#1: Long Waves with Beige Blonde Balayage Highlights
Long waves with beige-blonde balayage highlights are perfect for adding extra depth to your hair color. The modern balayage technique will keep your lighter tones looking naturally sunkissed against your darker base color.
#2: Silver Ash Blonde Ombre
If you want to stand out, silver ash-blonde ombre is a great choice. It’s a bright blonde color. This hair color combines bright blonde with a slight dark root. To achieve the best results, your hair must be bleached to a certain level to bring out the icy tones.
#3 Salt-and-Pepper Shag with Bangs
Tousled layers with a shaggy texture give this salt-and-pepper style playful volume and movement. Great for women over 60 with medium to thick hair, especially with a bit of wave or curl. The bangs frame the eyes nicely and soften forehead lines. Just know—this look thrives with a bit of product and texture spray to maintain the bounce and shape, but it hides thinning ends beautifully.
#4 Silver Ash Blended Long Layers
Silver ash tones and long, face-framing layers create a sleek, elongated silhouette perfect for straight, thick hair. The full fringe is cut blunt across the brow, drawing attention to the eyes and covering forehead lines. This look is striking yet soft, and flatters longer face shapes. It does require flat ironing and regular toning to keep brassiness out of the ash—especially on processed grey.
#5 Dark-to-Steel Ombre on Waves
A dramatic yet graceful ombre that shifts from dark brown roots to soft steel grey ends. This long, layered style suits women of any age but makes a statement for those over 60 embracing color change. The waves add bounce and dimension, especially on medium to thick hair. While the fade is striking, the upkeep can be high—especially maintaining cool undertones and conditioning the lightened ends.
#6 Soft Grey Pixie with Tapered Back
This soft grey pixie has a beautifully sculpted tapered back and feathered volume on top, making it ideal for fine to medium-density hair. A great option for square or angular face shapes—it elongates the neck and adds lift at the crown. It’s very low-maintenance and air-dries fast, but expect to use a root-lifting mousse or light wax for styling definition and hold.
#7 Charcoal Grey Blend on Curly Hair
A stunning charcoal grey blend enhances the depth of these naturally tight curls. Perfect for older women embracing their texture, this look flatters round and oval faces and works best on dense, coarse hair. The cut maintains volume at the crown and around the sides without overwhelming the face. Diffusing or air-drying works well, though upkeep can mean regular moisture masks to keep frizz at bay.
#8 Smoky Grey Root Melt Bob
A softly angled chin-length bob with a smoky grey root melt brings elegance without feeling too harsh. This cut works especially well on fine to medium straight hair, giving a fuller shape through layering and beveling at the ends. Ideal for oval or heart-shaped faces, it’s low-maintenance while still feeling put-together. The grey blending at the roots adds depth, camouflaging natural regrowth beautifully.
#9 Soft Charcoal Blend Bob
This softly layered bob shows off a charcoal grey blend that melts into the natural dark base. It’s styled with a rounded shape and a subtle side part that gives lift at the crown—great for fine to medium hair. Ideal for oval and square face shapes, this cut adds body without being bulky. The gentle feathering around the face softens the look beautifully, but note it may require salon maintenance every 6–8 weeks to keep the blend crisp.
#10 Icy Grey Panels on Angled Bob
Sharp and fashion-forward, this angled bob incorporates icy grey panels placed intentionally along the front to frame the face. The contrast with the cool-toned dark base gives a high-fashion edge while also working as a bold grey blending strategy. Great for straight or slightly thick hair, the cut holds its shape well and gives structure to rounder face shapes. Not for the faint of heart—it’s bold and demands some styling, but it turns heads.
#11 Slate Grey Crown on Sleek Cut
This sleek cut features a beautifully blended slate grey crown that lightens up the upper section while keeping the rest of the hair a deep brunette. It’s tailored, polished, and ideal for those wanting structure with a hint of softness from the layering. Best for straight to slightly wavy textures with moderate density. The blend at the crown helps disguise regrowth, though grey placement this high can fade quickly and needs regular toning.
#12 Dark Hair with Silver Tips
Dark chocolate strands transition into silvery ends in this easy-to-maintain medium-length cut. The silver tips create a lived-in effect that’s perfect for women easing into grey without touching the roots. Soft, loose waves add volume and playfulness to fine or aging hair. It’s flattering on almost all face shapes but works best on hair that’s naturally wavy or heat-styled often. Slight dryness on the ends may require a weekly moisture treatment.
#13 Graphite Blended Shoulder Cut
A soft graphite grey seamlessly melts into this shoulder-length cut, offering a cool, smokey transition that flatters most natural brunettes. The layers around the face open things up nicely—great for longer or oval faces. Ideal for straight or barely wavy hair with medium density, this cut is a conservative yet chic way to ease into greying. Minimal upkeep makes it attractive for women not ready for bold changes but wanting subtle enhancement.
