Does Gray Hair Need a Different Shampoo Than Other Hair?

Most gray hair does not need a special shampoo. Choose one that suits your scalp, use conditioner after every wash, and add a purple or blue toning shampoo only if yellowing bothers you. The main changes that come with gray hair depend more on conditioner, heat and sun habits than on the shampoo itself.

This post is part of our guide to caring for gray hair. Here is what changes, and where a shampoo can and cannot help.

What changes when hair goes gray

The research points to five changes:

• Water. A 2011 study in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science found small differences in how gray hairs take up and lose water, which supports the common complaint that gray hair is drier.
• Oil. A 1979 study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology found that oil output from the skin's sebaceous glands falls gradually in women after menopause. In men it stayed essentially unchanged until age 80.
• Surface. A 2015 study of Japanese women found that the cuticle, the outer layer of the hair, becomes more fragile with age, starting in the 40s and 50s.
• Color. A 2009 study linked the yellow in white hair to breakdown products of tryptophan, a building block of hair protein.
• Sun. A dermatologist quoted by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says gray hair is more susceptible to sun damage because it lacks melanin.

A shampoo mainly helps with two of these. A gentle one avoids making dryness worse, and a toning one can hide yellow. The rest depend more on conditioner, heat and sun habits. Our page on why gray hair feels different goes deeper into the research.

Choose by your scalp, not your hair color

The AAD's advice is to wash based on how often your hair gets dirty or oily. If you have straight hair and an oily scalp, you may want to shampoo every day. If your hair is dry, textured, curly or thick, wash it when needed, but at least once every 2 to 3 weeks. Either way, put the shampoo on your scalp rather than along the length of your hair.

How strong a shampoo should be is the next question. A 2015 review in the International Journal of Trichology says the main cleansing agents in shampoo are anionic, meaning they carry a negative charge. They are very good at removing oil and dirt, but they can add negative charge to the hair surface, which increases frizz and friction. Some formulas add other types of cleansing agents to reduce this static effect. The review also notes that a sulfateless, or sulfate-free, shampoo is one made without the anionic cleanser.

A 2015 review for dermatologists in the Indian Journal of Dermatology adds two useful points. First, a shampoo strong enough to remove all the oil from hair and scalp leaves the hair dry and frizzy. Second, regular washing with a well-made shampoo does not damage hair. It also explains that shampoos for dyed or permanently waved hair use milder cleansers that remove less oil, and that dry hair shampoos give mild cleansing and good conditioning.

If your hair or scalp is	Look for	Why
Oily at the scalp, fine or straight	A regular shampoo as often as needed; conditioner on the ends	The AAD's advice for oily scalps and fine hair
Dry, curly or thick	A mild shampoo, used less often; conditioner on the full length	Strong cleansers can leave hair dry and frizzy
Colored or often heat-styled	A shampoo for dry or treated hair	These use milder cleansers and add conditioning
Yellow in tone	A purple or blue toning shampoo, once or twice a week	A faint violet or blue tint cancels part of the yellow
Out in the sun a lot	A hat first; UV products as an extra	Hair products have no regulated sun protection test

Where toning shampoo fits

A toning shampoo is mainly a color tool. A medically reviewed Healthline article describes purple shampoo as a toner rather than a cleansing or moisturizing product. Purple sits opposite yellow on the color wheel, so its faint violet tint cancels part of a yellow cast.

Healthline notes that many purple shampoos are meant for once or twice a week, that overuse can leave a purple, pink or blue tint, and that some can dry hair if used too often. It suggests following with a conditioner. In practice, that makes it an extra step next to your regular shampoo. Our page on yellowing and purple shampoo explains the causes of yellow and how to use toning products well.

Shampoos with UV filters

Some shampoos and conditioners carry UV filters. There is lab evidence for the idea. A 2001 study in the Journal of Cosmetic Science found that gray hair suffers more severe UV damage than dark brown hair. In the same study, a UV filter with a positive charge, delivered from a simple shampoo, stayed on the hair better and protected it better than a standard UV filter.

There is a limit, though. A 2015 review in the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B points out that hair products have no regulated test for sun protection, unlike sunscreen for skin. That makes their results impossible to compare. The AAD's first suggestion for protecting hair in the sun is a wide-brimmed hat, and our page on gray hair and sun covers the other options.

What about hard water?

Is hard water to blame for dull or yellow gray hair? A 2013 study in the International Journal of Trichology soaked hair samples in hard water every other day for 30 days. Their strength and stretch did not differ from samples soaked in distilled water. The study did not measure color, and we did not find good evidence either way on hard water and yellowing.

Conditioner matters more than the shampoo

If you change one thing, change this. The AAD recommends conditioner after every shampoo. For fine or straight hair, it suggests putting conditioner on the ends. For dry or curly hair, it suggests the full length.

The Indian Journal of Dermatology review explains why it helps. Conditioners flatten the scales of the cuticle and reduce friction between hairs, which improves shine. The review describes two main kinds. Instant conditioners go on right after shampooing and stay on for about 5 minutes before rinsing. Deep conditioners are more concentrated and stay on for 20 to 30 minutes.

LIUMIQ is a gradual color product for gray hair that we are developing. It is not on the market. If you want to follow along, join the waitlist.