Alpecin Grey Attack: How It Works and When You See Results

Alpecin Grey Attack is a caffeine shampoo with a twist: wash by wash, it gradually darkens greying hair — no dye kit, no hard colour line, and the effect does not rinse back out. Here is how the colour actually builds, the realistic timeline, who it suits and who it will disappoint, and the honest evidence on the caffeine part of the story.

By the Hyde Park Pharmacy pharmacist team · Hyde Park Pharmacy, 22–24 Woodsley Road, Leeds LS3 1DT · Last updated 21 August 2026

What is Alpecin Grey Attack?

A daily-use caffeine and colour shampoo for men whose hair is starting to go grey. It is a cosmetic hair-care product from Dr. Kurt Wolff (the German maker of the Alpecin range) — not a medicine and not a conventional dye. The 200 ml bottle is £14.99 at our pharmacy.

It does two jobs at once: it washes like a normal daily shampoo (the manufacturer confirms it removes sebum and dirt, so you do not need a second shampoo), and with each wash it deposits the building blocks of colour that progressively tone grey hairs darker.

How the colour effect actually works

Grey Attack contains 5,6-DHI (5,6-dihydroxyindole) — a precursor of the natural hair pigment melanin. After washing, it reacts with oxygen in the air and forms colour pigments within the hair itself. Because the pigment forms inside the hair rather than coating the surface:

• The darkening is gradual — hair tones down over successive washes rather than changing colour overnight, so there is no “dyed on Tuesday” look.
• It does not wash out. Alpecin’s own Tuning Shampoo works differently — its surface pigments rinse away with a normal shampoo — but Grey Attack’s colour stays, and fades only as new hair grows through.
• It does not stain skin. The manufacturer states it is not a traditional colourant and does not discolour the scalp or hands during washing — just rinse the shower and towels properly.

How to use it for the best result

1. Use it daily in place of your normal shampoo — it is designed for everyday washing.
2. Leave it on for 2–5 minutes, counted from application to rinsing. Both the colour effect and the caffeine absorption increase with longer contact time — this is the step most people skip.
3. Rinse thoroughly, including the shower tray and any residue, then towel-dry as normal. Once rinsed and dried, no discolouration of clothes or pillows is expected.
4. Give it three weeks. The first visible change generally arrives after about 3 weeks of daily use. Once you like the shade, you can alternate it with a normal shampoo to maintain it.

Who it suits — and who it will disappoint

Best for: men with naturally light brown to black hair who are seeing their first greys, or are lightly grey, and want a gradual, deniable correction rather than a dye-day transformation. Used consistently, the effect can eventually show on beard hair too, though it is designed for the scalp.

Think twice if:

• Your hair is white or mostly white. The manufacturer’s own warning is blunt: it may cause violet discolouration on white hair. If that happens, stop using it.
• You are naturally blond. The result can simply read as “darker hair”, which may not be what you wanted.
• You want instant coverage. This is a three-week product by design. A conventional men’s dye is faster — and much more obvious.

The caffeine part, honestly

Every Alpecin product is built around a caffeine complex (caffeine, zinc and niacin) which the manufacturer says strengthens hair and, with daily use over about three months, improves hair strength. As pharmacists we owe you the other half of the picture: in a 2018 ruling, the UK Advertising Standards Authority examined the studies behind the claim that Alpecin’s caffeine shampoo “can help to reduce hair loss” and found them insufficient to substantiate it.

The practical takeaway: buy Grey Attack for what it demonstrably does — wash well and progressively tone grey hair — and treat the hair-strengthening side as a possible bonus, not the reason to buy. If actual hair loss is your concern, the treatments with real clinical evidence are minoxidil (available over the counter) and finasteride (prescription-only — supplied through our pharmacist-led hair loss service after an online consultation).

Which Alpecin should you pick?

We stock four Alpecin lines, and they solve different problems:

The Alpecin range at a glance

Four products, four different jobs — prices as stocked at Hyde Park Pharmacy.

Grey Attack

£14.99

Greying hair you want gradually darker. Caffeine + colour pigments, 200 ml.

View Grey Attack →

Caffeine Shampoo C1

£6.49

The original daily caffeine shampoo, 250 ml — no colour effect.

View C1 →

Double Effect

£8.49

Caffeine plus an anti-dandruff action for a flaky scalp, 200 ml.

View Double Effect →

Caffeine Liquid

£8.49

Leave-in scalp tonic for after washing — used alongside any shampoo, 200 ml.

View Caffeine Liquid →

All four are cosmetic hair-care products, not medicines. Grey Attack is the only one with the colour effect; the Liquid is a leave-in used in addition to, not instead of, shampoo.

Common questions

How much is Alpecin Grey Attack in the UK?

£14.99 for the 200 ml bottle at our pharmacy, in store or online. The rest of the Alpecin range starts at £6.49.

How long does it take to work?

First visible results generally arrive after about 3 weeks of daily use, leaving it on 2–5 minutes per wash. Longer contact time deepens the effect.

Does the colour wash out?

No. The pigments form inside the hair, so the shade you have built up stays and grows out with the hair — it does not rinse away like a surface tint.

Can I use it on white or blond hair?

It is designed for light brown to black hair. On white hair the manufacturer warns of possible violet discolouration; on blond hair the result can just look darker than intended. Stop if the colour is not what you wanted.

Will it stain my scalp, hands or towels?

It does not stain the scalp or hands. Rinse the shower and your hair thoroughly, and once hair is dry no marks on clothing or bedding are expected.

Is it a hair-loss treatment?

No — it is a cosmetic. The UK advertising regulator ruled in 2018 that the caffeine hair-loss claim was not substantiated by the evidence presented. For hair loss with real clinical evidence behind the treatment, ask us about minoxidil or our finasteride service.

Can women use it?

The range is formulated and fragranced for men, but the manufacturer notes the caffeine complex works regardless of gender — Dr. Wolff makes the Plantur range specifically for women.