Silver hair is the pearlescent winter hair trend that the cool girls are rocking

The bright, pearlescent-silver colour brings together a unique blend of cool toned, platinum blonde with shimmering hints of silver – with blue and purple undertones that look like the inside lining of an oyster shell.

It creates a sophisticated and modern look that complements a wide range of skin tones, and is a great choice for anyone who wants to experiment with a non-traditional hair colours without going too bold or dramatic.

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Hair looking a bit 'meh'? These shine-inducing treatments are basically like lip gloss for your hair

Sooo silky.

By Elle Turner

Although it can be a relatively low-maintenance colour choice, the key to an easy oyster grey life is prevention and maintaining condition. The ultra-glossy, mother-of-pearl sheen is what elevates this colour to the next level, which means hair masks and glossing treatments are this shade's best friend.

We've seen mega-watt silky silver strands dominating the 'gram and offering a pretty – and slightly more daring – alternative to platinum. Alongside bottle grey, we've noticed lots of hybrid shades that incorporate natural greys, while emphasising them with the help of a beautifully-applied colour treatment.

Specifically, “we will carry on seeing a lot of softer, finer, shimmering balayage,” says celeb hairdresser and TRESemmé lead stylist, Aaron Carlo. He reckons we'll carry on seeing lots of silver shots and sparkling strands through hair to celebrate or incorporate greys deep into winter. “Loads of people are embracing grey so we'll see some amazing new ways to enhance the shade with toners and shampoos,” he adds.

Meanwhile, brands are getting in on the grey action, offering even more intelligent and creative products to cater to grey hair at home. John Frieda, Redken and MoroccanOil have all expanded their silver hair colour ranges to tone, enhance and protect grey strands in between appointments.

However, whether you're looking to go platinum or simply fancy a fresh change, there's a few things to know if you're switching to silver.

Here's what the experts have to say…

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'Grey blending' is the seamless technique for natural grey hair you need to know about

Plus everything you need to know about silver strands.

By Elle Turner

If your hair is very dark or brown and you’re desperate to go grey, be warned: you’ve got a lot of groundwork to put in first.

“In order to go grey, you have to pre-lighten the hair to a clean white blonde and then tone with a personalised grey mix tone”, says Headmasters' Siobhan Jones, who was responsible for turning Little Mix's Jade Thirlwall's hair silver back in 2021.

When settling on any new shade for your hair, it’s important to consider how the colour will compliment your skin tone. However, with grey shades in particular, the risk of ‘washing out’ your complexion is greater than ever.

Sapphire Driver, Brands Manager, and Colourist at BLEACH London, explains: “We all have our preferences on how different tones go together, but there is a risk that grey can wash out the skin if it’s not balanced. Those with more yellow or cool-toned skin may find it harder to wear, whereas someone with more warmth and pink in their skin could find it looks really nice.”

When it comes to getting the perfect grey tresses, patience proves a virtue. While it might be hard to resist the urge to jump straight in, Sapphire advises that slow and steady wins the race. “Gradually build up balayage or highlights so that you aren’t block bleaching your hair in one hit. This is a good option for those with dark hair. It will be a subtler transition and can be added to with more bleached sections/highlights.”

But while it’s definitely an option for the brunettes amongst us, we suggest avoiding trying this at home and leaving it strictly to the professionals.

If you're looking to take your grey all the way to your scalp, be prepared for a slight burning sensation from the bleach. When our fashion editor, Charlie, went white blonde, she warned that “it can get a little uncomfortable as the wait goes on.”

“Anyone wishing to go this colour must also be aware that lightening your hair to this tone can weaken it,” says Siobhan. Lucky the colour looks excellent with buzzcuts and pixies…

The fate of the perfect grey shade lays in the hands of toner. After your hair has been bleached, it’s down to the toning to achieve your perfect shade, and it’s really important to keep it up if you want your colour to last. Sapphire explains: “Grey can sometimes start to look a little green over time if it’s not regularly toned. If you decide to go grey or silver, be aware that you will probably need to tone your hair every two to three weeks to keep up the colour.”

Toning at home is actually surprisingly easy. Keep your silver tones from turning brassy by switching to a purple shampoo and conditioner. It's important to note that over-toning can lead to a blue or purple tint to the hair, so it's best to start with a small amount of toner or purple shampoo and gradually add more as needed. With regular toning, your silver hair is bound to stay gloriously bright for weeks to come.

