6 Root-Hiding Hacks to Hold You Over Between Dye Jobs

No hat necessary.

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(Image credit: Tyler Joe; Design by Katja Cho)

We have our reasons for putting off root touch-ups. It's expensive. It takes forever. It kind of looks cool. It requires putting on pants on the weekend. But what compels us to procrastinate most on our color appointments is the fact that regrowth is actually pretty simple to cover up. To illustrate this, we teamed up with NYC hairstylist Kat Zemtsova for five super-easy hacks for hiding your dark roots.

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(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

1. Use Dry Shampoo

Spray the dry shampoo 3-4 inches from the roots in sections, making sure you target the most oil-prone areas. See our step-by-step guide for the *right way* here.

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(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

After you spray it, put your fingers in your roots and shake them out to get ride of excess product build up. The dry shampoo will give you an instant lift and additional texture at the roots, which diffuses the color-blocked look. "If you're trying to cover up the roots there shoot be no ponytails or hard parts," adds Zemtsova.

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(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

2. Side Part Your Hair

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(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

Take a rattail comb and starting at the crown, carve out a deep side part on a curve. Separate the hair and comb from the back to the front, pinning the side for a polished, sideswept look without a harsh part.

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(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

3. Create a Zigzag Part

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(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

Using a rattail comb, create a zigzag part in the hair. It doesn't have to be perfect! Uneven lines conceal the roots, she says.

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(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

4. Crimp Your Roots

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(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

At a lower heat (90-100 degrees), use a micro crimp iron to crimp sections of the roots, giving the crimper two light squeezes that don't press all the way down. This creates a bit of texture to help neutralize the contrasting tones. "You don't actually want the hair to look crimped," explains Zemtsova.

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(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

5. Add Texture to Your Strands

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(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

Whether you're giving your strands a quick cool-girl muss up or using a wand to create waves or (loosened) curls, this texture will add root-concealing volume to the roots. Pro tip: Always curl away from the face to ensure an even pattern.

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(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

6. Tease the Roots

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(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

A heat-free way to get volume at the roots is with a light tease using a rattail comb. However, this should only be done on thicker, healthier hair and lightly to ensure that there's no breakage.

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(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

Hair: Kat Zemtsova, Makeup: Nina Soriano, Model: Anna Cywinska, Photo: Tyler Joe.

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Lauren Valenti
Beauty Editor

Lauren is the former beauty editor at Marie Claire. She love to while away the hours at coffee shops, hunt for vintage clothes, and bask in the rough-and-tumble beauty of NYC. She firmly believes that solitude can be a luxury if you’ve got the right soundtrack—that being the Rolling Stones, of course.