How to Achieve Gray Blending for Dark Hair, According to Hairstylists

Are you having a tough time embracing the grays when they're popping all over the place? Now, there's a ton of haircuts and makeup tips to aid in your transition, but gray blending *might* be the solution to your problem. This popular color technique has been covered for blondes, so I think it's time to give our dark-haired beauties some love, too. I chatted with three hairstylists to share all the tips and tricks of gray blending for dark hair, including helpful techniques and cool ideas to show at your next appointment. 

• Kimberly Loomis is a hairstylist and the owner of Urban Posh Salon in Sola Salons. Her experience as a master colorist and hairstylist has taken her around the globe, collaborating with renowned brands, styling for magazine shoots and leading the charge as a stylist at New York Fashion Week.
• Adrienne Dara is a hair educator, brand ambassador for Redken and owner of Adrienne Dara Hair Salon. She specializes in toning, bold blonde colors and dimensional brunettes. She also teaches aspiring stylists and salon owners through her online educational platforms: The Lightening Library and The Lightening Library Lab.
• Marie Nino is a senior hair colorist and stylist at Arisa Salon in New York City, with over 20 years of experience. She specializes in highlights, balayage, blondes, single- and double-process services, gloss treatments and lived-in haircuts. 

It’s a color technique that works to seamlessly blend your natural hair with lowlights, highlights or any other service for a softer, multidimensional look. As Loomis explains further, “This approach helps camouflage regrowth and creates a more natural transition between colored and gray hair. It’s an ideal low-maintenance option for those looking to embrace their natural color with subtle enhancement.”

Can You Actually Do Gray Blending On Dark Hair? 

According to the pros, it’s quite achievable on dark hair. “Gray blending on dark hair can be natural looking and low maintenance with the right approach such as using a demi permanent color instead of permanent dye can make a huge difference as it blends the grays seamlessly while keeping the overall look soft and dimensional. A permanent color isn’t always necessary, especially for brunettes looking for a lower maintenance way to embrace their grays without a harsh grow out,” explains Nino

4 Tips for Gray Blending

1. If you’re searching for highlights… 

Loomis says you should allow your stylist some flexibility, especially if you recently colored your hair. “Regrowth makes it easier to customize the blend based on your natural dimension. If you have multiple layers of color, be patient—it may take multiple sessions to achieve the desired result,” she tells me. 

2. If you’re searching for lowlights…

“Gray blending with lowlights is all about strategic placement—focusing on darker pieces to soften regrowth rather than covering lighter areas,” says Loomis. “It’s important to assess the hair’s natural depth to avoid making the overall look too dark. Techniques like babylights, shadow roots or reverse balayage can also create a seamless, dimensional blend.”

3. It’s not about covering grays.

FYI: This technique is about embracing grays not covering them up. “Gray blending on darker bases is managing a client’s expectations of growth. You aren’t covering the gray, but tinting and softening the gray instead. That means that the color will essentially shimmer out of the hair,” notes Dara. 

4. Growing out may be different for everyone.

Dara points out all hair textures and types can try gray blending, but the growth period might be different. She explains, “It’s all about the placement, the desired tone, and of course, understanding how the color will grow out. Clients with straighter texture hair will have a more noticeable growth, while clients with more curl or wave to their hair will have a less noticeable growth.”