Cleverly Camouflage Regrowth Between Color Treatments
Salon fresh hair color can seem to fade all too quickly when those pesky roots grow in and announce to the world that it’s been a few weeks since your last touch up. The line of demarcation where your natural hair meets the colored lengths sticks out like a sore thumb.
Rather than embark on an endless cycle of paying for expensive color services every 4-6 weeks to maintain that seamless perfection, root touch up sprays provide a budget-friendly bandaid between salon appointments. These temporary formulas quickly disguise the regrowth to blend flawlessly with the rest of your color-treated locks.
Different Types of Root Touch Up Sprays
There are a few different types of root touch up sprays and powders to choose from:
Temporary Colored Root Powders
Colored root powders use mineral pigments to temporarily mask regrowth for same-day coverage. The powder formula adheres lightly to hair strands and scalp until your next shampoo. These are best for quick, temporary solutions.
Some colored root powders utilize warmth from a blowdryer or flat iron to set the pigment. Opt for one with dyes that easily wipe away from skin and clothes to avoid staining.
Root Cover Up Sticks
Wax-based root touch up sticks act like magic markers to fill in the parted line with colored pigments. The waxy formula stays put concealing new growth until you wash it out with shampoo. While they are extremely easy to apply precisely, the stiffness of the wax can leave hair feeling stiff or crunchy.
Root Concealer Sprays
These aerosol sprays contain tiny fibers that statically cling to hairs and scalp to scatter light. This helps hide the appearance of dark roots in between washes. They don’t provide any actual color, but rather optical blurring effects to obscure the growing-in hair.
The fibers can help blend salt and pepper roots into highlights or grey hairs. However, they may not fully disguise regrowth for single process color-treated hair.
Semi-Permanent Root Touch Up Sprays
The most effective root disguisers that last beyond a quick-fix, semi-permanent root touch up sprays deposit lasting color that penetrates into the hair shaft. The long-lasting formulas fade slowly over 4-6 weeks with regular cleansing and heat styling.
Semi-permanent root sprays allow you to extend your salon color appointment by weeks. When applied correctly, they create flawlessly seamless coverage.
Choosing the Right Shade
Picking the correct tone and depth of shade is imperative for natural looking root coverage in between color appointments. Here’s what you need to know when selecting a root touch up spray:
Match Your Hair Color Precisely
Pay attention to the current color and tone of your ended and examine closely in natural lighting. Cool-toned hair tends to have blue, violet, or ash undertones, while warm shades contain golden, red, or copper notes.
Select a root cover up spray as similar as you can to the actual shade you’re working with, assessing both tone and depth. Don’t try to go darker or lighter – an exact match blends seamlessly.
Many root touch up lines have extensive shade ranges from platinum to jet black designed to color-match dye jobs. Reference the shade charts to choose what looks like the closest option.
Mind the Lighting
The lighting you view hair color in will impact how it appears. Stepping into daylight helps reveal the true color unlike indoor lighting which can be yellow, blue, green or otherwise distorted.
When selecting your ideal root disguise shade, make sure to assess your colored hair in both natural daylight and artificial light to determine the true shade. The color should vanish perfectly under any lighting.
Avoid Unrealistic Expectations
Understand that a root touch up spray provides temporary camouflage between appointments rather than permanent color. The formula sits lightly on hair and scalp compared to permanent oxidative dye so the color effect differs.
While the spray aims to seamlessly blend with the rest of your shade, don’t expect the coverage to be an identical, vivid permanent-dye-like match. Embrace the disguise as a holdover until you can get back to the salon chair.
Application Tips for Flawless Coverage
Applying semi-permanent root touch up spray properly ensures the best camouflage. Follow these pro tips when concealing your regrowth:
Prep Roots for Optimal Adhesion
Shampoo and thoroughly dry your roots first before application. Natural oils on unwashed hair can prevent the formula from properly adhering. Consider using a clarifying shampoo to remove any lingering hair products or buildup.
Exfoliating your scalp with a scrub brush while shampooing helps loosen dead skin and lift dirt from the root area for better coverage.
Section Hair Cleanly for Precision
Part hair neatly in sections where regrowth is visible at the root. Use clips to keep hair pulled away and prevent spraying sections that are already colored. Carefully partition only 1/8 to 1/4 inch of new growth area.
Make straight parts to precisely follow your hairline and natural part pattern. Avoid zig-zagging crooked sections.
Use Light Misting Spray Strokes
Hold the root touch up spray nozzle close to the roots, about 2 inches away. Press lightly with quick misting strokes rather than pushing down continuously in one spot.
