How To Dye Hair Silver At Home | Easy Gray/Platinum Blonde Hair Tutorial

Here are some tips on how to dye hair silver at home. Also, learn about the best silver hair dyes that are suitable for your hair type.

Remember Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones? Well, your opinions on the finale aside, you will agree that the Mother of Dragons had an awesome hair color!

Silver hair dyes have been the hottest trend in hair dyes for the last year and are set to stay. 

If you want to dye your hair silver at home, there are two options with which to achieve the perfect silver shade of your choice. 

You can either use a silver hair dye or by using toner on bleached or natural blonde hair. Either way, it is important to know the process involved to get the perfect silver hair.

Here’s how to dye hair silver at home using both a toner and a good quality silver hair dye. Check it out!

How To Dye Hair Silver At Home

Do you know how much it costs to dye your hair silver at a salon? Trust me, if you want to save up some dough, dyeing your hair silver at home is your best bet. And the process doesn’t have to be too tough either.

Step 1: Prepare Your Hair And Skin

A lot of people think bleaching is the first step to dying hair silver. However, there is some hair and skin prep that I’d like to follow first.

I always suggest people looking to dye their hair (any color) use a clarifying shampoo on their hair first as it removes oils and greasiness, making dye pigments penetrate strands better.

However, if you have chemically-processed hair or damaged hair you better skip this step as the natural oils on hair can protect it from bleach.

Another thing you need to keep in mind is to apply lotion or oil to your hands and smear a trail of Vaseline jelly around your hairline. This will keep the dye from staining your skin. 

Step 2: Bleach Your Hair To An Appropriate Level

If you have naturally light blonde hair or are transitioning to gray hair you can obviously skip this step. But for dark hair the only way to get silver hair color is by bleaching. 

Most stylists recommend bleaching your hair to a level 11 or more. This is the lightest level and your hair will usually appear “platinum blonde” after lightening at this level.

For this you can choose the right type of developer. I’d suggest going for a volume 20 developer if you have light brown or dark blonde hair. 

But for black hair or dark brown hair you should try a volume 30 developer or volume 40 developer. The latter is very powerful so I don’t recommend it if you have previously chemically-processed hair or damaged, fragile strands.

Step 3: Apply the Toner To Your Hair

Most people with blonde hair usually stop at this step, but you can either choose to use a silver hair toner to your bleached hair or go a step further and dye it in the shade you want. 

Usually a toner is supposed to contain blue/purple pigments that remove any shades or reddishness or brassy tones from bleached blonde hair.

This will result in your bleached blonde hair looking a cool, silvery shade. However, there might be some purple undertones visible or you might not get the exact shade of purple, so dyeing your hair is recommended. 

To use the toner simply apply it on bleached hair as you would a hair mask or a conditioner and let it sit for 20-30 minutes (as recommended by the brand). Then rinse it off with cool water. 

Related: Best Color Depositing Shampoo For Gray Hair

Step 4: Mix and Apply the Hair Dye

You can choose any semi-permanent or permanent silver hair color of your choice depending on your skin tone, hair color preferences, how long you want to keep the dye on and more. 

I always suggest sectioning your hair into small manageable pieces using hair clips before you start coloring. Also apply a layer of vaseline on your hands and hairline to prevent staining.

If you’ve bleached your hair you can use a regular silver hair dye but if you have blonde hair a high-lift hair dye might also be a good option.

These hair dyes contain extra ammonia and can lighten hair as they color it. So you don’t have to do the bleaching process. 

Apply the hair dye all over using a plastic brush and then leave it on for 25-30 minutes. You can then rinse it off with cold water.

I specifically suggest cold water as this seals your hair cuticles and smoothens them, making hair shinier and locking in the dye pigments. 

Step 5: Rinse Hair and Condition 

This is a step that most people do not care much about but is very important if bleach and strong hair dyes are involved. 

Lastly, I’d recommend you follow up with a deep conditioning hair mask that will help damaged, bleached hair regain some strength and elasticity. 

These hair masks can also prove useful in locking in color and removing brassy tones from hair, further enhancing your silver hair dye. 

How to get silver hair with toner?

To get silver hair with toner, it is best to first bleach your hair until it is a light blonde. Use a high-quality toner that is made specifically for bleached hair, as it will cover all the lighter parts of your hair. 

