The Trick To Make Dark Roots Look Purposeful
When you dye your hair, you not only change your look at the moment, but you commit to regular and ongoing upkeep for the entire time you choose to keep the color. Also, soon after dyeing, you may notice the tiniest bit of new growth on your scalp.
Typically hair grows six months a year which averages to a half inch each month, though this rate varies among individuals (via Today).
"The speed at which hair grows is determined by genetics but there are other factors that can affect the growth rate," says hair colorist Stephanie Brown. "Age, diet, stress, hormonal fluctuations, scalp health, hair care practices, medications and other health conditions can potentially influence hair growth."
This translates to roots appearing in a couple of weeks. Professional colorists recommend getting roots touched up every 6-8 weeks (via All Things Hair). However, many of us don't make it to the salon that often and in the meantime, there are ways to make your dark roots seem intentional.
Dye your hair just one shade lighter
Some of us just don't have the time and many of us just don't have the funds to get our hair colored as often as we're advised to do so. Others simply dread the hours it takes sitting in the salon chair. After all, some root touch-ups can cost almost as much as a full dye job and typically averages around $65 (via The Hair Standard).
Still, others actually like the look of having some natural root areas seen but they must be blended in the right way. One way to get this modern look of dark roots showing is to choose a color that is only one shade lighter than your natural color. Then when the roots come in, the contrast isn't that jarring. It may seem like a very natural transition between your roots and your colored hair.
Alternatively, if you don't want to use dye, you can opt for natural methods like henna, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar (via L'Oréal Paris). With hair so close to your natural color, any new growth will appear to blend right in.
Try a root shadow glaze
Of course, you can go cold turkey and just let your roots grow out on their own, though that may not achieve a blended look. Sharon Dorram, a celebrity colorist tells Glamour, "There's a fine line between having roots that look cool and edgy and roots that make your hair look dirty."
To create a blended look at the salon, you can ask for a shadow root glaze which helps achieve a gradual color change from the roots to the ends of your hair (via The Right Hairstyles). In it, roots are left untouched and dye is placed to gradually lighten the middle areas. The tips can go even lighter, or you can have highlights placed throughout to achieve light bursts of color that pop.
On the flip side, if your hair is much lighter than your natural color, you can still achieve a look that shows roots in a natural-looking way. Your colorist can color the base of your head a shade somewhere in the middle between your natural color and the color of your dye.