#14 Silver Foil Peekaboo on Wavy Lob
Chunky silver foil peekaboo highlights sneak through a dark, wavy lob, giving an edgy twist to traditional grey blending. These high-contrast panels are placed to pop just under the top layers, making the grey feel intentional, not accidental. This mid-length cut enhances volume and shape on fine to medium hair. It’s trendy and youthful, though it can require more upkeep than a soft balayage due to the bolder placement.
#15 Salt-and-Pepper Tapered Pixie
Clean and modern, this tapered pixie flaunts a bold salt-and-pepper mix that’s seamlessly blended into a dark base. With cropped sides and textured volume up top, it suits petite or angular face shapes and thick or coarse hair types. It’s an excellent wash-and-go option for busy women but be prepared for regular shaping to keep that crisp silhouette. The natural silver accents elevate the edge of the cut without looking harsh.
#16 Ash Grey Balayage Lob
Ash grey balayage adds a cool-toned lift to this textured lob, creating a soft yet noticeable grey blend. The shoulder-grazing length flatters round and heart-shaped faces while giving enough weight to avoid puffiness. This style works best on medium to thick hair with natural body. It’s a smart choice for those who want a modern, dimensional grey without a harsh grow-out line—though toning appointments are key to keeping brassiness at bay.
#17 Smokey Grey Highlights on Long Layers
Long, flowing layers carry smokey grey highlights that blend gradually from the roots, offering a subtle yet elegant take on going grey. The high-contrast streaks draw the eye downward, elongating oval and round faces. Best suited for straight to slightly wavy hair with medium to high density, this look requires effort to maintain smoothness and shine but rewards you with stunning visual movement and age-defying dimension.
#18 Silver Root Fade on Layered Cut
This shoulder-length layered cut features a gorgeous silver root fade that transitions into soft, voluminous waves. Perfect for women embracing their natural greys, this look adds lightness and movement to medium-density hair. It’s low-commitment for grey blending since the fade works with new growth. However, it’s best for hair that holds curl or wave well—straight textures may require more daily styling to get this bounce.
#19 Stormlit French Bob
Chic and structured, this French bob has blunt edges and a solid fringe, elevated by subtle cool grey streaks. Great for thick, straight hair and square or heart-shaped faces. The cut offers a classic silhouette with a trendy color update, blending greys in without looking flat. Downsides? The fringe needs near-weekly trims to maintain its shape, and heavy texture may require thinning to prevent bulk at the chin.
#20 Obsidian Fade Crop
Bold and textured, this crop with a shaved undercut and spiked crown delivers a fierce contrast between obsidian black roots and icy grey tips. It’s ideal for women with thick, coarse hair who like definition and edge. Face shape-wise, this pairs well with strong jawlines or narrow chins. You’ll need a matte styling wax and regular shaping to keep this one sharp and clean—it’s not a “wash and go” option.
#21 Glacier Frame Cut
Light and face-framing, this glacier-toned cut has delicate layers and airy curtain bangs that soften the entire silhouette. Great for fine to medium-density hair and flattering on long or oval faces. The cool grey blends seamlessly into a dark base, creating dimension without harsh lines. While breezy and stylish, bangs need frequent trims and heat styling for best results if hair is naturally straight or limp.
#22 Fog Fade Taper
Modern and refined, this fog-toned taper has a clean silhouette and bold grey blending from the front sweep into darker roots. Best suited for thick, coarse textures that hold shape well, and works particularly well on angular or oval face shapes. The sleek side taper offers a youthful touch. Be prepared to style daily for the best effect—products are key to keeping this one looking structured and intentional.
#23 Salted Ink Lob
Balanced and wearable, this textured long bob, or “lob”, is lightly waved and features streaks of silver and white blended over an inky base. A go-to for women with straight or wavy medium-density hair. The shoulder-grazing cut lifts the jawline subtly and flatters nearly all face shapes. It’s versatile and can be styled up or down, but uneven growth or split ends can make the look lose polish quickly.
#24 Steel Veil Pixie
Textured and tidy, this steel grey pixie is a fantastic option for fine to medium-density hair. The short, feathered layers add lift, especially at the crown, and the cool grey veil tones down any warmth in natural dark hair. Perfect for those who want a low-maintenance, quick-styling cut. A minor downside is that it grows out fast—expect to trim every 4–6 weeks to keep the shape crisp.
#25 Graphite Curls Elegance
Defined curls meet dimensional grey blending in this shoulder-length style. Ideal for naturally curly or coiled textures, it enhances volume and softness with a grey balayage that sits beautifully on denser hair. Works best on round and oval face shapes. The curls highlight natural silver without harsh contrast. Humidity care and proper curl product use are musts to keep the shape fresh and frizz-free.
