Clairol Root Touch-Up Colors: Every Shade, and How to Read the Numbers
Short answer: On Clairol's US site, the original permanent Root Touch-Up was listed in 23 numbered shades, from 2 Black to 10 Extra Light Blonde, plus Extra Lift. The number is the depth: the lower the number, the darker the shade. The letter is the tone: A for ash, G for golden and R for auburn or reddish. Root Touch-Up by Natural Instincts was listed in 10 shades, Total Root Touch-Up in 8, the temporary 3in1 Powder in 4 and the Gray & Root Concealer Spray in 6.
Permanent Root Touch-Up shades
These are the 23 numbered shades of the original permanent kit on Clairol's US collection page, grouped by depth:
- Black and dark brown: 2 Black, 3 Brown Black, 4 Dark Brown, 4A Dark Ash Brown, 4G Dark Golden Brown, 4R Dark Auburn Reddish Brown
- Medium brown: 5 Medium Brown, 5A Medium Ash Brown, 5G Medium Golden Brown, 5R Medium Auburn Reddish Brown
- Light brown: 6 Light Brown, 6A Light Ash Brown, 6G Light Golden Brown, 6R Light Auburn Reddish Brown, 6.5A Lightest Cool Brown, 6.5G Lightest Golden Brown
- Blonde: 7 Dark Blonde, 8 Medium Blonde, 8G Medium Golden Blonde, 8.5A Medium Champagne Blonde, 9 Light Blonde, 9A Light Ash Blonde, 10 Extra Light Blonde
The collection also lists Root Touch-Up Extra Lift, with no number. Clairol's FAQ gives the original range as 30 shades, so a store may carry shades that the site did not show on the day we checked.
How to read the code
| Part of the code | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| The number | Depth, from 2, the darkest, to 10, the lightest | 5 Medium Brown |
| A | Ash, a cool tone. 6.5A is called Lightest Cool Brown | 5A Medium Ash Brown |
| G | Golden, a warm tone | 5G Medium Golden Brown |
| R | Auburn, a reddish tone | 5R Medium Auburn Reddish Brown |
| No letter | The plain shade at that depth | 5 Medium Brown |
Natural Instincts and Total shades
- Root Touch-Up by Natural Instincts, 10 shades: 2 Black, 4 Dark Brown, 4R Dark Auburn Reddish Brown, 5 Medium Brown, 5C Cool Brown, 5G Golden Brown, 6 Light Brown, 6.5 Bronde/Lightest Brunette, 7 Dark Blonde, 8 Medium Blonde
- Total Root Touch-Up, 8 shades: 2 Black, 4 Dark Brown, 5 Medium Brown, 5G Golden Brown, 5R Auburn Red, 6 Light Brown, 7 Dark Blonde, 8 Medium Blonde
Temporary shades
- 3in1 Powder, 4 shades: Light Brown, Medium Brown, Dark Brown, Black
- Gray & Root Concealer Spray, 6 shades: Black, Dark Brown, Medium Brown, Light Brown, Dark to Medium Blonde, Auburn Red
- 2in1 Color + Volume Spray, 5 shades: Black, Dark Brown, Medium Brown, Light Brown, Dark to Medium Blonde
We checked Clairol's US site on 2 November 2026. Product names, shades and formulas change, so read the box you buy.
How to pick your shade
- Match the color you wear now, not your gray. If a salon colors your hair, ask for the depth number of your formula.
- Between two depths, start with the lighter one. A root that comes out too dark next to the skin of the hairline is the easiest thing to notice.
- If your touch-ups come out warmer than you want, look at the A shades at your depth. If they look flat, look at G.
- Do not judge by the cream. Clairol's FAQ says the color in the tube is not the final result.
For temporary covers, test the shade at one temple in daylight first. The full method is in how to match your root cover shade.
There is no gray, silver or white shade
Clairol's root range is made to cover gray, so none of the 57 products we saw was a gray, silver or white shade. If you are letting your gray grow in and want to soften the line instead of hiding it, you need a gray shade.
That approach is explained in how to grow out gray and blend the transition and root powder for a gray or white streak.
Where does BUNEE fit?
BUNEE is a temporary root-cover powder in a pressed compact with a mirror and applicator puff. It comes in 12 shades: Black, Dark Brown, Medium Brown, Light Brown, Golden Brown, Auburn, Blonde, Medium Blonde, Light Blonde, Dark Grey, Grey and White. It washes out with shampoo and is not a dye. Its Dark Grey, Grey and White shades are made for people blending gray rather than covering it. Delivery is 10 to 17 business days, so order ahead of the date you need it.
FAQ
What colors does Clairol Root Touch-Up come in?
The original permanent kit was listed in 23 numbered shades from 2 Black to 10 Extra Light Blonde, plus Extra Lift. The 3in1 Powder in Light Brown, Medium Brown, Dark Brown and Black, and the concealer spray in 6 shades.
What do A, G and R mean on Clairol Root Touch-Up?
A is ash, a cool tone. G is golden, a warm tone. R is auburn or reddish.
Does Clairol Root Touch-Up come in blonde?
Yes. The permanent kit runs from 7 Dark Blonde to 10 Extra Light Blonde. The temporary sprays come in Dark to Medium Blonde. The 3in1 Powder has no blonde shade.
Is there a gray shade of Clairol Root Touch-Up?
No. The range is made to cover gray, and we found no gray, silver or white shade on Clairol's US site.
Which Clairol Root Touch-Up shade should I buy?
The one that matches the color you wear now. If you are between two depths, start with the lighter one.
See BUNEE shades
Temporary root-cover powder in a pressed compact with mirror and applicator, 12 shades. Delivered in 10 to 17 business days, so order ahead of the date you need it. Sold by TIGERBESTBRANDS LLC.
Sources, checked 2 November 2026: Clairol US, Root Touch-Up collection · Clairol, Root Touch-Up FAQ · Clairol, 3in1 Powder · Clairol, Gray & Root Concealer Spray · BUNEE, shades and delivery. Brand names are used for comparison only. We have no business relationship with the companies mentioned, and facts about their products come from their own pages or retailer listings, not our testing.