29 Trendiest Salt and Pepper Hair Color Ideas for Women

Avery Hunt
Avery Hunt Hair Colorist

Submit to aging by embracing it instead of going against it. Trendy salt and pepper hair is a seamless concoction of black and gray tones with traces of white. It allows your hair to unravel its metamorphosis and offers a great way to showcase your coming of age.

Salt and pepper hair is one of the most coveted hues for women to try, but its upkeep varies. Samantha Peters, a hairstylist from Sunshine Coast, BC, debunks the myth of the hue. “Sometimes, women don’t get that the color might need higher upkeep than they thought,” she says.

Peters explains how it all depends on your natural hair color. “If you already have salt and pepper hair hue naturally, it may not call for high maintenance,” she says. “If you have darker hair naturally with no salt and pepper shades in your hair, you might demand higher upkeep.”

According to Peters, patience is a vital component in attaining a gray hue. It involves close contact with your stylist, frequent salon visits, and high-quality hair products.

Before your next hair coloring appointment, check out these popular photos of the best salt and pepper hair color ideas.

Photos
Contrasting salt and pepper ombre
Instagram @mypathtosilver

#1: Contrasting Salt and Pepper Ombre

Salt and pepper ombre is a great way to add contrasting colors to your gray hair without worrying about high upkeep. Having your natural hair color as the base and the statement color blended at your ends will give your root regrowth a seamless grow-out. Remember that a layered haircut may affect the color placement and that a one-length cut would probably work better with a multi-dimensional hue.

See more shades of silver ombre.

Salted and Peppered Bob Cut
Instagram @nacirsomera

#2: Salted and Peppered Bob Cut

A bob haircut is a great style for salt and pepper hair, as it beautifully accentuates the color. The stacked bob haircut lets you showcase your grays effectively.

#3: Flattering Salt and Pepper Style

You don’t have to sacrifice style for natural hair color as you age. Embrace your salt-and-pepper style by choosing a hair color that enhances natural tones. Ask about hand painting the highlights for a seamless blend with your natural color. If you choose a color that flatters your natural hair, you can feel confident and beautiful at any age.

Tapered Salt and Pepper Pixie Cut
Instagram @jessicaevelym_

#4: Tapered Salt and Pepper Pixie Cut

If you’re searching for a chic and timeless hairstyle, a tapered salt and pepper pixie might be what you need. This hair color blends shades of gray and black, creating a vivid contrast that gives depth and dimension to your look. The hues match a wide range of skin tones, from fair to deep, and they can highlight your natural features. This hair color is an excellent choice if you want a low-maintenance look. Invest in some good styling products to enhance your locks!

Dark Roots with Salt-and-Pepper Bobbed Hair
Instagram @seolahair

#5: Dark Roots with Salt-and-Pepper Bobbed Hair

Consider dark roots with salt and pepper bobbed hair, especially if you want less maintenance to your bleached or highlighted roots. Or to add some extra dimension to your already blonde hair. You want to take advantage of this salt and pepper look!

Salt and Pepper Brushed Up Pixie
Instagram @50s_stylingup

#6: Salt and Pepper Brushed Up Pixie

Go for an ageless look with salt and pepper brushed-up pixie. Cutting off dead limp strands is beneficial to the health of your hair and will make your hair look thicker. Aging hair gets thinner over time, and a pixie cut will refresh those ends and make you feel ten years younger.

Voluminous salt and pepper balayage curls on medium-length hair

#7 Impressive Salt and Pepper Highlights on Darker Hair

This hairstyle captures the elegance of salt and pepper curls that bring drama and volume. A dynamic balayage technique merges silver and ebony tones, enhancing the hair’s natural thickness and creating a look with undeniable presence. Ideal for those seeking boldness with minimal root upkeep, though curl maintenance may require specific care for definition and health. Embrace the transition to gray with this striking yet manageable style.

Tapered Salt and Pepper Pixie
Instagram @kaya__kaia

#8: Tapered Salt and Pepper Pixie

A tapered pixie is a great style if you want to change up your regular haircut. For reference, show your hairstylist this photo of the salt and pepper hair style. Ask for a tapered texturized pixie with a long disconnected side bang.

#9: Natural-Looking Salt and Pepper Hair

Consider natural salt and pepper hair if you want your hair to be natural-looking. Adding platinum highlights and deep rich lowlights to your hair color will add brightness instantly! The hue is perfect for blending in your natural grays.

Lived-In Salt and Pepper Color Melt
Instagram @anna.arms.hair

#10: Lived-In Salt and Pepper Color Melt

Ask for a color melt if you want a lived-in color that compliments your natural hair color. This is more maintenance than a full session; color melting helps to preserve your previous treatment (balayage, foiling, etc.) while embracing the true color of your hair.

Brunette Hair with Salt and Pepper Highlights
Instagram @pat_ricciuti

#11: Brunette Hair with Salt and Pepper Highlights

Brunettes with salt and pepper highlights add sparkle and shine to solid brown hair. Rich brown hair with natural silver streaks is a subtle way to embrace your grey while remaining a brunette. You can check the shades of your salt and pepper hair by pulling your hair back away from your face and looking in the mirror to reflect how the lighter colors suit your skin tone.

Salted and peppered hair for women over 60
Instagram @pat_ricciuti

#12: Salted and Peppered Hair for Women Over 60

If you’re a woman over 60, salted and peppered hair color can be done in a funky and modern way. 60-year-old women should consider trying a fun, edgy pixie cut by embracing their natural hair color. It allows you to be youthful-looking while sporting a trendy, low-maintenance haircut at the same time.

