5 Tips To Cover Stubborn Gray Hairs Between Color Applications

Take notes on these five ways to conceal regrowth and pesky grays in between your hair color applications. From our go-to Light Set to exclusive colorist tips, we’ve curated the best products and advice that are perfect for dealing with grays in a pinch.


1. Spray away your grays and regrowth.

When pressed for time or on-the-go, a quick spraying of exposed roots makes the day that much easier with Camo Mist. Kind of like when life gives you grays, go at ‘em with highly concentrated pigment. That is how the saying goes, right? 

This fast-drying matte spray comes in five shades and a travel-sized can (great for TSA) with a targeted nozzle. It’s super easy, just spray 2-4 inches from your roots for the most opaque coverage, or spray further away (4-6 inches) for a sheer finish. 

With a targeted nozzle, you’ll spray with precision—exactly where you want the color to be. This targeted nozzle is not only precise, but it’s also great for covering large, dense areas of graying roots and regrowth in seconds with a quick-drying formula that just won’t quit. With Camo Mist, you’ll get maximum coverage that blends seamlessly to your color in just a few sprays. Et voilà! Total camouflage.      

Colorist tip: After applying Camo Mist, spray your favorite hairspray right over it for staying power. Or add some texture to your roots by spraying Dry Shampoo before Camo Mist. Dry Shampoo acts as a primer to help the pigments adhere while adding volume. Volume and optimal coverage? We think it’s a win.

2. Brush on root coverage. 

Not into sprays? We’ve got a Conceal & Cover Root Powder that's as compact as your eyeshadow with a magical brush that conceals your graying roots in a swipe. The consistency is oh-so-smooth, targeting stubborn grays and regrowth in-between touch-ups with precision. And it doubles as an eyebrow and is perfect for any stubborn strands around your hairline. Take it anywhere, in your smallest makeup bag, and don’t worry about your roots with ten shades to choose from. 

Colorist tip: With our double-ended brush, you can choose how much or how little coverage you need. For more precise areas, go with the smaller tip. For more broad coverage, use the larger end.

3. Change up your hairstyle.

For a quick save, try a new hairstyle or flip your part to another side that contains less gray to cover your roots completely without any product. Hairstyles like funky top knots or braids reminiscent of Daphne Bridgerton will do the trick by shielding your most noticeable regrowth. Many times, moving around how you normally wear your hair can camouflage your roots since gray hair doesn’t grow on the full head equally. As a chic last resort, throw on a statement headband to effectively cover hairline grays. 

Colorist tip: As a wonderful perk, flipping your part can also increase volume and give your look an instant pick me up. Plus, you’ll have found a new way you might like to wear your hair. Don’t forget to tag @eSalon in your hair selfie when you do!

4. Add balayage highlights to mask regrowth.

Balayage, or painting in freehand, is another technique used to minimize obvious roots when highlighting. Using balayage on selected strands of hair with a darker shade makes hair look more natural like you were born with it. This painting technique makes hair appear lighter which minimizes the contrast to grays, requiring a lot less maintenance than traditional highlights. 

Colorist tip: For a pretty pop of color, concentrate the lightness by framing your face and applying balayage to the very ends of the hair; this adds a subtle lifting look to your color. People will think you simply got a haircut, not highlights. Want balayage? Try our Light Set.

5. Don’t pluck it up.

Plucking gray hairs doesn’t solve anything. While it may seem like the perfect fix, it actually won’t stop gray hair from growing back, whatsoever. The hair actually grows back shorter and more wiry in texture, making your gray strands pop out straight up amongst the rest of your hair. Yikes! 

Colorist tip: Avoid plucking at all costs. While it’s been proven that plucking gray hairs won’t cause more gray hairs to grow in, it doesn’t abolish them from your locks for good. Instead, cover up your grays with one of our products above until your next hair color application. We promise these temporary techniques will make your pesky grays far less obvious and easier to manage.

These five tips can help you tame regrowth and grays as you wait for your shipment of color, or head off to your next getaway. Because color always comes first here at eSalon, we’ve taken our most popular color families and developed quick-fix products to offer a helping hand. We’ve got you covered in between applications, and with custom hair color anytime you need it—backed by our Color Happiness Guarantee.