11 Root Touch-Up Products That Might Make You Miss Your Colorist (a Little) Less

I've been getting my hair colored since I was in fifth grade. I'd tag along to my mom's color appointments, and as she'd get her signature shade of dark brown, I'd sit in the station next to her anxiously anticipating my own fresh paint job: Mary-Kate and Ashley–inspired zebra streaks. (Or whatever pop star I was currently obsessed with at the time—I also, undoubtedly, sported glittering temporary tattoos and foam platform flip-flops.)

Since then, I've dabbled in lowlights, highlights, and full-speed-ahead bleach and tones to maintain my false identity as a blonde. I've thought about ditching the inevitable damage, salon costs, and upkeep as the years have worn on, but every six weeks as my dark roots regain the monopoly over my hairline, I instantly neglect any fleeting thoughts of going au naturel. I'm infatuated with my colorist here in Los Angeles (Cass Kaeding, I miss you!), and she'd 100% confirm the creeping panic I begin to feel around week eight when my roots start to feel unbearable. (Please, allow me to be dramatic.) By the time I finally make it into the salon—around week 10—I'm practically delirious with excitement.

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(Image credit: @erin_jahns)

To me, nothing feels better than fresh color, so you can imagine the state of my strands right now as I'm about 13 weeks out from my last bleach session. Of course, an at-home dye job is always on the table, but I don't trust myself with something as potentially hazardous as bleach, so reaching for effective root cover-up products instead has been my saving grace. 

I do want to point out that the exposure of my natural hair color is nothing to truly stress out over. Given the current state of affairs, we all have bigger fish to fry than what color our hair is or isn't. However, I'd be remiss to act like it isn't human and totally okay to grieve the "superficial" services and treatments that used to put an extra pep in our step. Pardon any mushiness, but getting my hair colored, catching up with Cass for a couple of hours, and spending time at the 454 North (a gem of a salon tucked into West Hollywood) rejuvenated my hair, yes, but also my soul. So while a roundup of the best root touch-up products might not fill the void of your colorist's magical, in-person touch, they just might help you feel a little more yourself during these uncertain times. 

Luckily, pretty much all of the best and most sought-after haircare brands in the industry have their own at-home hair color solutions, and if you'd rather leave a legitimate, commitment-requiring job to the experts, a user-friendly root touch-up will be your best friend until you and your colorist meet again. To help you sift through all of your options, I've found the 11 top-rated root touch-up products money can buy. From sprays to powders to gels, there's a vehicle of color camouflage for literally everyone regardless of your hair color, texture, or formula preference. Keep scrolling! 

1. R+Co Bright Shadows Root Touch-Up Spray

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(Image credit: @allisonmcnamara)

2. Color Wow Root Cover Up

3. Oribe Airbrush Root Touch-Up Spray

4. Christophe Robin Temporary Color Gel

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(Image credit: @goldenbarbie)

5. Temptu Airpod Airbrush Root Touch-Up & Hair Color

6. Rita Hazan Root Concealer Touch-Up Spray

7. DPHue Color Touch-Up Spray

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(Image credit: @hoskelsa)

8. Tresemmé Root Touch-Up Temporary Hair Color Spray

9. L'Oréal Paris Magic Root Cover Up

10. Garnier Hair Color Express Retouch Gray Hair Concealer

11. Bumble and Bumble Bb. Color Stick

Beauty Director

Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content for Who What Wear for over four years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie and Who What Wear family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor. She considers her day-to-day beauty aesthetic very low-maintenance and relies on staples like clear brow serum (from Kimiko!), Lawless's Lip Plumping Mask in Cherry Vanilla, and an eyelash curler. For special occasions or days when she's taking more meetings or has an event, she'll wear anything and everything from Charlotte Tilbury (the foundations are game-changing), some shimmer on her lids (Stila and Róen do it best), and a few coats of the best mascara-type product on earth, Surratt's Noir Lash Tint.