This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (2024)

This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (1)

In a perfect world, roots wouldn't show in between salon visits or at-home hair color sessions, and hair would grow in a way that blends seamlessly with your previous dye job. Unfortunately, real-life roots tend to grow in looking less than perfect. Whether your roots are sprouting up darker, lighter, or grayer, if you're not ready to transition to your natural color and you can't get to the salon or make time for a full DIY, reach for a root touch-up product instead.

Root touch-ups are a cost-effective way to help seamlessly blend your roots into the rest of your hair. "These products, formulated as sprays, pastes or powders are applied directly to roots and act as hair color extenders," says Danusia Wnek, a chemist in the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab. Temporary root touch-ups "can be applied in a moment’s notice, and are often compact enough for a purse or bag.” There are also permanent root touch-up products that consist of hair dye created to be applied specifically to roots, which takes less time.

When the GH Beauty Lab tests root touch-up products, our analysts seek out formulas that cover roots quickly and easily, plus blend flawlessly with the rest of testers' hair without looking cakey, ashy or unnatural. The best root touch-ups should be able to last all day without flaking off or transferring onto your hands or clothing. Temporary root cover-ups should last until your next wash, and come out easily with shampoo. Read on for more details on the GH Beauty Lab’s top picks for the best root touch-up products for all hair colors, from blonde to brunette, black to red, plus best-sellers online shoppers can’t stop raving about.

1

Best Permanent Root Touch-Up Dye

Clairol Nice 'n Easy Root Touch-Up

This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (2)

1

Best Permanent Root Touch-Up Dye

Clairol Nice 'n Easy Root Touch-Up

Pros
  • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (3)Includes applicator brush to target roots
  • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (4)Total gray coverage
  • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (5)Blends well with base color
Cons

    Extend the time between salon visits or DIY dye jobs with Clairol’s GH Beauty Award-winning permanent color root fix kit, in an extensive 28-hue range. With a brush for easy application, you can apply this cream to your roots and leave it on for ten minutes. In GH Beauty Lab testing, it blended seamlessly with users’ current hair color and gave 100% gray coverage, GH Beauty Lab testing showed.

    2

    Best Root Touch-Up for Gray Hair

    Garnier Express Retouch Gray Hair Concealer

    This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (6)

    2

    Best Root Touch-Up for Gray Hair

    Garnier Express Retouch Gray Hair Concealer

    Pros
    • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (7)Stay-put gray coverage
    • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (8)Easy to use targeted sponge applicator
    • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (9)Bargain price
    Cons

      Hide grays between coloring with this GH Beauty Award-winning Garnier temporary root cover-up, with a sponge applicator to precisely apply pigment. It scored high with GH Beauty Lab testers for not transferring or flaking, and staying in place. “Easy to use and very targeted,” a tester reported. It comes in various tones to seamlessly blend with a range of black, brunette, and blonde hair colors.

      3

      Best Root Touch-Up Color Powder

      Clairol Temporary Root Powder

      This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (10)

      3

      Best Root Touch-Up Color Powder

      Clairol Temporary Root Powder

      Pros
      • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (11)Powder blends well with hair color
      • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (12)Lightweight and mess-free
      • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (13)Brush and mirror for on-the-go application
      Cons

        Brush the powder pigment in this bargain Clairol mirrored compact, a GH Beauty Award winner, onto strands to temporarily hide regrowth (it washes out). In GH Beauty Lab testing, 83% of users said it blended naturally with their color, and it scored high for feeling light with no mess or staining. This powder comes with a small brush that allows precision application, making it almost impossible to mess up.

        Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

        4

        Best Root Touch-Up Spray

        L'Oréal Paris Hair Color Root Cover Up

        This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (14)

        4

        Best Root Touch-Up Spray

        L'Oréal Paris Hair Color Root Cover Up

        Now 57% Off

        Pros
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (15)Easy-to-use spray
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (16)Covers larger areas
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (17)Natural look
        Cons
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (18)Spray may be hard to target on small areas

        Mist this temporary L'Oréal Paris spray onto your hair for a fast root regrowth fix anytime. The spray blends well into your natural hair: "It doesn't take much to cover an area, it doesn't rub off on clothes or pillow cases," said one Amazon reviewer. "It looks natural and stays on until your next shampoo." And with a range of shades from light brown to deep black and even red, it's great for all hair colors.

