How to do a blonde hair root touch-up at home?

Anyone who has dyed their hair blonde knows how frustrating it is to spend time and money getting the perfect blonde colour at the salon (or at home), only to find those pesky dark roots showing up a few weeks later.

But fear not! You can keep your blonde locks looking fresh and fabulous longer with a blonde root touch-up at home. It's a quick and easy process, as simple as brushing or spraying on some colour to cover up those grown-out roots. And with options like temporary hair colour or permanent root touch-up kits available, you can pick whatever works best for your style and busy schedule.

Keep reading to discover how to touch up your roots to keep your blonde looking fresh and perfectly blended. 

Wait, can you really do a blonde root touch-up at home?

It's true that blonde hair is trickier to work with than other hair colours, so we understand why you might feel nervous about colouring your roots. But with Clairol's product portfolio, finding your perfect shade and touching up your blonde roots at home has never been easier!

Here's what you can expect when using the range:

1. Save time. You don't need to book an appointment with a hairstylist and spend hours sitting in the salon chair. Touching up your blonde at home lets you go at your own pace and takes a fraction of the time.

2. Natural results. With customisable hair trends and natural colour shades available, getting the perfect blonde colour to match your hair tone has never been easier. No more worrying about brassy tones or mismatched shades.

3. Convenience. With Clairol, you can touch up your roots anytime, anywhere. You don't need to work around scheduling conflicts or salon hours. Plus, you can keep a temporary touch-up with you for any emergency quick fixes.

4. Grey root coverage. Our temporary root touch-up sprays and permanent solutions can conceal even the most stubborn grey hairs. You can literally spray away the greys!

Expert tip: An at-home blonde root touch-up is best done on coloured hair that’s a consistent shade of blonde. If you have highlighted blonde hair or bleached blonde hair, it’s best to visit a salon when your roots start emerging.

What to do for a successful blonde root touch-up?

With the lightweight formula of Clairol's Root Touch-Up products and an easy application process, achieving your perfect blonde shade has never been more accessible. Ready to give it a go? Dye your hair like a pro with these top tips.

1. Choose the right shade of hair colour

When it comes to root touch-ups, choosing the right shade of blonde is essential. But how do you get it right?

If you know what shade you are using, find the matching name on the Root Touch-Up kit. You can also check the side of the box which provides a matching guide to choose from. If not, then start by carefully looking over your hair colour in different lighting conditions. Pay attention to the hues of your existing hair to select a tone that matches and blends well. Remember to check for brassy tones, so you can tone any brassiness[LC1] before working on your roots.

If you're unsure, it's best to seek advice from a hair professional. Or you can try temporary root sprays to test out different shades and find your blonde root touch-up match made in heaven.

2. Choose a kit or formula based on your needs

There are multiple at-home root touch-up kits in the Clairol portfolio that can help you get your blonde locks looking fresh again. All you need to do is choose a product or formula based on your specific needs.

If you're looking for a quick temporary fix for a night out, a root spray or concealer might be the way to go. But if you're hoping for something more long-lasting, try a root touch-up hair dye kit that blends seamlessly with your natural hair colour. 

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For a quick fix: Use a temporary colour

Conceal or spray away darker roots in seconds with a root spray or root concealer — the perfect quick coverage solution. 

The Clairol blonde selection of temporary root products includes:

• Root Touch-Up Temporary Refreshing Spray. Just spray your roots from a six-inch distance and go. The water-resistant formula will keep your roots intact until your next hair wash session. 

• Root Touch-Up Colour Refreshing Spray 2 in 1. Opt for our temporary hair colour + volume root touch-up spray with Colourfill technology for a hit of volume and grey root coverage

• Temporary Root Touch-Up Concealing Powder. Cover roots (and shape your brows at the same time) with our multi-use powder formula and precision applicator brush — included with every colouring kit. 

For a long-lasting result: Use a permanent root colour touch-up

If you're looking for a more permanent result that lasts until you're ready to refresh your whole head of blonde, opt for a permanent solution like Root Touch Up by Nice'n Easy — the #1 Root Touch Up*. Available in a range of blonde shades, from extra light to dark blonde, it takes just 10 minutes to achieve root perfection!

3. Make sure your hair is in good condition before colouring  

Before you start touching up those roots or dyeing your hair with your chosen product, it's important to make sure your hair is in tip-top condition. Trust us, your locks will thank you for it. Here are some things you can do to improve the condition of your roots and lengths before colouring:

• Use deep conditioning treatments: If your hair and roots feel dry and damaged, a deep conditioning treatment or hair mask can restore moisture and glossy shine to dry hair.

• Trim split ends: Trimming split ends not only helps to keep your hair looking healthy but can also prevent hair breakage.

• Avoid heat styling: Give your hair a break from hot tools to avoid any damage. Try air-drying or using low heat settings on your styling tools.

• Massage your scalp regularly: Lightly massage your scalp with your fingers for a few minutes each day to stimulate blood flow and strengthen your hair follicles. 

Remember, healthy hair is happy hair and makes for the best canvas for your root touch-up or new dye.

4. Do an allergy and strand test

If you're using permanent hair colour, you must do an allergy test before applying the product fully. This will prevent any reactions to the dye and help you see if you like the shade you've selected for your roots.

To do an allergy patch test, simply: 

1. Mix small, equal amounts of colour and activator into a non-metallic bowl with a plastic spoon.
2. Apply a small amount of the mixture with a cotton ball or swab to the inside of your arm near the bend of your elbow. 
3. Allow to dry and leave it on for 48 hours (make sure you don't wash it off!).
4. If a rash, redness, swelling, burning or itching occurs, you may have an allergic reaction. Stop using the product.

In addition, if you're using a permanent touch-up product, you may wish to do a strand test to try out the colour. You can do this by applying your chosen product to an isolated strand of hair.

5. Last but not least, follow the kit instructions carefully

Whether you're completing a strand test or colouring your roots completely, it's important you check your packet instructions carefully before you start the colouring process to avoid any mishaps and ensure you get the best results.

Now you're all set to touch up your roots and freshen your blonde locks! 

Do you need help finding a new hair colour that suits you? Explore which shades you should choose based on your skin tone. 

*Based on Nielsen ScanTrack (Total UK, excluding NI) data for Total Roots Segment, 12 months to 1st December 2018.