recommend it to any and everyone looking for a change. Would also recommend to people who are hesitant to use color in their hair thinking they might ruin their looks if applied on their own. Don't worry life is short add some color in your life.[brand:zotos-professional] [brand:sally-beauty-supply][brand:influenster]pramila.u

I received these products for free from Influenster and Zotos Professional in exchange for my honest review. My #complementary #ABStarterKitVoxBox from @zotosprofessional arrived and I was so excited to get creative and color my hair. It was super simple to apply and let me tell you it smells so good! It contains biotin which I love to use to keep my hair healthy. I did notice my hair was a bit dry and frizzy after. The shampoo and conditioner are included as well as a color remover pad. Overall I loved the result and would recommend to friends and family.roban.l

I love this product so much. It looks very natural , the color ( I use medium brown) can mix with my reddish brown hair very beautifully and it does not leave any stain on my pillow and doesn't come off until you want to wash your hair. My husband has medium ash brown hair and the same color that I use, still matches his hair seamlessly. I used to use Toppik before, but this wonderful product definitely replaced it with much better result.Mandy2020

Frankly, I was a sceptic, but sometimes when you have an issue or problem, you try anything. I had a small balding spot occuring at the side of my head and it became more prominent when I'd wear a ponytail. I'd seen numerous "fiber" fill-in hair products and thought it was worth a shot. It actually does work! No need for a brush-type applicator, I just sprinkled a bit over my spot and to my amazement, it didn't show anymore. I tried it on another couple places near the crown of my head .. and, bingo, thinning spot gone. I still don't get who this stuff works without showing and sticking to your scalp .. but, whatever .. it works! Price was the best one on the market and color worked great. WOW.Silverchix

Some of us (me) are cursed with hair loss as we grow older. Fill In is absolutely amazing. It does exactly what it claims to do. It flawlessly fills In areas on your head that have less hairHilde

In the era where many companies are finding success by offering a large variety of products, it seems your company is choosing to go the opposite direction. The Light Brown Touch of Grey was the perfect product for many of us who do not want to be noticed as coloring our hair. Why did you get rid of it? The claims that the new combination Light Brown/Medium Brown will adjust to your natural hair color and be darker or lighter based on your original hair is nonsense. The color that I get is a much darker brown than I ever had and many people noticed and commented in a not-so-favorable way (unless you call getting laughed at a positive thing). It was obvious I had colored my hair which is exactly what I was trying to avoid. The old product worked great with amazing results. Not once did I receive negative comments or suggestions I had dyed my hair. It seems to me that if you are trying to save money or increase profits by streamlining your product line, you will find that you are creating even bigger problems as over 28% of men have light brown/shades of blonde. You just eliminated anyone who wants to have that color without being noticed, because the new product produces a much darker, almost blackish brown color. Perhaps consolidation wasn't such a great idea. If the old product wasn't one of your top sellers and you were worried about store shelf space, you could still offer the product online. I think whoever suggested eliminating the old product needs to find another line of work. Business savvy certain isn't one of their talents.UsedtobeCustomer

I had been using this product for several years with good results. Lately, however, after a couple of weeks, my black color turns a fake brownish shade. If I reapply when this happens, it comes out too dark. If I wait, it looks like a fake dye job. I apply it correctly, according to the instructions, and I use a dye-safe shampoo between uses. Is there anything else that I can do to avoid this? Also, previously, there was a "jet black" color. I never had this problem when I used that color. Is there any chance that you will bring back the jet black option? Additionally, before the "AirActiv" branding, I did not have this problem. Is AirActive just re-branding of the old formula, or was there a formula change? Is there any chance that the new formula is to blame? Lastly, is it perhaps that I've just been using the product for too many years, or have too much natural grey, and the product will no longer be effective?Andonopolus

I have used hair coloring products (Original JFM + others) for years and also used Touch of Gray previously. Since I have colored my hair 6-8 times per year for over 10 years, I find it relatively easy to color my hair. My recent experience was frustrating because it seemed like the coloring out of the tube was a lot thinner and runny. I didn't care for the comb included. I left the product on my hair for 10 minutes versus the 5 minutes (starts when 100% complete with application) as instructed. Results were HANDFULS OF GRAY and not touch of gray. The frustration when dealing with a runny product was compounded by the weak gray coverage. Maybe I got a bad batch. This product was not easy to use, did not get rid of desired amount of gray and was messy to apply. I will switch to the Autostop product because of all the prior success with JFM products.Percyboy50

Love this. I use it for my ponytails. When I do ponytails since I wasn’t bless with a lot of hair there’s spots that aren’t covered this helps cover those spots. It helps give the illusion that there’s no bald spot lines. It does leave a sticky residue but since I use it for ponytails I don’t mind. I do wish they made it in bigger bottles, because this thing only lasted me about 2 months. Love it. Have and will continue to repurchase.Bohoboho

