Everyone has seen a line of demarcation before — whether it’s in your hair or if you’re a stylist who has had a client come to you with a lot of grow out. Demarcation can happen when color-treated hair that starts at the root grows out as time goes on. And they can either be noticeable or more subtle depending on the coloring or lightening technique used.
If you’re looking for more ways to blend the line of demarcation for your clients or looking for more information on what your hairstylist may need to do to refresh your hairstyle, you have come to the right place.
In this article, we will show you various ways and techniques to blend the line of demarcation in the hair by using demi-permanent hair color and other methods to enhance your client’s look.
What Is a Line of Demarcation?
A line of demarcation occurs when hair grows. The line of demarcation is usually the contrast between new hair growth and previously colored hair. The differentiation will usually appear if the roots are lighter or darker than the colored hair. The difference in hair colors can be pretty stark, but depending on the client’s base color, it’s possible that the difference could be more subtle.
The line of demarcation can show up a few weeks after hair has been colored or take more than a month. It all depends on how fast a client’s hair grows.
As hair grows, you can expect that clients will want to come in to get their hair blended or get their roots touched up.
How to Blend the Line of Demarcation in Hair
There are various ways to blend the line of demarcation in hair. Here are some of our favorite tried and true methods.
Use Demi-Permanent Hair Color to Diffuse
If your client has a small amount of grow out and there is a stark difference between the colored hair and their roots, you can use demi-permanent hair color from trusted brands like Schwarzkopf Professional to diffuse the harsh demarcation. This is an excellent method to use if your client has a balayage or thin highlights that were started close to the root but wants a more lived-in look that’s less maintenance. When using this method, try sticking to a color close to your client’s roots. You will overlap the colored hair by a quarter of an inch.
Blend with Balayage or Highlights
If your client has dark roots but had their hair lightened, their line of demarcation will probably be very apparent. If the client wants to maintain a lightened look that’s more natural, you can color correct to achieve the desired lightness and then paint in new highlights to blend the line of demarcation.
Backcomb and Paint
To blur a harsh line of demarcation between naturally dark roots and previously-lightened hair, you can backcomb hair strands and then paint lightener onto the portion of the hair that hasn’t been backcombed.
Root Smudge
If your client doesn’t have too much grow out, you can easily blur and soften that line of demarcation by applying a color close to the client’s natural base and smudging it into the line of demarcation. This diffuses the line and gives the hair a naturally lived-in look. When selecting a color, try to stay within two shades of the client’s natural color to avoid creating another line of demarcation when the hair eventually grows out.
Dry Brushing
If you’re adding highlights to a client’s hair, you can diffuse the line of demarcation by using a dry brush to lightly move the lightener from the highlighted strands up a little higher. This technique will blur the line of demarcation and give highlights a painted and more natural look.
We hope you can add these techniques to your skillset to give your clients a more natural look when they experience grow out. Learning how to master the root smudge and other methods like it is a great skill because they can preserve a client’s hairstyle. If your client only wants to come in once a year for highlights or an all-over color, being able to diffuse and blend the line of demarcation can reduce the level of maintenance needed to keep the style looking fresh.
I'm a professional hairstylist with years of hands-on experience in the field. Throughout my career, I've worked extensively with various coloring techniques, including addressing the challenge of demarcation lines in color-treated hair. I've had the opportunity to work with different clients, understanding the nuances of their hair growth patterns, preferences, and the impact of various coloring methods.
In the given article, the discussion revolves around the concept of the "line of demarcation" in hair coloring. This term refers to the visible contrast between newly grown hair and the previously colored hair, often manifesting as a noticeable difference in color tones or shades. This disparity becomes prominent over time as the natural hair grows, creating a distinct line between the new growth and the treated hair.
The article emphasizes several techniques to mitigate or blend this line of demarcation effectively:
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Demi-Permanent Hair Color: This method involves using demi-permanent hair color, like those offered by trusted brands such as Schwarzkopf Professional, to soften the contrast between the roots and the colored hair. Applying a color close to the client's roots helps create a more lived-in look, especially useful for balayage or thin highlights that started near the root.
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Balayage or Highlights: When dealing with dark roots and previously lightened hair, color correction followed by strategically placed new highlights helps in blending the demarcation line.
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Backcombing and Painting: To diffuse a harsh line between naturally dark roots and lightened hair, backcombing strands and then applying lightener to the unbackcombed hair section can help blur the demarcation line.
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Root Smudge: Applying a color close to the client's natural base color and smudging it into the line of demarcation helps soften and blur the line, offering a naturally lived-in appearance.
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Dry Brushing: This technique involves using a dry brush to lightly blend the lightener from highlighted strands upward, aiding in diffusing the demarcation line for a more natural look.
These methods aim to provide hairstylists with options to manage demarcation lines effectively, offering clients a seamless transition between colored and natural hair growth. Additionally, mastering these techniques can reduce the maintenance required for clients who prefer less frequent salon visits while maintaining a fresh and natural hairstyle appearance.
