Clairol Root Touch-Up: Permanent Kit, Powder or Spray? The Range Explained
Short answer: Clairol Root Touch-Up is a family of products, not one product. The original Root Touch-Up is a permanent color kit that Clairol says gives 100% gray coverage in 10 minutes and lasts up to 3 weeks. Root Touch-Up by Natural Instincts and Total Root Touch-Up are also permanent, with 20 minutes on the timer. The temporary products, a 3in1 powder and two sprays, sit on the hair and last until your next shampoo. On 2 November 2026, Clairol's US Root Touch-Up collection listed 57 products.
The six Clairol Root Touch-Up products
| Product | Type and time | How long it lasts, per Clairol |
|---|---|---|
| Root Touch-Up, the original | Permanent cream and activator. 10 minutes, 15 for stubborn grays | Up to 3 weeks, or until roots grow out |
| Root Touch-Up by Natural Instincts | Permanent, labeled 0% ammonia. 20 minutes | Permanent: it grows out, it does not wash out |
| Total Root Touch-Up | Permanent root color plus a color mask for the lengths. 20 minutes | Permanent: it grows out |
| Temporary Root Touch-Up 3in1 Powder | Temporary powder in a compact with a brush | Until your next shampoo |
| Temporary Gray & Root Concealer Spray | Temporary aerosol. Dries in 60 seconds | Until your next shampoo |
| Root Touch-Up 2in1 Color + Volume Spray | Temporary aerosol that also adds volume | Until your next shampoo |
Clairol's FAQ uses the name Nice'n Easy Root Touch-Up for the original permanent product, so if a store shelf or an old box says Nice'n Easy Root Touch-Up, it is the same line. The FAQ says the original comes in 30 shades. The US collection page we checked listed 23 numbered shades plus Root Touch-Up Extra Lift.
We checked Clairol's US site on 2 November 2026. Product names, shades and formulas change, so read the box you buy.
Permanent or temporary: the first choice
A permanent kit mixes a color cream with an activator. You brush it on the roots, wait, and rinse. The color stays in the hair until it grows out, which is why Clairol talks about weeks, not washes.
A temporary product is color on the surface of the hair. There is nothing to mix and no timer, and it comes off with shampoo. Clairol's FAQ also describes a semi-permanent Color Blending Gel that lasts about 6 or more washes, but the US collection page did not list it when we checked.
Which one fits your situation
- Roots show and your next full color is weeks away: a permanent kit. Clairol's FAQ says the tube is designed for the most visible roots, the hairline and part, and recommends its original Nice'n Easy if you need to touch up all your roots.
- You need the gray gone tonight, or only for a few days: the 3in1 Powder or a spray. No strand test wait, and the next shampoo takes it out.
- You prefer a formula labeled without ammonia: Root Touch-Up by Natural Instincts and Total Root Touch-Up. The original lists ammonia among its ingredients.
- Your hair is blonde and you want something temporary: the 3in1 Powder is listed only in Light Brown, Medium Brown, Dark Brown and Black. The concealer spray has a Dark to Medium Blonde shade.
Every shade is listed in Clairol Root Touch-Up colors. Clairol's own directions for the permanent kit are in how to use Clairol Root Touch-Up, and the two temporary formats are compared in Clairol powder vs spray.
Before you use a permanent kit
Clairol's directions for the original kit start with a strand test 48 hours before coloring. The directions for Natural Instincts list a patch test 48 hours before, and the directions for Total list a skin allergy test and a strand test. The US FDA tells consumers to do a patch test on the skin every time before dyeing hair and to follow all directions on the label and in the package.
If you want to know which of these products list PPD or ammonia, we read every ingredient list in does Clairol Root Touch-Up contain PPD.
Weighing a kit against the salon? See root touch-up kit vs salon.
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. Unlike Clairol's powder, it has blonde shades and Dark Grey, Grey and White. Delivery is 10 to 17 business days, so order ahead of the date you need it.
FAQ
Is Clairol Root Touch-Up permanent?
The original Root Touch-Up, Root Touch-Up by Natural Instincts and Total Root Touch-Up are permanent. The 3in1 Powder and the two sprays are temporary and wash out with shampoo.
How long does Clairol Root Touch-Up last?
Clairol says the original permanent kit lasts up to 3 weeks, or until your roots grow out. The temporary powder and sprays last until your next shampoo.
Is Nice'n Easy Root Touch-Up the same as Clairol Root Touch-Up?
Clairol's FAQ uses the name Nice'n Easy Root Touch-Up for its original permanent root product. The product pages call it Clairol Permanent Root Touch-Up.
Can I use Clairol Root Touch-Up on my whole head?
Clairol's FAQ says the tube is designed for the most visible roots, the hairline and part. For all your roots it recommends the original Nice'n Easy.
Does Clairol make a root touch-up powder?
Yes. The Temporary Root Touch-Up 3in1 Powder, listed on Clairol's US site in Light Brown, Medium Brown, Dark Brown and Black.
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, Root Touch-Up 5 Medium Brown · Clairol, Root Touch-Up by Natural Instincts · Clairol, Total Root Touch-Up · US FDA, Hair dyes · 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.