How to fix your roots. And do you really need it?

“Roots problem” is something that everyone who colors hair has. Doesn’t matter if you do it at home or in a salon. You will have it! Interesting, that they are loved by some people and can even be accentuated. Many of the most fashionable ombre variations are actually grown-out roots. But if you don’t like them… it can be your monthly pain. Actually, it’s just part of the process of getting your hair colored.

Ask your colorist for recommendations on the best shade and brand. Some salons make customized root-fixing kits just for you. Others will recommend products that are over-the-counter. Marie Robinson (from Marie Robinson Salon in New York) says that professional guidance is needed in terms both of color and how often to reapply color.

FIX ONLY THE ROOTS

For several reasons, touching up roots should not involve recoloring your entire hair. James Corbett, Clairol’s New York color director at James Corbett Studio, says that your roots may be a different shade than the rest of hair. You may think that everything should match. But, the base color of roots is different from the rest of your hair. The number one mistake women make when dying their hair is to color the entire head.

The appearance and texture of your hair can be dulled and flattened if you add color to it. Tracey Cunningham, a celebrity Redken colorist, points out that dark roots can make darker shades appear darker than they are supposed to be. “Recoloring too often can cause breakage if you are blonde.” Fix the roots and let the rest go.

ASK JEAN: THREE AT -HOME ROOT MIRACLES

Eye shadow for hair: clean, effective and but not permanent. Color Wow compacts look just like eye-shadow palettes. They dispense a kind of powder that sticks to hair and looks completely natural. The powder can be applied with a brush. It’s invisible and highly effective. Even thought it’s just ’emergency’ tool, some people use it almost everyday. They say, “It’s certainly less damaging, and it literally only takes me two minutes.”

CLEAN AND LASTS THROUGH SEVEN SHAMPOOS – TEMPORARY GEEL COLOR

Christophe Robin, a French colorist, has created color in a box that blends imperceptibly and looks natural. It lasts seven shampoos before it fades. It acts more like a hair treatment and less like a hair color. It’s also free of PPD, which is a chemical found in permanent and semi-permanent hair-color formulations and linked to everything from scalp itching to life-threatening reactions.

After washing your hair, you apply the gel to it, let it sit for forty minutes, then rinse it off. The gel comes in four colors, including a light blonde and a dark brown. It also comes with instructions and gloves. It is extremely thick so it doesn’t drip.

Permanent color is not easy to clean but it lasts until your roots are grown out. It is possible that the color blends easily with slightly faded hair. However, we don’t know how this miracle works.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT COLOR

Cunningham suggests going lighter with root touch-ups, especially around the eyes. “Always use a lighter color around the hairline.” It will look really dark, as the hairs around your eyes are similar to facial hair, and absorb the color differently.

Your choice of allover hair color seriously affects how often it has to be touched up, notes Robinson: “If you’re a busy working mom, going pale blonde can be more high-maintenance than is ideal.” Red, which fades the most quickly, is another not-for-the-extra-busy option.

TREAT FADE (AKA THAT IRRITATING RED/ORANGE/BRASSINESS)

Permanent hair colors fade, and lose their original luster. The first step in any hair color, even dark ones, is to bleach the hair shaft to achieve the desired color. The hair will gradually become lighter as the color slowly eludes from the hair. Robinson explains that darker colors, such as black, fade violet-red and dark brown fades reddish. Brown fades orange. Blondes fade from orange to very golden-brassy.

FADE FIX NUMBER 1: “ASH” FAMILY COLORS

Most boxed hair colors are labeled as “ash”, “warm” or “golden”. Warm and golden contain more red. If you are allergic to red, oranginess, ash is the best choice. This statement will be shocking to all colorists. However, the few people we have met who do not want more red in hair are very clear about it. Most people who don’t want red understand that “ash” is the antidote. Talk to a colorist if you have one. If you are standing in the hair-color aisle of a drugstore and don’t want reddish hues, ash is the best choice.

FADE FIX NUMBER 2: GLOSSES

The salons use glosses to treat fading. These are semi-permanent colors that temporarily adjust the tone and increase shine. Cunningham claims she uses Redken’s Shades EQ Gloss to treat clients when their color begins to fade. This prolongs the time between hair colors and keeps hair as healthy as it can. Depending on how your hair is treated, a gloss can last between 12 and 20 shampoos. Semipermanent colors can be created at home. Corbett likes Clairol Natural Instincts, which costs $7 at drugstores. But Corbett advises that you choose a shade on the lighter side to achieve the same effect. You can adjust the tone of that shade if you aren’t satisfied.

FADE FIX NUMBER 3: NO SUN AND SWIMMING POOL

Corbett says, “Sun and water! The worst! Especially when you combine the two.” You should put protection on your hair before going in a hot tub or pool, at least put your favorite conditioner. Think of your hair like a sponge: You want to fill it up with plain water before you go into anything chlorinated–chlorine is bleach–so if you fill your hair with conditioner, it won’t absorb the chlorine as much. It’s worth it every time.

FADE FIX NUMBER 4: SHAMPOOING

Shampooing your hair with detergent (most shampoos with lather are made from detergent, also known as SLS) can strip and color fade hair. To restore softness and shine to your hair, wash it less often and use SLS-free shampoos. Robinson says that shampoo can also be used to address color issues. “Usually, a purple-based shampoo will counteract yellow, orange, or violet. Green-based shampoos help counteract orange and red.”

LAST FIX: THE MOST IMPORTANT

Never ever stop conditioning!