        5

        Best Root Touch-Up for Blonde Hair

        Madison Reed Root Touch-Up

        This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (19)

        5

        Best Root Touch-Up for Blonde Hair

        Madison Reed Root Touch-Up

        Pros
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (20)Includes two colors to customize your shade
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (21)Transfer-resistant
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (22)Can be used on eyebrows
        Cons
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (23)Pricey

        Brush this Madison Reed temporary root touch-up powder on to camouflage any roots that might be peaking through. Reviewers support the claims that it doesn't come off on pillows or hands. "It looks totally natural, and stays put," one reported. Since this root touch-up includes two different colors, it can also create more depth and dimension in blonde tones. Bonus: The compact comes with a mirror and brush for on-the-go, plus a dual-ended applicator brush for use on eyebrows.

        6

        Best Root Touch-Up Wand

        Mineral Fusion Gray Root Concealer for Hair

        This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (24)

        6

        Best Root Touch-Up Wand

        Mineral Fusion Gray Root Concealer for Hair

        Pros
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (25)Two applicators for precision
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (26)Covers gray and matches hair color well
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (27)Simple to use
        Cons
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (28)Only comes in brown and black shades

        Mineral Fusion's portable root touch-up has a dual-ended wand applicator with one end that's a sponge and the other that's a mascara-like brush to zero in on and thoroughly cover specific areas. GH Beauty Lab testers said that the temporary product did a good job of covering gray hairs and matching their hair color, and overall, it scored well with testers for being easy to use.

        Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

        7

        Best Professional Root Touch-Up Kit

        dpHUE Root Touch-Up Kit

        This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (29)

        7

        Best Professional Root Touch-Up Kit

        dpHUE Root Touch-Up Kit

        Pros
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (30)Permanent results
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (31)Comes with hair coloring tools
        Cons
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (32)Pricey

        The dpHUE kit offers a permanent solution to your root woes, and comes in a variety of shades for exact coverage. The kit comes with a disposable mixing bowl, hair color gloves, processing cap, and hair color applicator brush, as well as shampoo and conditioner samples. The permanent root cream stays on hair for 45 minutes before washing off to reveal salon-quality root coverage.

        8

        Best Targeted Root Touch-Up

        Bumble and Bumble Bb. Color Stick

        This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (33)

        8

        Best Targeted Root Touch-Up

        Bumble and Bumble Bb. Color Stick

        Pros
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (34)Crayon helps cover individual strands
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (35)Resists transferring
        Cons
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (36)Only comes in brown and black

        Bumble and Bumble's color stick is perfect for precise root touch-ups on specific areas like the hairline. Its unique pointed tip can draw directly on strandss, blending right into your base color without any guess-work. Upon application, it dries instantly and is water resistant.

        9

        Best No-Mess Root Touch-Up

        Color Wow Root Cover Up

        This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (37)

        9

        Best No-Mess Root Touch-Up

        Color Wow Root Cover Up

        Pros
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (38)Doesn't flake
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (39)Covers large or small areas
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (40)Easy application
        Cons
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (41)Expensive

        A newer go-to, Color Wow's temporary root cover powder is easy to apply and feels weightless on the scalp. GH Beauty Lab testers also raved that it did not look cakey or flake after application, and that its powder form may also lend itself to cover small areas with thinning hair. The double ended brush makes this root touch-up perfect for both large areas or highlights that need coverage. Expert tip: While you may be inclined to sweep the brush through your hair, this formula actually works best by being gently pressed on.

        Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

        10

        Best Root Touch-Up for Thinning Hair

        Rita Hazan Root Concealer Touch Up Spray

        This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (42)

        10

        Best Root Touch-Up for Thinning Hair

        Rita Hazan Root Concealer Touch Up Spray

        Pros
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (43)Resists transferring
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (44)Easy to use spray
        • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (45)Covers and tints sparse areas on hair
        Cons

          This temporary spray, created by famed New York City salon owner Rita Hazan, is able to cover large areas of hair and tints sparse areas on the scalp, making hair appear fuller. After spraying a little to roots, it dries quickly and remains waterproof and transfer-proof until you wash your hair. This root touch-up is buildable, so you can make your coverage as heavy or as light as you want it to be.

