Managing roots (hair)
January 4, 2022 3:06 PM Subscribe
I've been dyeing my grays for several years. Now and then I splurge at the salon and the rest of the time I touch up the roots every few weeks. I'd like a better way to manage this.
Things I've tried:
* L'Oreal root cover. Ugh. It was matte and in bright light was clearly a different texture.
* Fanci-Full by Roux. This used to work better but now it seems less effective. Maybe because I'm grayer .. um. Actually I purchased the bottle pre-pandemic, I don't know if it's the sort of thing that expires.
I don't want to dig out the dye every time my roots start to show - which happens within several days of dyeing.
Things I've tried:
* L'Oreal root cover. Ugh. It was matte and in bright light was clearly a different texture.
* Fanci-Full by Roux. This used to work better but now it seems less effective. Maybe because I'm grayer .. um. Actually I purchased the bottle pre-pandemic, I don't know if it's the sort of thing that expires.
I don't want to dig out the dye every time my roots start to show - which happens within several days of dyeing.
It sounds as if your colour of choice is quite a contrast to your greys at this point. Consider if a lighter overall colour is in order that is less of a contrast. That will make the roots much less noticeable and allow you to go longer between touch ups. Your colourist should be able to help you find a more forgiving shade.
posted by koahiatamadl at 6:40 PM on January 4, 2022
posted by koahiatamadl at 6:40 PM on January 4, 2022
This root powder worked extremely well for me back when I was covering my grey! Stays put until you wash it out and wouldn’t melt even when I worked out.
posted by nancynickerson at 7:51 PM on January 4, 2022
posted by nancynickerson at 7:51 PM on January 4, 2022
Response by poster: (If it's helpful for answers: My roots grow out in my natural color - ash brown and gray. I try to keep it dyed a cool medium brown but seems to turn warm pretty quickly).
These ideas are making me hopeful. Thank you! :)
posted by bunderful at 9:10 PM on January 4, 2022
These ideas are making me hopeful. Thank you! :)
posted by bunderful at 9:10 PM on January 4, 2022
Have you considered investigating henna for your hair?
posted by porpoise at 9:21 PM on January 4, 2022
posted by porpoise at 9:21 PM on January 4, 2022
I have ashy hair too and it's problematic because most colour is warm, or fades to warm :(
Here's what I've tried: Fanci-Full, Everpro Temporary Root Concealer, L'Oreal Root Rescue, Chige 10 Colors Hair Wax, TOUCHBACK Instant Gray Root Touch up Marker, Overtone Coloring Conditioner, L’Oréal COLORISTA Temporary Colour, Arctic Fox Semi Permanent Color, and Manic Panic Semi-Permanent Color Cream. None of them worked for me. They all either looked bad, didn't actually add colour at all, or were messy or smelly or unpleasant in some other way.
What worked for me was switching to Redken Shades EQ hair gloss, which I apply at home every three weeks. It's demi-permanent, which means the colour will wash out a little as regrowth happens, which blurs the demarcation line and means you need to touch up less often. And it's super easy to use. You just mix it 50-50 with Shades EQ Gloss (developer), slap it on your head and leave it for anywhere from a half-hour to an hour. It's very forgiving: honestly, you can't mess it up.
This is a boring answer for a tedious problem but it's worked for me and my goal was to minimize time & energy and get a predictably good result. I hope it helps you :)
posted by Susan PG at 9:23 PM on January 4, 2022
Here's what I've tried: Fanci-Full, Everpro Temporary Root Concealer, L'Oreal Root Rescue, Chige 10 Colors Hair Wax, TOUCHBACK Instant Gray Root Touch up Marker, Overtone Coloring Conditioner, L’Oréal COLORISTA Temporary Colour, Arctic Fox Semi Permanent Color, and Manic Panic Semi-Permanent Color Cream. None of them worked for me. They all either looked bad, didn't actually add colour at all, or were messy or smelly or unpleasant in some other way.
What worked for me was switching to Redken Shades EQ hair gloss, which I apply at home every three weeks. It's demi-permanent, which means the colour will wash out a little as regrowth happens, which blurs the demarcation line and means you need to touch up less often. And it's super easy to use. You just mix it 50-50 with Shades EQ Gloss (developer), slap it on your head and leave it for anywhere from a half-hour to an hour. It's very forgiving: honestly, you can't mess it up.
This is a boring answer for a tedious problem but it's worked for me and my goal was to minimize time & energy and get a predictably good result. I hope it helps you :)
posted by Susan PG at 9:23 PM on January 4, 2022
I want to recommend demi-permanent hair color, too, for the reasons Susan PG above mentions: the demarcation line is not as noticeable as the hair grows out, and it's super forgiving, as it's not permanent hair color.
I use Wella Color Charm Demi-Permanent. It leaves my hair with a kind of sparkly shine, so not matte at all. I have also deliberately gone with a color slightly lighter than my natural hair color, so the grays come out slightly lighter than my natural hair. This actually makes my hair color look more natural, as natural hair is not a uniform color. YMMV depending on the amount of gray.
