The Best Hair Dye for Men Will Keep the Grays Away (2024)

If you aren't ready to embrace going gray, just any old dye won't do—you need the best hair dye for men. And you need a plan. We’re all for confidently owning your grays, but, yes, it’s a lot easier said than done. They might appear far earlier than you would ever expect, or maybe the salt is peppering itself is coming on far faster than you’d like. Going gray—or rather, accepting it—takes time. And in the meantime, you might want to try some hair color to restore your hair color (or, heck, maybe a totally new one). That’s understandable. And, luckily, it’s pretty easy too.

It’s safe to assume you also want to dye your hair without calling any undue attention to the fact. You want to cover the grays without showing up to work two shades darker entirely. So, what’s the best hair dye for men to use, and how should you deploy it? Is it worth seeing a colorist? (That’s the person at the salon who handles the dyeing.) Or is it a task you can tackle at home? Here’s the plan.

When to see a professional colorist, and when to DIY

Let’s be realistic: A professional colorist will always deliver better, more-blended coverage than any at-home hair dye kit. That’s a given. But maybe that $10 box dye is a tempting alternative, and maybe you’re hellbent on doing it yourself. Fine. But so long as it’s not your hubris talking, then here’s a good way to decide when you need a professional, and when you can attempt it at home.

If you’re at the start of your graying, and if those hairs are still sprinkled throughout the hair rather than concentrated in large patches, then you are a prime candidate for an at-home attempt. However, if your gray hairs are advanced and more patchy that peppery, or if you’re just gray all over, then please seek the assistance of a professional colorist, at risk of color-blocking yourself in a really unnatural way. A colorist can tone and balance colors exceptionally, plus the salon-quality products they use will be easier to keep looking good as the days pass.

If you’re dyeing at home

If you insist on dyeing your gray hairs at home, then heed this advice: Go for subtly, not shock. Most men’s hair dyes, when matched to your tone, are already going to honor this code—particularly the ones that explicitly color grays. They give you a softer finish, and are designed to target the small specks. On the other hand, hair dye boxes with big, shiny hair models are often targeted at people looking to go for one bold but uniform transformation. (That’s not you in this case.)

The thing to remember is that gray hair is less receptive to dye. It isn’t as porous and nimble as the rest of your hair, and typically lacks the oil levels, too (hence why gray hair is at risk of looking dull). So that’s why a lot of these gray-hair targeting products, for men and women alike, are a better investment than standard dyes.

Pick a gray-targeting dye

As we mentioned, you want to pick a hair dye that targets gray hairs specifically, by looking for labels that speak to “gray coverage”. You’ll choose a shade that closely resembles your own (err on the lighter side, if you’re not sure entirely certain which one to choose), and the dye will subtly match the grays to your natural color.

There are two outstanding options here:

Be sure to test a small patch of hair with any dyes before proceeding with large or full coverage.

Touch it up

How often you dye is up to you; usually it’s determined by how fast your roots show, or how frequently you get hair cut, as well as whether or not the previous hair dye is fading. This isn’t as expensive of a process when you’re doing it from home, but it is more of a gamble. It might be best just to dye the roots and avoid recoloring the strands, unless they’re visibly dulling.

After enough time and labor, you might arrive at one very welcoming conclusion: It’s time to embrace the grays. But until then, happy dyeing.

Plus 6 More DIY Dyeing Essentials You'll Want On-Hand