When it comes to hair trends, everything is pretty much cyclical. But, one of the biggest of-the-moment looks isn’t really one that we saw all that much before, and we’re really glad it’s making its mark now.
For years, the idea of having “roots” was considered to be unacceptable. “For a long time, coloring your hair was considered something to hide or be embarrassed about. It was all about being a natural beauty, and showing roots was like admitting to the world that you colored your hair, which is why most people were so strict about not letting any of their roots show,” says Kyle White, celebrity colorist at Oscar Blandi Salon. “Also, roots were equated to a dirty, unkempt look.”
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While we’re not talking about gray roots at all here (those should be touched up every four weeks or so), having some depth and darkness—it shouldn’t be any longer than a few inches—is totally en vogue. “Depending on how long your roots are, the added depth and darkness can create more of an edgy rock n’ roll look,” says White. “Longer roots can give a natural look of grown out beachy highlights.”
Perhaps it was the ombré trend that took off a few years back prompted the rooty look, but now, colorists are intentionally making more of a root line, and it looks good! White says that it all depends on the look you’re going for. “Very blond hair with dark roots is more of an edgy look.” Showing more than two inches of root will start the progression of lightness at your eyes, enhancing and golden flecks in your eyes and illuminatng your skin without washing it out.
Besides the fact that having a little bit of a darker root at the crown makes the color look more natural, it also lets you stretch out the amount of time between appointments. But, you want to make sure that the root color blends in with the rest of your color. “The progression of lightness should never be more than two shades as it goes down the hair shaft from root to tip,” says White. “There shouldn’t be any drastic rings of lightness, nor bands of color.”
