For anyone with silvery strands, having the best gray hair toners on hand (or, more accurately, in the shower) is a pro move. “From a professional standpoint, gray hair behaves much more like blonde than people realize,” pro stylist and colorist Elisha Smith explains. “Without natural pigment, gray hair is especially vulnerable to yellowing from sun exposure, heat styling, and everyday environmental stressors. That’s why toning isn’t optional—it’s essential.”
At-home toners don’t alter the color of silver hair with bleach or hair dye, Smith says; instead, they refine it. “Violet-based formulas neutralize warmth, restoring clarity and brightness so gray looks intentional rather than dull,” she explains. “The goal is polish, not pigment. When done correctly, gray can be so chic.”
Vogue’s Favorite Toners for Gray Hair:
Kristin Ess The One Signature Hair Gloss, Platinum: Icy Translucent Ash
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Moroccanoil Blonde Perfecting Purple Conditioner
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In This Story
Ahead, find the gray hair toners industry insiders recommend to keep hair soft, manageable, and, indeed, terribly chic. And it’s not just a selection of best toners to choose from—there’s toning masks, shampoos, conditioners, and more.
Best Overall: Kristin Ess The One Signature Hair Gloss, Platinum: Icy Translucent Ash
- Why We Love It: ““I love Kristin Ess because it gives salon-quality results at an affordable price point,” says pro hairstylist and content creator Jeremy Pugh. “This kit makes toning your hair at home feel easier and less scary, and the signature scent is top-tier.” The kit comes with a clearly-labeled activator and toning gloss, which works well for ash blondes and silvery lengths. To use it, simply mix the two bottles together, apply the combined product to wet hair in the shower, and leave it on for 10-20 minutes before shampooing and conditioning as usual. As for that signature scent? The floral-woody mix of pear, magnolia, and ambrette has earned its cult-classic status.
- Key Ingredients: Hydrogen peroxide, pigment complex, propylene glycol, oleyl alcohol
- Best For: Neutralizing brassiness in all hair types, adding shine
- Size: Activator: 2 fl oz, Platinum Gloss: 2 fl oz
Best Conditioner: Moroccanoil Blonde Perfecting Purple Conditioner
- Why We Love It: Celebrity stylist Dimitris Giannetos recommends Moroccanoil products not just for blonde hair, but aging lengths too. Why? They’re rich in argan oil, which can pep up dull, dry, brittle strands. “Hair oil works by creating a protective layer around your hair shaft, which in turn locks in moisture and nutrients,” Giannetos previously told Vogue. “As a result, your hair will feel more moisturized and will have more shine to it.” This tone-correcting conditioner is infused with ArganID Technology, which repairs and seals the cuticles. It’s also made with a strengthening blend of amino acids and violet pigments. To use the treatment, massage it into hair after shampooing, leave it on for five minutes, and rinse it out. Not only will you be left with a brighter, more dimensional tone—the product also cloaks the hair in Moroccanoil’s signature scent, a famously alluring blend of amber and sweet floral notes.
- Key Ingredients: Argan oil, amino acid blend, violet pigments
- Best For: Neutralizing brassiness, boosting shine, softness, smoothness, manageability
- Size: 6.4 fl oz
Best Purple Shampoo: Fanola No Yellow Shampoo
- Why We Love It: While blondes often use shampoos with blue pigments for toning, “Purple shampoo is the better choice for gray hair,” Kristina Moore, owner and colorist at BeautyWorx Hair & Nail Salon in Phoenix, explains. “When you think back to complementary colors, like in art class, purple neutralizes yellow, which is the most common unwanted tone that shows up in gray or white hair.” She says that this Italian-made shampoo is one of her go-tos because it neutralizes yellow tones and helps gray hair look vibrant and luminous. Infused with hydrolyzed silk and propylene glycol for moisture, the ammonia-free shampoo also has wine extract to boost shine and provide antioxidant protection.
- Key Ingredients: Violet pigment, hydrolyzed silk, wine extract, propylene glycol
- Best For: Neutralizing brassiness, boosting shine, softness, and manageability
- Size: 11.8 fl oz
Best Hair Gloss: L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss One Step Toning Gloss, Silver White
- Why We Love It: One of Vogue’s favorite glosses, this drugstore best seller makes toning simple, with no mixing (or messes) involved. Simply apply the solution to clean, damp hair in the shower, leave it on for 15 minutes, and rinse it out. Another favorite of Giannetos, the conditioning formula is infused with coconut oil to leave hair with a glassy shine. Plus, its 10-shade range includes not one, but three options for gray hair colors: Silver White, Silver, and Silver Slate.
