8 easy ways to blend away root regrowth in seconds
We've got at-home beauty mostly nailed. We've taken our bikini lines, our manicures and even hair trims in house – at least for the time being. One area that's proving more problematic? Root regrowth. Turns out, it's pretty tricky to DIY yourself when you're not a pro.
It remains one of the more frustrating pieces of beauty maintenance, not least because we're having to stare at the badger stripe down the centre of our scalp in Zoom meetings throughout the day.
Luckily, we’ve enlisted the help of some top experts, to run through our top-pick of root-concealers and how best to use them at home to get the most seamless finish.
Whether you’re looking to cover greys, or camouflage the fact that your ‘natural’ colour isn’t quite so natural, we have the solution for you to fix your roots at home – plus a few added bonuses...
“Root concealers aren’t just for tackling colour re-growth, they’re also great for giving the appearance of a fuller head of hair if you have fine, baby hairs at your hairline,” says celebrity hair stylist and Charles Worthington Brand Ambassador Ken O’Rourke. “Simply spritz any sparse areas where your scalp shows through, building the colour up gradually.”
For those who have a bit more time, there is of course the option of a more permanent fix, thanks to home hair colour but don’t be tempted to wash your hair first, warns Clairol Colour Expert, Michael Douglas. “You naturally produce a combination of oils and perspiration on your scalp – commonly known as an acid mantle – which helps to protect your scalp during the colouring process,” he says.
And if you're caught short with no product, Ken recommends simply changing your usual parting as you may have less grey hairs or root regrowth on the other side.
Best for staying put
Josh Wood Colour Root Smudger, £12
Available in blonde, light brown and dark brown, this is best for covering large sections of grey in quick swipes. For this to work, you'll need to blow dry it into your roots, but once you have it'll stay put for 3 days without budging.
Best for precision
Bumble and bumble Bb. Color Stick, £23
Precision camouflage is as easy as colouring in with this velvety stick. Reds rejoice – there’s one for you too!
Best for all-over
L’Oreal Paris Magic Retouch, £8.99
Just three seconds to root perfection. Spritz it into your roots like shampoo, then tease it in with your fingers. We love the richness of the pigments which come in 5 shades.
Best for brushing on
Color Wow Root Cover Up, £28.50
Clever, targeted colour thanks to a special complex which anchors the natural-looking pigments to the hair so that they stay put. Perfect for highlights and bottle blondes (though there's 8 shades to choose from).
Best for thickening
MANE Hair Thickening Spray, £16.90
Used backstage by hairdressing legend Sam McKnight at London fashion week, not only does this cover greys, but it also makes hair look much thicker.
Best for blurring roots
Consider this the secret camouflage concealer of root blending. The two shades can be combined together to create a natural multi-dimensional finish. And like a concealer it can be blended into target spots to blur discolouration (e.g stripy roots)
Best for waterproof
Rita Hazan Root Concealer Spray, £20
Spritz this all over roots and it won't budge until you wash it away, thanks to a waterproof and transfer-proof formula.
Best for permanent root coverage
Clairol Permanent Root Touch Up, £5.99
For a longer-term solution, go (semi) pro with this cream formula that works in just 10 minutes. It seamlessly blends with your existing shade thanks to a combination of tones which match many best-selling shades and salon colours.
