Quick Tips for Root Touch-Ups When You Can't Get to the Salon

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Needing a haircut and color? The simple things have suddenly become hard to come by during the COVID-19 shelter in place. All the things we’ve taken for granted are simply not as readily accessible as they used to be. Coronavirus has us all looking crazy. We’re all seeking ways to extend our haircut and color. Remember when the hardest thing you had to decide was how short to cut your hair?

During a pandemic, people have to be resourceful. Home manicures and DIY hair coloring and home haircuts are all the rage. Walking into the nail and hair salon all willy nilly is not an option in the new normal. Precautions and appointments are a must. Don’t want to look like a psycho with an obvious four inches of gray new growth? Here are quick tips for root touch-ups when you can’t get to the salon.

Quick root touch-up tips

Gray hair roots are no big deal when you can get to the salon every 4-6 weeks for a touch up. However, when you haven’t been in a few months those grays get a little more noticeable and a lot more unmanageable. Here’s some quick touch up tips to get through the hard times.

Hair Mascara
You can hide those roots with hair mascara (this also works with regular mascara). Just brush starting at the root and brush your grays away.

Temporary root cover spray
Temporary root concealer spray is quick, easy and lasts until the next wash.

Temporary powder root concealer
Sprays are great but concealer powder is amazing and easy to use on those weird rogue gray hairs. Simply style your hair and then use the sponge to paint those grays away.

Color touch up pen
The color root touch up pen allows the user to be very precise and hide those pesky white hairs that pop up. Perfect your look in just 1 minute.

Eye brow powder and shadow
Eye brow powder is a great hidden hack for gray hairs. Mom Corine Ingrassia told Mom.com her trick, using something you probably have in your desk. “Use a little hairspray and brown eye shadow. Once, I even used a sharpie.”

Tip from the New York Times: Reach out to your stylist for guidance and suggestions on how to color your hair and which products to use. Some more of their useful tips from experts:

Test out the product on a hidden piece of hair at the back of your head to test for skin sensitivities and allergies.
To avoid having to pull a shirt over your head to rinse, wear a button-down shirt (preferably not your partner’s favorite.)
Apply Vaseline or ChapStick to your hairline to prevent staining.
Once you’re done, preserve your work by deep conditioning and using a moisturizing treatment at least once a week.

Reminder: Read labels carefully, and take into consideration the effects of chemicals and fumes if you are pregnant.

Coloring Roots at home

Grays coming in hot and heavy and you just can’t take it anymore? Here’s some permanent solutions to your temporary condition. These may require a little more work and dilligence, but are a great solution until you can get to a salon safely.

Permanent Color
On the next store pick-up make sure to place a root hair coloring kit. Go for it. Get a permanent kit that‘ll keep your roots in check until your next salon visit.

Highlights
Highlights can easily hide gray roots via an at-home-kit. Just keep in mind, the darker your hair starts off the more bleaching it will require.

Au natural
When dying roots at home, stick as close to possible to your natural color. The closer the color is to the natural color the less maintenance.

Root color
A little root color can go a long way. Apply a root touch-up at the hairline and part, wait 10 minutes and grays are covered for three weeks.

Lockdown hacks

Just given up, and want to work with what you have? Here are some lockdown hair hacks you can try between root touch-ups:

Ballet Bun
Not able to get to the salon, no problem. Put your hair into a ballet or messy bun for a look that hides your roots.

Braids
This versatile hairstyle will not only hide the grays it can take a look from playful to sophisticated; Dutch, fishtale, French, oh my!

Big hair, don’t care
Get yourself some volume by using a round brush. It’ll look look like a nice blowout and your roots will be camouflaged.

Change your side part
Flip your part or put it down the middle. This simple change can alter your entire look and bonus, hide the gray.

Headbands and Wraps
A beautiful headband or wrap can not only hide grays it can also tame frizz and flyaway hairs, plus they are totally on trend.

Hat
The easiest way that you can hide pesky gray hairs is to throw on a hat. The best part is this accessory can change an entire outfit.

Keep it clean
Dirty hair looks greasy, lays flat and shows all the gray hairs. Speaking of shampoo, Martha Stewart has a suggestion for an easy color trick. “Consider a color-depositing shampoo or an at-home gloss — both of which deposit color each time you suds up — to temporarily tint hair and obscure grays,” the lifestyle doyenne wrote on her website.

Beachy waves
Pass on the straightened hair and embrace the curls. Waves and curls hide flaws. Straight hair shines a light on gray hair and imperfections.