#26 Charcoal Melt Shag
Edgy yet soft, this mid-length shag features a charcoal base with a smoky silver melt and thick bangs. Best for medium to thick hair with some natural wave or bend, it flatters square or long face shapes by adding volume around the sides. The dramatic root contrast makes grey blending modern and intentional. Keep in mind, the fringe will need routine trims and shaping to stay balanced with the layers.
#27 Ash Smoke Bob
Classic and polished, this chin-length bob uses an ash-toned blend to integrate natural grey into a darker base. Great for thick, straight hair with a fine texture, the cut helps lift facial features and frames round or oval faces nicely. The biggest perk is its ease of styling—just a quick blow-dry does it. However, the blunt ends may feel a bit harsh for wider jawlines if not softened slightly at the edges.
#28 Silver Whisper Layers
Airy and dimensional, this long layered haircut blends natural grey into dark brown hair with a seamless feathered technique. It works well for medium-density hair and elongates oval or heart-shaped faces. The wispy layers soften features while the silvery tone adds brightness. A great low-maintenance transition style, though the layers need shaping every few months to avoid looking flat.
#29: Grey Bob with Brown Underneath
Adding grey highlights to a brown bob cut is a good way to include grey in your hair color without changing it completely. Placing dark hair tones under the top layer will hide grey hair that grows in between salon visits.
#30: Brunette Ash Tone for Grey Blending
Use a brunette ash tone for blending grey hair. People with naturally dark hair who are starting to have grey hair might want to consider a subtle coloring technique like babylights. The babylights technique will create a soft blonding blend throughout the hair and give it a beautiful lift. Silver ash tones during toning can effectively blend in the new grey hair.
#31: Dark Grey Babylights with Soft Waves
You can enhance the appearance of your grey hair with dark grey babylights and soft waves. Adding a silvery hue gives this old Hollywood-inspired hairstyle a modern edge.
#32: Low-Maintenance Soft Grey Blending
A low-maintenance soft grey blending is trendy. If you want to blend your grey but cannot visit every 4 weeks, consider getting highlighted with a rooted blend. A blend with the greys is created by using overall lighter highlights. A low-maintenance look is achieved with a root smudge and finer highlights, not chunky ones.
#33: Soft Grey Blending on Shoulder-Length Hair
The soft grey color blends well on shoulder-length hair. Dark hair looks great with color blocking. It also helps to blend grey patches. Warm ash tones for dark hair can give a unique, edgy, and stunning tungsten effect.
#34: Platinum Highlights on Dark Hair
A platinum highlight adds a trendy punch to dark hair. For those desiring grey blending, brighter ends, and dimensional highlights, request babylights throughout your hair with tipped outs ends. Babylights create a soft blended transition which enhances emerging greys. Blending with a cooler ash tone or silver tone works well additionally. This method joins the regrowth area with the grey color and adds depth and dimension to the overall hair color.
#35: Blended Silver on Layered Dark Hair
Blending pesky greys on dark hair can be daunting. Grey hair contrasts clearly with dark hair, so adding blending blonde highlights can help. Applying more highlights will make your grey hair less noticeable. It’s enjoyable to match the patterns of your grey hair with the highlights. Create varied thicknesses in these sections to make your blending pattern unique.
#36: Straight Hair with Silver-Toned Ash Brown
Silver-toned ash-brown color is a perfect subtle tone for fall to style your straight hair. The cool combination of silver-toned ash brown and natural brown hues, paired with violet-ash highlights, is perfect. I recommend using a full highlight method to first lighten your hair. Then, tone it with a cool, ashy tone like violet.
#37: Icy Grey-Blonde Teasylights with Dark Base
Icy grey-blonde teasylights with a dark base is a great color choice for those with medium and olive skin tones. The warmth in the skin balances perfectly with icy strands, creating an overall balanced look.
#38: Dark Brown Hair with Grey Highlights
Deep brown hair with grey streaks offers a subtle contrast and adds a fun touch of color. The neutral gray hue works well for those who prefer cool over warm tones. This style requires bleaching. Please consult a color specialist who is skilled at hair lightening.
#39: Lowlights on Natural Grey Hair
Consider adding a lowlight to naturally grey hair. A great way to add some dimension to grey hair is by incorporating lowlites. Choose a lowlight that matches the darkness levels of the darker parts of your grey hair. This ensures a beautiful blend, even as your hair grows out.
#40: Jet Black with Warm Ash Grey Blending
The hair is a jet black color blending with warm ash grey. Warm ash color is a mix of gold and blue tones, designed to match your skin tone. It’s a good way to incorporate any grey hairs that are appearing. Adding highlights using the foilyage technique makes the grey blending look trendy while maintaining low-maintenance hair roots.
