My Roots Are Becoming a Pain — What Can I Do?
Regrowth is one of the most common frustrations for anyone who colours their hair. That line where your natural colour meets your colour seems to appear far too quickly — and constant full colour appointments to chase it get expensive. The good news is there are several options, and some are far kinder on your time and budget than others. Here’s an honest guide, from the team at Wisteria Avenue in Abingdon.
Tint regrowth
If your regrowth is bothering you but you’re not looking to go lighter, a tint regrowth is a straightforward solution. It’s the application of a solid colour to the root area only — like a full head tint, but focused just on the roots that have grown through. Because it’s targeted, it’s a relatively quick, reasonably cost-effective appointment, and it keeps a tinted colour looking fresh without recolouring the whole head every time.
Highlights and the t-section
Highlights aren’t only about going lighter — they’re also a clever way to disguise regrowth, particularly greys. Rather than covering grey directly, a few well-placed foils draw the eye to the lighter pieces instead of the grey, creating the illusion of fewer greys or none at all. The fewer foils used, the more maintainable (and affordable) it is.
This is where a t-section comes in. A full head of highlights is the most extensive option, a half head less so — and a t-section is fewer foils again, concentrated across the top and parting where regrowth shows most. It’s the lower-cost, higher-frequency route: smaller appointments, more often. If you’d like to understand it fully, our post on what a t-section is explains it.
Root smudge and root drag
A root smudge has become increasingly popular, and it’s a softer approach than a solid tint regrowth. Sections of hair are weaved — similar to a balayage — to blend the natural root colour out, usually working from a colour darker at the root to lighter through the lengths. The result is a far more natural, gradual effect with no harsh line.
Closely related is the root drag, which extends that blend further down as your regrowth comes through. It’s a particularly good option for blending darker regrowth into blonde, softening that obvious gap without a full bleach and toner every time. Our guide to the most maintainable colour services goes into this further.
Which option is right for you?
It depends on your colour, your natural shade and how much maintenance you genuinely want. A tint regrowth suits solid all-over colour; a t-section is great for disguising grey affordably; a root smudge or drag is ideal for softening regrowth on lightened hair. The honest way to decide is a quick chat with a colourist who can see your hair.
Book a colour appointment in Abingdon
If your roots are becoming a pain, there’s almost certainly an option that fixes it without costing a fortune. Our colourists would be glad to talk through what suits you. Book in, and have a look at our price list to see what’s involved.
