Madison Reed Root Touch Up Kit (Root Perfection): How to Use It and How Long It Lasts
Short answer: Root Perfection is Madison Reed's permanent root touch up kit. Start with dry hair parted where you wear it and put on the gloves. Mix the color with the activator in the bowl, brush it onto your hairline and part, and set a timer for 10 minutes. Then rinse, shampoo and condition with the mask in the kit. Madison Reed says each kit has two applications, covers about 1 inch of regrowth on the hairline and part, and extends the time between full colorings by up to three weeks.
What is in the box
Madison Reed lists: permanent hair color cream in your shade, color activator, a cleansing wipe, a conditioning hair mask, gloves, a reusable mixing bowl, an application brush and step-by-step instructions. One kit holds two complete applications.
Madison Reed's five steps
- Prep: begin with dry hair and part it where you normally wear it. Put on gloves.
- Mix: combine the color and the activator in the bowl and mix with the brush.
- Apply: apply to the roots of your T-zone, the hairline and the part.
- Process: set a timer for 10 minutes.
- Rinse: rinse until the water runs clear, shampoo, then condition with the hair mask from the kit.
Madison Reed's tip: rinse the bowl and brush and keep them for the second application. These steps are from madison-reed.com, checked on 2 November 2026. The leaflet in your box is the final word.
Before the first step
The step list on the product page does not show a skin test. The US FDA advises a patch test on your skin every time before you dye your hair, and says to follow all directions on the label and in the package. Do whatever test the leaflet in your kit describes.
Only the T-zone
Madison Reed says the kit is intended to cover 1 inch of new root regrowth on your most visible grays, and is not for all roots across the head or for all-over color. For that, it points to its full Radiant Hair Color Kit.
The 8 shades
- 3N Corato, Black
- 4N Spoleto, Darkest Brown
- 5N Calabria, Dark Brown
- 6G Dervio, Medium Golden Brown
- 6N Savoca, Medium Brown
- 6R Pesaro, Red
- 7N Alba, Light Brown
- 8N Bergamo, Dark Blonde
The number is the level. The letters follow the usual convention: N for neutral, G for golden, R for red. Madison Reed says 5N Calabria matches level 5 dark brown color-treated hair, so pick the level of the color you wear now.
What is in the formula
Madison Reed says the formula is made without ammonia, PPD, resorcinol, parabens, phthalates, gluten, SLS and titanium dioxide, and that it is dermatologist-tested. It is still a permanent oxidation dye: the color cream's ingredient list includes toluene-2,5-diamine sulfate, and the activator lists hydrogen peroxide.
Naturtint, another hair color maker, says on its allergy page that people allergic to PPD can also be allergic to PTD, which is toluene-2,5-diamine. If you have reacted to hair dye before, speak to a doctor before using any permanent kit.
How long it lasts
Madison Reed says Root Perfection extends the time between salon visits or full colorings by up to three weeks. The color is permanent, so it does not wash out. The gray comes back as new hair grows in at the part.
When a temporary cover is easier
If you need the gray gone today, or between two Root Perfection uses, a temporary powder takes a minute and comes off with shampoo. Madison Reed's own is The Great Cover Up.
The whole Madison Reed root range is in Madison Reed Root Touch Up explained, and the kit-versus-salon question is in 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. It fills the gap between kits: no mixing, no timer, and it washes out at your next shampoo. Delivery is 10 to 17 business days, so order ahead of the date you need it.
FAQ
How long do you leave Madison Reed root touch up on?
Madison Reed's steps say to set a timer for 10 minutes.
How many uses are in a Madison Reed root touch up kit?
Two complete applications per kit, according to Madison Reed.
Can I use Root Perfection on my whole head?
Madison Reed says it is not intended for all roots across the head or all-over color. It covers about 1 inch of regrowth on the hairline and part.
How long does Madison Reed Root Perfection last?
Madison Reed says it extends the time between full colorings by up to three weeks.
Does Madison Reed Root Perfection contain PPD?
Madison Reed says it is made without PPD. Its color cream lists toluene-2,5-diamine sulfate, and the activator lists hydrogen peroxide.
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: Madison Reed, Root Perfection 5N Calabria, steps and ingredients · Madison Reed, Root Perfection shades · Naturtint USA, allergy advice · 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.