          11

          Best Portable Root Touch-Up

          Calista Embellish Root Touch-Up

          This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (46)

          11

          Best Portable Root Touch-Up

          Calista Embellish Root Touch-Up

          Pros
          • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (47)Large shade selection
          • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (48)Compact size
          • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (49)No mess
          Cons
          • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (50)Pricey

          GH Beauty Lab Director Birnur Aral, Ph.D. is a fan of Calista's travel-friendly root touch-up powder, in an impressive range of 11 shades including white, gray and red. "All I need is a few dabs on my hair part to cover new growth and blend it with the rest of my hair," she says. "The mess-free sponge applicator gets the powder where it’s needed without getting on my fingertips. "

          12

          Best Root Touch-Up for Highlights

          Oribe Airbrush Root Touch-Up Spray

          This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (51)

          12

          Best Root Touch-Up for Highlights

          Oribe Airbrush Root Touch-Up Spray

          Pros
          • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (52)Light shades for blondes and highlights
          • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (53)Absorbs oil
          Cons
          • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (54)Expensive

          For those with lighter hair or highlights, Oribe's root touch-up spray comes in both a blonde and platinum shade. And while it comes out in the form of a spray, it's actually a quick-drying powder formula that helps absorb any oil on the scalp, much like a dry shampoo. This spray blends well with hair, making it also a great pick for anyone transitioning to their natural color.

          Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

          13

          Best Root Touch-Up for Dark Hair

          TRESemmé Root Touch-Up

          This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (55)

          13

          Best Root Touch-Up for Dark Hair

          TRESemmé Root Touch-Up

          Pros
          • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (56)Thorough coverage for dark brown and black hair
          • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (57)Spray goes on easily
          • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (58)Good value
          Cons
          • This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (59)Maybe be more difficult to apply on small areas

          Darker hair colors like deep brown and black need rich pigment to hide visible roots, especially those that are gray or lighter. Enter this TRESemmé root touch-up spray, which earned rave reviews for covering and blending into dark tones. "It's the only one I tried that really is black and blends in beautifully... making my hair look thicker and fuller, covering my scalp as well," a reviewer remarked.

          This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (60)

          Katie Berohn

          Katie Berohn is the Beauty Assistant at Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day and Prevention magazines, all part of the Hearst Lifestyle Group. She graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, with a major in journalism and minor in technology, arts, and media, and earned her Master’s Degree at NYU’s Graduate Program of Magazine Journalism. In addition, Katie has held editorial internships at Denver Life Magazine, Yoga Journal, and Cosmopolitan, a digital editorial internship at New York Magazine’s The Cut, a social good fellowship at Mashable, and has freelanced for HelloGiggles. When she’s not obsessing over the latest skincare launch or continuing her endless search for the perfect shade of red nail polish, Katie can be found in a hot yoga class, trying everything on the menu at New York’s newest restaurant, or hanging out at a trendy wine bar with her friends.

          This Brilliant Drugstore Hair Spray Immediately Camouflages Grown-Out Roots (2024)

          FAQs

          How long does it take for my roots to grow out? ›

          "You must grow your roots at least one to two inches, which means you will have to wait anywhere from two to four months to allow your hair to grow an inch or two. (If you can, wait even longer)."

          How long does it take for roots to show after dying? ›

          Eventually, they begin to show. Depending on how fast your hair grows, roots typically appear two to three weeks following color service. How often you should touch up your root color depends on the difference between your dyed and natural color. Roots are the first thing you notice about someone's hair.

          What is the difference between root touch up and hair color? ›

          A root touch up is literally colouring the roots only. The roots are the areas near the scalp where the colour of the hair changes back to the natural colour as the hair grows. Full hear colour is when the whole head, scalp to tip, is coloured.

          What is the best drugstore hair color? ›

          Final Verdict. Clairol Natural Instincts earns our highest seal of approval. It's a gentle, ammonia-free color that works in just 10 minutes and lasts up to 28 shampoos. If you prefer a permanent color, we love Garnier Olia Brilliant Color, an ammonia-free color that delivers a ton of moisture with a blend of oils.

          Is it OK to dye roots every 2 weeks? ›

          The answer to this age-old question requires considering many factors. But the short answer is about every 4 to 8 weeks to touch up the roots from an overall hair coloring job. But if you have had just highlights, lowlights, or balayage coloring, you can recolor as the shades grow out from your hair.

