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In partnership with Arey. Editor’s Note: We only select and work with partners that meet our quality standards, so you can rest assured we only endorse products we believe in.
As a ripe 30-something year-old, I never thought I’d be dealing with grey hairs until I was near retirement. Then, at the age of 26—thanks to a lot of chronic stress and inflammaging—I discovered my first grey, which I swore to become proactive about if it was “the last thing I did.” “Not on my watch!” I told that single strand.
Now, several years (and greys later), I’m more focused than ever before on eclipsing my hair’s aging process as quickly as possible—especially because I have no plans to color my hair anytime soon (spoken as a proud dye virgin!).
Enter: Arey, The Wrinkle Cream of Haircare. Just when I was starting to give up hope that root-led redemption was in my future, I had the privilege of trying their Full Arey, attempting to see if the brand’s pigment promise was all it was hyped up to be.
What Makes Arey Different
Most haircare brands treat grey hair as a cosmetic issue. Dye it. Gloss it. Mask it. Arey takes a completely different approach.
Greys don’t start at the strand, they start inside the follicle. According to Arey co‑founders Allison Conrad and Jay Small, pigment loss is driven by oxidative stress, nutrient depletion, and a gradual decline in pigment‑producing cells as we age.
“Most traditional haircare is reactive,” they explain. “Hair dye, for example, masks greys once they appear, but it doesn’t address why pigment loss happens in the first place. In fact, repeated dyeing can contribute to additional oxidative stress on the scalp over time.”
Arey’s solution? Focus on the biology of hair aging itself.
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- All of Arey’s products work synergistically together to both support hair health as well as prevent future greys (and even reverse some newbies)
- Their focus on scalp health has drastically changed my hair, hair growth, and hair integrity
- Arey’s patented Mela-9™ Complex is a blend of antioxidants, extracts and a clinically efficacious peptide that work together in a gentle yet effective way
- The brand has run extensive consumer studies to prove the efficacy of their scientifically backed ingredients
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- I found myself leaning hard on a few products vs. using absolutely everything all the time since it could feel a bit overwhelming to try to hit all of the “grey-test hits,” so I went with what fit with my routine.*
*The good news: You don’t need to use everything, everywhere, all at once in order to see results.
A Refresh on the Grey Zone
There’s a reason the term inflammaging has been ripping through the zeitgeist recently. With the environment on fire, nutrient-deficient soil, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals in our home and hygiene products, chronic inflammation that leads to premature aging is on the rise.
While it affects all parts of our bodies and thereby our health, inflammaging specifically affects our hair’s melanin, texture, and volume. Co-Founders Jay Small and Allison Conrad shared that aging—prematurely or not—causes our hair to undergo pigment and volume loss while becoming brittle, coarse, and dry.
Jay explained that hair color is produced by melanin cells, which gives hair its pigment. “When the body lacks the nutrients to potentiate the cells, the hair will start to depigment, which results in grey hair. Oxidative stress from UV exposure, smoking, pollution, and certain chemicals in beauty products or hair dyes can also contribute to loss of pigment in our hair strands.”
As I came to understand it, a little oxidative stress every day is totally normal, and in fact, induces an antioxidant reaction from the body to course correct the nasty free radicals trying to attack our bodies on a cellular level. However, when you’re experiencing chronic stress (and therefore chronic inflammation), you end up with a depleted supply of antioxidants that were meant to help your body recover from post-oxidative exposure.
The result? Signs of aging like grey hair, hair loss, or wrinkles. Funnily enough, genetics only account for about 30% of why we go grey, with only one gene that is linked to grey hair—the IRF4 gene—while lifestyle, diet, and environmental factors such as oxidative stress and aging contribute significantly to the remaining 70%.
The Science: Mela‑9® Complex
At the core of Arey’s formulas is its patented Mela‑9® Complex - a blend of antioxidants and a clinically effective peptide designed to support pigment‑producing cells at the root of the hair.
Unlike many scalp serums and treatments that rely heavily on oils or fragrance (which can interfere with absorption), Mela‑9® is formulated without fillers. This allows the actives to reach the follicle more effectively, helping defend against oxidative stress - one of the primary drivers of grey hair and thinning over time.
Jay and Allison shared, “Like with skincare, we like to give people the choice to be proactive (rather than reactive) with their haircare routine.”
