Insider tips to help you figure out whether to do all over color or a root cover up

How To Know Whether To Do All Over Color Or A Root Cover Up

Now more than ever, you can get the same stunning salon results by coloring your hair at home. And, there’s a wide variety of products that’ll help you create a look that’s uniquely yours. Pair your perfect shade with easy-to-read instructions, and you’re on your way to beautiful results and a fun at-home coloring experience!

Before you begin coloring, you need to decide if you’re coloring your full head of hair or simply doing a root cover up. Not sure where to begin? Keep reading to find which option is best for you! And, for best results, be sure to wait at least 24 hours after your last wash to allow your hair’s pH and natural oils to normalize before you begin coloring.

Just as you wouldn’t buy a car without test driving it, you shouldn’t color your hair without first performing a hair strand test (to reveal color results) and skin sensitivity test (to reveal any allergies). Learn more about these tests here.

Related: How to do a Root Touch Up at Home

Coloring your full head of hair

When should you color your full head of hair? And how do you know what color to choose? Also, how long will it last? We’re answering all of your burning questions below!

the lowdown

There are a few situations that call for all over hair color, including:

  • Coloring your hair for the first time  
  • To refresh with your current permanent hair color
  • Dramatically changing your hair color 

choosing the right product and color

Before you start coloring your hair, it’s important to do your homework and find the best shade for you. Luckily, Naturtint offers a wide range of colors so you’re sure to find your perfect shade! From golden and ash shades to chocolate and mahogany shades, every shade of permanent hair color is carefully crafted with 92% naturally derived ingredients to deliver natural results and radiance. Or, you have the choice to mix two or more shades together to create your unique color! To learn more about combining hair colors, check out our blog here!

If you want to dramatically darken your hair, go for it! Just remember that while you can go as dark as you like, permanent hair color can only lighten by up to two shades. Most people find that staying within two shades of their natural hair color suits their skin tone well.

how long will the color last?

The best answer for this question is usually, “it depends.” Your hair’s condition and how you care for it will have a big impact on how long it lasts. Typically, you’ll see normal fading after 3–4 weeks. Or, if you use a red shade, it may fade sooner than other colors. And, if you have dry or porous hair, you may notice your color fading prematurely. We realize everyone’s hair grows at different speeds, however, you should aim to distance out full head colorings and get a root touch up in between color refreshes.

To delay color fading and ensure your hair continues to look radiant, try to keep your hair well-conditioned, wash with a color-safe, pH-balanced shampoo & conditioner like our Color Care Conditioner , and rinse your hair with lukewarm water rather than hot water.

Root cover up

Now that you know when you should color your full head of hair, let’s dive into the situations where a root cover up would work best, the best products to use, and proper timing.

the lowdown

When should you do a root cover up?

  • To stay close to your natural color  
  • To cover regrowth less than 1 inch 
  • To cover pesky gray/white hairs 

choosing the right product and color

For root touch ups, you’ll want to make sure you have a product that blends seamlessly with your existing hair color and provides up to 100% gray coverage and the best scalp protection. That’s why we created Naturtint’s Root Retouch line. It’s the perfect product to use when you’re looking to touch up the short roots (0.5 cm or less) around your top part, temples, or hairline around your face. And, it’s a great alternative to using a full box of permanent hair color when you don’t need to. When your regrowth is between 0.5 cm and 1 inch you can still just touch up the roots, but you would need to use the permanent hair color instead of the Root Retouch line.

how long will the color last?

A few weeks after coloring, your roots may start to peek through. Naturtint’s Root Retouch line is designed to be used around 2 weeks after applying regular permanent hair color to your entire length of hair.

A final reminder

Whether you’re coloring your full head of hair or doing a root cover up, we’re excited that you’ve made the decision to color your hair at home! By finding your perfect product and shade and following the instructions, you’re well on your way to beautiful results!

However, if you need help or have any other questions about our full line of hair products, our Naturtint color specialists are always happy to help!

Contact one of our color specialists here.

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