Argan Oil for Gray Hair: Softness, Shine and Yellowing

Argan oil is a good match for gray hair in small amounts: it softens the coarse, wiry feel many people notice as they go gray, adds shine to hair that can look dull, and helps smooth frizz. It will not bring back your natural color, and used heavily it can leave silver hair looking dingy, so the amount and how often you wash it out matter more than they do for darker hair.

Why gray hair feels different

Gray hair is not only a color change. As hair follicles age, the pigment-producing cells in the hair bulb decline, and graying correlates closely with chronological age.¹ A review of aging hair notes that gray hair is anecdotally coarser and less manageable than pigmented hair, often fails to hold a set, and resists taking up artificial color, all of which point to changes in the fiber itself.¹

There is measurable evidence behind some of that. In a study of more than 3,000 scalp hairs from women, white hairs were on average thicker than pigmented hairs from the same heads and had a more developed medulla, the soft central core of the strand.² The aging-hair review adds that white hair has been found to be more sensitive to weathering, the everyday wear that roughens the surface.¹

The result is hair that can feel wiry, stick out at odd angles, frizz more easily and lose its shine. That is the part of gray hair where a light oil can genuinely help.

What argan oil can do for gray and silver hair

Soften coarse, wiry texture

A thin film of oil makes strands feel smoother and more pliable and helps them lie together rather than springing apart. Lab research shows oil films on hair also slow how quickly water moves in and out of the fiber, which the researchers compared to moisturizing hair.³

Add shine

Silver and white hair can look flat because a roughened surface scatters light. A trace of oil smooths the surface so it reflects more evenly. On gray hair, the key word is trace: just enough to catch the light.

Calm frizz and flyaways

The same lubrication that softens texture helps keep the halo of wiry strands in check. For more on frizz and rough ends, our guide to argan oil for frizzy hair and damaged hair goes into detail.

Some support for colored gray hair

Many people color or blend their grays. One small lab study found that adding 1% argan oil to a conditioner used after an ultra-blond oxidative dye reduced protein loss from the hair, compared with the same conditioner without oil.⁴ It was done on hair samples rather than people, but it is a reasonable sign that oil-based care fits alongside color. If you color, our guide to argan oil for bleached or colored hair covers timing around appointments.

Can argan oil reverse gray hair?

No. There is no evidence that argan oil, or any other oil, restores pigment to gray hair. The aging-hair review cited above concludes that, in the absence of a natural way to reverse graying, hair colorants remain the mainstay for regaining lost color.¹ Be wary of any product or post claiming otherwise.

More broadly, a 2022 systematic review of coconut, castor and argan oil for hair found no significant clinical evidence that argan oil improves hair growth or quality.⁵ Its benefits for gray hair are cosmetic: how it looks and feels while the oil is on. Our overview, is argan oil good for hair, sets out what it can and cannot do in general.

Does argan oil turn gray hair yellow?

This is the most common worry, and the honest answer is that we found no study showing argan oil yellows gray hair, and no study showing it does not. What we can say is what research shows about yellowing in general, and where oil might plausibly play a part.

What the research says about yellowing

Yellowing in white and gray hair is real but not fully understood. A conference study of gray hair from 11 people found that the amount of yellowness varied widely and linked it to the breakdown of tryptophan, an amino acid in hair.⁶ A separate lab study, though, found that virgin white hair actually became less yellow after exposure to UV-containing light, and that infrared was the only radiation that made it yellower; it also could not directly link tryptophan loss to yellowness.⁷ In other words, the causes are debated.

Where oil could contribute

Argan oil is itself a pale gold color, and like all plant oils it slowly oxidizes over time. A heavy layer left on white hair for days, mixed with styling products and everyday grime, can plausibly dull its brightness. That is reasoning rather than tested fact, but the precautions are simple and cost nothing:

• Use very little. One to two drops for short hair, three for long hair. If you can see or feel the oil, it is too much.
• Keep it off the roots. Oil collects fastest at the scalp, where gray regrowth is brightest.
• Wash it out regularly. Do not let oil and products sit for many days. An occasional clarifying shampoo helps remove residue.
• Use fresh oil. Store your bottle away from heat and light, and replace it if it smells sharp or stale. See does argan oil expire for how to tell.
• Consider a toning shampoo. Purple or violet shampoos counteract yellow tones by color correction and can be used alongside oil.

