Between the hustle and bustle of life, squeezing in an appointment with a colorist can feel next to impossible. The good news: You don't have to. Root touch-up products like L'Oreal Professionnel Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up allow you to mask grays and regrowth faster than it'd take to dial up your stylist.
Ahead, L’Oreal Professionnel stylist and brand ambassador DJ McGinley dives deep into how root touch-up sprays work and explains how to find the best shade match for your mane. We’ll also introduce you to more of our favorite root touch-up products for camouflaging unwanted grays between salon appointments.
Whether you prefer the convenience of temporary concealment or seek a long-lasting solution, we've got you covered—literally.
What is a root touch-up spray?
Root touch-up spray is a sprayable hair color that temporarily conceals grays. These aerosol formulas are temporary and work much like makeup works to cover up any discoloration or blemishes on your skin. While there are a number of root touch-up products you can choose from (from powders to pastes), sprays provide the easiest (and fastest) application.
L'Oréal Professionnel Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up is a professional-quality formula designed to mask grays—and the seven shades complement up to 41 different hair colors. Unlike many similar sprays, it lasts until your next wash day.
Who should use root touch-up spray?
If you’re seeing unsightly regrowth or are worried your grays are showing, a root touch-up spray is probably a good fit for your lifestyle. Unlike dyes or in-salon services, root touch-up spray is a reasonably low-stakes product. It washes out with shampoo, which means there’s little risk of messing up the application and regretting the whole thing.
But covering up roots isn’t the only way you can use a root touch-up spray. McGinley says there are several different ways to put the product to work in your life. In the salon, she uses it as a tool to show women what a shadowed hair color might look like.
“Before I highlight [my blonde clients], I’ll take a light brown and just spray it in sections on the hair,” McGinley says. “I give them 2 to 3-inch sections of color and then they get to see a darker shadowed regrowth. The ends we just leave blonde.” You can also use a root touch-up spray to give platinum hair a (temporary) visible root for a punky, rock-and-roll effect.
“I’ve been using [Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up] as my staple in the salon so that [my clients] have options and they’re not committed to the shadowed regrowth,” the stylist adds. “They can have a shadowed or rooted look one day, and then the next day they just wash it out and they can have their balayage back.”
Pro Tip: McGinley also recommends the product to women with colored hair who like to wear clip-in hair extensions and want a more seamless blend.
How do you use root touch-up spray?
Using root touch-up spray is simple—just part, mist, and blend. Start by creating fine, thin sections of hair near your hairline. You want to coat them in such a way that the product can cover your roots in every direction. Then, give your visible roots or gray hairs a light coat of the spray, holding the can four to six inches from hair. Depending on the formula, you may need to let it dry before styling as usual.
Achieving natural-looking coverage with is especially easy with the precision spray applicator on Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up. “My clients also love it because it goes on dry,” says McGinley.
Pro Tip: Be sure to shake your spray well before spritzing onto roots in short bursts for a salon-worthy finish.
How long does L'Oréal Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up last?
L'Oréal Professionnel Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up spray lasts until your next shampoo, so you won’t have to refresh your roots every day (unlike many similar products).
Editor Tip: We suggest using a dry shampoo while using Hair Touch Up to extend time between wash days. More on our favorite one for this later!
How do I find the right shade of L'Oréal Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up for me?
When choosing which color of Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up to go with, consider your hair type. McGinley recommends opting for one shade lighter than you think you need for fine or thin hair.
“I just find that finer hair really absorbs it a little bit darker or, under certain lights, you can see on fine hair how that color settled on the scalp and [clients] don’t like that,” McGinley says.
Medium or coarse hair types should choose their exact shade.
L'Oréal Professionnel Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up Shades
L'Oréal Professionnel Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up- Dark Brown/Black
This shade is ideal for true black to darkest brown hair color with warm or cool tones.
L'Oréal Professionnel Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up- Brown
Brunette hair colors are always trending, so keep your fresh with this shade for dark brown hair colors.
L'Oréal Professionnel Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up- Warm Brown
This shade works for medium brown hair with warm, caramel tones like chestnut and cinnamon hair colors.
L'Oréal Professionnel Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up- Light Brown
Softer shades of brown hair with cool undertones will blend perfectly with Root Fix in light brown.
L'Oréal Professionnel Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up- Blonde/Dark Blonde
Both cool and warm-toned blondes can keep their color intact with this dark blonde shade.
L'Oréal Professionnel Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up- Light Warm Blonde
Even those with the lightest shades of blonde hair can use a root touch-up spray to blend grays. We suggest this one for blondes with warm, golden tones.
L'Oréal Professionnel Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up- Auburn
Redheads who jumped on the Copper Cowgirl trend (or any of its many variations), this warm red shade is for you.
