6 Super Sneaky Ways to Hide Your Roots Between Appointments
Yet another reason to swear by dry shampoo.
Let me preface this by saying I don't make quite as many trips to my colorist as I should. And it's pretty extreme in my case, as my hair is very, very blonde and my roots are very, very dark. Not to mention, my strands grows like weeds.
Sometimes I love me some super-contrasty 1-inch root and think it looks pretty damn cool (these ladies are my inspo), but still, I'm always looking for tricks to conceal my bad habit of procrastinating on the touch-up appointments.
If your root-to-hair-color ratio is getting a little out of hand, let these expert tips be your saving grace.
1. Apply dry shampoo to your roots. It's a great way to help hide darker roots as the white powder will often lighten your hair. Plus it will prolong your blowout!–Harry Josh, celebrity hairstylist and colorist
Try: Bumble and bumble Prêt-à-Powder, $27; sephora.com.
2. Look to hairstyles that create dimension. The best styles are those that are meant to show highlights. Think of anything that twists the hair like braids and twists. If your hair is short, try a braid along the hairline to pull away the hair from the face and mask your roots in with the color of the length of your hair. If your hair is longer, trying twisting it away from the face and pinning at the base of the head. The twists act as a headband, so you can leave your hair down. Milkmaid braids are also a great option.–Rodney Cutler, owner of the Cutler/Redken Salon in New York
3. Change up your part. When you wear your hair the same way every day, the hair actually becomes more flat and your roots look darker than they actually are. If you switch the direction of your part, or messy it up a bit, the severity of the roots becomes less noticeable.–RC
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
4. Try a root concealer. "My root concealer is easy to spray on the hair where you need it. It also stays put until you shampoo it out."–Rita Hazan, celebrity colorist.
Try: Rita Hazan Root Concealer, $25; folica.com.
5. Give yourself beach hair. Add volume at the root using Kérastas Volume in Powder, and then use a medium size curling iron or wand through the ends to create messy, beachy texture. The combo of volume at the root and waves through the ends will help to conceal your unintentional ombré.–Olivia Halpin, DreamDry Stylist and Salon Manager
6. Nurture hair follicles with argan oil. It invigorates the cells that help produce the melanin protein responsible for the natural color of the hair. It also contains omega-3 and 9, which are unsaturated fatty acids which strengthen and moisturize hair, and can also put off untimely gray hair or hair of a different color or texture than that of the rest of your hair. It adds more moisture to hair without weighing it down, so not only does the color improve but it can change the texture as well! I suggest using a nickel size drop on wet hair each day before styling.–RC
Try: Josie Moran Argan Oil Hair Serum, $30; josiemarancosmetics.com.
You should also check out:
Why You Should Steal Rihanna's Slicked-Back Grammy's 'Do for Valentine's Day
21 Curly-Haired Celebs Who Will Inspire You
Your One-Night Stand Survival Kit
The Lipstick Colors That Make Your Teeth Look Brighter
Lauren Valenti is Vogue’s former senior beauty editor. Her work has also appeared on ELLE.com, MarieClaire.com, and in In Style. She graduated with a liberal arts degree from Eugene Lang College, The New School for Liberal Arts, with a concentration on Culture and Media Studies and a minor in Journalism.
-
Only Three Episodes of 'The Traitors' Season 3 Have Dropped, But the Traitors Are Already Headed for Betrayal
The producers truly chose chaos for this installment of Peacock's reality hit.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
This $4,900 Bag Is the Hero of Hailey Bieber's Mom Style
A case for the oversized staple.
By Kelsey Stiegman Published
-
Here's Where Textured Hair Education in America Stands in 2025
Meet the leaders behind the movement for more equitable hair care.
By Kayla Greaves Published
-
Rihanna’s New Pixie Cut Puts Her Curls Front and Center
Fenty Beauty is releasing a new product and Rihanna showed off her natural hair to help promote it. See the look here.
By Ariel Baker Published
-
Gray Hair Was the Hottest Accessory at the 2025 Golden Globes
Gray hair is chic, period.
By Hannah Baxter Published
-
25 Brown Nail Designs To Instantly Elevate Winter's Hottest Polish Trend
Luxury at your fingertips.
By Emma Aerin Becker Published
-
Ginseng Extract May Be the Answer to Your Hair Growth Woes
Rapunzel status, unlocked.
By Ariel Baker Published
-
20 Beauty Stocking Stuffers Guaranteed to Please Your Pickiest Family Members
Beauty editor-tested and approved.
By Ariel Baker Published
-
24 Luxury Beauty and Wellness Gifts for Your Pickiest Self-Care Obsessed Friends
Guaranteed to please even your pickiest friends and family.
By Hannah Baxter Published
-
10 Winter Hair Color Trends Fashionable Women Love This Season
The season's top hair color trends are painfully chic.
By Jamie Wilson Published
-
10 Winter Haircut Trends Stylish Women Are Wearing in 2024
It's time to get a little scissor happy.
By Jamie Wilson Published