20 Best Permanent Root Touch Up For Grey Hair (Jan 2023 Update)

The product is better than a spray because I have more control of application. it doesn't cover the gray entirely but is decent enough. I would suggest perhaps getting a darker shade for more coverage. To Style Edit your product is a bit drying and perhaps you can make the sponge handle easier to hold. Good product. I would use again.Anonymous

I have NEVER found a root cover that matches my copper red (level 6-7) hair. I have had 90% white hair since my early 40s and just relinquished myself to having to dye my roots every 2 weeks or les$$. Luckily I’m a hairdresser! This powder blends so beautifully- it isn’t too brown or too orange. It looks shimmery in the package but doesn’t on the hair. It’s not chalky or opaque – it’s very soft. If you’d like dense coverage you may be disappointed, but imo the translucency makes it more natural looking. I’m thrilled with it and have already recommended it to my clients- which was dumb, because now they can wait an extra week or two between color appointments with me. Lol!zhauna F.

I've been buying this product for years, I buy a few at a time so I don't run out ! I love it and I would recommend And I have . This particular one is good for light brown hair- to blonde . Hope this help !!!Anonymous

I often find myself touching up my roots at home in-between salon visits, otherwise I'd be in my hair stylists chair every 3 weeks. I have always used the same box color for my roots for matching purposes and until this voxbox was sent to me, I hadn't tried any other product. While I was open to trying something new, I was still a bit apprehensive. Would it match? Will it damage my hair? Would it work? I have some sparse gray hairs at my roots that are super stubborn, even my go-to box color sometimes doesn't take care of them and I have to wait until I'm in the salon to be completely gray-free. I love that Influenster sent this kind of voxbox. Not being able to see my stylist for months has my hair in desperate need of attention and being able to give myself some self-care has been a bright spot in this otherwise dark time. I was sent the color light brown and i wasnt sure if it was going to match but I kept my fingers crossed. Application was super easy. The applicator brush made it simple to deposit the color exactly where I wanted it and also ensured complete coverage. It also comes with traditional applicator like normal box hair colors but I definitely preferred the brush, for me the brush was more precise and alleviated any mess. After 10 minutes I rinsed the color out, then washed and conditioned as normal. I have to say, not only was the color an exact match but this worked better than I expected. In less time with less hassle, I was able to achieve perfectly fresh roots. Looks like I have a new go-to root touch up.sabrina.s

I’ve been using a competitors root touch up but has been hard to find so I tried this one. Other than the applicator, I did not like this. 1) It was a little more drippy and messy. A thicker product is easier to use. 2) The medium brown was more like medium reddish brown. I’ve used many brands and products but never got this color result from “medium brown”. 3) It simply did not cover my grey as well as any other product I’ve tried. 4) By a week later, so much grey was showing that even my husband noticed. If I can’t find my favorite product anymore, I’ll go back to making a small batch with regular permanent color applied with a brush.Christine from LI

This product is really amazing. When I first got it I noticed how small of a quantity was in the bottle and was a bit concerned as I have very long hair. The product comes with a cute “tub” to mix the two parts and a small brush to place the product with. The brush is actually the key to why this amount works. It prevents you from using too much in one area. The one bad thing about the brush was that it pulled out some of my hair bc it was really stiff. The product went on smooth and the instructions were very easy to follow: mix, apply, wait 20 min and rinse. There wasn’t any conditioner like with other boxed hair colors but the product itself seemed to be nourishing enough that it made my roots silky. I didn’t feel any itchiness or burning and the color matched very well. The last was also very good. This is such a good product for touch ups as well as to take with you when traveling. I would buy this product again!sarah.l

I have used Clairol Natural Instincts several times before and I have been a home hair coloring girl for years. I had practice when I was younger, coloring my mothers hair. Clairol Natural Instincts usually leaves my hair feeling slightly better than before I colored it. This was the case again with the Root Touch Up. I love that it has no ammonia in it. When you use the dye, it doesn’t feel like it’s burning your hair or hurting your head, as some hair dyes do. The smell is also more pleasant and not as intense. The color I used is Light Brown. It’s close to my natural hair color, but not that close to the color my hair is now. It was easy to cover my grey hairs, and I have plenty to go around. My grey hairs have never been problematic when coloring my hair. They hold the new color well and this was the same result when I used Clairol Root Touch Up. The process was simple. Only two items to mix. I like that they provided a simple, recycled plastic mixing bowl and especially the dye brush! It covered my roots great! I’m saving it for the next time I dye my hair. It only takes 20 minutes for the touch up to set. It has been two weeks since I used this hair color and I have still found no grey hairs. Even though this color did not match my current color well, it still blended into my hair color and covered the grey hairs. I will definitely use this again, but I will get the dark auburn or black color instead. I’m grateful for Clairol Natural Instincts for trying to lessen the damage to your hair while providing cover-up for those nasty grey hairs!jessica.g

