13 Best Root Touch Up Hair Products, Tested and Reviewed for 2023

Oribe’s Airbrush Root Touch-Up Spray is the ultimate multitasker. Not only does it conceal roots and grays, it soaks up excess dirt and oil (just like a dry shampoo), has UV protection benefits to prevent your color from oxidizing in the sun, and for many, smells seriously amazing. Ultimately though, it’s simply a “great root concealing product,” says Jeffries. “It comes in a range of shades and helps blend grow-out seamlessly.”

THE REVIEWS: “I've used several different root touch products from different companies, and this is the first one that gives a natural airbrush spray," writes a tester. "The others I've tried come out of the gate (or can) way too strong and leaves a distinct line from the spray most of the time. Oribe's spray blends in very nicely. Also, when I rinse my hair with just water, the color does not come out—it only starts to come out when I shampoo. That is very reassuring to know if I get caught in rain or mist, the color won't run down my face!"

This root touch up crayon is is super easy to maneuver (even if you were never the best at drawing inside the lines)...just use the chubby pencil-like tip to fill in your roots or gray strands. IMO this one is better for using around the hairline and part where you need to be super-precise with your application.

THE REVIEWS: “My hairdresser recommended this so I bought some from my salon and tried it. It works great between my full-hair colorings as well as extending the life of my home root touch ups. I don’t use it after every hair wash, but I use it for the times that I really want to hide the gray and it works great,” reads a tester review.

L’Oreal Paris’ Root Cover Up is a total crowd favorite for covering gray hair—and for a few good reasons. For one, it's affordable (like more than half the price of other luxe root touch up sprays that have a similar effect on the hair). Second, it comes in nine shades so you're guaranteed to find something that matches your hair color or comes pretty damn close. And three, once you apply it, the pigments won't budge—in fact, I tried it and the coverage lasted me for over 24 hours.

THE REVIEWS: “I use this in between my monthly "cut and color" trips to the beauty salon," reads one tester's review. "That third week really shows the grey roots, so I use this until my next appointment. A few sprays along the hairline and part, and I am ready to go. It will stay for a couple of days if you don't have to wash your hair daily. Otherwise, it will wash right out with your shampoo."

Another great drugstore option, Clairol’s Temporary Root Touch-Up powder is an affordable cult-favorite. It blends easily with natural hair to conceal grays and grown-out roots—and it locks onto hairs for fade-proof color until your next shampoo.

THE REVIEWS: “It’s the best root cover product I’ve ever used," reads one reviewer's review. "It’s so easy and convenient to use and works great! It color matches perfectly and it doesn’t make a big mess unlike other root cover products. I highly recommended it to everyone!"

Color Wow’s Root Cover Up powder comes in a eight shades and, unlike some other root touch ups that can feel gunky or product-y on your scalp, this has a totally weightless feel. “It's like an eyeshadow for your grays,” says Roach. And the dual-ended applicator brush makes it easy to cover everything from larger streaks of gray to small areas of regrowth along your hairline with precision.

THE REVIEWS: “This product is genius. It covers grays beautifully and it cannot be removed without shampoo—a total game-changer for anyone who doesn't want to be going to the salon every three or four weeks."

Celebrity colorist Rita Hazan's root touch up comes in a few different shades, but the dark blonde and blonde shades are beloved by those with bleached or highlighted hair. Her spray formula is easy to apply quickly and is great for full coverage and deep root touch-ups. It's waterproof and transferproof too, so it's a good choice for the humid summer months ahead.

THE REVIEWS: “This is the bomb for root touch-ups," one tester review reads. "I have tried just about every root spray out there and is brand is by far the best. It is easy to use, looks very natural, and lasts. Rita Hazan nailed it with this product!"

This is technically a hair thickening product, but it doubles as a great root concealer too since it comes in a nine different tints. It's made with colored keratin fibers that are designed to cling to baby hairs to create temporary fullness and thickness *and* camouflage grays, especially at the roots or along your part. My favorite application tip? Spray on a thin layer of hairspray before shaking the fibers on to your hair, then mist on a second layer of hairspray to really lock them in.

THE REVIEWS: “First of all, the application process couldn't be easier," writes one tester. "All you have to do is shake the bottle onto your thinning areas, and voila—instantly thicker and fuller-looking hair. I was honestly amazed at how well it blended in with my natural hair color. And the best part? It stayed put all day, even through sweat and humidity."

A little goes a long way with this hairstylist favorite, which includes a deeply pigmented powder and two application brushes, one for precise hair touch ups and a second for filling in your brows. I mean, who doesn’t love a two-in-one product?

THE REVIEWS: “This is a great root touch up powder that is less messy than sprays. I would recommend this powder for touching up the areas around your face where you need more precision than a spray. It really helps me go an extra couple weeks before going to the salon.”

R+Co’s touch up spray is best known for its natural hues, made with multidimensional pigment which make them suited for a broader area of coverage. It’s the one to reach for should you need a full-head of concealment or color-correction, not just at your roots (although it's great for that too). Plus, it's infused with biotin and pearl extract add moisture and shine to your strands.

THE REVIEWS: “Finally, a root touch up spray that looks natural, washes out easily, and doesn’t leave my hair feeling nasty.”

One of the few options with multiple shades designed specifically for red hair, Style Edit’s Drop Red Gorgeous Root Touch-Up offers three grades of red—light, medium, and dark. It comes with a built-in mirror and powder puff applicator so you can touch up on the go—plus it's water and wind resistant too so you don't need to worry about the pigments smearing or fading during the day.

THE REVIEWS: “I’ve used other powders and they haven’t done much," writes a tester. This one finally does what it says it will. Now I can go longer between hair appointments and save some money."

DpHue’s Hair Lightening Blonding Brush is a great option for covering dark roots or "shadow roots" on blonde or highlighted hair. It utilizes lemon juice, heat-activated hydrogen peroxide, and purple pigments to bring out blonde tones in hair. Just don’t forget: You’ll need to spend some time in the sun or blow dry your hair to see results since the formula is heat-activated.

THE REVIEWS: “It conditioned my hair while lightening it! I'm very impressed with this product. Highly recommended.”

Finding a good root cover up in a rainbow-bright hue can be tricky, but Pravana's is available on Amazon and it's fairly easy to use according to tester reviews. Apply to your regrowth, and be sure to work the product down your hair during the last five or minutes for a more seamless looking application. Roach recommends patch testing color on a small piece of hair first and then using Vaseline or Aquaphor as a protective barrier on the skin along your hairline to prevent staining during the application process.

THE REVIEWS: “The cool thing about Pravana Vivids is you can intermix the shades to custom create your color. You can test this by dabbing a bit of the color onto a white piece of paper/paper towel. Keep in mind that the color of your hair BEFORE application of Vivids is IMPORTANT and this will determine the end color result.”

Summer is here, and let’s be real, we want our hair color to look it's best at the pool or beach without having to avoid a swim. Enter: Tarte’s waterproof root concealer. It's incredibly long lasting (yes, even if you're spending hours swimming). One reviewer even noted that the formula will last two to three days without rubbing off on your pillowcase at night. It’s also moisturizing, containing nurturing ingredients like castor oil, grapeseed, and argan oil.

THE REVIEWS: “I have started recommending this to anyone who is hiding gray! It works well between washing until you’re able to get your hair done!!”