Missbeauty: How To Re-Touch Roots

Touching up your roots is something you can do at home in between salon visits. You'll want to purchase a color that is as similar as possible to your own processed color. Follow directions on the box, but here are some extra tips.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 30 minutes

Here's How:

You'll want to put on your gloves (provided in the box) & we suggest an old t-shirt.
Divide hair into 4 sections, down the middle & from ear to ear. Pin each section up with plastic hair clips. Apply petroleum jelly along your hairline. This prevents the dye from staining your skin.
Mix color as directions suggest on box. Unclip one of the front sections & using brush, apply color evenly around the perimeter of the section from the roots up to the point where the processed color begins. You will want some overlap. Don't massage into scalp.
Use the applicator tip to work in 1-inch panels. Flip hair over & apply color to this new part. Repeat halfway partings until all roots in that section are covered. Re-clip saturated hair, then repeat on remaining 3 sections.
Set the timer for five minutes before the processing time is supposed to end (processing usual takes about 25 minutes).
When timer goes off, comb the color down from roots to ends. This ensures even coverage. Use any leftover color from the bottle.
Leave on for five minutes. Rinse hair thoroughly in the shower with lukewarm water until the water runs clear. Condition according to package directions (most kits come with conditioner).
Style and show off your gorgeous color...

Tips:

If you have highlights, it's much more complicated (though not impossible) to get roots touched up. Watch next time your stylist gives you highlights -- thousands of strands get color while thousands do not. Improperly touching up roots would give you an uneven look.
Clairol's new Nice 'n Easy Root Touch-Up Kit is a great kit for root touch-ups.
Don't have time to color your roots? Try eyeshadow! Simply spritz your part with hairspray, then pat the shadow onto the roots. Brown will mask gray, while golds work best on blondes.
Apply Sea Breeze along hairline & anywhere else the dye may have strayed. The alcohol prevents the dye from staining the skin.
Put on a shower cap while waiting for hair to process. This will help keep drips from running.