"I received this product for free from Influenster and Clairol in exchange for my honest review." The Clairol Root Touch-up 6.5 by Natural Instincts with 0% Ammonia in it, matched my natural hair color as close to perfect as you could possible get and also covered up all my grays that I had. I am impressed at how natural looking it turned out for me! It doesn’t even look like I colored my hair right now. It looks like my natural hair color and without the grays! You can’t tell the difference between me using Clairol Natural Instincts 6.5 or me going to a Salon to have my hair colored. I have used hair coloring from a box in the past many years ago and it just messed up my hair and I could never get the color that I picked out from the picture on the boxes and it was a pain in the neck to do and it took to long. So that’s how I ended up going to a Salon and letting the professionals do it there. But with this product, I found the process to be simple and easy, from start to finish. I did get the end result of color that was on the box and all my grays were colored in the process too, just like the box said it would and it didn’t stink like some of the other brands I had used in the past. I will definitely be using this again. I have received a lot of compliments on my hair color and have even been asked what Salon do I use. So I told them it’s a new one in town called Clairol 6.5!!tina.k

I watched a Utube video on how to apply product, and I highly recommend doing that because the application instructions are very brief. I like this brand because it stays put pretty well. After 1 washing it may require a touch-up, but compared to other brands I've tried this is a minor inconvenience. A small amount will transfer to fingers if you rub on it. As with all root sprays I have tried, it does leave a slight filmy feeling on hair, but not intolerable in my opinion.Carole

I have used several different brands of root touch-up and this one is my least favorite. It does not come out consistently, even when clicking the recommended 3-5 times after the initial priming. It is a thicker consistency and doesn’t apply evenly or easily at all. I really was hoping this one would be a good product due to the size and portability, unfortunately I can’t say I recommend it, even the pigment is lighter than other similar products I I have tried. I would save the money and purchase a different root touch-up, like the powders that have a dauber or mini-brush and compact. There are also other brush-ons with a more liquid consistency and better coverage.alexis.h

I’ve never written a review on any product but I love this product so much I felt I had to. I’ve used many products for temporary root touch up, from powder to crayons to mascara type. This product is so easy to use and works great. I just need to get the right color but otherwise I highly recommend it.Vmsarra

Love this. I use it for my ponytails. When I do ponytails since I wasn’t bless with a lot of hair there’s spots that aren’t covered this helps cover those spots. It helps give the illusion that there’s no bald spot lines. It does leave a sticky residue but since I use it for ponytails I don’t mind. I do wish they made it in bigger bottles, because this thing only lasted me about 2 months. Love it. Have and will continue to repurchase.Bohoboho

This hair coloring spray is great! I don’t have grays, I’m 41 and blessed with good genes, I still look 31 🙂 although I do have some thinning spots. I spray this on my thinner areas and voilà!! INSTANT FULLER HAIR!ShoppinSheila

I absolutely love this product. I have thin hair as it is, now I also have post partum thinning as well. My hair line has never been uglier. Gray away helps me feel less insecure about it though.it does a great job of filling in my thinning hair line and the places I wish I had more hair anyway. It would be great for touch ups between coloring too if you have light roots ans dye your hair dark. It is inexpensive and you can find it at Walmart and Ulta!alexis .m

