If you're someone who follows a strict beauty routine — hair-salon touch-ups every four to six weeks [1], monthly facials, weekly manicures — then current COVID-19 restrictions [2] is likely affecting your schedule — and your stress levels.
With the UK on lockdown, nail [3] and hair salons [4] are closed and mobile beauty therapists are unable to work under government guidelines, which is forcing some people to take matters into their own hands with at-home beauty. And while at-home manicures [5] and pedicures are totally doable and pretty much risk-free, when it comes to DIY [6] hair-colour touch-ups, that's a whole different ball game.
So if you're someone who is currently stressing about your blonde going brassy, your greys going wild, or your roots growing out so much that you can even spot them on a Zoom call, hold on a second, take a deep breath, and back away from the bottle of bleach. To keep you from creating an even bigger hair-colour disaster, we asked colourists to share a few of their favourite tips (and products) on how to maintain your colour at home until your next salon visit.
Use a Colour-Safe Shampoo and Conditioner
Now more than ever, it's important to use colour-safe hair-care products to keep your dye job protected. There are so many colour-safe products to choose from and the packaging will clearly state they're safe to be used on colour-treated hair. Some of our favourites include L'Oréal Paris Elvive Colour Protect Shampoo [7] (£5) and Conditioner [8] (£5) and L'Oréal Paris Colour Protect Anti-Brassiness Purple Shampoo [9] (£5.50), made specifically for blondes. We also love the Kevin Murphy Angel.Wash [10] (£22) and Pureology Hydrate Colour Care Shampoo [11] (£14).
Don't Wash Your Hair as Often
Every time you wash your hair, it strips a little bit of the colour away. "You can maintain your colour by minimising your washes, ideally shampooing two-to-three times per week and always using a colour-safe shampoo," said Karissa Schaudt, Chicago-based colourist. If you ever needed an excuse to squeeze in a day (or two) extra, now is your chance. Plus, no one can tell from your work video call if you've used a little too much dry shampoo. [12]
Try Colour-Depositing Hair Care
If the thought of dyeing your hair terrifies you, try colour-depositing shampoos, conditioners, and masques, which all contains the tiniest amounts of pigments to tint and boost your colour (natural or dyed), neutralise brassiness, and sometimes even temporarily disguise your roots. There are a whole bunch of products that can help add some vibrance back into your hair. We love Redken Brownlights Shampoo [13] (£18), John Frieda Radiant Red Boosting Conditioner [14] (£7), Fudge Clean Blonde Shampoo [15] (£5) and Christophe Robin Shade Variation Mask [16] (£39), which come in a variety of shades.
Grab Those Root Touch-Up Products
Don't want to try a box dye or faff with colour-depositing products? We got you. Sometimes the best way to temporarily hide your roots is by using an instant retouch product like a spray or a powder. While these (very) temporary options are far from a perfect solution, according to Jack Howard [17], colourist at Paul Edmonds Salon in London, they definitely help and are worth a shot. We love the L'Oréal Paris Magic Retouch Instant Root Concealer Spray [18] (£9), R&Co Bright Shadows Root Touch Up Spray [19] (£25), Josh Wood Colour Lighter Brown Blending Brush [20] (£15), and L'Oréal Professionnel Hair Touch Up [21] (£7).
Give a Gloss Treatment a Go
Howard is a huge advocate for a hair gloss or glaze [22], which is a temporary treatment that boosts the shine and vibrancy of your hair. Most often than not, your colourist will do a gloss at the end of your appointment, but there are also a variety of at-home glosses that are both clear and tinted. While the clear glosses are foolproof, the key to working with a tinted one — without ruining your colourist's hard work, that is — is to make sure that "the gloss isn't darker than your hair colour." Otherwise, this can undo any light balayage or tones in the hair.
If you're looking to try a gloss, we recommend Josh Wood Gloss Shot [23] (£15), Rita Hazan New York True Colour Ultimate Shine Gloss [24] (£21), and Living Proof Whipped Glaze [25] (£25).
Reach For Demipermanent Dye
"Lots of hairdressers are telling clients not to use box dye, but I think it's inevitable," Howard said. If you've exhausted all other options and just cannot resist picking up some box dye, then reach for demipermanent. Howard recommends demipermanent (which differs from semi, as it lasts slightly longer) to blend any grey hairs and roots. Schaudt also recommends a "demipermanent rinse, as it's the most noninvasive pigment."
Howard also says not to get too disheartened if your hair doesn't turn out exactly as you wished. With semi and demipermanent dye, you can't do too much damage. Just know that your colourist will be waiting to fix any mishaps and at-home mistakes as soon as the time is right. Although, keep in mind that fixing at-home hair-colour mishaps can sometimes cost you more than if you left your hair be.
Use an Emergency Home Hair-Colour Service
If you do consider picking up the box dye at home, you should also consider a consultation. As many salons are closed right now, they're looking to offer their services virtually. London-based salon owner Karine Jackson [26] launched an emergency home-colour service [27] to help guide her clients on at-home hair colouring. Through this new system, if you're an existing client, you can order a box of hair dye from Jackson's website, which will be personally reviewed by colourists and based on your previous hair-colour records. Then, an appropriate dye for covering up your roots and/or greys will be sent straight to your door. (Jackson has partnered with Organic Colour Systems to dispatch the colour straight from its warehouse.) New clients can take advantage of the program, too. Just email a photo of your hair to the salon, and a colourist will try to find a close match.
Josh Wood Salon is also doing one-to-one colour consultation via video chat [28], where a colourist will give you tailored advice on colouring at home, including shade matching.