- Key Ingredients: Violet pigments, coconut oil, propylene glycol
- Best For: Neutralizing brassy tones, boosting shine, moisture, smoothness, manageability
- Size: 4 fl oz
Best Toning Shampoo: Kérastase Blond Absolu Bain Ultra-Violet
- Why We Love It: “For clients maintaining gray at home, this offers effective toning without stripping the hair,” Smith says. Pugh is also a fan of the purple shampoo, which has hyaluronic acid and edelweiss flower extract to strengthen and soften as it tones. “As a blonde, this has to be one of my favorite toning shampoos because it is effective and extremely moisturizing,” Pugh says. “This is something you don’t always see in purple shampoos.” He adds that the formula works beautifully on both blonde and gray hair—and that its musky-floral fragrance smells “very fancy.”
- Key Ingredients: Violet pigments, hyaluronic acid, edelweiss flower extract
- Best For: Neutralizing orange tones, boosting shine and luminosity, hydrating, and strengthening
- Size: 8.5 fl oz
Best Mask: Balmain Illuminating Mask White Pearl
- Why We Love It: “Every couple of weeks, a toning mask adds softness, shine, and a more refined finish,” Smith says. Made with argan elixir and silk protein, “Balmain’s Illuminating color masks are standout—subtle, luminous, and deeply conditioning,” she notes. “They’re ideal for gray hair that needs both brightness and moisture.” She adds that the White Pearl mask, particularly when used with Balmain’s Silver Pearl Shampoo, leaves hair with a soft, pearlescent beige tone.
- Key Ingredients: Violet pigments, argan elixir, silk protein, cashmere protein
- Best For: Neutralizing brassiness, repairing damage, adding shine, smoothness, manageability
- Size: 6.8 oz
Everything You Need To Know
What does a toner do to gray hair?
“When a client who has gray hair requests a toner, it’s usually because their hair is looking dull, yellow, or brassy,” says Lauren Paglionico, master colorist and founder of Lrn Beauty. Because there is no melanin (or pigment) in the hair, it more readily absorbs environmental elements like pollution, smoke, and UV rays. “These elements stain the hair, giving it a yellow cast,” Paglionico notes. “Using a toner helps remove these unwanted tones.” That’s because thee cool tones of purple pigments in toning products help to combat naturally occurring brassiness.
How to Choose the Right Toner for You
“The best way to determine which toner is best for you is based on the color of your gray,” Paglionico notes. “If your gray is yellow or brassy, a purple-based toner or shampoo will help neutralize it. If you have been using a purple shampoo or toner and your hair looks dull or muddied, you may have toner buildup.” In this case, she says, it’s best to use a clarifying shampoo and stop using toner for a while.
Conditioning is also an important part of keeping gray hair luminous and strong. “When choosing a toner, I always look beyond color correction,” Smith says. “Gray hair tends to be drier and more fragile, so hydration matters just as much as tone.” As such, she emphasizes the importance of using conditioning toners or masks in a color-enhancing home routine.
How to Tone Your Hair at Home
“At home, simplicity works best,” Smith says. “A purple shampoo used once a week, left on briefly, maintains coolness without overdoing it.” She notes that it’s best to use a regular daily shampoo first, then a toning shampoo for touch-ups, to avoid over-drying. And every couple of weeks, she recommends using a toning mask to boost softness and shine.
Though remember, these products aren’t meant to be used as leave-in masks—so be mindful of each product’s directions, and don’t leave on the product longer than required as to not get unexpectedly lilac lengths.
When we test and review a product, we take a holistic approach to deliver well-rounded product recommendations. First, we lean on Vogue’s vast network of experts—from board-certified dermatologists to celebrity hairstylists—to gain professional acumen on the industry’s standout products, ones these specialists would actually use on their clients. We pair their expertise with our editorial best practices to curate the thoughtful edits you read on our site.
As it relates to gray hair toner, we selected the best based on the following characteristics: ingredients, formula type, ease of application, the tones it neutralizes, and the hair-care concerns they address. To do this, we paired our own personal tests of each formula with expert guidance and reviewer insights to determine which we would recommend to you.
- Elisha Smith is a stylist, colorist, and international master educator for Balmain Hair Couture.
- Lauren Paglionico is a master colorist and the founder of Lrn Beauty in New York.
- Jeremy Pugh is a pro hairstylist and content creator.
- Kristina Moore is the owner and colorist at BeautyWorx Hair & Nail Salon in Phoenix, Arizona.