          Why do my roots grow out so quick? ›

          This is because your roots develop faster than the rest of your hair. It's all thanks to the heat on your head. But that doesn't reach much farther, so if you let your roots grow out a few inches, you may open up your hair to some inconsistencies in color even with a fresh batch of color.

          Do roots dye faster than ends? ›

          It may not feel like it, but your scalp is always a bit warm, so when you are coloring your hair, the heat from your scalp can cause your roots to respond faster to hair color than the mid-lengths and ends.

          What to do when your roots are growing out? ›

          Add a glaze.

          —but a semi-permanent tinted glaze can work wonders to make roots less obvious as they grow. A glaze over the whole head will blend your dyed color with your natural color, so while it won't hide your roots entirely, it'll definitely make harsh roots a little less obvious.

          How do you dye your hair with roots growing out? ›

          Apply dye to your roots only to cover lighter hair growth.

          If you usually dye your hair a darker shade than your natural color, only brush the hair dye mixture onto your roots. If you overlap too much with your already-dyed hair, it can cause breakage or a super dark shade in the overlapped area.

          Can root touch up cover grey hair? ›

          There are home remedies for grey hair if you want to cover up your grey roots at home. We're personally in love with Love Fashion Instant Hair Root Touch Up, a quick touch-up stick that masks fast-growing greys, especially around the hairline. Super easy to use, it stays in place until you shampoo your hair.

          Can I spray root touch up all over my hair? ›

          You can use root touch up spray on your whole head if you'd like! 2. Give the product a good shake!

          What are the disadvantages of root touch up? ›

          This can cause split ends and breakage, especially if you use harsh hair dyes or if you leave the hair dye on for too long. Also, if you frequently touch up your roots, the hair dye may build up on your hair, which can cause damage over time.

          Is it better to go lighter or darker to cover gray hair? ›

          If you add the right hair colour, your 'grey' hair will act as highlights, giving you a completely new look that will get you noticed for all the right reasons. Professional colourists usually recommend a darker shade for your roots and a lighter shade that matches your natural hair for the rest.

          What is the least desirable hair color? ›

          In the present study blondes were not preferred by either sex: a clear preference for brunette hair coloration over blondes and redheads was indicated. In concurrence with both earlier studies, the results of this study indicated red hair as the least preferred hair color.

          What hair color covers gray the best? ›

          Neutral shades like soft blonde, mushroom brown, light copper, and caramel blonde balayage are the easiest to blend gray into (and maintain over time without wanting to shave your hair off). Plus, Cosgrove points out that it's easy to overwhelm your face with color.

          How can I speed up my root growth? ›

          For plant roots to grow faster, it requires nutrients, sufficient water, well-aerated soil, enough light, the right range of temperature and proper amendments. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the three essential nutrients that a plant requires for its growth.

          How do you grow out your roots gracefully? ›

          If the roots growing in are significantly darker than your dyed hair color, try opting for a Balayage or Ombre look. By blending your hair with a natural gradient effect, it will eliminate the harsh difference between your grown-out roots and color.

          How long to wait to get roots touched up? ›

          Most people do retouch roots every 4 to 6 weeks, and it's a good rule of thumb to make sure you don't go more than 8 weeks between sessions. This is because you want to make sure that your roots don't get any longer than an inch, and according to All Things Hair, hair grows about half an inch every month.

          How long does it take for roots to touch up? ›

          How Long Does A Root Touch Up Take? The touchup process itself doesn't take too long. A typical application is around thirty to sixty minutes. Processing with time, heat, or both is another thirty to forty-five minutes.

          Top Articles
          Latest Posts
          Article information

          Author: Edwin Metz

          Last Updated:

          Views: 6178

          Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

          Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

          Author information

          Name: Edwin Metz

          Birthday: 1997-04-16

          Address: 51593 Leanne Light, Kuphalmouth, DE 50012-5183

          Phone: +639107620957

          Job: Corporate Banking Technician

          Hobby: Reading, scrapbook, role-playing games, Fishing, Fishing, Scuba diving, Beekeeping

          Introduction: My name is Edwin Metz, I am a fair, energetic, helpful, brave, outstanding, nice, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.