Root Touch Up: How Often Do You Really Need One?

If it's your first time colouring or you have sensitive skin, ask us about a patch test before your appointment.

Look after your colour

Colour that fades quickly makes regrowth look more obvious. A colour-safe routine helps:

• Use a colour-safe, sulphate-free shampoo
• Wash with cool or lukewarm water
• Use a heat protectant before styling
• Protect your hair from strong sun and chlorine

Our guide on how to make hair colour last longer goes into detail.

Change your parting

Switching to a side parting or a zig-zag parting can soften the look of regrowth for a few days.

Choose a shade close to your natural base

If you're constantly fighting regrowth, ask your stylist about a shade closer to your natural colour. The grow-out will be softer and less obvious.

Consider softer techniques

For some people, adding highlights or a soft, blended technique around a global colour helps disguise regrowth. Your stylist can suggest whether this suits your hair and how many greys you have.

1. Consultation: your stylist checks your regrowth, your current shade and how your lengths look.
2. Shade matching: the colour is matched to your existing shade, so the roots blend in.
3. Application to the roots only.
4. Processing and rinse.
5. Condition, style and aftercare tips.

If your lengths look faded, your stylist may suggest refreshing them as well, or adding a hair spa or Olaplex to keep coloured hair healthy.

• It's hard to apply only to the roots, so colour often overlaps onto the lengths and builds up.
• Shade matching is tricky, and roots can end up a different tone from the rest of your hair.
• Greys at the hairline and crown are easy to miss when you can't see them clearly.

A salon root touch up is matched to your existing shade and applied only where it's needed. If you have used home colour, tell your stylist so they can plan around it.

• Waiting too long. The longer you wait, the more obvious the line and the harder it is to blend.
• Colouring the lengths every time. Recolouring already-coloured lengths again and again can dry them out. A root touch up keeps the lengths healthier.
• Using harsh shampoos. Fading lengths make the roots look even more different.
• Choosing a shade far from your natural colour if low maintenance is your goal.

• Notice your regrowth pattern and book before the line becomes obvious
• Ask about ammonia-free if you prefer a gentler formula
• Use colour-safe, sulphate-free products
• Tell your stylist about any home colour or henna
• Refresh your lengths only when they need it

Book your root touch up, regular or ammonia-free, at Xing Premium Unisex Salon in Sarjapur Road, HSR Layout or Brookfield. Send us a photo of your roots on WhatsApp and we'll help you plan your colour.