The 10 Best Color Depositing Shampoos for Gray Hair in 2023

Gray hair is the most stunning hair color that you can ever sport. It looks completely stunning and is truly eye-catching and attention-grabbing. However, maintaining gray hair is not as easy as you think it is. Over time, the gray color will fade into bronze strands that don’t look as good.

While getting a color refresher session with your hairstylist can help bring your gray color back to life, it can be quite costly and time-consuming. If you want to save time and money, there’s one product that you can turn to — a color-depositing shampoo.

 

Which Color Depositing Shampoo Should I Buy?

The type of shampoo you should get would depend on the hair color you wish to achieve.  If you just want to refresh your gray hair color, purple shampoos are recommended as these are effective in neutralizing the yellowish and brassy tones that develop a few months after having your hair colored.

If your aim is to switch your gray hair to a different or brighter color, go for shampoos that deposit brighter pigments- pink, red, blue, and many more to your hair.

Aside from the type, you also need to consider the shampoo’s ingredients. Since you have colored and treated hair, you need a sulfate-free shampoo and contains natural ingredients that can deliver hydration and nourishment to the hair.

Now, without further ado, here are the best color depositing shampoos for gray hair in 2023!

1. Keracolor Clenditioner Color Depositing Conditioner Colorwash

The Keracolor Clenditioner is a multitasking hair product as it combines the action of a color depositing conditioner and a cleansing shampoo. With this, you can cleanse and condition your hair and provide the nourishment it needs while maintaining its vibrant hue. The best part? It comes in different shades, making it perfect for experimenting with different hair colors!

Pros:

• The shampoo has a keratin-infused formulation.
• It contains nourishing ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, rosehip oil, almond oil, and jojoba oil.
• It’s free of parabens.
• You have 18 hues to choose from.

 

Cons:

• This is a low-foaming shampoo and may not be suitable for people who like lathering shampoos.
• It may stain your bathroom tiles and shower curtain.

 

2. Bold Uniq Purple Shampoo

The Bold Uniq Purple Shampoo is an ultra-pigmented shampoo that’s specially formulated to eliminate brassy tones and boost the silvery brightness of gray hair. We love the most about this shampoo because it doesn’t only maintain your hair color—it also preserves hair health! It’s infused with pro-vitamin B5, which provides your hair the nutrients it needs.

Pros:

• The shampoo has intense violet pigments that give the hair a vibrant hue.
• It has a paraben- and sulfate-free formulation.
• The shampoo is vegan-friendly too!
• It lathers easily, so it gives off that refreshing and clean feeling.

Cons:

• It messes up with the hair’s moisture balance.
• The shampoo is a bit pricey.

 

3. MATRIX Total Results So Silver Color Depositing Purple Shampoo

The Matrix Total Results Purple Shampoo is considered one of the best purple shampoos in the market. It promises to deliver instant, visible, and vibrant results with just one wash. With this shampoo, you can transform your dull-looking gray hair into an attention-grabbing silver color that you’ll absolutely love!

Pros:

• The shampoo is formulated to eliminate brassy undertones and maintain the icy shade of your gray hair.
• It also eliminates unwanted dryness that people with colored and treated hair suffer from.
• This shampoo can be used every day.
• You can enjoy a refreshing scent when you use this shampoo.

Cons:

• This shampoo contains fragrances and sulfates.
• It may cause hair dryness.

 

4. Celeb Luxury Viral Colorwash: Color Depositing Shampoo

If you want an intense and vibrant hair color, the Celeb Luxury Viral Colorwash is here to help you achieve your dream hair color! This shampoo is not just for maintaining or refreshing your hair color—it’s also about delivering full-color intensity on your pre-lightened gray hair! With its wide range of colors, you can certainly color your hair in any shade you want!

Pros:

• The shampoo has a nourishing formulation that is useful in replenishing the hair’s moisture levels.
• It’s 100% vegan and contains zero amounts of harsh chemicals like parabens, peroxides, sulfates, and ammonia.
• This can also be used as a color shampoo on its own.
• The shampoo comes in 10 different colors.

Cons:

• This may not work well on thin and fine hair.
• Its color may stain your fingernails.

 

5. Joico Color Balance Purple Shampoo for Gray Hair

Known for its unique color-correcting Multi-spectrum Defense Complex, the Joico Color Purpler Shampoo can keep brassy tones at bay and preserve the right shade of platinum hair.

It’s marketed as a shampoo that can maintain 89% of your hair color for 8 weeks or more. It has also been infused with a Bio-advanced Peptide Complex, which can repair damaged hair.