I have VERY stubborn greys (actually, it's more white hair) and I've only used this once but I have to say…wow! Firstly, I love that this comes as a complete kit, with everything that you need. I have used a few other drugstore brand boxed colours between salon visits and this will absolutely become my go-to. I didn't experience any scalp irritation while waiting for the colour to set, and unlike the other brands from the drugstore, this one doesn't begin to drip down your forehead. I love that this comes with a cap to wear over your head while the colour sets. I feel like that really improved the integrity of the colour and made it last longer. Usually, with the drugstore brands I begin to see the re-growth within a week because my hair doesn't take colour very well. But this product allowed me to go longer between re-colouring my hair. And it left my hair so shiny and soft, which I cannot say for the drugstore brands. I will be sticking to this product for colouring between salon visits. The only downside is amount of plastic and waste that needs to be disposed of. Also, for the price I feel like you should be able to get more applications out of it. When I mixed one application's worth, there was so much left over product I didn't need to use, so I wish there was a way to divide this into three or four applications instead of two.EmJay33

My hair was freshly highlighted just before lockdown last year, but inevitably my hair started to look like a hot mess a couple of months later. I have a dark blonde level 7 base to hide the grays, with neutral blonde highlights. Once I had an inch of medium brown roots with grays poking through I knew I had to do something but was too afraid of using a drugstore boxed touch-up kit and ruining my hair, so I tried the DPHue kit. Lucky for me I snagged a box in Dark Blonde before they were sold out! The color is a perfect match for my dark blonde base; I was scared because my hair really pulls red but when I tell you this turned out to be an exact match 😻 no red tones at all! No hot roots either. My roots look professionally colored. I left the color in for an hour since my grays are very resistant. I got complete gray coverage, which really surprised me. The process is pretty easy; I mixed the whole tube of color with both packettes of developer, and I had enough color for the entire top of my head and the front sides where I have the most grays. I didn't bother with the back as I don't have many grays there. I did the front and hairline myself, and my husband helped me with the crown. Then I placed the plastic cap on my head, leaving the highlighted lengths out of it. I still use this root touch-up kit in between salon appointments to save money. My hairstylist never has trouble coloring or highlighting over it! Hair services are extremely expensive in my area, so this helps so much. I hope they never stop making it!Missy

One of the first things I noticed was how nice this root touch-up kit was packaged, less drugstore and more luxury for sure. It contains everything you need for two root touch-ups including two sets of gloves, developer, mixing bowls, dye, and processing caps. You also receive a small brush that can be rinsed and re-used. I usually purchase my hair dye in bigger containers and use a 20 developer and N1- Jet Black color. At first, I though the amount of product was not going to be enough for two applications but was surprised to find that the size of the bowl, product, and even the brush (which I originally thought might be too small) was the perfect size for root coverage! I REALLY loved the consistency and found that it brushed on evenly and precisely. I loved the viscosity, it was a true creme consistency and I was able to apply it with accuracy and almost zero mess, which is a HUGE plus! It was also easy to clean and didn’t leave my counter or shower a mess, so bonus points for that! I also loved how luxurious the accompanying after-color shampoo and conditioner felt and whole-heartedly appreciate them having both an after-color shampoo and conditioner. After using them I was able to style my hair and it smelled great all day and didn’t look weighed down like it usually does when I use other color kits that only include a rinse, then condition option. The Black color is very true black, and after over a week it still looks great and has provided complete coverage on my grays and blends with the Jet Black color I use for my all-over color application. Overall, I was both surprised and impressed with this product, I definitely recommend it and will likely purchase it again in the future. This one is definitely a keeper!alexis.h

I have used other products to cover my hard to cover white roots. None of the products lasted any length of time. I slurged and purchased 10 of these, because of all the great reviews! This stuff is Amazing! I worked hard all day..sweat pouring off my face!! To my Amazement..the color held!!!!! Highly recommend. A few dollars more but you wont have to worry about reapplying it through out the day!!!!tri63

I am a consumer. The Root Concealer was introduced to me several years ago by my hair stylist in Woodland, Calif. My natural hair color is dark brown/black with auburn/reddish tones. The stylist has colored my hair to try to come as close as possible to match my natural colors, as I have aged with more grey hairs popping up. So far the concealer is doing it's job, although, as I grow more grey, I will have to change concealer colors!Anonymous

Love the way the stick matches my hair color. Also take it with me in my purse for quick hair line touch up’s. My only beef is the stick is only about 3 to 4 inches & goes fast if used 2x weekly. The color stick needs to be longer for the price of $10-11. Please make stick longer!Brenda

I bought this stick (I’m African American with yellowish gray-looking hair sprouting up) and decided to wait until casual Friday to try it out in case it was messy and/or I needed to wash it out. Big mistake- I should have been using this stick!! It glides on effortlessly and clean- not messy at all. And I LOVE the resulting look. I highly recommend this!!L’tanya Blackmon