#13: Gorgeous Grey Hair Color with Dark Streaks

Grey hair color with dark streaks will make your hair stand out from the crowd. Bold hues are funky and bring individuality and contrast to your hair color. Bring white and silver streaks around your face to help accentuate your face and soften dark brown or black hair hues.

Mature dark salt and pepper hair
Instagram @hue_and_snip

#14: Mature Dark Salt and Pepper Hair

Dark salt and pepper hair is full of dimension and will look great on your skin tone. Darker hair tends to take on deeper silver and brown tones than white tones when going grey, which helps suit women with dark skin complexion.

#15: Popular Salt and Pepper Reverse Ombre

A salt and pepper reverse ombre is a statement hair color that is very popular. When embracing grey and growing out, it’s best to allow your hair to do so naturally to avoid bleaching and damaging hair. Be vigilant about getting regular haircuts for salt and pepper hair to keep your mane looking and feeling its best. Blue or purple shampoos are needed to combat brassy tones.

Very low-maintenance salt and pepper haircut
Instagram @silver_is_sexy

#16: Very Low-Maintenance Salt and Pepper Hair

Low-maintenance salt and pepper hair gives you a breath of fresh air. The best way to speed up growing out your colored hair to reveal your all-natural grey is by doing the “big chop” and sporting a super beautiful shorter haircut, like a pixie cut. Rocking your natural salt n pepper hair color will boost confidence and free you from monthly root touch-up appointments.

Sexy & Dimensional Salt and Pepper Hair
Instagram @elizasanta15

#17: Dimensional Salt and Pepper Hair

Dimensional salt and pepper hair complement all skin tones with cool, salt grey undertones. Your hairstylist will use a type of salt and pepper hair dye called a toner. It will help you get cool-toned hues while keeping your hair from looking brassy. The toning service is done every 2-4 months to keep the vibrance of your long salt and pepper hair.

#18: Flattering Salt and Pepper with Black Undertones

Salt and pepper hair colors with black undertones give gorgeous contrast and depth to your hair color. Ask your stylist to create a money piece in your hair by lightening and toning the face-framing layers while leaving depth. Embracing your salt and pepper curly hair is liberating and freeing.

Effortless Brown Hair with Silver Strands
Instagram @dianemguy

#19: Effortless Brown Hair with Silver Strands

Brown hair with silver strands adds brightness and life to all-over brown-colored tresses. Low-maintenance and natural hair colors are all the rage, so embrace your grays and let them shine through your long hair. When considering hairstyles for salt and pepper hair, opt for a longer-length cut with several face-framing layers to accentuate your grey hues.

#20: Stunning Silver Hair Color for Medium-Length Hair

Silver hair color for medium-length hair is right on trend and extremely low-maintenance. Salt and pepper hair has grey streaks that sparkle with a deep, dark strip that pops. A shoulder-length haircut with lots of layers makes styling easy and allows for a “wash and go” hairstyle.

#21: Classy Color for Short Hair

This color for short hair creates a fun way of pairing your gray hair with a textured style. Salt and pepper hair color ideas and dimensional salt and pepper haircuts are a great combination. The piecey colors and several layers complement your overall style.

#22: Blended Salt and Pepper Hair Color

Salt and pepper hair color is a natural way of blending in your gray hair. Salt and pepper gray hair naturally grows in small pieces and typically will have different levels of gray throughout your tresses. Having colors in your hair repeats this natural pattern creating a seamless, natural finish. Avoid chlorinated water as it leaves a green residue on your hair.

Gorgeous Light Salt and Pepper Hair
Instagram @erikamarie72

#23: Gorgeous Light Salt and Pepper Hair

Light salt and pepper hair are perfect for women with light-colored eyes and lighter skin tones. It will brighten the overall look. Using purple shampoo is more effective on light hair hues.

#24: Very Light Salt and Pepper for Women Over 70

If you’re a woman over the age of 70, having a very light hair color is flattering. It offers a youthful-looking glow for the elderly. The bright hue will not wash your skin out, and the darker tone will give some movement to your hair. The added bright highlights are an easy way to give the appearance of fuller-looking hair since the multiple colors give added volume and depth to your tresses.

#25: Modern Salt and Pepper Hair with Lowlights

Salt and pepper hair with lowlights is a great hue for adding depth to graying hair. The darker grays will make your brighter pieces pop. Consider a subtle lowlight underneath to have a softer root grow-out.

#26: Stunning Gray Hair Color with Light Streaks

Gray hair color with light streaks is a beautiful way to add a natural brightness and movement. The salt and pepper tones complement each other and can create a more textured style. To achieve a grayish color, tell your stylist that you want the highlights to look natural with your gray and have a similar tone to blonde highlights.

#27: Trendy Salt and Pepper for Women Over 30

If you’re a woman over the age of 30, this color is a great choice to cool down skin tones and create a natural yet bold look. Remember that if your hair isn’t naturally light or already graying, it can take more than one color appointment to achieve this look. Women in their 30s benefit from this color as it will blend in the new grays as they poke out. It could also require frequent upkeep depending on how dark or light your hair was prior. Lighter hair will require less maintenance.

Naturally salt and pepper hair for women over 50
Instagram @kmello86

#28: Naturally Salt and Pepper Hair for Women Over 50

If you’re a woman over 50, Naturally salt and pepper hair offers a youthful touch to your tresses. Just as hair color changes, skin tone does as well. The cooler tones in the grays can brighten up your skin’s complexion. You will need a purple shampoo to protect your hair from sun exposure, mineral or product buildup, and even hard water when dealing with salt and pepper-colored hair.

Not sure if you want salt and pepper hair? Check out these hair color ideas for women over 50.

#29: Sophisticated Salt and Pepper for Women Over 40

If you are over the age of 40, these colors are trending huge at the moment. Women in their 40s are embracing their silver locks, and it’s stunning!