How to use argan oil on gray hair

Our full guide to how to use argan oil for hair covers every method. For gray and silver hair, this routine keeps things soft without dulling the color.

1. Wash and condition. Condition the lengths and ends well; gray hair tends to feel drier there.
2. Apply to damp lengths. Warm one to three drops between your palms and smooth them through the mid-lengths and ends, not the roots.
3. Style as usual. Keep heat low. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests using the lowest heat setting and limiting hot tools.⁸
4. Touch up dry hair sparingly. On day two, rub half a drop between your palms until almost invisible and skim it over wiry flyaways.
5. Protect from the sun. Dermatologists suggest protecting colored hair from sun with a wide-brimmed hat or a leave-in conditioner containing zinc oxide.⁸ A hat is a simple habit for gray hair too.

Is argan oil the best oil for gray hair?

There is no head-to-head research ranking oils for gray hair, so "best" comes down to texture and color. Argan oil is light, absorbs into the surface without much greasiness, and has a mild scent when unroasted. Heavier oils and butters give more slip to very coarse or curly gray hair but are harder to keep from building up. Very dark or roasted oils are best avoided on white hair.

Our 100% organic argan oil is a single-ingredient, cold-pressed, unroasted kernel oil with no added fragrance or dyes, which matters when you are putting it on hair that shows everything.

Frequently asked questions

Is argan oil good for gray hair?

Yes, in small amounts. It softens the coarse, wiry texture common in gray hair, adds shine and calms frizz. Use one to three drops on the lengths and wash regularly to keep color bright.

Does argan oil turn gray hair yellow?

We found no study showing that it does. Yellowing in gray hair is linked in research to changes in the hair protein itself, but heavy oil and product buildup can plausibly dull white hair, so use very little and wash it out regularly.

Can argan oil reverse gray hair?

No. There is no evidence that argan oil or any other oil restores pigment. Hair color remains the only way to change the color of gray hair.

Why is my gray hair so wiry?

Research shows white hairs tend to be thicker and have a more developed central core than pigmented hairs, and gray hair is more sensitive to weathering. Together these changes can make it feel coarser and harder to manage.

Sources

1. Trüeb RM. Pharmacologic interventions in aging hair. Clin Interv Aging. 2006;1(2):121–129. Link
2. Van Neste D. Thickness, medullation and growth rate of female scalp hair are subject to significant variation according to pigmentation and scalp location during ageing. Eur J Dermatol. 2004;14(1):28–32. Link
3. Keis K, Huemmer CL, Kamath YK. Effect of oil films on moisture vapor absorption on human hair. J Cosmet Sci. 2007;58(2):135–145. Link
4. Faria PM, Camargo LN, Carvalho RSH, Paludetti LA, Velasco MVR, da Gama RM. Hair protective effect of argan oil (Argania spinosa kernel oil) and cupuassu butter (Theobroma grandiflorum seed butter) post treatment with hair dye. J Cosmet Dermatol Sci Appl. 2013;3:40–44. Link
5. Phong C, Lee V, Yale K, Sung C, Mesinkovska N. Coconut, castor, and argan oil for hair in skin of color patients: a systematic review. J Drugs Dermatol. 2022;21(7):751–757. Link
6. Daly S, Bianchini R, Polefka T, Jumbelic L, Jachowicz J. Fluorescence and coloration of grey hair (conference abstract). J Cosmet Sci. 2008;59(4):358–359. Link
7. Nogueira AC, Richena M, Dicelio LE, Joekes I. Photo yellowing of human hair. J Photochem Photobiol B. 2007;88(2–3):119–125. Link
8. American Academy of Dermatology. How to stop damaging your hair. Link