Here’s the thing about gray hair—it can be stubborn. Hard to cover. Resistant to color. Why? Well, as your hair grays, your scalp produces less oil, which makes your hair drier, and it can feel coarser. This combo makes it harder for the hair color to penetrate the hair cuticle, so the grays either don’t get covered initially during the coloring process, or the color fades quickly (no thank you!). But don’t worry—our Madison Reed team of licensed colorists know all about the science of gray hair, and they have taken all these factors into account while formulating hair color shades that are made specifically to give you maximum gray coverage with professional hair color. And with the same hair-loving ingredients found in all Madison Reed products, all of these shades are gentle on your hair while fully covering even the most stubborn gray hair.

We always recommend starting out by taking our Madison Reed Hair Color Quiz. The more you can tell us about what you want, the better we can help—whether you’re seeking rich, dark black hair, a bright blonde shade, or perfectly neutral brown. And no matter what you select, you’ll be able to view our full range of colors and products.  If you need an extra hand, call or chat with our Color Crew You can even book a complimentary virtual Video Color Consultation. Want to see what the shade looks like on you? You can upload your picture or use your phone or computer camera to use our Virtual Try-On Tool.

When it comes to the best hair color to cover gray specifically, we offer a range of shades that we call "Knockouts,”both because they are gorgeous and because they “knock out” any gray hair. These shades are ideal for people who are 50-100% gray—but let’s be honest, even small amounts of gray hair can be stubborn. Not sure if your grays are actually stubborn? We get it—it’s not like you can see your gray hair rolling its eyes at you.

No matter what percentage of gray or what hair texture, hair type, or hair length you have, each of these shades delivers a huge dose of deeper, pigmented color without sacrificing tone, depth, shine, or natural dimensionality. Could it get any better? So let's show the shades of our professional hair color to cover gray…

Lusia Blonde 8.5NNA - Dark neutral blonde 

“I loved that the color neutralized the brassy tones that were in my hair from previous color. The color also covered my stubborn greys.”
-Caroline H.

Umbria Light Brown 7.5NNA - Light neutral brown

“I love the color & it’s truly a match made in heaven. Great coverage on those tough gray roots!”
-Melody C.

Sondrio Brown 6.5NNA - Soft medium neutral brown 

“I absolutely LOVE this color! Perfect for me. I'm almost totally gray and the coverage is great!”
-Diana A.

Novara Light Brown 6.5NNN - Light neutral brown 

“Colored all my grays and left me with a very pretty & shiny Chocolate Brown color.”
-Anna W.

Zocca Brown 6N - Medium neutral brown

“The color came out beautiful! A rich, shiny brown that blended my roots and highlights- covered my grays but lets my highlights show through a bit.”
-Sarah E.

Dosolo Brown 5.5NNA - Medium neutral brown

“Absolutely gorgeous color. Rich and full of shine and highlights...Great gray coverage. Can’t see a single gray strand...This is a beautiful neutral dark brown that matches my natural color perfectly.”
-Jenn S.

Modena Brown 5.5NNN - True medium neutral brown

“Loved the color! Covered grays better than the salon! It smelled great too!”
-Mary B.

Barletta Brown 4.5 NNN - Rich, dark, neutral brown 

“I really, really like this color. I tend to have brassy reddish undertones and this wiped that out but still looked dimensional. And grays are GONE!”
-Melanie L.

Ravenna Brown 3.5NNN - True, neutral darkest brown 

“The color is rich and keeps its shine! As for gray coverage. You aced it. I'm almost all gray and it covered them as if I had went to a professional salon.”
-Madeline G.

Parma Black 2.5NNA - Soft, true black

“It was the PERFECT shade. No flat color like boxed hair color. It looks natural and did a great job of covering my gray hair. (I left it on longer like the instructions suggested.) I will be getting a membership!”
-Amy G.