Visiting the salon as frequently as every six to eight weeks to cover grays is a routine step for many women, but more and more people are deciding to ditch the dye. We’ve always thought gray hair is something to be embraced—it’s a sign of aging and its accompanying maturity and confidence. We have some tips on how to enhance your natural beauty if you’re considering staying gray.

Makeup for Gray Hair

As you make changes to your hair and let your grays grow in, you may also want to update the shades of makeup that you typically use. With gray hair, consider adding more color into your makeup routine, as you may find that it’s now easier to look washed out. 

Here are some ways you can bring out your natural features more while introducing color to your complexion. 

Prep Your Skin

One of our most important makeup tips has to do with what goes under your makeup. Caring for your skin and making sure it stays moisturized will give you the best canvas to apply your makeup, allowing products to sit better on your face.

As we age, our skin gets drier, and fine lines and wrinkles appear. Hydration becomes more important than ever. Drinking lots of fluids throughout the day is important, as is applying moisturizer. That should be one of the first things you do to start your day and one of the last things you do as well.

But before you moisturize, start with a clean face. Select a gentle cleanser that won’t strip your natural oils, like The Cleansing Stick. It’s our solid oil cleanser that easily dissolves your makeup and impurities. It’s a low-maintenance product that is easy to incorporate into your morning and nighttime routines.

Always follow up with a moisturizer, of course. For daytime wear underneath your makeup, our Light Moisture Cream is fast-absorbing and buildable. For the night, you’ll want a powerhouse hydrator, like our Miracle Cream. This cream is formulated with super-dry skin types in mind and will deliver intense moisture to refresh and plump up your skin.

The eyes are where the first signs of aging occur, and our Eye Cream delivers moisture instantly. It glides on delicate eye skin without tugging or pulling. It contains trehalose, a naturally occuring sugar that acts as an antioxidant to mitigate sun damage and signs of aging. 

Foundation

Foundations not formulated for dry skin can settle into fine lines and leave a cakey finish so keep a lookout for foundations that promise an extra dose of moisture.  

Our What The Foundation is formulated with extra moisture in mind, but it’s buildable so it blends seamlessly into your skin. It comes in 12 shades and you can easily find your perfect match with our quiz. 

Brows

Even if the hair on top of your head is turning gray, your eyebrows may stay the same shade they have always been. However, they may become more sparse, and filling in your brows can lend more definition to your features and help your eyes stand out. Use our Brow Pencil to fill in the brows with short strokes, simply and lightly following the natural shape of your brow.

Eyes

Eyes are always one of the first features people notice, and with gray hair, using the right products on your eyes are important in helping you look more lively and alert. Enhance your eye color with a wash of a pretty taupe, brown, or even shimmer to make your eye color pop; our Best Eyeshadow will have all the shades you need to complete this look. 

Eyeliner is also a great product to incorporate into your routine as it defines and accentuates your eyes with a subtle swipe of color. You should play around with different hues to find what looks best with your skin tone and eye color, but if you’re unsure where to start, we recommend experimenting with navy, brown, or black first. You don’t need much liner or even have to put it on perfectly to make a subtle but noticeable change. And for easy application with plenty of options, we love The Best Pencil.

And of course, top everything off with a few coats of mascara. Ultra inky and conditioning, The Mascara separates, lifts, and volumizes your lashes to add one last layer of definition to your eyes. 

Cheeks

We at Jones Road love a pretty pink blush, with good reason. A pink cheek works on everyone, giving you a natural wash of color that gives your complexion a perfect flush. This is definitely the place to add a pop of color, as opting for something more neutral may wash you out and dull your complexion. 

Lightly sweep our Best Blush, available in five variations of pink, across the apples of your cheeks to maintain a soft look, or layer on more as necessary to achieve a bolder complexion. To start with a shade that will look most natural, pinch your cheeks and take note of the pink that appears. 

Our Lip and Cheek Stick is great for dryer skin as it’s a creamy formulation. For extra pink and more staying power, layer this on top of your chosen powder blush. And if you're looking for an additional wash of color to enhance your skin, our Miracle Balm is a versatile way to give yourself an instant refresh. Plus, it's made with jojoba oil, an ultra-hydrating ingredient that nourishes dry skin.

Lips

Lips are another place where you can easily add color to your makeup routine—and you don’t always have to add a lot to make an impact. Start sheer and build from there with The Lip Tint. And if you’re opting for something more dramatic, you can create a bolder look by simply layering on more color.

A good rule to start with? Darker lips = darker shades. Lighter lips = lighter shades. Start there, but if you’re feeling adventurous, experiment. Reds and berry shades will always punch up your color. 

The Bottom Line

Gray hair is gorgeous—it’s a trend that many people are intentionally dyeing their hair—so you don’t need much to maintain your beauty. The philosophy behind Jones Road Beauty has always been about enhancing what you have, and looking like yourself, only better. And with gray hair, you don’t need to make any sweeping changes to your look. You can make a big impact with some of the subtlest changes, like finding ways to add more color and definition to your features.