It might seem like gray hair is an inevitable part of aging, and for most of us, it is. But science has found that it may not be as simple, or as permanent, as once thought.  Research shows that in certain instances, gray hair might be reversible.

_{Prices are accurate as of August 26, 2025. Subject to change.}

Why Does Hair Turn Gray?

Hair gets its color from melanin produced by melanocyte cells. As you age, those cells become less active or die, which means new hair follicles grow with less melanin and therefore, less pigment.

For most, it is a natural part of the aging process. One survey found that 74% of people between the ages of 45 and 65 experienced some degree of gray hair, with the average intensity clocking in at 27%. But some see early grays, which can come from anything like genetics, stress, or smoking.

Can You Prevent Hair From Graying?

A 2021 study found that hair can regain its natural pigment under certain conditions, challenging the idea that going gray is always a forever thing. 

Among the methods used by researchers in this study were HPP (Hair Pigmentation Pattern) profiling and proteomics, the study of proteins. These tools allowed researchers to observe that gray hair and re-pigmentation occurred in connection with psychological stress. In some cases, a person’s natural hair color returned after the stress subsided. This phenomenon was seen across people of all different genders, ages, and ethnicities.

Beyond stress, according to Harvard Health, premature graying may sometimes be linked to underlying health issues such as vitamin B12 deficiency, which poses the question: Can graying be reversed once the issue at hand, whether it’s stress or a vitamin deficiency, is resolved?

More research needs to be done on the topic as a whole, but, in the meantime, there are plenty of products out there that can camouflage, or even revitalize, dull gray hair, from a quick-dry spray that holds you over between salon appointments to shampoos specifically formulated to keep gray hair from looking dull or brassy.

Shampoos

Shampoo won’t reverse gray hair, but it can give some life to your locks. The L’Oreal Paris EverPure Silver Care Shampoo is made without sulfates, parabens, added phthalates, or gluten, and has a pleasant magnolia and bergamot scent. It brightens all shades of gray and adds silkiness. For toning gray that has gone brassy, consider Olaplex’s Toning Shampoo. It’s a game-changer, helping neutralize yellow tones while hydrating, softening, and strengthening your strands. Use it weekly for best results.

Dyes

One day, science might be able to reverse gray hair caused by the natural aging process, but for now, you don’t have to live with grays if you don’t want to! Nor do you have to make frequent, pricey visits to the salon. Garnier Nutrisse’s Ultra Creme Hair Dye is formulated with color boost technology, delivering rich, long-lasting color with 100% gray coverage. It also has nourishing ingredients like avocado, olive, and shea oils to keep your hair soft and shiny. Clairol’s Root Touch-Up provides 100% gray coverage for up to three weeks, is super easy to use — it only takes 10 minutes from start to finish — and is available at a more-than-reasonable price. 

Powders and Fibers

If you’re trying to blend gray strands or roots, rather than a whole head of hair, powders and fibers give temporary results. Cover Your Gray Fill-In Fiber blends gray strands and, as a bonus, gives a thickening effect to thinning hair. Clairol Root Touch-Up Powder is like having two products in one. You can use it on your roots to cover grays or on your eyebrows for a bolder, more defined shape. If you prefer a spray cover-up, try L’Oreal’s Magic Root Cover Up. It’s lightweight, dries in one minute, and doesn’t leave any sticky, tacky residue. It also won’t smudge during wear.

Serums

Customers rave about Vegamour’s Gro Ageless Serum. This plant-based formula is designed to reduce the appearance of new gray hairs while helping to restore your hair’s natural color and shine in just 90 days. Best of all, it’s suitable for all hair types.

