Silver hair is the low-maintenance way to style out greys - here's how to do it

We love a rebrand, especially one that encourages us to embrace our salt and pepper roots rather than draining our bank accounts with monthly colour appointments.

The rebrand on our radar? Silver hair. Where grey hairstyles have negative connotations of being drab, dreary and a bit dull, silver feels shiny, new and exciting. It’s been slowly rising in popularity since the pandemic, when closed salons meant either taking your hair colour into your own hands (never a good idea) or leaving your strands to their own devices. And now it's up there with the most popular 2024 hair trends.

“Silver hair became very big just after lockdown as people grew out their coloured hair out of necessity,” explains pro hairdresser and founder of MD London, Michael Douglas. “It was generally older people who were doing this initially, but it really caught on and younger people without naturally grey hair wanted to try it too.” 

No longer a taboo or something to hide, silver strands are something to aspire to. “It’s a colour that reclaims freedom and exploration,” says Jess Elbaum, celebrity hairstylist working in association with HASK. “It’s a colour that most of us will eventually have if we are lucky and it looks beautiful on anyone.” So, if you want to liberate yourself from the chokehold of your best root touch-up products, read on for everything you need to know about silver hair…

Michael Douglas

Michael Douglas is an experienced hairdresser who has worked in the industry for more than 35 years. In 2022, he launched his own brand of tools which now includes the BLOW Hair Dryer and STRAIT Hair Straightener. 

Jess Elbaum

Jess is an experienced hair stylist who has worked on a number of feature films as well as TV shows such as Modern Family. She is currently working with Hask haircare. 

Everything you need to know about silver hair 

Unlike some high-maintenance platinum blonde shades, which are beginning to tread into outdated hair trends territory, silver and grey-enhancing hues - like the ”Crystal Clear” hair colour trend - are gaining momentum this year. And if you too are considering a more metallic 'do, here's what the pros say about achieving the look...

What tones are you aiming for with silver hair?

To maximise shine on silver hair and ensure it looks fresh and modern rather than dated, getting the right tones is key. “My general feeling is that you should stick to ash and cool tones with grey hair, such as silver, grey blue and violet,” advises Douglas. “Adding anything warm or golden on top of silver hair always looks like a mistake.” Elbaum is in full agreement when it comes to undertones. “There should be no yellow tones, but keeping those blue and purple elements is key.”

The good news is if you do find that the shade of your silver isn’t quite right, either because you forgot to protect your hair from the sun, because your shampoo was too stripping or you’ve let too much dry shampoo build up, it’s easy enough to rectify. “I think one of the reasons silver hair is so popular is that you can alter the tone of it quite easily and without too much commitment,” adds Douglas. 

Can anyone try silver hair?

If you’re reading this and you’re currently brunette, we do have some bad news. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to take your strands from brown to silver. It either requires patience as your roots grow out (getting long hairstyles cut into a bob hairstyle or pixie cut can speed up the process) or many hours in the salon chair. “Making your hair silver if it’s not naturally grey is difficult,” explains Douglas. “It requires a lot of bleach and can cause considerable damage to the hair. The darker your hair is naturally the more difficult it is to get a silver effect due to the sheer volume of yellow pigment that’s contained naturally in dark hair. Unless you’re naturally blonde or have gone grey, I wouldn’t aim to have silver hair.” Taking a slow and steady approach to embracing your silver will allow you to maintain the health of your hair and avoid a brassy finish.  

Who does silver hair suit?

“I think silver hair can look good on anyone at any age,” says Elbaum. The tones can be adapted to suit all colourings, and it works with “all cuts, from pixie to long hair,” Elbaum adds. Ultimately, whether or not you feel that silver hair suits you will come down to your mindset.

“Grey hair is undoubtedly a sign of ageing, but whether or not someone suits silver hair really depends on their personality type and how they feel about getting older,” advises Douglas. “I know many women aged around 50 and 60 who look absolutely fantastic with silver hair, but I also meet a lot of women who hate it.” There are no rules that say you must go grey as soon as you hit a certain birthday, so don’t feel pressured if silver hair isn’t for you. It might be something you embrace in six months time, ten years time or never at all, and that’s completely your decision. 

How to maintain silver hair at home

If you’ve taken the plunge with silver strands, you’ll need to stock up on products to maintain its health at home. If you’re naturally grey, keep in mind that hair texture can change with age, becoming drier and more wiry – meaning it requires extra TLC. “Keeping your hair healthy starts in the shower,” says Elbaum. “Start with a nourishing shampoo and conditioner to moisturise your hair and use a deep conditioner at least once a week for maximum hydration. Don’t forget to finish with oil too, grey hair needs it to look shiny and healthy.” 

As for keeping your shade salon fresh, Douglas advises that “using a purple-toning shampoo or a weekly toner on your hair is a great way to maintain the colour.” Steer clear of anything designed for blonde hair that mentions words like ‘golden’ or ‘honey’, and beeline for products designed to create cool, icy tones. 

7 silver-haired celebrities to inspire you to embrace the grey

Want to commit to silver? These are the ladies to look to...

1. Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren’s silver strands have just a whisper of cool, creamy blonde through the front. This has the effect of warming up her complexion without making it look brassy. 

2. Glenn Close

Glenn Close is the perfect example of how healthy silver hair should look. The blend of darker and almost white pieces catches the light beautifully. 

3. Winnie Harlow

Model Winnie Harlow is far from actually going grey, but tried it out for size with silver lengths. Keeping her roots dark will have helped to avoid too much damage around the hairline. 

4. Jamie Lee Curtis

If the idea of growing out your grey is too daunting, going for a pixie crop like Jamie Lee Curtis will take months off of the process. The choppy layers really suit the silver shade too.

5. Andie MacDowell

Andie MacDowell started off with very dark brunette hair, so her transition to silver has been a slow one. You can still see the deeper colour on the lower layers. If the idea of growing out your grey is too daunting, going for a pixie crop like Jamie Lee Curtis will take months off of the process. The choppy layers really suit the tones too. 

6. Jane Fonda

Silver hair doesn’t have to be super light, as proven here by Jane Fonda. Adding brighter bits around the hairline is really flattering though. 

7. Judi Dench

Judi Dench’s signature crop is so dazzlingly silver it’s verging on white. Having a mix of shades, rather than just one block colour, gives her hair texture and the illusion of extra volume.