Ask your colorist for help to determine which L'Oréal Professionnel Instant Root Fix Hair Touch Up spray is best for you if you’re still unsure. (Don’t have a colorist? See our salon locator here.)
Hair Touch Up Root Concealer in Light Brown
A root concealing spray to cover grays.
Hair Touch Up Root Concealer in Brown
A root concealing spray to cover grays.
Hair Touch Up Root Concealer in Auburn
A root concealing spray to cover grays.
Hair Touch Up Root Concealer in Dark Brown/Black
A root concealing spray to cover grays.
Hair Touch Up Root Concealer in Blonde
A root concealing spray to cover grays.
Choosing the Right Root Touch-Up Product
If a root touch-up spray isn’t for you, there are other great options on the market to consider. When choosing a root touch-up product, always consider your hair color, texture, and desired level of coverage.
For quick and easy hacks that hide gray roots, stylers like mousse and dry shampoos are great options. Take preventative measures against color fading with color-depositing masks or conditioners for long-lasting coverage. Those with stubborn grays can use high-coverage formulas like demi-permanent or permanent dyes for less frequent trips to the salon.
Ahead, explore the world of root touch-up solutions from a few of our favorite salon-quality brands.
Wash Day Root Touch-Up Solutions
Biolage Professional Color Balm Color Depositing Conditioners
Condition, refresh, and intensify your hair color in five minutes with this Color Depositing Conditioner from Biolage Professional. The formula can help target graying roots in the shower by adding a wash of color over them. Plus, it’s available in five subtle shades: Cinnamon, Earl Grey, Lavender, Red Poppy, and Saffron Red. There’s also a Clear option for those who want conditioning sans color.
Biolage Professional Color Last R.A.W. Color Care Acidic Milk Rinse
When you do hit the salon, protect your color-treated hair and roots with Biolage Color Last R.A.W. Color Care Acidic Milk Rinse. This gentle yet effective rinse can help seal the hair cuticles, locking in color pigments and preventing fading—exactly what your graying roots need. Ask your stylist about this salon exclusive when you pop in for a wash and blowout!
Redken Color Extend Blondage Color Depositing Purple Shampoo
Color Extend Blondage is a violet-tinted shampoo that doubles as a root toner for blonde and silver hair. Use in tandem with the rest of the Blondage system to neutralize any brassiness.
Pureology Color Fanatic Instant Deep Conditioning Mask
If you’re looking for a root touch-up option that provides hydration and color protection, try Pureology’s Color Fanatic Instant Deep Conditioning Mask. The intensely moisturizing treatment has 21 benefits that all hair types can benefit from, but those who color their roots will especially love it’s patented Antifade Complex®.
Biolage Professional Color Last Deep Treatment Pack
Color Last Deep Treatment conditions hair while extending color brilliance to the roots and rest of your strands. Bonus: The convenient portable pack is great for keeping your roots together when traveling.
Pureology Strength Cure Superfood Treatment
There are multiple reasons to stock up on this leave-in cream. Pureology Strength Cure Superfood Treatment can help maintain color vibrancy while helping to strengthen strands and smooth split ends.
Styling Root Touch-Up Solutions
Biolage Professional All-In-One Intense Dry Shampoo
Less shampooing means less color fading. Extend time between washes by opting for a dry shampoo like Biolage Professional All-In-One Intense Dry Shampoo every other day to help preserve your hue.
Pureology Style + Protect Weightless Volume Mousse
Pureology’s Weightless Volume Mousse provides tons of volume to camouflage minor roots when styling hair. Not to mention, this mousse has buil-in color and heat protection to help protect your shade from fade.
Permanent Root Touch-Up Solutions
Redken Color Gels Oils
Redken’s Color Gels Oils is a permanent hair color that leaves hair soft, shiny, and rejuvenated. This innovative formula targets grays, ensuring flawless coverage from root to tip with a unique blend of oils. Most users report color vibrancy for 4-6 weeks, while some even claim their color lasts up to eight weeks with proper care.
Matrix SoColor Pre-Bonded Permanent Cream Hair Color
It’s no wonder why the ammonia-free formula of SoColor Pre-Bonded is a salon-exclusive. Offering gentle yet effective root coverage, it’s a high-coverage solution ideal for the most stubborn of grays.
Sure, you’ve mastered the art of root touch-ups, but experts predict gray hair blending techniques to take over salons. Find out more about the trend in our guide Here’s How to Transition Into Natural Gray Hair Using Highlights.
Header photo credit: @stylistemilyann and Hair.com
Use our salon locator to consult with a pro stylist on which root touch-up solutions are best for you.
