Maintaining a salon-worthy hair colour in between colourings is easier than ever, thanks to root touch-up sprays. Whether you’re someone who dyes their hair at home or heads to the hairdressers to achieve their desired colour, it can be frustrating to see greys popping through and the darker roots starting to appear after a couple of weeks. In come root retouch sprays to save the day and help cover up those patches where your colour isn’t looking as seamless as it once was. Once they've been concealed, you'll feel ready to showcase your favourite hairstyles with complete confidence.
Whether you’re colouring your hair regularly with permanent or semi-permanent hair dye or taking trips to the salon for a full head colour or highlights, all hair colours will eventually grow out. The rate these colours grow out will vary from person to person but sure enough, soon you’ll have your natural hair colour and even greys starting to appear in your hairline. That’s why root touch-up sprays are ideal to use in between colours as you can apply them where needed and your hair will look like it’s been freshly dyed again. They are especially perfect if you’ve got an occasion coming up where you’d like your hair to look seamlessly coloured again as you can simply spray and go.
Root touch-up spray at a glance:
• Best overall: L’Oreal Paris Magic Retouch – view on Boots
• Best for brunettes: Josh Wood Colour Airbrush Root Spray – view on Josh Wood Colour
• Best for blondes: Milk_Shake SOS Roots – view on Sephora
Hair root touch-up spray isn’t just for people who colour their hair. These sprays can also be used to get rid of the greys from your natural hair. They can also be used by people who suffer from hair loss to cover up the barer spots in their hairline. You may also just want to experiment with different colours and as these root sprays are a temporary colour lasting until your next wash, they are a great option for trying colours out.
Whatever your reason for needing a root retouch spray, we’ve rounded up all the best hair touch-up sprays to suit a variety of hair colours to give you a beautifully blended head of full coverage colour again.
Best root touch-up spray
Best overall
Bootswww.boots.com
With an impressive shade range of nine different colours between light blonde and black, the L’Oreal Paris Magic Retouch works wonders in covering up greys and roots. This low-commitment spray is ideal for those in need of a quick fix between home or salon colourings or the sudden appearance of grey hair and at 75ml, the perfect size to pop in your handbag for on-the-go touch-ups.
Customer review: "Love this product, it's great to have in the cupboard, especially when you haven't had a chance to get your hair dyed or you only have a few showing and don't want to go for a full colour. I would certainly recommend this product and there are lots of colour variations"
Pros
- Vast choice of shades
- Lightweight formula
Cons
- Some reviewers have commented although it covers well, it can come off easily and get under fingernails and on pillowcases
Best for brunettes
Josh Wood Colourjoshwoodcolour.com
Get easy grey and root coverage, whenever you need it with the Josh Wood Colour Airbrush Root Spray. Available in Dark Brown, Light Brand and Champagne Blonde shades, this touch-up spray covers up what you need in seconds and offers targeted coverage. This temporary hair colour is designed to last up to one wash and blends seamlessly.
Customer review: "Covers all grey, looks like it's just been dyed. I would highly recommend."
Pros
- Easily blendable
- Targeted coverage
Cons
- One reviewer said it left their hair feeling sticky
Best for blondes
Sephorawww.sephora.co.uk
Blondes can go back to having fun without being conscious of their greys, thanks to the Milk_Shake SOS Roots. The pigments within it are naturally-sourced and are taken from minerals and they're designed to give a rich and intense colour. As it's very pigmented, a little goes a long way and it dries quickly so you don't have to worry about any residue coming off.
Pros
- Very pigmented
- Dries quickly
Cons
- No customer reviews
Best dual root spray and volumiser
Bootswww.boots.com
Cover your greys and add a boost of volume to your roots with the Clairol Root Touch Up 2 In 1 Spray. The ColourFill Technology of this spray blends colour pigments with micro-volumisers for an instant fix. It's free from ammonia and peroxide so this temporary fix won't damage your hair. It's designed to suit any length and texture of hair so it's a good allrounder.
Pros
- Adds volume as well as covering roots
- Designed for different hair lengths and textures
Cons
- No customer reviews
Best budget root touch-up spray
Superdrugwww.superdrug.com
If you're not sure if a root touch-up spray would work for you and want to test a cheaper one out before you invest your money or you're shopping on a budget, this Superdrug Colour Fix Instant Root Cover may be a good option. It's quick drying and offers controlled and precise application. At less than £5, it's not going to break the bank either. Plus, the formula is vegan and cruelty-free too.
