How to touch up your roots at home

There are various reasons that come to mind when someone wants to dye their hair—whether it’s simply updating their look, changing to a completely new one, or wanting their hair to symbolize a significant life experience. However, there’s one particular reason that may be overlooked, since it’s commonly associated with something inevitable: gray or white hair.

As most probably know, one of the causes of gray or white hair is aging. The onset of gray or white hair, though, isn’t just triggered by more years down the line. Gray or white hair is also caused by stress and genetics. Since these are things that one can simply avoid, normally, they’d want a quick solution when their hair starts growing out after a dye job.

This is where root touch-ups come in. A root touch-up is an easy way to seamlessly blend your roots into the rest of your hair, act as hair color extenders, and give a great amount of gray or white hair coverage.

So, when you’re starting to see signs of gray or white hair, why not try learning how to touch up your roots? A root touch-up from the comfort of your home is quick and easy to do with a few trusted beauty products in the Philippines from L’Oréal Paris. All you need to do is prepare the right tools and carefully follow the instructions from the guide below.

1. Get geared up

Before dipping your hands into some hair dye, you need to prepare the essentials for the job first.

You will need a plastic tub to mix your dye solution, a brush or applicator, a comb, some hair pins or hair ties, a shower cap, petroleum jelly to avoid staining your hairline, and a pair of plastic gloves to protect your hands. Once you have these ready on a table, you’re ready to move on to the next step.

2. Prep the hair dye of your choice

Pick out the hair color of your choice that matches the rest of your hair and pour it into your mixing container. Make sure you have enough to cover all of your roots, as you will need to apply this in layers. For this step,  keep your gloves on to avoid getting the hair dye on your skin.

When our Beauty Lab tested root touch-up products, we looked for products that covered roots quickly and easily and blended flawlessly with the rest of our testers' hair without looking cakey, ashy, or unnatural. The L’Oreal Excellence Creme Line offers an easy way to color your hair, cover gray or white hair areas, and helps maintain your desired look.

3. Do a test strand first

If this is your first time trying to touch up your roots by yourself, don’t make the rookie mistake of applying all of your dye at the same time. Before you start, take a small portion of your hair and do a test strand for a few minutes. This will ensure that your hair is compatible with your solution, so you can get the color and results you want.

4. Section your hair properly

With your comb, section out your hair into multiple small parts and set them in place with a hair clip or some bobby pins. Don’t be afraid of making these sections thin because you will need to apply your hair dye over and under these strands for an even result.

5. Apply petroleum jelly around your hairline and ears

Before finally applying the dye, take the petroleum jelly and apply it around the ears and skin where your hair can touch you. This easy-to-find gel will help you avoid staining your skin during the entire process and keep you from experiencing any burns or other side effects from the chemicals.

6. Apply the dye to your roots

Take the applicator brush and apply a generous coat of hair dye to the roots where your natural hair starts to grow. Starting from the bottom and slowly making your way up can make this process easier if you’re doing this alone. Make sure that you also even out each coat so that the results can end up in the same shade.

7. Sit, wait, and wash

Now that you’ve applied the dye in the necessary areas, take a shower cap and seal your hair for the recommended amount of time. For standard dye applications, 30–45 minutes should be more than enough before you can wash it out with shampoo. This applies to both permanent and semi-permanent solutions.

8. Dry and style

Once you’ve thoroughly rinsed out your hair with the proper after-care solutions, carefully dry your hair with a towel. You can also use a hairdryer on low heat to avoid damaging your hair as you style it. After this step, avoid washing your hair again for another 24 hours so that the color can stay more vibrant.

Color me stoked

Maintaining the vibrancy of your hair color can be a tedious and expensive routine. Luckily, touching up your roots can be an easy and uncomplicated process that anyone can learn how to do at home. With the right guidance and proper tools, you can start your independent beauty journey at any time.

For more information on hair dyes and other quality beauty and hair products, reach out to experts at  L’Oréal Paris today.