Pros:

• This doesn’t just help you maintain gorgeous silver-gray hair, but it can also repair damaged hair.
• It has keratin, which deeply moisturizes hair, nourishing it from the inside out!
• After using this shampoo, your hair will feel soft and silky.

Cons:

• The purple color of the shampoo is hard to remove from your nails.
• If used regularly, it will leave a purplish tint on your hair.

 

6. milk_shake Silver Shampoo

The milk_shake Silver Shampoo is described as a delicate shampoo that can combat yellow tones and keep your hair looking healthy and vibrant. It’s also enriched with milk protein and organic berry extracts, which work together to keep the hair soft and shiny.

Pros:

• This shampoo’s highly conditioning milk content can enhance color, repair damage, and boost hair’s elasticity and volume.
• The shampoo is formulated with natural and organic ingredients.
• It’s produced using sustainable and eco-friendly processes.

Cons:

• Some people may not like the sweet and milky fragrance.
• It’s on the expensive side.

 

7. Redken Blondage Color Depositing Purple Shampoo

As a product of one of L’Oreal subsidiaries, the RedKen Blondage Color Depositing Purple Shampoo has been tested and proven effective in preserving the beautiful gray color of your hair. Its violet pigments remove brassiness from each hair strand while the citric acid strengthens and repairs colored hair.

Pros:

• This shampoo gently cleanses the hair and leaves it refreshed, soft, and silky.
• It also works well on highlighted hair.
• This shampoo is not just for toning hair color—it strengthens hair strands as well!

Cons:

• This is not for daily use.
• Its scent is similar to men’s shampoo.

 

8. Luseta Color Brightening Purple Shampoo and Conditioner Set

If you want to get rid of your hair’s brassy tones and split ends, the Luseta Color Brightening Purple and Shampoo is what you should use! Made with quinoa seed extract, coco Nucifera oil, hydrolyzed keratin, and biotin, this natural shampoo can minimize hair breakage and protect hair from heat and other environmental stressors.

Pros:

• Infused with UVA/UVB sunscreens, this shampoo can protect the hair from UV rays and prevent color fading and the development of brassy tones.
• It wasn’t tested on animals.
• The shampoo doesn’t contain paraben, sulfate, and gluten.
• With its biotin content, the shampoo can stimulate hair production and add volume to the hair.
• It contains ingredients that can nourish, moisturize, and strengthen the hair.

Cons:

• This can cause dryness on certain hair types.
• It’s a bit pricey.

 

9. Punky Purpledacious 3-in-1 Color Depositing Shampoo

The Punky Purpledacious is a 3-in-1 shampoo which doesn’t just color but also conditions and cleanses gray hair. With its blue pigments, it can deliver intense color deposit on your hair, making it look more vibrant and beautiful. Infused with Hydrolyzed Quinoa, this shampoo leaves behind a protective barrier on your hair, preventing your hair color from fading.

Pros:

• This cruelty-free shampoo is made in the USA.
• It’s also completely vegan and doesn’t contain gluten, PPD, peroxide, sulfate, paraben, and ammonia.
• With shea butter and pro-vitamin B5, it can strengthen and nourish hair strands.

Cons:

• This can stain your skin.
• It also bleeds a lot when you take a bath.

 

10. Framesi Color Lover Dynamic Blonde Violet Shampoo

The Framesi Color Lover Violet Shampoo keeps gray hair (and other light-colored hair) more refined and brighter. With its formulation, it can help you preserve your hair color 95% longer. It’s also specially formulated to eliminate yellowish and brassy tones on both blonde and gray hair.

Pros:

• The shampoo’s intensely rich violet color has excellent toning abilities.
• Its hydrolyzed quinoa content is known for its fantastic color retention qualities.
• Infused with proteins, hair protectants, and conditioning agents, it will leave your hair well-nourished and moisturized.

Cons:

• Since it doesn’t lather a lot, it can be difficult to spread on your hair.
• The shampoo’s bottle tends to leak.

 

The Verdict

Color depositing shampoos are your best tools in refreshing your hair in between salon visits. Using these is also a cost-effective way to prolong the gap between your salon visits. While all of the products on the list are excellent color depositing shampoos for gray hair, we have to choose only one.

Our personal favorite is no other than the  Luseta Color Brightening Purple Shampoo and Conditioner Set. Even though it’s on the pricey side, this well-formulated shampoo has all the ingredients needed not just to add color to your hair but also to protect it from the sun and maintain good hair health.