Customer review: "This worked really well for me. Product is a good size, applies great and covered my grey roots really well. Simple spray and go works really well for me. It also has a nice smell to it."
Pros
- Quick drying
- Great price
Cons
- Some reviewers felt it dried powdery
Best luxury root touch-up spray
AmazonHide those roots when they peep through with the Redken Root Fusion. With a range of four colours directed towards darker hair colour, it offers buildable coverage so you can put more on bigger patches and less in areas with more scattered greys so you're in complete control of how much product you need to use. Just shake well, spray onto your roots and leave to dry for a minute and in three easy steps you can say goodbye to your greys.
Customer review: "I am growing my grey hair out and I'm using this product during the transition months as I hate looking untidy! It is a fantastic cover up even for wide roots, it looks very natural so I am absolutely delighted with it. I do put a towel on the pillow case though."
Pros
- Buildable coverage
- Three simple steps to follow
Cons
- Some customers have reported product transfer
Best luxury root touch up spray
Space NKwww.spacenk.com
Treat yourself to a little luxury in your journey to temporary root coverage with the Oribe Airbrush Root Touch-Up Spray. It describes itself as a lightweight hairspray with microfine pigments that blend seamlessly with both natural and coloured locks. As well as masking root, the spray helps to absorb dirt and ecess sebum to give your hair that oh-so-soft feeling.
Customer review: "The best on the market. easy, mess free, most natural and never chalky is what comes to mind when I compare this to the other brands on the market. Oribe outranks the rest."
Pros
- Lightweight formulation
- Helps with hair condition
Cons
- Some reviewers found the spray bottle difficult to use
FAQs
How to use root touch-up spray
Using root touch-up spray for the first time can be daunting, that's why we've put together these tips from Josh Wood Colour to ensure a seamless and stress-free application.
Find the section you want to cover
Whether it’s a few scattered grey hairs around your hairline or just your parting that needs coverage, stand in good light so you can see where to put the product and part your hair accordingly.
Give the product a good shake
Like any aerosol, the distribution of the product and the pigment is better when the container has been shaken a little.
Rest one hand on the hair to keep the parting precise
This will help you spray more accurately and precisely, and get better coverage.
Spray with the other hand at a distance of 15-30cm
Getting too close will result in too much product in one place, making it blend less well. Instead, opt for a good distance away from your hand and spritz to get an even coating.
Keep the container moving as you spray
Don’t spray too much in one area, or stay static with your hand, or the coverage won’t be as seamless. Instead, keep the root spray moving to achieve the best-blended coverage result.
Spray in light layers
As they always say, less is more! It’s easier to build up layers and add more product than remove it once you’ve applied too much.
Blend in with your fingers
This will allow the product to blend well into your hair colour and provide a natural-looking touch-up result.
Can you dye hair over root touch-up spray?
The answer is yes, but you probably won't get the best results. While the colourants and pigments inside these sprays are temporary, they can cling to your hair and interfere with the chemicals when using permanent or semi-permanent dyes. This can lead to an overall patchy result, which we're sure won't be the desired look you're going for.
Before applying any hair dyes after using root touch-up spray, you'll want to make sure your hair is washed thoroughly. We'd recommend using a clarifying shampoo to really make sure your hair is rid of any spray residue followed by a deep conditioner to ensure your hair is healthy and moisturised.
Can root touch-up spray cause hair loss?
Root sprays shouldn't cause any hair loss when used as per the instructions of your chosen spray, but it's not impossible. Some people have experienced temporary hair loss around the front and temple regions of their heads after using them. By using any hair colourant, it is possible to damage your hair if you use it too much, therefore breakage can be common, which is why many may feel that they're experiencing hair loss from using root touch-up sprays.
If you are experiencing hair loss while using a root touch-up spray, you should stop using it straight away. We'd also recommend using a hair growth shampoo to help stimulate the growth again in those bearer patches.
Can I use root touch-up spray while pregnant?
If you're worried about someone who is pregnant and using root touch-up sprays, the general advice is that they are safe as they are typically free from ammonia and other chemicals. However, it's always best to check the ingredients before use to double-check they're pregnancy-safe. Anyone pregnant and unsure about whether they can use root sprays should always consult with their doctor or midwife.
Rosie Floyd is a Pets, Homes and Garden Product Writer for Yours, specialising in home appliances, décor and furnishings, as well as all things dogs. After completing her Journalism & Media degree from Coventry University back in 2015, she started her career writing about must-visit holiday destinations, moving on to creating content around outdoor living and garden buildings, before joining the team at Bauer.