Kate’s Essential Must-Have Products
Stepping away from coloring my own hair in 2024 to embrace my natural color was liberating, but it also meant my routine needed a complete reinvention.
With three decades behind the chair as a professional hair colorist, I thought I knew everything about hair care—until I navigated the silver transition myself. Driven to crack the code, I traded tips with fellow silver sisters, compared notes with beauty bloggers, and put endless formulas to the test to see what truly delivered results on grey blended hair, hair that is going through the transition and naturally grey hair.
Now, I’m beyond excited to share the absolute holy-grail products that made the cut. Let me take out all the guesswork so you can skip the trial and error and fall completely in love with your own silver journey!
Shampoos for Color Treated, Grey Blended and Grey Hair
Yes, you will need at least three types shampoos, a daily shampoo, a clarifying shampoo and a color maintenance shampoo.
- Daily shampoos are gentle enough to be used daily and shared with other family memebers. Even if you don’t shampoo daily, it is your go to, most gentle shampoo.
2. Toning shampoos are your tinted shampoos that will temporarily alter the (tone) or color of your hair. *You may want to wear gloves, because our hands are typically “dry” and will grab the color, you don’t want stained hands only stained hair.
3. Then you have clarifying shampoos and chelating shampoos. So what’s the difference? Though both provide a thorough cleanse, clarifying shampoos focus on removing surface oils and product residue, while chelating shampoos are often a higher pH use a binding process to extract embedded hard water minerals and metals. These shampoos can be drying so be sure to condition often.
| Product | Frequency | Why You Need This Product |
| Kenra Platinum Luxe Shine Shampoo | Used for daily shampooing. | This sulfate‑free, gentle cleanser prevents stripping the hair’s natural oils and preserves the color tonality, controls frizz and adds shine. |
| Fanola No Yellow Purple Shampoo – Purple Color Depositing Shampoo | 1 × /week (or as needed) | Neutralizes yellow/brassy build‑up on blonde hair. Leave in for 2–3 minutes and rinse; leave on longer and you might get a violet hue. |
| Fanola Wonder Blue Shampoo for Brunettes | 1 × /week (or as needed) | Neutralizes orange/brassy build‑up on brown hair. Leave in for 2–3 minutes and rinse; leave longer and you might get a bluish hue. *Caution Do not use on blonde or white hair. |
| Kenra Clarify Shampoo | 1 x/week or as needed in addition to your purple or blue shampoo. | I recommend using this clarifying shampoo before using toning shampoos. (Purple or Blue) to remove every day environmental and product build up. |
| Malibu C Undoo Goo | 1x/week or as needed, when your hair lacks shine or before any toning products or services. | This is a chelating shampoo, it removes damaging impurities and dulling deposits including hard water, metal ions, minerals, pollutants and product build up more agressively than a clarifying shampoo. |
Conditioners for Color Treated, Grey Blended and Grey Hair: Yes, you need at least three types of conditioners too, maybe four. Grey hair, grey blended and color treated hair is naturally more prone to dryness and you most likely spent a lot of money already, so give it the love it deserves.
- Daily conditioner. Conditioner to be used daily to smooth the outer cuticle layer, leaving hair shiny and manageable.
- Leave in conditioner. Leave in conditioners typically have UV and heat protectants that help smooth and tame frizzy, dry hair. Leave ins are essential in equalizing porosity if you are applying toners to help the color adhere evenly throughout the strand.
- Deep conditioners. Used weekly to replenish moisture and protein as needed and repair damaged locks.
| Product | Frequency | Why you need it |
| Kenra Platinum Luxe Shine Conditioner | daily conditioner | This rich, shine-enhancing daily conditioner revitalizes and rejuvenates hair by smoothing the outer layer called the cuticle.Leaving hair with incredible manageability, smoothness, and high shine. |
| Kenra Daily Provision Leave In Conditioner | daily leave in conditioner | This leave in conditioner shields hair from UV rays, heat styling, and environmental damage. Shampoo and condition normally then apply to towel dried hair and comb through. |
| Kenra Nourishing Masque | weekly deep conditioner | Once per week we need to replenish the protein and moisture lost to daily environmental exposure and hot tools to improve manageability. This deep conditioner penetrates the cuticle layer leaving you with shiny, frizz free hair. |
| Olaplex N°.3 | weekly bond builder | This hair damage repair treatment is clinically proven to create 3X stronger,* softer hair.** It rebuilds all 3 hair bonds deep in every strand for 360° repair and damage defense—past, present, and future. For all hair types and all types of damage. Fast. Easy. Protein-free and color-safe. |
| DIY Option | Once a week | Mix 1 × avocado, 1 × honey, and a few drops of argan oil; leave on for 30 minutes, then rinse.Avacado deeply moisturize dry strands, tame frizz, restore elasticity to prevent breakage, and honey boosts shine and contains antibacterial properties that support a healthy scalp. Argan oil adds brilliant, healthy shine without weighing your hair down |
The 4th type of conditioner that I recommend is a toning conditioner. Toning conditioners temporarily change the tonal value of your hair. These conditioners are used as a color refresh anytime. Color enhancing conditioners are designed to keep your color looking good between salon visits or as a temporary color refresh. *Be sure to wear gloves and for optimal performance leave in for about 10 minutes and rinse, then use your leave in conditioner to “lock in” your efforts.
| Product | Frequency | Why you need it: |
| Moroccan Oil Color Conditioning Masque | As needed. When you feel your toning shampoo is not enough or you want it to last longer, use in combination with your toning shampoos. | To fight brassiness and to take light blondes and grey from cool to ice-cold, choose the “Platinum” shade. |
| Wella Color Fresh Mask | As needed. When you feel your toning shampoo is not enough or you want it to last longer, use in combination with your toning shampoos. | Be sure to wear gloves. Apply generously to pre-shampooed, towel-dried hair. Leave on for up to 10 minutes. Rinse, then style. Use weekly at home or between salon visits for a temporary color refresh. |
Gloss/Glaze Shine Products
Incorporating a glaze or gloss into your routine is a game-changer for maintaining the beauty and health of grey hair. Because grey hair naturally lacks pigment, it is often more porous, coarse, and susceptible to environmental aggressors like UV rays, pollution, and hard water, which can easily cause it to turn dull or take on an unwanted yellow tint. Gloss or glaze acts as a protective, semi-permanent seal that coats the hair cuticle, smoothing down frizz and reflecting light to deliver an incredible, diamond-like shine. Beyond providing a brilliant, high-gloss finish, this treatment locks in essential moisture, enhances manageability, and neutralizes brassy undertones without altering your natural color. The result is vibrant, silky-soft, and luminous grey hair that looks effortlessly healthy and polished.
| Product | Frequency | Why you need it: |
| L’Oreal Paris Le Color One Step Toning Hair Gloss | Each application lasts about 10 days, so depending on frequency of washing. If you shampoo 3x week, use this product 1 x every 3-4 weeks | This gloss enhances your natural color without shifting the tone, boosts shine and deeply conditions in one step, leaving hair looking unbelievably healthy, with a fresh hint of color. |
| IGK Expensive Clear Gloss Top Coat, High Shine Hair Gloss Treatment | Use it in place of conditioner 1 to 2 times a week. | It helps seal the cuticle to enhance vibrancy, bring out dimension, and help protect against fading from heat tools and UV exposure. |
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