A root smudge or root shadow is one of the most effective ways of covering gray strands on hair with highlights. Not only does it guarantee full, even coverage, but it also gives the whole highlighted look with a more natural-looking feel.
Try a Root Concealer Spray
Oribe Airbrush Root Touch-Up Spray offers oil-absorbing benefits with its boost of color, R+Co's Bright Shadows Root Touch-Up Spray is a highly blendable option that amplifies shine.
Hair products with alcohol are a no-no for gray hair. As gray hair already struggles in keeping moisture and adding alcohol to your hair will only dry out even more and make it look even wirier.
Use a root smudge technique. It can be used to slightly blend and cover greys. It gives the illusion that you have lightened your natural colour.
Root touch-up products are primarily designed to cover gray hair or to match the natural color of your hair at the roots. While they can be used to touch up highlights, it's generally not recommended for a few reasons:
Root touch-up spray often works based on propellant gas. Essentially, you spray the 'colour' onto your hair, and it's almost impossible to avoid getting some on your scalp. This can dry out your scalp and cause unsightly stains.
Root sprays and root powders offer a quick and temporary way to cover up gray hairs: simply choose a shade that matches your natural color and apply to the roots.
On average, a root touch-up lasts: Permanent root touch-up: 4 to 6 weeks. Demi-permanent root touch-up: 3 to 4 weeks. Temporary root touch-up (sprays, powders, or mascaras): Until the next wash.
Root smudging is a hair coloring technique in which the hair is lightened, but the roots are left slightly darker—typically, within a shade or two of your natural hair color.
For gray blending, you'll typically want to opt for highlights or lowlights that fall within two levels of your base shade. The goal is to create a natural blend—not add extreme highlights that completely transform your hair color.
Grey blending is a subtle way of handling your greying hair. It is an approach that blends the grey with colours similar to your natural hair tone. It's an option that allows you to embrace and enhance your greying hair, rather than hiding it. Your natural hair colour is the inspiration for the final effect.
If you are looking for a low-impact, natural effect then lowlights are a safer way to color grey hair. Your stylist uses foils to apply the color so it doesn't lie directly on your scalp. That means less exposure to chemicals and fewer potential allergic reactions.
Oxidation: Grey hair doesn't have melanin, the natural shield against UV damage. Without it, heat can speed up oxidation, leaving your hair with that pesky yellow tint. Product Buildup: Many hair styling products, such as sprays, gels, and serums, can leave residues that, when heated, can burn or change color.
Is it better to go lighter or darker to cover grey hair? As for your permanent colour kit choice, for the best grey coverage, Josh recommends choosing a shade close to your natural root colour (that's the colour between the greys.) "Make sure to never stray more than two shades away from this,” says Josh.
To address pigment loss in gray hair, Kaeding said, you can use a color depositing shampoo or conditioner for temporary results. Or, for a longer-lasting solution, you can opt for permanent hair color or highlights.
A root smudge or root shadow is one of the most effective ways of covering gray strands on hair with highlights. Not only does it guarantee full, even coverage, but it also gives the whole highlighted look with a more natural-looking feel.
They will consider your hair history, texture and goals and recommend colour/s and application techniques which work for your needs. The best colours for root smudges are usually either very close or just one level lighter than your natural colour.
You can expect your root smudge to last up to two to three months without a touch-up.
Best root cover-up spray overall
L'Oreal's Magic Root Cover Up is the gold standard of temporary silver hair concealers and for good reason: It's available in nine shades, as opposed to the three that many brands offer and, once applied, it quickly and effectively conceals gray roots until your next shampoo.
How often should I dye my hair to cover grey hair? This depends on how quickly your hair grows, but often is between 4-8 weeks. If you're only just starting to grey, it may not be time to begin permanently colouring your hair.
A temporary root concealer spray is the quickest way to help cover gray roots. Try the L'Oréal Paris Magic Root Cover Up, which is available in eight shades. The lightweight, quick-dry spray helps conceal gray roots in just three seconds without any smudging or sticky residue once it dries.
The Colors to Avoid with Gray Hair
Here are a few to steer clear of: Muddy Neutrals: Beige, taupe, and other muted tones can make your skin look washed out and ashy. Earthy Yellows and Oranges: These warm tones clash with the coolness of gray hair and can make your complexion look sallow.
Lemon juice is a popular natural lightener. It can help hide gray hair, especially in blonde hair. The citric acid in lemon juice works with sunlight to lighten hair color slowly. It may not remove gray hair completely, but it can help mix them well with the rest of your hair.
Cool shades like ash blonde and mushroom brown are among the best hair colors to hide grays, since the cool tones won't clash with your silvery streaks.