Smoky gradations by Aveda’s Ian Michael Black.

After several seasons of pastels and vivids, the gray trend in haircolor has been like a cool compress for the eyes. These silvery hues bring a new sophistication to specialty color. But beware! Gray can go one of two ways—super chic or kinda granny. Here are some tips for playing with gray the right way!

Banish Warmth
“The trick when creating a great gray shade is to make sure as much warmth is removed from the hair as possible,” says Ian Michael Black, Aveda Global Artistic Director, Hair Color.