5 Quick Fixes for Your Roots When a Salon Appointment is Out of Reach

I got my first grey hair at 16. At the time it was no big deal, one little tug and it was gone. Fast forward 30 years and it is a big deal. If I didn't dye my hair I'd be about 85% grey and my natural hair colour is dark brown which means I am now left with a very prominent skunk line approximately ten days after I dye my roots. But I also don't want to dye my roots every 10 days because it's a PITA.

Through the years I've tried every one of these products and they range from the low end to the higher end (but not the highest end because I can't afford it. There's a reason I dye my own hair at home.) and they all work but I've added a few helpful hints.

I'm just going to say straight out that the videos make applying this root touch up product look SO EASY but trust me when I say it may take you a few times to master it. The first few times I used bye. bye. Gray, it sprayed out so fast and hard I had circle of colour on the top of my head. If you've ever tried to paint using a spray paint you'll get the idea. But once you get the hang of it, it's easy. Just be sure to use very short, quick spirts. Don't press down on the button for more than a second.

This product is great for covering grey roots on the top of your head but getting those face framing greys is difficult and left me with spray painted cheeks more than a few times. One added bonus is that it gives a nice lift to your roots.

Marc Anthony Bye Bye Gray retails for approximately $12.99

The Tween Time Instant Hair Color Touch Up Stick comes in eight different shades. It basically looks like a tube of lipstick that you moisten and apply to your grey roots. It covers the grey quite effectively but it takes a few times to master distributing the colour evenly, only because the wetter it is, the more easily the colour goes onto your roots and your scalp. The good news is that a damp tissue will help you wipe away any excess.

Tween Time retails for $7.79

Touch Back Pro has gotten great reviews so I'm adding it but I wasn't a big fan. This is a colour marker and special applicator comb (called a skin shield) that comes in eight colours.

Once again it worked great on the grey roots at the top of my head but when it came to those pesky face framing hairs I would get the marker on my skin. If I had three hands - one to hold back my hair, one to hold the skin shield, and one to apply the colour, it would be fantastic, but because I only have two hands and don't want to waste time wiping off the excess colour from my face, it was a no go for me.

The cost for this varies from CDN $45.00 on Amazon.ca to US$24.95 on the Touch Back website.

Ion Color Brilliance is what I used before I found Color Wow. It's a loose powder and you apply it to your roots with a big fluffy brush. Very simple to use and it definitely works but it only comes in five colours (black, dark brown, brunette, blonde, and auburn) and none of them really matched my hair colour well. For those of you with more exciting hair colour than mine, it also comes in shades of Radiant Orchid, Magenta, and Sky Blue.

It retails for approximately $10.00 and works well for greys on the top of your head and those that frame the face.

Color Wow is by far my favourite root touch up product and is the one I've been using for the past two years. Unfortunately it's on the higher end of the price range retailing for $40.00 (on average). I discovered Color Wow at my local salon and bought it when my stylist showed me how easy it was to use on her own hair.

It's a pressed powder you apply with brush and it's pretty much mistake proof. What I love most about Color Wow is how easy it is to cover the grey hairs that frame the side of my face (those hairs always grow out faster for me leaving me with an unwanted Grandpa Munster look) without also coloring my skin (which can happen with liquid-type root touch up products).

You can purchase Color Wow online but also check your local salons as you might get a better deal.

5 Quick Fixes for Your Roots When a Salon Appointment is Out of Reach

These Products Really Work