LOVE this! I've tried the root spray and root dyes – both can make a mess. I needed something to touch up my roots and camouflage my thinning scalp when I'm at the end of my normal dyeing cycle. (I have black/brown hair that's graying due to my age). The color is perfect – no red or orange undertones – a neutral dark brown/black. Easy to apply and control – it's a thick crayon so you can concentrate it where you want it. I've only used it at the top of my head – haven't noticed any rubbing off or fading. Washes out when shampooing. Easy color correction and no mess! Highly recommend.Gloria

This is really pretty cool. I love the container, may keep it even when empty lol. The powder goes on a tad dark at first but soon disperses into the hair and blends in well. And covers the grey great! Lasts a couple days til I wash my hair. I definitely prefer it to the spray because it is much easier to control the application. Highly recommend.Nblas

I used the spray version first, which works better at covering the gray, but gets everywhere, so I switched to this one. It's very compact, easy to carry in my purse, comes with quite a bit of product, has a good mirror, and a sponge applicator that makes it easy to apply on the go. With that being said, the sponge rips off easily and it doesn't apply well with any other applicator so if you break it, you can't use it. The applicator is round so it's difficult to get the little hairs right in front without getting it on my face which is tricky to remove if I have makeup on. It's also difficult to cover the stubborn grays in the middle or where I part my hair. Sometimes it takes several applications to cover the gray. Oh, and don't touch your hair after because it will get all over your fingers, hand and everything else it touches. So I'm undecided if I'll buy it again after I finish it.MakeupAddict

I have numerous root cover up products and this is the best one out of all of them. Color matches my hair perfectly and it stays on until my next shampoo. Some of it was still in my hair when I was done washing it. Had to wash it again! Love the product and will continue to use it. This will save me money because I won't need to visit the hair salon as often!catlady-6

When Sally's Beauty Supply stopped carrying this product, I tried others. They did not work as great as ColorMark does . I found it on EBay! I just hope to find a better $ale on the price in the future.louis-zeito

My hair grows quite fast, so I always have up to a half-inch of roots that grow out the second half of the month between coloring. This product is wonderful for cover. My hair color of dark red/violet is hard to match, and this color is perfect! I do a zigzag part and then touch up any roots showing through, as well as along the hairline under the bangs. It's perfect!CuppaC

I use this product to cover up the grey hairs around my face until my next hair apt. The only thing is I wish the wand was designed similar to a mascara brush. That might make it easier to apply. When I use the sponge wand, I have to be careful otherwise a bunch of color goes onto my scalp and it looks bad. I can rub it off but that gets messy. The product washes right out easily.Jochelle

This works faster and better than any of the other touch up products I have used. It does not thicken or stiffen the hair at the roots, like some of the powdered products. Yes, you should be careful on your skin. I always keep an old washcloth or Kleenex handy. If you wipe the product before it dries, it is immediately off your skin with no shadow of color left behind.Hate my Gray

My younger sister told me about this product and it was a lifesaver. I recently had Shingles in my scalp and can't have my hair professionally colored again for awhile. The TouchBack touch-up marker is buying me the time I need until I can get my hair colored again. It is so fast and easy. No mess, no fuss and you're out the door! My hairdresser had given me some touch-up powder, but way too messy for me. Great product!!!!Susie Nurse

This product is a great match for my hair color (dark brown). It covers grays easily and is very easy to use. However, the color flakes of easily. I have to apply it once hair is styled and cannot brush or comb through the area where it was applied without the product flaking off. It has to be applied at least once a day due to flaking and will also wash out immediately. I purchased this marker for a second time, only for emergency touchup around my hairline only, to cover graying roots. I would recommend this only for a temporary quick fix.Photog Deb

Great product for quick touch ups. The wand makes it easy to apply the product directly when you need it the added oil helps to prevent dryness from the product. Available in various shades. Costs less than $5.semaria.s

Tiene buena pigmentación así que cubre con facilidad las canas después de humedecerlo. Aunque creo que deja el cabello un poco duro, no es a prueba de agua por lo que hay que tener el cuenta el sudor.france-claire.r