In short: Arey treats hair aging the way good skincare treats skin aging.
The Grey-test Hits
As a wellness writer, I’m constantly trying so many different products of all kinds. Candidly, very few things that cross my proverbial desk become a permanent fixture in my kitchen pantry, bedroom mantel, or bathroom shelf. Arey is one of the few that has become a mainstay in my self-care regimen.
During my initial trial of their Fullest Arey, I discovered that I need to be spending more time tending to my scalp, and that—in the same way I use a serum on my face or take supplements for my overall wellbeing—I need to be doing the same for my hair health.
Pleased with how my hair was looking and feeling (even my team of practitioners claim my hair is looking better than it’s looked in years), I’ve kept up with the Arey system since last November, adamantly recommending it to any and all who ask me what they should do about their hair’s growth, color, or texture.
The key things I’ve noticed:
- Significant hair growth
- Improvement in overall volume
- Increased strand strength and less breakage
- My natural color is more vibrant
- Fewer greys popping up
The products I’m still obsessing over (and how I use them):
No matter what I’m doing, where I am, or where I’m going, Arey’s serum is a must-have at all times. This proactive and clean topical serum leverages the brand’s patent-pending Mela-9™ Complex to specifically target and repigment grey hair while also promoting thicker, fuller, healthier hair.
Without fail, I use To The Root every night. It’s dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic, and oil-free, which means my hair never feels greasy or looks weighed down the next day. I simply apply the serum across my hair line, focusing a little heavier on grey-specific areas, and massage it into my scalp using my finger tips.
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Not Today Grey is a once-daily oral supplement that delivers vitamins, minerals and antioxidants with the added benefit of Fo-Ti (an ancient Chinese herb that is largely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to repigment hair and build blood flow).
Of all the steps, I have to say this is one of the few that I’ve not been amazing at keeping up with—not because it’s not effective, but mostly because I’m on a #healthjourney, where my medicine cabinet is already full of supplements so I need to be mindful about many things I’m taking at a given time.
HOWEVER, when things calm down on my end, I fully intend to revisit Arey’s proprietary blend. It is one of the few hair supplements I’ve seen on the market that is not overloaded with things like biotin—instead, promising a more balanced, synergistic combination of vitamins and nutrients that support one’s overall health.
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I would like to take a moment of silence for Arey’s Wash & Smooth shampoo and conditioner. I’ve been hooked since Day 1. Of the two, the Wash is the most critical given that it contains Arey’s patent-pending peptide, but that doesn’t mean that Smooth isn’t a star in its own right. With potent ingredients like Argan Oil, Arey’s conditioner supports aging hair with or without Mela-9™.
No joke, this shampoo / conditioner combo has been a tried-and-true part of my routine since I tried it last fall. One hot tip: Arey recommends keeping Wash in your hair for several minutes. I find it easiest to do on nights that I’m exfoliating (or shaving my legs), so I can pass the time while letting the ingredients “get to work.”
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Every day, we (hopefully) use SPF to protect our skin from UV damage and exposure. But what about our hair? Arey’s mist is designed to smooth and detangle hair while also providing clinically-proven protection against UV rays.
Now that it’s hiking weather in LA, I have found myself using the leave-in conditioner a lot more like a sunscreen for my hair before I know I’m about to be in the sun for a long time, and have noticed that my hair is always silky smooth post-hike—even if I’ve been sweating (which is novel!). I will surely be taking this on vacation with me this summer.
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This dry shampoo is hands down one of the best dry shampoos I’ve ever used. Wait A Sec® is a science-backed powder dry shampoo that adds volume and includes Arey’s clinically efficacious peptide combined with antioxidants to preserve and stimulate pigment.
Every time I use it, I’m amazed how it manages to blend in well with my hair, immediately bringing dry, Day-3, unwashed hair back to life (when I just need to push things one more day). I also revel in knowing that I’m managing to treat my greys while also not looking like “a trash human.”
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Even though I wash my hair twice a week, I make sure to use Arey’s Scalp Exfoliant once a week. Again, if it’s so important to exfoliate our faces and skin to prevent build up, why wouldn’t we do the same for our scalps?