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During my first pregnancy over 20 years ago, my hair was so luscious and thick it was as if my mane was growing in tandem with my belly. But three months post-partum and it all went awry. I started shedding more than my cat, balding around my hairline above my right brow, and my once-plump ponytail had turned limp and lifeless. Fast forward through two more pregnancies and that stubborn spot is still sparse and my ponytail has yet to regain its former glory. Treatments, potions, and supplements abound to help counteract thinning hair — but the prices and the time it takes to see results can be daunting. I’ve recently discovered the magic of hair growth oils. Many are science-backed, approved by dermatologists, and require little more than dabbing onto then lightly massaging the scalp. Here, some of the best options for a fuller head of hair.

_{Prices are accurate as of January 15, 2026. Subject to change.}

PURA D’OR Organic Rosemary Essential Oil

If you’re trying to regrow hair, start with rosemary oil. “In my experience, the best oil for hair growth — based on clinical research and what I’ve seen in patients — is rosemary oil,” explains Ross Kopelman, DO, hair transplant surgeon at Kopelman Hair Restoration in Boca Raton, Florida. “There’s solid evidence that it can be as effective as minoxidil in stimulating hair regrowth, likely due to its ability to improve blood circulation to the scalp and reduce inflammation around hair follicles.” Though he prefers combining essential oils and FDA-approved treatments like minoxidil for an even more comprehensive approach to hair regrowth, he often recommends rosemary oil as a natural option. For best results, mix a few drops into a carrier oil like coconut, castor, or jojoba oil to help absorption and reduce the risk of irritation. 

Nature Spell Rosemary Oil

This TikTok-famous oil is a pre-diluted blend that combines rosemary with almond and sunflower oils to support healthy hair growth, strengthen roots, and add shine. It can also work to fortify hair from the roots, fight dandruff, and help delay the onset of gray hair.

Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil

What’s better than using one oil known to grow hair back? Combining it with another oil that has the same benefits, making it a solid choice for natural scalp stimulation. Dr. Kopelman says he’s seen great results with patients who have tried this rosemary peppermint oil combo.

Sky Organics Organic Castor Oil

Castor oil has a long list of supposed benefits, and one is the ability to grow thick, strong, and healthy hair (and eyelashes!). Loaded with multiple omega fatty acids, including ricinoleic fatty acid which has anti-inflammatory properties, this 100% pure, cold-pressed, organic oil naturally nourishes and conditions the scalp, roots, and strands. “The evidence for actual hair regrowth is more anecdotal than scientific, but I do think it helps with scalp hydration and overall hair health,” says Dr. Kopleman.

Aura Cacia Sandalwood Essential Oil in Jojoba Oil

One recent study found that scent receptors in the scalp might respond to sandalwood oil in a way that encourages hair growth. The researchers found a 25 to 30 percent increase in the secretion of a growth hormone in the scalp. This sandalwood oil comes mixed with jojoba oil, a carrier oil known to soothe the scalp, repair hair breakage (which makes hair look fuller), and control dandruff. If nothing else, the calming, moisturizing effect of the mix on the scalp creates an ideal environment for hair growth.

Now Foods Peppermint Essential Oil

Peppermint oil is also backed by research. Animal studies suggest it can promote hair growth by increasing blood flow and stimulating the hair follicle, says Dr. Kopelman, who has patients who swear by it. Like rosemary oil, it should be mixed with a carrier oil.

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According to the American Academy of Dermatology, it’s normal to shed 50 to 100 hairs per day. But if you’ve noticed an unusual amount of hairs swirling around your shower drain, building up in your brush, or sticking to your sweaters — and a lot less on your head — you may be wondering how to ensure the thinning isn’t obvious to everyone else. For permanent solutions, you’ll want to talk to a dermatologist, but the simple fix is to create the illusion of volume, tricking the eye into seeing a fuller head of hair. From sprays, powders, and clip-ins, there are options for all budgets and hair types.

