Is Baking Soda Good For Gray Hair?

Gray hair can be a beautiful testament to life’s journey, but keeping those silver strands vibrant and healthy comes with its own set of challenges.

If you’ve noticed dullness, discoloration, or a lack of shine, you might be wondering about natural ways to enhance your gray locks.

I’ve explored some tried-and-true methods and tips to help keep those grays looking their best—and baking soda plays a surprising role.

Let’s talk about how this household staple and a few other DIY tricks can work wonders.

Key Takeaways

Baking soda refreshes and brightens gray hair by removing buildup and discoloration.
A coconut milk and honey mask deeply moisturizes and softens coarse gray strands.
Chamomile tea boosts shine and brightens silver tones naturally.
Hemi15 in products like 4U By Tia strengthens and hydrates gray hair without heaviness.
Regular care with sulfate-free shampoos, conditioning masks, heat protection, and trims ensures healthy gray hair.
Natural remedies like baking soda, honey, and chamomile offer gentle, effective solutions for vibrant gray locks.

Why Baking Soda Works for Gray Hair

Baking soda is one of those versatile ingredients that never seems to go out of style. Known for its mildly abrasive properties, it’s a great way to gently remove buildup from pollutants, hard water, and styling products. For gray hair, which can sometimes appear dull or yellowish, baking soda offers a natural method to lift unwanted tones without harsh chemicals.

Here’s how I’ve used it: Mix ¼ cup of baking soda with a tablespoon of water to form a paste. Rub it onto damp hair for about a minute, then let it sit for 10 minutes before rinsing. It’s simple, effective, and leaves your hair feeling refreshed. Just don’t overdo it—baking soda’s pH is higher than what your scalp and hair are used to, so moderation is key.

Softening Coarse Strands with a Coconut Milk and Honey Mask

A Bowl of Honey Being Drizzled Over Coconut Milk, with A Coconut Half in The Background — Your gray hair will feel softer, look shinier, and become much easier to manage

Gray hair often brings a shift in texture, with strands becoming drier, coarser, and sometimes even more brittle. It’s not just an aesthetic issue—it can make daily styling more challenging.

That’s why I swear by a coconut milk and honey mask. It’s one of those remedies that feels indulgent but is also incredibly practical for restoring moisture and softness to thirsty gray hair.

Let’s talk about what makes this duo so effective. Coconut milk is rich in fatty acids like lauric acid, which penetrate deep into the hair shaft to provide intense hydration.

This makes it a powerhouse for softening and smoothing even the most wiry strands. Plus, it’s loaded with vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5, and B6, all of which work together to strengthen hair from root to tip.

And then there’s honey—the ultimate multitasker. Honey is a natural humectant, which means it attracts and retains moisture. It doesn’t just hydrate the hair surface; it helps lock that hydration in for longer-lasting results. Honey also has mild antibacterial properties, which can be great for maintaining a healthy scalp environment.

@naturaleecurls Coconut milk hair mask Recipe for Coconut Milk Herbal Flaxseed Hair Mask Ingredients • 1 cup coconut milk (deeply hydrates and nourishes hair) • 1 tablespoon honey (a natural humectant to lock in moisture) • 1 teaspoon rosemary (stimulates the scalp and promotes hair growth) • 1 tablespoon flaxseeds (adds shine and definition while strengthening strands) • 1 teaspoon cloves (stimulates circulation for healthy hair growth) • 1/2 cup aloe water (soothes the scalp and boosts hydration; made by soaking aloe pieces in water and straining) Instructions: 1. Prepare your aloe water by soaking aloe pieces in water for 2-4 hours, then strain. 2. In a small pot, combine flaxseeds, rosemary, and cloves with 1 cup of water. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes to release the nutrients. 3. Strain the mixture using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove all solids. Let it cool. 4. In a mixing bowl, combine the strained flaxseed, rosemary, and clove infusion with coconut milk, honey, and aloe water. 5. Mix thoroughly until well-blended. 6. Apply to freshly washed, damp hair from root to tip. 7. Detangle from end to root 8. Continue with regular shampoo routine #haitrmask #hairgrowth #4chairstyles ♬ Life Will Be – Cleo Sol

Here’s how I prepare this nourishing mask:

Ingredients: Combine ½ cup of coconut milk with 2 tablespoons of honey. Make sure you mix it thoroughly to get a smooth, even consistency.
Application: Start with damp hair—this helps the mixture spread more easily and ensures that the strands absorb all those nourishing nutrients. Use your fingers or a wide-tooth comb to distribute the mask evenly from roots to ends.
Wait Time: Let the mask sit for about 15 minutes. You can use this time to relax with a book, listen to music, or even meditate. If you want to enhance the effect, cover your hair with a shower cap to trap heat, which helps the ingredients penetrate more deeply.
Rinse: After the wait, rinse your hair thoroughly with lukewarm water. Follow up with your regular shampoo and conditioner if needed, but you’ll likely notice how soft and smooth your hair feels right away.

The best part? This mask isn’t just for quick fixes. Use it weekly, and you’ll start to see a noticeable improvement in texture over time.

Pro tip: If you want to boost the mask further, add a teaspoon of olive oil or a few drops of argan oil for extra hydration. Both oils complement the coconut milk and honey beautifully, adding an extra layer of nourishment that’s perfect for particularly coarse or dry hair.

Boosting Shine with Chamomile Tea

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A post shared by The Rosy Ranch | Catie (@therosyranch)

For an extra touch of radiance, I turn to chamomile tea. It’s not just for calming your nerves—it works wonders on gray hair, too. The bisabolol in chamomile has natural brightening properties, perfect for enhancing your silver tones.

Here’s my go-to recipe: Steep three chamomile tea bags in two cups of boiling water. Let it cool and pour over damp hair. Leave it on for about 10 minutes, then rinse. For an added boost, mix in ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Keeping Gray Hair Strong and Healthy

Maintaining strength and resilience in gray hair is essential. With age, hair becomes more prone to thinning and breakage. Moisturizing regularly can work wonders.

Hair expert Mimi Lu highlights the importance of using products containing Hemi15, a biotech ingredient derived from sugarcane. This lightweight oil penetrates the hair shaft, delivering moisture without weighing hair down.

Lu recommends 4U By Tia, a gentle hair care system infused with Hemi15, to tackle dryness and brittleness while enhancing manageability.

Quick Tips for Gorgeous Grays

A Woman with Beautiful Gray Hair Looking Thoughtfully to The Side — Gray hair is more prone to heat damage, so use a heat protectant spray

Wash Wisely: Use sulfate-free shampoos to avoid stripping natural oils.
Condition Regularly: Deep conditioning masks are your best friend.
Heat Protection: Gray hair can be more vulnerable to heat damage, so always use a heat protectant spray.
Trim Often: Regular trims help maintain healthy ends and prevent split ends from traveling up the hair shaft.

Embracing Natural Remedies

For anyone who’s tired of harsh chemicals and constant salon visits, natural solutions like baking soda, coconut milk, honey, and chamomile tea offer gentle yet effective care for gray hair. Plus, they’re easy to incorporate into your routine.

Gray hair tells a story—your story. Keeping it healthy and vibrant is all about finding what works for you, pampering your strands, and embracing their beauty.