How to Wear Makeup with Grey Hair

Co-authored by Charina Redugerio

Last Updated: December 20, 2024 Approved

The upside: Embracing your age and changing hair color is definitely in right now. The downside: Grey and silver hair tends to leave you looking a little pale and washed out. But there’s no need to worry! With a few adjustments to your makeup bag and daily skincare routine, you can get back to feeling comfortable and fabulous with your new hair color.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Accentuating Your Features

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1
Define your eyebrows to avoid looking washed out. Your eyebrows help to frame your face, so it’s important to distinguish them from the hair on your head.^{[1]
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Research source} Apply brow liner as part of your daily routine or dye your eyebrows for a low maintenance option.
- You don’t have to make your brows look fake—you just want to keep them looking as natural as possible while still standing out.^{[2]
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- For slate-colored hair, consider doing your brows in ash brown, hickory, umber, or dark gray.
- For light gray hair, try slate or gray brows.
- For white hair, gray or taupe brows would look good.^{[3]
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2
Highlight your cheeks using blush. Blush is a great way to combat looking washed out by adding some color to your face. Apply the blush to the apples of your cheeks to brighten them up.^{[4]
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Research source} When selecting a blush, choose a light color that makes your complexion more vibrant and youthful.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Charina Redugerio
Makeup Artist

Expert Interview. 26 May 2020.}
- If you have fair skin, stick with warm and light colors like rose, peach, or light pink.
- Olive skin tones look great in brighter colors like peony.
- For dark complexions, choose richer colors like dusty rose or coral.^{[6]
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3
Choose light-colored eyeshadows to maintain a youthful appearance. Stick to light, neutral colors like white, beige, light browns, or grey when applying eyeshadow. These colors will work to bring your eyes forward.^{[7]
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- When you have grey hair, using silver and grey eyeshadow can help tie your whole look together. Try pairing that with brown or black for a flattering smokey eyeshadow look.^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Charina Redugerio
  Makeup Artist
  
  Expert Interview. 26 May 2020.}
- Always choose powdered matte colors. Avoid cream or liquid eyeshadows, and those with glimmer or glitter because they can emphasize fine lines and wrinkles, making you appear older.^{[9]
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If you like to be a little bolder, try an eyeshadow palette that features a variety of colors. Charcoal grey, purples, and even navy blue are great options for nighttime makeup and bolder looks.^{[10]
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5
Line your eyes to make your features pop. Liquid and gel liners may be too dramatic, but of course, you can experiment to find out what looks best on you. A nice pencil liner in brown, slate, or navy will definitely work to accent your eyes without being too harsh.^{[11]
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- If you have a lighter skin tone, you may want to avoid wearing black eyeliner because it can contrast too heavily with your grey hair.^{[12]
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6
Try a bold lip color. This may feel uncomfortable for some people, especially if you are used to wearing neutral shades. But stay away from neutral shades on your lips when you have grey hair because they have the tendency to leave you looking grey all over.^{[13]
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- If you just can’t do bold, at least try a color that is a couple of shades deeper than your natural lip color.^{[14]
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- Apply a clear lip liner to keep your lipstick from bleeding.^{[15]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Taking Good Care of Your Skin

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1
Select high-quality makeup. If it’s in your budget, purchase your makeup at the cosmetic counter in a department store. There, you also have the benefit of a trained professional to help you make good choices based on your skin tone and your shade of grey.^{[16]
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- If it’s not in your budget, or you just aren’t that into makeup, it’s definitely okay to purchase your makeup at a drugstore. They carry a wide range of products at affordable prices, and the quality has improved greatly over the years.^{[17]
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2
Protect your skin from the sun to avoid extra wrinkles. Deep wrinkles can make it harder to apply your makeup evenly, and the makeup can actually draw more attention to your wrinkles. Stay in the shade when you can, and wear a water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.^{[18]
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Trustworthy Source

American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists

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- Cover up in style with sunglasses and wide-brimmed sun hats.
Apply a moisturizer in the morning and at night. Purchase a moisturizing cream that is specially formulated for use in the morning. These lightweight moisturizers plump your skin which reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. A nighttime moisturizer is richer and contains a higher level of anti-aging ingredients. It works by trapping water under your skin which gives you a more youthful appearance in general.^{[19]
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Trustworthy Source

American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists

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4
Wash your face at least once a day with warm water and a mild cleanser. Everyone should wash their face at night before they go to bed to remove dirt, oil, and makeup. If it helps, use a makeup remover wipe to take off your makeup before applying a facial cleanser.^{[20]
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- Wash gently using your hands or a clean washcloth.
- Avoid soap and rough scrubbing.
- If you have oily skin, wash your face in the morning as well before applying fresh makeup.

Expert Q&A

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Question

What color lipstick goes best with gray hair?

Charina Redugerio
Makeup Artist
Charina Redugerio is a Makeup Artist based in New York City. With over 13 years of experience in the beauty industry, Charina has worked for Sephora, NARS Cosmetics, L'Oreal, Parfums Christian Dior, Natasha Denona Makeup, and is now a freelance makeup artist. She has conducted makeup for numerous fashion week shows, editorial shoots, and one-on-one client makeovers. She has worked and trained with several global celebrity makeup artists including Dior's Ricky Wilson.

Charina Redugerio

Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

Go for a red lip! A shade with blue undertones will help make your smile look whiter and brighter.

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Question

What color eyeshadow goes with grey hair?

Charina Redugerio
Makeup Artist
Charina Redugerio is a Makeup Artist based in New York City. With over 13 years of experience in the beauty industry, Charina has worked for Sephora, NARS Cosmetics, L'Oreal, Parfums Christian Dior, Natasha Denona Makeup, and is now a freelance makeup artist. She has conducted makeup for numerous fashion week shows, editorial shoots, and one-on-one client makeovers. She has worked and trained with several global celebrity makeup artists including Dior's Ricky Wilson.

Charina Redugerio

Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

I like to use a little grey on the eyes, because it helps tie your whole look together. If you're doing a smokey eye, you might incorporate gray, silver, and a little brown or just a bit of black if you're comfortable with that.

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