The Best Root Touch-Up

Buying Guide

When it comes to coloring your hair, one of the biggest downsides is the constant maintenance. Your roots are eventually going to show, whether they’re greyer, lighter or darker than your natural hair. For some people, it’s just not cost effective to go to a salon to have their roots colored, so they prefer to do it at home with a root touch-up product. This is a great way to refresh your hair color at the roots while not having to re-color your whole head.

Root touch-up products typically come in a spray, paste or powder, making them easy to apply directly to your roots. Often, root touch-ups don’t require a lot of prep or time, so they are easy to apply without any notice. Temporary root touch-up products can be applied on the go while permanent ones take a little more time and need to be washed out.

The most important aspect to consider when buying a root touch-up product is ensuring you get the color match right. If not, your roots could end up looking darker, lighter or a completely different color than the rest of your hair, giving you a very unnatural appearance. It’s important to try find the exact color match so that your root color blends in flawlessly with the rest of your hair.

If you’re getting a temporary root touch-up, look for products that last all day without transferring onto your clothes or hands. They also should not flake off if you touch your hair. Typically, root touch-up formulas that are temporary only last until the next time your shampoo your hair. The permanent varieties will last longer.

• How often should you touch up your roots? It all depends on your look. For some people, a little bit of roots showing is no problem as it works with their overall aesthetic. For others, even a little bit of overgrown roots is problematic. This is why the range for touching up roots is so large: between three to ten weeks.
• If you go to a salon to have your hair colored, it’s best to know what kind of color your colorist uses – as this will affect whether you use a root touch-up. For example, if your colorist uses a demi-permanent color in your hair, then it’s best if you avoid root touch-up products so you don’t mess up your overall hair color.
• When you color your hair – roots and all – it’s important to take care of your scalp and ensure your hair remains healthy. Be sure to wash your hair with a color-safe shampoo and conditioner. This will prevent your color from coming off your hair and looking dull. It will also keep your hair type and texture moisturized. Many colorists recommend washing your hair in cold water and not shampooing more than a couple of times per week.
• Some root touch-ups are designed for specific hair types, such as for straight hair or for coily hair. Be sure to check the hair type to ensure it works with your hair. Sometimes, applying temporary root touch-up products to curly or coily hair can be challenging, so you may need to spend a little extra time styling your hair once you’ve applied the color.