This hair coloring spray is great! I don’t have grays, I’m 41 and blessed with good genes, I still look 31 🙂 although I do have some thinning spots. I spray this on my thinner areas and voilà!! INSTANT FULLER HAIR!ShoppinSheila

I absolutely love this product. I have thin hair as it is, now I also have post partum thinning as well. My hair line has never been uglier. Gray away helps me feel less insecure about it though.it does a great job of filling in my thinning hair line and the places I wish I had more hair anyway. It would be great for touch ups between coloring too if you have light roots ans dye your hair dark. It is inexpensive and you can find it at Walmart and Ulta!alexis .m

I went from a medium copper red to dark auburn brown with the shade Milano Brown – 5NAC. Picking a shade on the Ulta app wasn't the easiest process and going to the Madison Reed website only helped a little in that their quiz matched me to the same shade I was leaning toward based on the photos here. The shade may be a touch too dark for me, but I just dyed it today so I think it'll grow on me. The sites, both Ulta and Madison Reed, list Milano as a "dark chocolate brown," but the actual box clearly says Dark Auburn. I'm mostly okay with that as I love red, but I was actually aiming for a browner brown. While there aren't highlights in this formula, it does have some vibrancy and shine to keep it from being mousy. It is, at least on me, definitely a dark red brown. The kit is a very good and complete kit. I love that it has 2 pairs of gloves, a barrier and wipe to keep you from dying your skin and there's plenty of dye for a full application. I don't know how I feel about the shower cap as I did start to feel a little warm in it. It achieved a full color application, though, so I'm pleased. My hair feels a little textured after dying it, but it doesn't look dry or damaged in any way. It's honestly like I used I volumizing spray or mousse, but I didn't. Maybe there is something like that in the conditioner because my hair does look fuller. I have very fine, straight hair so it looks very good to me after the complete process. That whole process, for a full head application on hair that hasn't been dyed in months, took me a little over an hour start to finish. Every step was easy to complete for someone used to dying their own hair and the instructions are clear for any level of experience. I worried a little that the price meant it might be too advanced for me, but it's like all the other kits that I've tried with a few nice extras. The price and difficulty finding my right shade are why this gets 4 stars instead of the full 5. The kit is a 5 star and then some kind of kit, but not being able to tell if you're picking the right shade is a big problem when buying online. $30 for something I've never tried before when I'm used to paying around $3 for Revlon ColorSilk was a risk. I wanted something different, though, and this absolutely delivered. I'm very likely to try it again in the future. I'll be looking at a different shade and hoping for a sale.Adele S

I used this hair color religiously for 2 years, thinking it was a safer option than other box dyes. The color is good, it's easy enough to use, and the amount per kit was fine, even for my super long hair. However, I would notice more hair loss after coloring, and over the course of 2 years, I would have several episodes of hair loss. I thought it was due to stress, hormones, etc. But I researched and came across other reviewers and encounters of hair loss like mine from various Madison Reed color kit users. Madison Reed claims to be free of the traditional "harsh chemicals" found in hair dye, but fail to mention they simply replaced the usual suspects with harsh alternatives: ammonia is subbed out with ethanolamine, which is known to cause skin irritation and can also cause hair loss!!! There is a new class action lawsuit against Madison Reed for this very reason, as per Feb 2022 (NY), and I am certain there will be many more. My advice: think twice before using this product.Chemically Blonde

I'm 49 so hair overall has changed. I've been using this color for a couple of years now. It's overpriced, and the last 3 times I've colored my hair within less than 2 weeks grays are shining! After 5-6 washes I am still having grayish black colored water. I can't attribute this to one specific thing but I purchased about 6-8 boxes when it was BOGO these are all from the same timeframe. I only color it every 6 weeks if I can help it but it honestly needs it after 2.5-3 weeks. I have a few boxes left but unfortunately I won't be using it. I went back to mixing my own. The black doesn't seem like real black either… it's like a reddish tint after a few washes. I don't mind that so much, BUT I do mind seeing color wash out after 5-6 washes literally up until I color again I am still washing out color. It's been very drying as well. It just seems the entire formula has changed since the first time I used it.Fkpe1973

VERY GREAT I have some hear loss and this helps with my confidence to help in the places I lack hair helps blend it in I got the color black. It's real cute soft applicator and cute mirror on top.Andrea

omg I look like a real person now!!! I have alopecia and now for the first time I'll never have to hide ever again! I didn't get to choose the hair color shade. They sent black. Lucky for me that is the correct color. Thank you so very much for my freedom restored!!!Beautifulfierysoul

4 stars mainly for customer service. Product did not work for me but customer service showed genuine concern and willing to make things rightJohn Hamp