If you read reviews of Color Charm Demi-Permanent, you'll see people mention the color comes out a lot darker than expected, so the recommendation is to go at least 2 shades lighter than your natural hair color or the permanent hair color shade you were using. People also use one of the Ash blonde shades to tone down warm colors, either on its own or mixed with another shade.
So go ahead and experiment a bit and see what you like!
posted by needled at 7:17 AM on January 5, 2022
I use Wella Color Charm Demi-Permanent. It leaves my hair with a kind of sparkly shine, so not matte at all. I have also deliberately gone with a color slightly lighter than my natural hair color, so the grays come out slightly lighter than my natural hair. This actually makes my hair color look more natural, as natural hair is not a uniform color. YMMV depending on the amount of gray.
If you read reviews of Color Charm Demi-Permanent, you'll see people mention the color comes out a lot darker than expected, so the recommendation is to go at least 2 shades lighter than your natural hair color or the permanent hair color shade you were using. People also use one of the Ash blonde shades to tone down warm colors, either on its own or mixed with another shade.
So go ahead and experiment a bit and see what you like!
posted by needled at 7:17 AM on January 5, 2022
My solution that works very well for me and leave my hair in good shape includes hair salon every 3 months, touch up my roots about twice a month, and a good brush-on powder in between that. It is not much less work but I'm very happy with the results. You could probably get by with touching up the roots once a month and using the powder in between but after a while, there are too much roots visible around the sides and anywhere the hair parts temporarily.
I go to a hair salon every about 12 weeks for a root touch up and overall pull through of color if needed. This is key to maintaining a cool, not brassy, tone and keeps everything even and professional. Pulling the color through my whole head every few months makes my hair smoother (hair gets rougher as the color wears off). I think my stylist is a genius.
In between, about every 2 1/2 weeks (you could stretch this), I touch up my own roots with L'Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Permanent Hair Color (not Preference) for excellent coverage. I get about 4 uses from a box by mixing the two product into a separate container and applying with a paint brush.
In between, when the gray roots begin to show, I use Claire Root Touch Up in medium brown for which I pay the ridiculously low price of 6.99. (I've used much more expensive products from Sephora and so on.) This lasts between hair washing, doesn't come off, and is very easy to use (like an eyeshadow).
What has helped me immensely recently was to switch from using the permanent hair color of #6 which is a lighter brown than the #5 I was using. My gray is much less demarcated against the #6 than against the #5. The only downside is that the #6 does not cover as well. I leave it on for 45 minutes (which is longer than the prescribed 30 minutes) per my hair stylist's recommendation.
I can no longer use demi-permanent as I have too much resistant gray to cover.
posted by RoadScholar at 12:52 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
I go to a hair salon every about 12 weeks for a root touch up and overall pull through of color if needed. This is key to maintaining a cool, not brassy, tone and keeps everything even and professional. Pulling the color through my whole head every few months makes my hair smoother (hair gets rougher as the color wears off). I think my stylist is a genius.
In between, about every 2 1/2 weeks (you could stretch this), I touch up my own roots with L'Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Permanent Hair Color (not Preference) for excellent coverage. I get about 4 uses from a box by mixing the two product into a separate container and applying with a paint brush.
In between, when the gray roots begin to show, I use Claire Root Touch Up in medium brown for which I pay the ridiculously low price of 6.99. (I've used much more expensive products from Sephora and so on.) This lasts between hair washing, doesn't come off, and is very easy to use (like an eyeshadow).
What has helped me immensely recently was to switch from using the permanent hair color of #6 which is a lighter brown than the #5 I was using. My gray is much less demarcated against the #6 than against the #5. The only downside is that the #6 does not cover as well. I leave it on for 45 minutes (which is longer than the prescribed 30 minutes) per my hair stylist's recommendation.
I can no longer use demi-permanent as I have too much resistant gray to cover.
posted by RoadScholar at 12:52 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Cut bangs? Or at least style your hair to swoop forward more and cover your hairline.
Root touch up spray. Drugstore brands are $10 ish and Sephora has $30 brands too. Use a card to mask off your forehead.
Hair makeup- if your hair is straight, you can use one that’s like mascara and comb it through. If your hair is wavy or curly, get a pan of creamy makeup and apply with a small flat paintbrush.
Change your hair dye colour to be cooler and lighter so the new growth doesn’t contrast as harshly
Goodwell brand hair dye in the extra strength formulation (the colour name has double letters, like 6NN) works pretty well on greys.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 1:15 PM on January 17, 2022
Root touch up spray. Drugstore brands are $10 ish and Sephora has $30 brands too. Use a card to mask off your forehead.
Hair makeup- if your hair is straight, you can use one that’s like mascara and comb it through. If your hair is wavy or curly, get a pan of creamy makeup and apply with a small flat paintbrush.
Change your hair dye colour to be cooler and lighter so the new growth doesn’t contrast as harshly
Goodwell brand hair dye in the extra strength formulation (the colour name has double letters, like 6NN) works pretty well on greys.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 1:15 PM on January 17, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by ASlackerPestersMums at 4:25 PM on January 4, 2022 [1 favorite]