_{Prices are accurate as of November, 28 2025. Subject to change.}

Grande Cosmetics Full Boost Volumizing Foam

Known for its effective lash and brow growth serums, Grande has now expanded into helping enhance the hair on your head with its GrandeHAIR line. I tried the foam, which not only creates an instantly thicker look when styled into clean, damp hair, but is made with ingredients like rice protein, nori seaweed, and biotin to help with growth and a healthier head of hair overall. Some foams I’ve tried end up leaving hair feeling sticky or crunchy and even weigh it down, defeating the purpose. But this one left my hair looking full, bouncy, and shiny while still feeling soft.

Hask Biotin Boost Thickening Dry Shampoo

Product buildup, oil, or moisture can weigh fine or thinning hair down, making it look even thinner. One easy way to add hair-thickening volume is by spraying a dry shampoo along the roots. We like Hask’s because it uses a rice starch blend to sop up any moisture and add texture and density to the root without leaving behind any chalky residue. It also contains biotin which works to strengthen strands and help thicken hair in the long run.

Nexxus Unbreakable Root Lift Thickening Spray

This root spray contains Nexxus’ exclusive strand-expanding technology that it claims thickens each strand from root to tip. It also uses hair-strengthening biotin, keratin, and collagen amino acids for locks that won’t break as easily. Before blow-drying, I spritz it from roots to ends, massaging it into my scalp so all the nutrients really penetrate. I love the lift it gives me at the roots, especially in the areas around my hairline that are a bit more sparse.

R+Co Bright Shadows Root Touch-Up Spray

Have a widening part or gray roots? They can both make hair look even thinner. Adding a little color back with a root touch-up spray is sometimes all you need to regain that lusher appearance. The R+Co Bright Shadows comes in seven shades to mask sparse spots, wide parts, and grays in seconds. The nozzle is designed for a targeted application so you don’t end up with the color all over your bathroom or clothes.

Voloom 2.0 Volumizing Hair Iron

Not a curling iron and not a flat iron, this tool has gone viral on social media for its ability to style in volume that lasts three days or more without the damage of teasing. The secret to its success? Its patented checkerboard-design ceramic plates. When pressed in the under-layers of hair, the plates create hidden “volume pockets” that lift the top layers up and away from the scalp, creating the appearance of greater volume, no product needed. It can be a bit tricky to do it right, so we advise watching the how-to videos to make sure you get the most bang for your buck!

Toppik Hair Building Fibers

Made of colored keratin protein that’s statically charged, these fibers intertwine with and cling to existing hair, filling in sparse and bald spots, making hair look denser overall. Commonly recommended by hair stylists, the fibers come in nine shades and work on all hair types. People are often shocked by how well it works to conceal thinning.

The Rootist Dry Shampoo Powder

If you don’t like sprays, dry shampoo powders also work to absorb oil and sweat. Rather than use the typical moisture-absorbing powders, Rootist opts for a formula made with proteins, roots, and mushrooms that are transformed through fermentation into biologically compatible micronutrients that are good for the hair and the scalp. The brush applicator makes it easy and mess-free to use and I like that it’s small enough to tote in my purse or gym bag. It’s also refillable which saves money and the planet.

Biolage Full Density Densifying Spray Treatment

Biolage’s Densifying Spray is a lightweight, leave-in treatment made with growth-enhancing biotin. It helps to increase the diameter of each strand so hair looks thicker right away while also removing excess oil, controlling flyaways, and leaving hair with a lustrous sheen — a win-win if you ask me. 

Hidden Crown Solution Fill-Ins 

Extensions are a no-brainer when it comes to thickening the look of your mane, but they can be expensive, take time to apply, and some even make thinning worse in the long run. Save yourself money and effort with clip-ins placed strategically around your head. The ones from Hidden Crown come in 15 shades, including ones for highlighted hair, and blend seamlessly with and enhance your existing hair for a flawless finish. You really only need to clip two to three in to get the fullness you’re looking for. Each reusable set comes with two one-clip wefts, and two two-clip wefts, enough to create thickness all around. The downside is that they’re only offered in straight hair. Curly hair extensions tend to be more expensive given the range of textures.

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