This was my first time dyeing my hair (dyed full head) so I was nervous but the instructions were so easy to follow & they give you everything you need. And it turned out beautiful, I LOVE THE RED! ❤️ 😻 Get it.Manda

This was easy to use and the color was great. I was lucky enough to find the right one for me the first time. A little pricey, but you do get two applications in the box. My grays come in fast, so didn't last any longer than other products I have used. The quality is much better though!MarlaJ

I love Madison Reed hair color & have been using it for 7 years but this is my first time using their root color. I love it – it is so easy to use & their products always cover my color resistant grays! Will be using this between regular colorings from now on!Stephanie

I have used pens and brushes to cover gray with decent results, especially for side burn areas. This is the first spray I have tried so I can’t compare to other products, some of which cost less. However, this works very well and looks very natural. It is also much much faster than doing brush on type color. So, if you need to cover roots in your part in seconds, this works great. As my hair has several colors, I am using more than one color to be spot correct. I will also try less expensive spray next time to see if they work as well. But in meantime this does the job quite well!ClearMindedOne

The color matches my dark brown hair. that is the only good thing I have to say about this. This product made my hair gross & coated it in weird sticky texture. Forget trying to touch your hair after you use this– it turns your fingers black and gets everywhere, like others indicated. It. Gets. EVERYWHERE. YET…. somehow, it also doesn't wash out. I just shampooed my hair 4 times with 4 different shampoos and could not get this gunk out. So now my hair still feels gross and sticky and when I touch that part of my hair, and my fingers STILL turn black. HOW? This is a freakin nightmare purchase. GET THIS OFF ME.discowitch

I've used the root touchup for along time and a bottle typically gets me through a month. I have light golden brown hair with lots of blonde highlights. I typically use the dark blonde. I have a lot of grey that comes in quickly and I just can't color my hair every two weeks. I started going more blonde to try and hide the grey. This root touch up is a great way to make it between colorings. It does get a bit of a texture to it. I wash and dry my hair and before styling (or before bed is best for me) I section my hair and get the grey. Then I brush it through well. It typically lasts til my next wash day. I usually wash my hair 2x a week, more in the summer. Sometimes i have to touch up my temples a bit in between washes, but otherwise the spray is long lasting and pretty natural. I went a little more blonde this last coloring and the dark blonde was just a bit too dark so I decided to try the the light to medium blonde. It's so awful! Like pee yellow. Not natural at all and it was so obvious. Not using this shade again. I'll stick to the dark blonde and spray it when my hair is slightly damp. That seems to lighten it up a bit. Otherwise I love this. Prefer it to the other root touch ups I've tried. It doesn't budge when I sweat or bleed on my face once it sets. I don't know if this would work for platinum blondes, it's just a very strange shade and looks so fake. But the product itself is awesome and I buy a bottle every month. $10 is cheaper than getting my roots touched up every two weeks.heather .a

This product is easy to apply and you can comb/brush through it without it drying hard on your hair. I would recommend to those of you who have auburn hair naturally that the color is quite bright red, almost a jello red. Those of you who do have that tone of red, it is awesome! Good product, great application and coverage and highlighting. If you are a natural auburn, you may want to purchase the browner shades. Very pleased overall!raineymtn1

It matches in with my hair. Was really pleasantly surprised and will use it frequently. I will be interested to see how long it stays on for although I realise that it washes out when you wash your hair. I would recommend it to others.pamelaelephant123

I was a long time fan and purchaser of this product prior to it being discontinued, When it was reintroduced in the last year, I was so excited to be able to buy it once again. To my dismay this replacement, by a new manufacturer, is horrible. The color is not as represented on the site and the quality is like brushing sludge over your greys – heavy, thick, and not brushable.A Long Tme Customer

