One question I’m often asked is how to hide your regrowth. I love to colour my hair and I have many tricks for covering my pesky regrowth that proves I’m not a real blonde.
These tips also work for hiding grey hair, or any colour difference whether you are going from dark to light, or light to dark.
There’s a funny cycle I’ve noticed with your hair regrowth. It seems to be going fine for weeks and then all of a sudden there’s just this 1 day where I’m like, “how did I not notice how much regrowth I have?! And can I get an appointment with the hairdresser this afternoon?!”.
It just seems to change in 1 day.
It goes from being completely bearable, to being hideously ugly and I need to cover all my hair completely. And then of course I can’t get an appointment for another week, so I have another whole week of living with that regrowth.
First world problems, I know, but hey, I’m a hair blogger. Covering regrowth is important to me.
So whether you’re trying to save money by spacing out your hair appointments, or you just can’t get in to see your colourist, here are some tips for hiding your regrowth.
How to hide your regrowth
1. Zig-zag your part
Wearing a straight part in your hair is an exact timeline to show how long it’s been since you coloured your hair. It makes that regrowth line so obvious.
Get rid of the straight lines and make your part crooked.
Do a little zig-zag line, take it diagonally back, and change the direction so that people can’t see the exact growth line. This is the simplest way to make your regrowth less conspicuous.
2. Wear your hair out
Pulling your hair all back in a tight updo really highlights the regrowth all around your hairline. Instead, leave a few pieces of hair loose around the front of your face to soften the style.
Or better yet, wear your hair out so the focus is on the ends of your hair not on the roots.
You can still do some cute half-up hair styles if you like having it your hair off your face. But leaving the ends of your hair out just switches the focus from your regrowth to the real colour you want your hair to be.
3. Curl your hair
Straight hair will show the line of regrowth so much more than curly hair. By adding in some volume at the roots, and curling your hair, it instantly disguises your regrowth.
So put down the straightener and embrace your natural texture. I recommend using volume powder to add a little bit of root lift to help hide the regrowth line.
4. Root touchup powders
If you can’t stand your roots, you can colour them in with root touchup powders and sprays. There are some newer formulations that can instantly hide your regrowth, and I put them to the test in my hair and on paper.
Joico Tint Shots have a more volumising effect with a slightly powdery finish. The brown has a more ashy finish that lightens as it dries. The blonde seems a little warm at first but it also lightened as it dried in my hair. The Tint Shots also add some texture to your hair to give you that root lift while covering up the colour. Hold the can about 15cm to 20cm away from your hair and spray in short, sharp bursts to put the colour exactly where you need it. You can find Joico in salons.
Oribe Airbrush Root Touchup spray has a much softer finish and a beautiful colour range. It doesn’t add that volume into the root, but the powder leaves a soft colour coating on your hair and helps disguise regrowth instantly. I love the concentrated colour and coverage in such a little bottle with a really natural finish. You can find it in salons or online here and here.
Color Wow root touchup powder seems like a cross between a face powder and an eye shadow. Each set comes with a little brush so that you can touch up your hair in the little compact mirror.
This isn’t any ordinary make-up though, as the staying power of this powder is incredible. It doesn’t wash off until you use shampoo. This means it’s great to wear on humid or rainy days. Even if you go to the gym and work out, it stays on, and it won’t run off and leave telltale marks on your face. Find it online here and here.
5. Wear a hat
And if all else fails, wear a hat! I love wearing hats and need no excuse to wear one. Those last few days before I get my hair coloured mean I have to wear to a hat.
I love this hat and this one too. By the way, there’s a big sale at Shopbop, use the code BIGEVENT16.
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”1444299″]
So tell me, do you find that you notice your regrowth in that one day and you can’t believe you didn’t notice it before as well?
Have you tried any root touchup products? What’s worked for you?
And which is your favourite hat to wear on those days just before you see your hairdresser?
haha, I thought I was the only one whose hair went slay, slay, slay, feral! It’s definitely harder to hide with straight fine hair and a defined part, that’s for sure.
It’s so weird, isn’t it? It’s really one day that my hair grows an inch overnight! These blonde powders and sprays are really good now, and the zig-zag part is a great trick x
You are correct the center part really makes the gray roots stand out. I have seen women who have gone 3-4 months without coloring their hair and that skunk stripe really stands out. I have my husband color my hair with henna, a full application every three months, and he does a root touch up at the six week point. I have him trim my ends on the same schedule now. When my grays start taking over more, I’ll move the root touch ups to monthly. My hair is long and my husband braids it for me, having him do a French braid also helps camouflage the gray roots.
Your husband sounds awesome, Cheryl! Sounds like you have a great beauty routine together x
Ha, my husband cuts & colors my hair too, he even does my Brazilian 😉 Our men ROCK!
High five, ladies! You married well.
Crawling out from under my rock to tell you I did not know you could buy touch up powders for regrowth! I have thick dark hair and reach that panicked state of needing an appointment ever four weeks. Will def check these out thank you. I need to get out more! Lol!
Hi Shauna! Thanks for commenting! Yes these touch up powders/sprays are awesome. Total saviours for those days before your appointment xx
Thank you this info has been invaluable. You may have given me a solution to my grey/white hair. Since I’ve had my children I have been unable to colour my hair because every time I have I get a reaction to it and my scalp blisters whether it’s at home or in the salon. I have almost come to the point where I thought I would need to just reluctantly embrace the grey hair.
Hi Rin, sorry to hear about your hair reactions and hope you’re ok. I also love grey hair and you can check out my pinterest board for more inspiration. But if like me, you love changing your hair colour, these tips will cover your regrowth for sure xx
Know just what you mean! Happy Happy Happy then Gotcha! ‘Din’t see me coming didja’ says my root witch! Great tips for my arsenal. Thank you!
Thanks Jo! Hope these help! Xx
Thank you for the advice I will be sure to try it out since I dyed my hair purple in the summer and am not allowed because of school to dye it again so have to suffer the regrowth and I’m feeling very self conscious of it. Hopefully these will work.
Hope these help Izzy! Good luck xx