The toner will not work on your hair if it is not a white blonde first. Then coat your hair with the toner. If you do not know how to, a professional will be able to do it for you. 

Next, wash your hair and follow it up with a deep conditioner. If you want silver hair all the time, then you will want to repeat this process every month. If not, then you may want to stop the toner after two or three times.

How to go from black to silver hair at home?

Going from black to silver hair at home can be a challenging process, especially considering the significant contrast in colors. It requires multiple steps and may cause damage to your hair. If you’re willing to take on the task, here’s a general guide, but keep in mind that it’s essential to proceed with caution and be prepared for potential challenges:

1. Prepare Your Hair: Before starting the process, ensure your hair is in good condition. Trim any split ends and consider doing a deep conditioning treatment to strengthen your hair.
2. Color Strip: Since you’re transitioning from black, you’ll need to remove as much color as possible from your hair. You can use a color stripper or bleach, but be aware that these products can be damaging. Follow the instructions carefully and do a strand test first.
3. Bleach Bath: After color stripping, you may still have some residual color. You can perform a bleach bath to further lighten your hair without causing excessive damage. Mix bleach with shampoo and apply it to your hair.
4. Toning: Once your hair is lightened to a pale yellow, you’ll need to tone it to achieve a silver color. Use a silver or gray toner to neutralize any remaining warmth in your hair.
5. Silver Hair Color: Finally, apply the silver hair dye of your choice to achieve the desired silver tone. Follow the instructions on the dye carefully and leave it on for the recommended time.
6. Post-Color Care: After coloring, use a color-safe and nourishing shampoo and conditioner to maintain the vibrancy of your silver hair. Deep condition regularly to keep your hair healthy.

Please note that this process is intricate and can be damaging to your hair. It’s highly recommended to consult a professional hair colorist if possible, as they can safely guide you through the process and help minimize damage. Achieving silver hair from black at home requires expertise, and the risk of undesirable results or hair damage is higher when attempting it on your own.

What happens if you put silver dye on yellow hair?

If you put silver dye on yellow hair, the outcome may not be as desired. Yellow is the result of hair being lifted to a certain level during the bleaching process, and silver dye is typically designed to be applied on very light, pale blonde or platinum hair to achieve the desired silver hue.

When you apply silver dye on yellow hair:

1. Unwanted Tones: The yellow undertones in the hair can interfere with the silver dye, resulting in unwanted greenish or muddy tones.
2. Lack of Vibrancy: The silver dye may not show up as vibrant as it should on yellow hair. The yellow base can dull the silver color, making it look less intense.
3. Patchy Color: Yellow hair is not an even canvas for silver dye, and the color may appear uneven or patchy in some areas.
4. Fading Issues: The silver color may fade quickly on yellow hair, as the yellow undertones can affect the dye’s longevity.

To achieve the best results when aiming for silver hair, it’s crucial to start with a pale blonde or platinum base. If your hair is currently yellow, it’s best to wait and continue lightening or toning it until you achieve the appropriate lightness before applying the silver dye.

Remember that color results can vary depending on your hair’s porosity, condition, and the specific silver dye used. For the best and most consistent results, it’s always a good idea to consult a professional hair colorist, especially when working with complex color transformations like achieving silver hair. They can assess your hair’s condition and recommend the best course of action to achieve your desired silver hair color.

FAQs about How To Dye Hair Silver At Home 

If you want to dye your hair silver at home, you’ll need to bleach your hair first. 

You might need a stronger developer for dark brown or black hair as it’s best to lighten hair upto 11 levels to get the platinum blonde look.

However, if your hair is on the lighter brown/blonde side, a strong bleach might not be required and a high lift hair dye (that both lightens and dyes simultaneously) should be able to do the trick.

For those who want to get silver hair without dye. The best option is to lighten it to a platinum blonde shade using bleach and then using a toner to remove reddish tones/brassiness from the strands.

You will then be left with a bright silver hair color! 

Why You Should Trust Haireveryday?

The author of this article, Leah Marie Priest has a degree in Cosmetology with years of experience in dealing with hair care, scalp care, and hairstyling. As someone who extensively deals with all kinds of hair textures, products, styling methods and more, hair Leah Marie knows what kind of products and procedures suit each hair type and person. We have also tested these hair products and processes ourselves to provide you an unbiased review about every product. Each of our articles are also reviewed by a team of medical professionals so that you get the most accurate and expert-reviewed information.

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