Rarely do I write reviews, but "No Gray Hair Color Additive" was so amazing, I felt I must spread the good news! Typically, I have used Clairol Nice 'n Easy Root Touch-Up in Medium Brown [5] mixed with a small amount of Light Brown [6]. Other times, I'll use L'Oreal Superior Preference Hair Color, mixing Medium Brown [5] with Light Brown [6] equally. Before I discovered there was this "No Gray Hair Color Additive," I had also tried Clairol Nice 'n Easy Gray Solution, mixing Medium 5 and Light Brown 6 of the Gray Solution products, but even that version of "Gray Solution" did not cover the gray completely; I guess it did actually "cover" the gray, but it left the roots a lighter brown than the rest of my hair. While reviewing some comments on Amazon regarding hair color, I stumbled upon this product "No Gray Hair Color Additive" in which I was informed I could simply add this product to my regular hair color, over which I got so excited! (Too much change all at once can be kind of scary!) So, in my first and only try so far, I added "No Gray" (which I'll call it for convenience) to my Clairol Nice 'n Easy Root Touch-Up in Medium Brown [5], (afterwards applying another mixture of equal amounts of Medium Brown [5] and Light Brown [6] L'Oreal Superior Preference Hair Color to soften the look). To my great delight, I found that "No Gray" effectually heightened the coverage to the gray, leaving my hair a uniform color, roots and all! Without "No Gray," the gray had not been effectively and uniformly covered. With "No Gray" added, the gray is completely gone! In viewing some negative comments about "No Gray," I must admit I was surprised ~ my experience of it seemed quite the opposite. Yes, I'll agree the "No Gray" product is pure liquid which can certainly feel a bit unwieldy (and can be somewhat messy in the using, but I was relieved it did wash off, and then I used my gloves), but when added to the texture of the hair color, I found the more liquified solution congealed just enough to easily cover my hair but with no dripping. I actually found the solution's increased liquidity made coverage of my roots easier, as well as being more thorough in reaching every strand! In summary, I have a lot of gray in my roots, so covering the gray seemed a massive undertaking. "No Gray" not only helped me to effectively tackle the challenge, but its increased liquidity even made the job easier for me! It feels like I have "tried everything" in terms of products that said they would fully cover the gray, but none did cover it (completely and uniformly) until I was able to add "No Gray." I am so thankful I found this product; I wish everyone could know about "No Gray" ~ consider this my way of spreading the word!!!GrayNoMore

The wand for application is like a mascara wand. The product is thinner than mascara. I chose brown/black and it seems to be a bit dark for my brown hair. However, it also has a little brush and comb on the opposite end of the wand which you can work the product a little and it seems to blend with the hair. Covers gray well and lasts throughout the day. This works well if you have small sections you want to touch up.ingrid.r

The color match was perfect for my hair. I brushed some product in, used the hard bristles to further brush it in, and finished with the soft bristles to blend it in. I had no issues with it not drying. It dried just fine. It didn’t feel cakey or make the application areas hard (like some sprays do). It didn’t run, nor did color get on my fingers when I touched my hair. I will definitely continue to use this product in the future between colorings.applesoranges

This product is easy to apply and you can comb/brush through it without it drying hard on your hair. I would recommend to those of you who have auburn hair naturally that the color is quite bright red, almost a jello red. Those of you who do have that tone of red, it is awesome! Good product, great application and coverage and highlighting. If you are a natural auburn, you may want to purchase the browner shades. Very pleased overall!raineymtn1

It matches in with my hair. Was really pleasantly surprised and will use it frequently. I will be interested to see how long it stays on for although I realise that it washes out when you wash your hair. I would recommend it to others.pamelaelephant123

I was a long time fan and purchaser of this product prior to it being discontinued, When it was reintroduced in the last year, I was so excited to be able to buy it once again. To my dismay this replacement, by a new manufacturer, is horrible. The color is not as represented on the site and the quality is like brushing sludge over your greys – heavy, thick, and not brushable.A Long Tme Customer

This is a great little touch up product. It’s in powder form and comes with a applicator with two sizes-very useful to have both sizes for different areas of hair. The color blended well into my dark hair and the wonderful thing is it doesn’t wipe off onto fingers or pillows. I do notice that if I already have a lot of product on my hair it doesn’t stick on as well. I wish it were a little cheaper as it’s expensive for the amount of product you get. Overall it’s a good root coverup for in between dye jobs. Dfareena.a

WOW is right! This is the best root touch up product ever for me. Comes in a portable small oblong compact with creme and powder based product inside and a perfect application brush. Comes in every color imaginable and is easy to use Doesn't spill or flake Waterproof and doesn't rub off in rain or if it gets wet. Only comes off with shampoo. Works like a charm on roots and bald spots (of which I have one near a cowlick). Awesome stuff – LOVE it. I've tried sprays, powders, powder fillers, etc. and none compare to this one! Definitely recommend highly!catherine.t