Build the coverage with light layers rather than saturating heavily all at once. Too much wet product won’t properly set and adhere.
Let Color Develop Then Check Coverage
Once mist is applied, set a timer and allow to fully develop for the product’s recommended time before examining your work. Avoid blowing or touching the sections to allow properoxidation and setting.
After development, pull down sections and scrutinize closely near natural light. Look for any patches of visible regrowth. Reapply lighter spray layers to any areas needing more coverage.
Use a Brush for Precise Touch Ups
If necessary, use aroot touch up brush dipped in the product to precisely brush color directly onto visible patches rather than continued overall spraying. This saves product and prevents oversaturation.
Let the brushed areas develop too before making a final assessment.
Set the Formula With Heat Tools
Many semi-permanent root sprays set best with heat to seal in lasting coverage. After full development, run a blowdryer with a concentrator nozzle or round brush over the treated areas.
Finish by quickly passingover aflat or curling iron if desired to further set the formula. This helps the disguise hold up longerwith washing and styling.
Making Root Touch Ups Last
Root touch up results won’t mimic permanent color, but these pro tips keep your sprayed regrowth looking flawless longer:
Apply a Setting Spray or Dry Shampoo
Once root color is set, give your whole head a spritz with hairspray to seal the deal. The holding agents in styling sprays help prevent fading between washes.
Dry shampoo sprayed at the roots can also prolong color adhesion and absorb grease or dirt. Reapply these protective finishings between wash days.
Wash With Cool Water and Sulfate-Free Products
Washing too frequently strips the root disguise faster. Stretch washes as long as possible for longer lasting results.
When you do shampoo, use onlycool water rather than hot to make the color last. Always reach forgentle, sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners as harsh detergents cause faster fading.
Style With Thermal Tools
Incorporate thermal hot tools into your regular hairstyling regimen after root spraying. Routinely passing flat or curling irons over the root area helps re-setand seal in the temporary color longer.
Reapply Every 2-4 Weeks
Results truly depend on your original base color and hair type, but expect your root spray to last about 2-4 weeks before beginning to show growth.
Set a monthly reminder to re-spray regrowth for a seamless color disguise between permanent appointments.
Common Questions and Concerns
Women have lots of questions when it comes to the safety and efficacy of root touch up sprays. Here are answers to some frequently asked ones:
Are the Ingredients Safe?
Today’s root cosmetics utilize improved chemistry that’s gentler on hair with safer ingredients. Common questions include:
Ammonia – Used to lift color, ammonia exposure should be limited. Quality semi-permanent root sprays contain little to none of this harsh chemical.
Lead – This heavy metal was used in some early hair dye formulas decades ago but has long been banned and removed from any professional grade product.
PPD – Paraphenylenediamine is an oxidative hair dye ingredient allowed only up to certain safety limits that may rarely trigger allergy. Always patch test first.
Peroxide – This is added to permanent dye to open the cuticle and isn’t an issue with root touch up sprays which work differently, depositing temporary stain.
How Well Do They Cover Resistant Gray Roots?
While they don’t alter color like permanent dye, root sprays can camouflage and blend salt and pepper regrowth nicely. The key is choosing one with blue or violet pigments designed specifically to neutralize pesky grays.
Will the Product Stain Skin or Clothes?
Quality root disguisers utilizing safe, non-toxic ingredients won’t stain if accidentally applied to skin or clothes. That said, wipe overspray immediately as the formula is designed to adhere. Most wipe away easily before setting.
Recommended Semi-Permanent Root Touch Up Sprays
These top-rated root touch up sprays provide convincing temporary regrowth coverage:
Best Drugstore Formula – L’Oreal Magic Root Rescue
At under $10, this sulfate-free aerosol formula mists on white to deposit flawless matching pigment. The bonding polymers keep colorful pigments stuck to every strand for up to 6 weeks. With over 20 shades to disguise brunette, blonde, redhead and grey hair, it makes salon trips less frequent.
Seamless Coverage – Madison Reed Root Touch Up Spray
This salonist brand designed a lightweight root concealer mist allowing precise application thanks to the continuous spray nozzle. The nourishing formula infuses strengthening biotin, keratin and argan oil as it transforms to match any color.
Clean Ingredient Pick – Color Wow Root Cover Up
Free of ammonia, PPD, parabens, phthalates, gluten, mineral oil and petrolatum, this gentle root spray relies on natural humectants. The patented micro-vibration nozzle provides exact, even application. Plus it fills in thinning hair spots beyond just the regrowth.