Beauty Product Review: L’Oréal Root Cover Up for Gray Hair
I’ve been dying my hair for as long as I can remember. However, it wasn’t always to cover up the gray hair I now have replacing half of my naturally brown hair- it was for fun! I still like having fun with it, which is why I’ve been rocking a version of red or deep purple for a few years now, rather than trying to stick to my natural color.
Now that my gray hair seems to be taking over, the regrowth between appointments is too much! I am already booking every 6 weeks, and let’s be real ladies, professional hair appointments are not cheap! So, I am not about to start going once a month. But, dang. When the grays start poppin only days after I’ve been to the salon, what am I going to look like in 6 weeks?
Thank The Beauty Gods for Root Cover Up Spray
Before I discovered root cover up spray I tried several other random products on the market. For example, the Root Cover Up by Color Wow. It’s basically a powder, almost like an eyeshadow and comes with a little brush to apply it:
The Amazon ratings are almost as high as they get, with a 4 and a ½ out of 5 stars from almost 9,000 reviews. For me personally the product was quality, however, the effect of the powder was a little subtle for me. It might work for someone trying to touch up their color in-between appointments, but as a gray hair cover up, I found it to be a little lacking.
A few of the reviews mention it doesn’t stick to clean hair that well and to try using some hairspray first to help hold it in. I don’t believe I ever tried that trick, so it might be worth revisiting. Also, some mention using it to fill in gaps or balding spots, so I guess that could be another use for this product.
I however, wanted something that would cover up a pretty decent amount of gray. This is when I discovered root cover up SPRAY! I had to try a few brands before I found the right one for me. As I mentioned earlier, my hair is a redish color most of the time, so the spray needs to also have red in it. I knew there wasn’t going to be a product on the shelf that matched my custom color exactly, but after trying different shades of blond and brunette, I knew I needed to find something that fell into the red color category at very least.
Then I found the L’Oréal Magic Root Cover Up spray and YAY! They have a red option… along with several other colors. Hallelujah! They have my color!
My Review of the L’Oreal Paris Hair Color Root Cover Up
This gray root cover up has become my go-to, here’s why:
Easy to Apply
This product is super easy to apply. However, I would say be careful the first few times using it and don’t hold it too close or you’ll end up with a seriously condensed spot, not cute. I suggest holding it about 10 inches from the scalp, not the 4-6 suggested on the box.
Quick Fix
Yeah, those touch up temporary dyes last longer, but they take longer too. I like being able to just spray when needed. Sometimes I have second day hair and the product stayed in well enough I don’t even have to reapply.
Super Affordable
Yes, I pay a professional beautician to dye and cut my hair. My hair is a big part of my look and having it well cared for is important to me and my mental health. I might pay top dollar for an experience hair dresser (shout out to Autumn Hardy, you’re the best!) but this spray keeps me feeling decent in-between appointments and, the best part, it’s less than $10.00 per bottle.
Color Selection
Even though I probably won’t change colors anytime soon, I love the fact that they have a decent selection of colors to choose from. It might not be 50 shades of gray, but they have black, dark blond, dark brown, light brown, light golden brown, light to medium blond, medium brown and, my color, red.
Easy to Travel With
It’s a cute, travel sized product that comes with 2 oz. or color spray. You can easily throw it in your bag for touch-ups on the go. I would personally never travel anywhere without it. Can’t be accidentally showing up to a meeting again with a gray halo, ain’t nobody want to see that.
Extends Time Between Appointments
If you have found yourself booking your next hair appointment sooner and sooner, you may also discover that is costing too much on an annual basis. This spray helps me extend the time needed between appointments, saving me hundreds of dollars a year.
Availability
I think when I first discovered this product, I could only find it at Target. However, now it’s pretty much everywhere, even the grocery store. However, it’s now on Amazon and, if you’re like me and need to order is consistently than you can setup auto ordering and get a discount for subscribing.
One time I ran out and I didn’t have time to go to the store before a meeting, you do NOT want that to happen, trust me.
Only Cons
I have two small cons. One is there can be some overspray, so you have to wipe some dots from your face afterwards – or you could just go with it and rock them as freckles, that’s a trend in makeup you know. Check out: Gen Z Is Faking Freckles, but How Does It Even Work?
Honestly, I generally don’t deal with major overspray unless I mess up and spray too close to my hairline. However, I just take a makeup wipe and touch up anything that needs removing from my face. Easy, peasy.
The other con? It can leave a residue and rub off on your hands. I see others comment that it doesn’t rub off, but I have touched my hair and seen color on my nails. All you have to do is avoid touching it too much and wash your hands, but you’re definitely not going to want to start off a hot date night with a ton of spray in your hair, if you know what I mean 😊
Pro Tips
- Avoid getting too close to the hairline, instead try getting those finer hairs with a toothbrush to apply the color.
- Try putting lotion on your ears and around your hairline to make wiping off overspray a little easier.
- After spraying, gently comb through your hair to blend the color a bit and get a more natural look.
- If the spray is making your color look dull, try adding a shine product, like Herstyler Hair Repair Serum, which is also found on Amazon. Or, this Keratin Serum by Vitamins Hair Cosmetics which also helps repair your dry or damaged hair with ingredients like Coconut Oil, Vitamin E and Keratin. Also found on Amazon.
Closing Thoughts: Going Gray
I just want to say that even though I’m not ready to rock a full head of gray hair, I am in no way implying that anyone else should dye their hair just because it’s changing. I have been dying my hair for years, long before I started going gray, so for me it was a choice to continue my signature look. However, there are plenty of women of all ages who are embracing their gray and rocking it like queens.
So, you do you boo!
No matter what you choose, it’s your hair and you are the only one that matters. If you feel good, rock it!