I’ve seen a huge difference in using this clarifying, deep-cleansing exfoliant, including way less hair fall. For years, I couldn’t figure out why I was losing so much hair, but now I know that things like sweat and dead skin cells can block the hair follicles, which can result in premature aging and hair loss. No thanks!
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Arey’s product line is continuing—like my hair—to grow. In fact, I noticed that they recently came out with Calm It Down™, the first-ever scalp serum that is clinically effective to soothe and nourish the scalp after it is exposed to hair dyes, relaxers or other chemicals. Even though there is so much newness to look forward to with Arey, my enthusiasm for the brand remains unchanged.
Get out of the grey zone and get 25% Off When You Subscribe (Free Gifts Too!) on Your Next Order.
Arey Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Arey different from traditional haircare or hair dye?
Most haircare is reactive, focusing on fixing visible issues after they show up. Hair dye, for example, only masks greys and doesn’t address why pigment loss happens in the first place.
As the Arey team puts it, “Greying begins inside the hair follicle. It’s driven by oxidative stress, nutrient depletion, and a gradual decline in pigment-producing cells as we age.” Traditional haircare doesn’t support that underlying biology. Arey was created to intervene earlier. “Instead of covering changes after the fact, our approach focuses on preserving pigment and overall hair health by working with the follicle itself.”
Does Arey actually reduce grey hair or just slow it down?
Greys aren’t an overnight switch. They’re a gradual biological process. Arey’s focus is on slowing progression and supporting pigment before greying accelerates, rather than promising instant reversal. That approach is backed by clinical data. In a six-month study, 88% of participants experienced less grey hair growth, and three times more people using Arey saw thicker, fuller hair compared to placebo.
What surprised the founders most was how fast greys can progress without intervention. “Over six months, the placebo group experienced 10% more grey hair, while participants using The System had 13% less grey hair over the same period.”
What is the Mela-9® Complex and why does it matter?
Mela-9® is Arey’s patented complex that combines antioxidants with a clinically effective peptide designed to support pigment-producing cells at the root of the hair.
According to the brand, “The antioxidants help neutralize free radicals within scalp tissue and support absorption, optimizing delivery of active ingredients to the hair follicle.” Unlike many serums that rely on oils or synthetic fragrance, Mela-9® is formulated without fillers that can interfere with absorption, allowing actives to reach the follicle more effectively.
By targeting oxidative stress (one of the primary drivers of hair aging), the complex offers a more proactive approach to preserving natural color and overall hair health.
Can grey hair actually be reversed?
Yes - in some cases, but timing matters. “Greying is a gradual biological process, not an instant switch,” the founders explain. In early stages, when follicles are still producing some pigment, supporting that process may help preserve natural color longer and even stimulate repigmentation.
In Arey’s clinical study, 39% of participants experienced repigmentation. Still, the brand is careful not to overpromise. “Our focus isn’t on promising reversal. The goal is to slow progression, protect existing pigment, and support healthier hair aging over time in a realistic, science-backed way.”
If I only try one Arey product, where should I start?
The founders consistently recommend The System, which combines internal and topical support to address hair aging at the follicle level.
“It’s our clinically proven approach to aging hair,” they say. “Designed for people beginning to notice greys, shifts in density, or changes in overall hair quality and who want a proactive, long-term solution rather than a cosmetic fix.”
Is a Scalp Brush actually worth it?
Scalp health is foundational to hair health. “Gentle, consistent stimulation supports circulation, helps lift buildup, and creates a healthier environment for the follicle,” the team explains. While simple, the Scalp Brush is designed to meaningfully complement the rest of the routine when used regularly, especially alongside topical treatments.
Is Arey Worth It?
If you’re looking for a quick fix or instant reversal, Arey probably isn’t for you. But if you care about preserving your hair’s pigment, density, and strength before significant loss sets in, it’s one of the smartest systems I’ve tried.
What keeps me loyal is Arey’s refusal to overpromise. The brand focuses on what’s realistic: protecting what you have, supporting the follicle, and aging your hair on your own terms. In a category crowded with cover‑ups, Arey feels refreshingly honest and genuinely science‑driven.
TL;DR: Arey doesn’t hide greys. It helps slow them down. And for me, that makes all the difference.
Get out of the grey zone and get 25% Off When You Subscribe (Free Gifts Too!) on Your Next Order.
