Madison Reed Root Touch Up: Temporary Powder or Permanent Kit? How to Tell
Short answer: Madison Reed uses "root touch up" for three different products. The Great Cover Up is a temporary powder in 6 shades that stays until your next shampoo. The Gray Escape is a temporary root mascara for stray grays. Root Perfection is the permanent root touch up kit: Madison Reed says it gives 100% gray coverage in 10 minutes, comes in 8 shades with two applications per kit, and buys up to three weeks between full colorings.
The three products
| Product | Type | How long it lasts, per Madison Reed |
|---|---|---|
| The Great Cover Up, Root Touch Up Powder + Brow Filler | Temporary powder, 6 shades, two brushes | Until your next shampoo. "Rain-, sweat-, and pillow-proof" |
| The Gray Escape | Temporary root mascara with a precision wand | All day. Washes out at your next shampoo |
| Root Perfection, Root Touch Up Kit | Permanent color cream and activator, 8 shades, 10 minutes | Up to three weeks between full colorings |
From madison-reed.com, checked on 2 November 2026.
Is Madison Reed Root Touch Up permanent?
Only Root Perfection. Madison Reed describes it as real, lasting root color in kit form rather than a concealer that rinses away. The powder and the mascara are temporary and come off with shampoo. If you searched "Madison Reed root touch up" and found a compact, that is the temporary one.
The Great Cover Up powder
- Shades: Legno (Black), Ombra (Dark Brown), Terra (Medium Brown), Sabbia (Light Brown), Sienna (Auburn Red) and Cascata + Pinoli (Blonde).
- In the compact: a wide brush for roots and a dual-sided brow brush. Madison Reed sells it for roots, a thinning-looking hairline and brows.
- Wear: rain-, sweat- and pillow-proof, until your next shampoo, per the brand.
- Uses: more than 60, per the brand.
- Formula claims: made without titanium dioxide, and part of what Madison Reed calls its Smart 8-Free formula.
- Madison Reed's pro tip: a light mist of hairspray on freshly washed hair before you apply it.
The Gray Escape mascara
A wand for single stray grays at the temples, hairline or part that a powder cannot isolate. Madison Reed says it is quick-drying, transfer-resistant and smudge-, sweat- and pillow-proof, and that it doubles as a brow gel. The site listed it in Black, Dark Brown, Medium Brown and Light Brown.
The Root Perfection kit
A permanent kit for the hairline and part, which Madison Reed calls the T-zone. It is meant for about 1 inch of new regrowth, not for all-over color. Each kit has two applications.
The steps, timing and 8 shades are in how to use the Madison Reed Root Perfection kit.
Which one you need
- An event tonight, or gray you only want hidden for a day: the powder.
- A few wiry grays at the temples: the mascara.
- Your color is fine but the part shows gray every few weeks: Root Perfection.
- Gray all over: Madison Reed points to its full Radiant Hair Color Kit, not the root kit.
No gray or white shade
None of the three comes in gray, silver or white. They are made to cover gray, not to blend it.
How the powder compares with Color Wow's: Madison Reed vs Color Wow. Formats compared across brands: root cover powder vs spray vs root marker.
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 has 12 shades, including the Dark Grey, Grey and White that Madison Reed's root products do not have. Delivery is 10 to 17 business days, so order ahead of the date you need it.
FAQ
Is Madison Reed Root Touch Up permanent or temporary?
Both exist. The Great Cover Up powder and The Gray Escape mascara are temporary. Root Perfection is the permanent root touch up kit.
How long does Madison Reed Root Touch Up last?
The powder lasts until your next shampoo. Madison Reed says Root Perfection extends the time between full colorings by up to three weeks.
What shades does the Madison Reed root powder come in?
Six: Legno (Black), Ombra (Dark Brown), Terra (Medium Brown), Sabbia (Light Brown), Sienna (Auburn Red) and Cascata + Pinoli (Blonde).
Can I use Madison Reed root powder on my brows?
Yes. Madison Reed sells it as a root touch up powder and brow filler, with a dual-sided brow brush.
What happened to Madison Reed Root Reboot?
Madison Reed's site now lists Root Perfection as its root touch up kit. Some reviews on the Root Perfection page still mention Root Reboot.
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 Touch Up Powder shades · Madison Reed, The Great Cover Up, Terra · Madison Reed, The Gray Escape · Madison Reed, Root Perfection · Madison Reed, Root Perfection 5N Calabria · 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.