#41: Chocolate Bob with Subtle Grey Highlights
When you have naturally dark hair and those grey hairs start to show up, there is no need to stress. We are in the days of celebrating grey now. Complimenting those greys by adding babylights to give a more even look to your color and toning with a grey toner. This gives your overall look some balance instead of having a cluster of grey and dark.
#42: Face-Framing Grey Highlights and Layers
If you want an easy-to-maintain hairstyle, consider one with face-framing grey highlights and layers. It can give you a fresh look. This style includes well-placed highlights and soft layers that frame the face. If you want color depth without constant maintenance, this style is ideal. I’d suggest refreshing these highlights every 12 to 14 weeks.
#43: Dark-Rooted Silver Balayage on Long Hair
When blending greys, the aim is to keep the color close to your natural hair color to simplify the growing-out process. This technique is perfectly demonstrated in the dark-rooted silver balayage on long hair.
#44: Layered Lob with Soft Grey Tones
A layered lob with soft grey tones provides a light and playful way to enhance your natural greys. The cut at lob-length can make grey hair appear healthier, particularly if it becomes wiry. A medium-length cut ensures the hair strands are long enough to lie flat yet short enough to prevent a stringy look.
#45: Ash Grey Highlights on Brunette Hair
Contrary to popular belief, brunette hair does not need to have warm or caramely shades. In fact, adding ash-grey highlights can make brunette hair look stunning.
#46: Dark Layered Hair with Subtle Silver Strands
If you have dark hair and grey strands, a dark-layered hairstyle is a great option. With this style, your natural grey strands will look purposely mixed with the expertly set silver strands.
#47: Dark Hair with Ashy Highlights
Dark hair with ashy highlights is a beautiful and flattering way to blend your greys. You can maintain this cool and sultry hair color at home using a shower toning shampoo or conditioner. Use a purple shampoo once a week to maintain the perfect ash-gray tones in your hair.
#48: Tousled Hair with Grey Money Piece
Blending silver strands into tousled hair with a grey hairpiece is stylish. Adding a grey hairpiece can emphasize the area around the face, accentuating your eyes and cheeks.
#49: Grey Blending on Brown Hair
Grey blending on brown hair is possible! The key is to maintain a harmony between the hues of brown and the tone of your grey strands. Does your grey have a warmer tone? You can consider a more flaxen blending. Is your grey cooler in tone? An ash blending may be better. With either warmer or cooler gray tones, your hair will look blended and beautifully fashionable.
#50: Muted Grey Streaks on Black Hair
On black hair, muted grey streaks can enhance the appearance of your naturally dark but greying strands. Many shades in muted grey can seamlessly mix with your greying strands, so you don’t need to lighten your hair completely.
#51: Silver-Grey Balayage on Medium Hair
A silver-grey balayage on medium-length hair is a natural-looking, subtle way to incorporate grey into your overall hair color.
Embracing the trend of grey blending for dark hair can be a style game changer. It requires understanding your unique hair pattern and the art of enhancing it. Renowned hairstylist Gloria Han shares her sterling expertise on achieving this elegant look.
Meet The Expert
Gloria Han
Gloria is a hairstylist with over 8 years of experience.
You can find Gloria at her own suite in Arcadia, CA.
Mastering the Art of Grey Blending
Gloria approaches grey blending with an aim – making the look fun, ageless, and low on upkeep. “Each person’s gray hair pattern is unique,” she shares. She first studies each pattern and adds accents for a modern twist.
Considerations go beyond just the skin tone. Gloria says, “I try to achieve the brightest gray possible… If a light bright gray is not possible, then I opt for a smokey gray.” If a client resists the gray look, Gloria suggests exploring blondes or vivid hues.
Maintaining the Grey Blend
To keep a grey blend looking perfect, Gloria suggests investing in hydration for your hair. She urges to avoid excessive use of pigmented toning shampoos and heat. Regular trims and gentle handling of wet hair also help a lot.
According to Gloria, must-have products for maintaining gray blending are the following:
- Fanola – blue and purple shampoo. You can mix them both
- Formula 18 (plant-based) leave-in conditioner, repair oil, and hair mask
- K-18 molecular hair mask
- Professional grade color-safe shampoo + conditioner
- Professional-grade hair oil/serum
Prep Talk with Your Stylist
Before getting your hair styled, Gloria urges honesty with your hair expert. “Be upfront and honest with your hairstylist about your hair history and whether services have been done in a salon or at home,” she says. Sharing your lifestyle helps them gauge what you can maintain.
Gloria suggests gauging whether hair health, achieving a certain look, or the number of sessions needed is your top priority. If your hair has had color before, consult with your stylist to check the health of your hair. She reminds us, “Gray blending can be costly but saves on salon visits in between.”
Photos of Most Beautiful Grey Blending Ideas for Dark Hair