Redken Color Extend Blondage Express Anti-Brass Mask

£33 £29.70 at Look Fantastic

Philip Kingsley Pure Blonde/Silver Brightening Daily Shampoo 250ml

£24 at Look Fantastic

After any kind of extreme dye treatment, your locks are going to be left a little worse for wear. To keep your hair in peak condition, you'll want to invest in a good hair mask at home to treat your roots and ends to some much-needed nourishment. Regular use of hair masks can help to restore the natural oils in the hair, which can be lost due to styling, environmental factors, and chemical treatments.

Find a good mask that is specifically designed to penetrate the hair shaft – delivering vitamins, minerals and other beneficial ingredients to help repair damaged hair and prevent breakage, specially after colour manipulation. Whether you have curly, straight, thick, or fine hair, using a hair mask once or twice a week can make a noticeable difference in the health and vitality of your silver strands. Siobhan's favourite is Paul Mitchell Keratriplex Awapuhi wild ginger treatment, which she says works on strengthening and hydrating.

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Beyoncé debuted platinum blonde hair at the Renaissance premiere, and we're ready to follow suit

Beyoncé is the new Khaleesi.

By Emily Tannenbaum

If you like the idea of this experimental colour but don't want to commit (or fork out for a salon trip), there are several at-home products that allow you to dabble in silver strands.

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Why I embraced grey hair in my thirties and have absolutely no regrets

By Ali Pantony

Hair Dyes:
Prep your locks with Fudge Whiter Shade Of Pale, WAS £12.95, NOW £11.01, Look Fantastic. For a subtle blonde/silver hue, give the Knight & Wilson Colour-Freedom Gloss Silver Blonde, WAS £8.99, NOW £5.99, Superdrug a go. For a more full-on grey shade, the Renbow Crazy Color 027 Silver 100ml, £3.95, Sephora is ideal. L'Oreal Paris Preference Vivids Permanent Hair Dye, Intense Luminous Colour, Silver Grey 10.11, £8.99, Boots also offers you colour that actually lasts. Or you could opt for less commitment products such as Moroccanoil Color Depositing Mask Platinum 200ml, £28.85, Sephora or the one day Manic Panic Amplified Temporary Colour Hair Spray Greys 125ml, £11.95, Sephora

Fudge Whiter Shade Of Pale

£12.95 £11.01 at Look Fantastic

Knight & Wilson Colour-Freedom Gloss Silver Blonde

£8.99 £5.99 at Superdrug

Renbow Crazy Color 027 Silver 100ml

£3.95 at Sephora

L'Oreal Paris Preference Vivids Permanent Hair Dye, Intense Luminous Colour, Silver Grey 10.11

£8.99 at Boots

Moroccanoil Color Depositing Mask Platinum 200ml

£28.85 at Sephora

Manic Panic Amplified Temporary Colour Hair Spray Greys 125ml

£11.95 at Sephora

Silver shampoos and maintenance:
Bleach London Silver Shampoo 250ml, £7.50, Cult Beauty eliminates brassy tones and helps to maintain a silver hue. Davines Alchemic Shampoo in Silver 280ml, £21.50, Cult Beauty & Conditioner, £25 in Silver Grey are also great products for maintaining your silver strands. Finish with OSMO's Violet Tone and Protect Styler, WAS £8.80 NOW £7.35 Amazon to protect your colour.

Bleach London Silver Shampoo 250ml

£7.50 at Cult Beauty

Davines Alchemic Shampoo in Silver 280ml

£21.50 at Cult Beauty

Davines Alchemic Shampoo in Silver 280ml

£21.50 at Cult Beauty

Osmo Violet Protect and Tone Styler 125 ml

£8.80 £7.35 at Amazon

I did and I'm obsessed. It's easy to forget that wigs are an option, but at least 50 percent of the time you see the likes of former GLAMOUR cover stars Kylie Jenner and Saweetie with a glamorous new hair colour, it's actually faux. You can always keep costs down by going with one that's synthetic – although be prepared to have to replace it often as you won't get much use of it, nor will you be able to heat style it comfortably. Read our wig guide for a step-by-step on how to properly put one on.

Oyster grey balayage

Silver ash

Strawberry grey

Charcoal grey

Platinum grey

Money piece grey

Blonding grey

Sapphire grey

Icy grey

And that's on silver hair will always be on trend…

For more from Glamour UK Beauty Writer Shei Mamona, follow her on Instagram @sheimamona