The Ghost Roots Trend | Rush Hair

Ghost roots is a bold trend that instead of hiding your natural roots or regrowth, it makes them the focal point of the look. Rather than touching up the roots to hide regrowth, ghost roots celebrate and use the roots to create a contrast and personality. Although it feels modern, the idea isn’t entirely new. It has roots in earlier pop and subculture aesthetics, from emo and anime-inspired looks of the 2000’s to Japanese ‘angel ring’ styles. What sets ghost roots apart from other colouring techniques is the intentional contrast and how it embraces growth. This guide will cover definition, benefits, how it’s done, who it suits and maintenance. Rush stylists are experts in colour techniques and can tailor the appointment to what best suits you.

What Are Ghost Roots?

Ghost roots are a hair-colour trend where the roots are intentionally made visible and contrasting, instead of being blended in or hidden. The idea is to turn what would normally be regrowth into a stylish statement, often with light, pastel or bold colours at the roots fading into a different shade along the lengths. Unlike subtle shadow roots, ghost roots are intentionally noticeable, creating an edgy, low-maintenance and fashion-forward look.

Why Is the Ghost Roots Trending?

Ghost roots are trending because they turn traditional hair dyeing on its head and have caught on widely across social media, fashion circles and salons. Instead of hiding roots or striving for seamless bends, this trend celebrates visible, contrasting roots as a bold style statement that’s both expressive and surprisingly wearable. 

Stylists and beauty editors say the trend resonates for a few key reasons. Firstly, it feels fashion-forward and edgy while still being relatively low-maintenance. Secondly, it frames the face with a striking halo or growth that many find flattering. Celebrities such as Billie Eilish and Rosalia have sported dramatic root contrasts, which creates viral content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, inspiring people to try the look themselves.

Where Did the Ghost Roots Trend Come From?

The ghost root trend originated from a mix of celebrity influence, runway experimentation and pop culture aesthetics. It can be traced back to the early 2000s subcultures like emo and anime-inspired styles, where contrasting or brightly coloured roots were used for a dramatic effect. Over time, hair stylists began experimenting with intentional root contrasts on runways and editorial shoots, creating a polished, fashion-forward version of what once was an alternative look. Social media platforms, especially TikTok and Instagram, accelerated its popularity by showcasing bold and creative interpretations that were easy to replicate and highly shareable.

Key Characteristics of Ghost Roots

The key characteristics of ghost roots are all about contrast, intentionality and style. Unlike traditional root touch-ups, ghost roots are meant to stand out rather than blend in. 

Visible, Contrasting Roots: the roots deliberately a different colour from the rest of the hair, often lighter, pastel or bold, creating a striking effect right at the scalp.

Intentional Design: the contrast isn’t accidental, it’s styled to look graphic and fashion-forward, making regrowth part of the aesthetic.

Seamless Transition: some ghost roots fade slightly into the lengths, but the emphasis is still on the root colour itself rather than a perfect blend.

Low-maintenance Appeal: because the look embraces visible roots, it reduces the need for frequent touch-ups.

Edgy, Expressive Look: ghost roots are a bold statement, often used to add personality and frame the face in a visually striking way.

Styles:

Ultra-soft, barely-there root shading

Ultra-soft, barely-there root shading is essentially the opposite of bold trends like ghost roots. Instead of high contrast, this technique focuses on subtlety and seamlessness. In this style, the roots are gently blended with the rest of the hair, creating a natural barely noticeable transition. The effect is soft, airy and effortless, as if the hair naturally grows into its colour without any harsh lines or obvious dye work. 

Some key points are the root colour is only slightly darker or lighter than the lengths and there is no stark contrast, the shading mimics how hair naturally grows. Because the roots blend so well, regrowth is hardly noticeable.

Seamless blend with no harsh lines

This is another subtle, natural-looking hair colouring technique, often used in balayage, root smudging or soft highlights. In this style, the transition between the roots and the rest of the hair is smooth and gradual, with no visible lines or abrupt colour changes. The goal is to create a harmonious flow of colour that looks effortless and natural, almost like the hair naturally lightens or darkens over its length.

Key features of this style are the roots and lengths melt together with no noticeable boundary, giving the hair depth and dimension without obvious colouring marks. Since there are no stark lines, regrowth blends in naturally, adding dimension and shine while keeping the look sophisticated and completely integrated.

Natural grow-out

Natural grow-out is a hair colouring approach that embraces the way hair naturally grows over time, rather than trying to disguise it. Unlike ultra-soft shading, this technique treats the regrowth as part of the look, giving a lived-in, effortless appearance. 

Key features of this style are visible roots that match natural growth, the new hair at the scalp is allowed to show, blending gradually or intentionally with the dyed lengths. Since regrowth isn’t hidden, there is no need for frequent touch ups. The overall effect feels natural and understated, often enhancing the hairs texture and movement. This style can work with highlights, balayage or full colour looks, giving a soft, realistic transition.

Customisable depth and tone

Customisable depth and tone is a technique that focuses on tailoring the colour to suit your hair type, skin tone and personal style, rather than following a single formula. It’s all about creating a personalised, multidimensional look. 

Key features of this style is adjustable root depth, the darkness or lightness of the roots can be customised to create subtle contrast or a more dramatic effect. The shade can be warm, cool, neutral or pastel depending on what compliments your complexion and style. By adjusting depth and tone, hair looks naturally vibrant and multi-layered, rather than flat or one-dimensional. 

Ghost Roots on Women

Ghost roots are a versatile hair trend that works for blondes, brunettes and creative colours, offering a striking way to make roots a feature rather than something to hide. Ghost roots on blonde hair often involve darker or platinum-tinged roots that create a soft contrast against lighter lengths. This can make the hair look luminous and gives the illusion of natural depth. For brown or dark hair, ghost roots can range from ashy or caramel tones to bolder shades, the subtle contrast highlights the dimension in brunette hair, enhancing richness and movement. In pastel, neon or vivid shades, ghost roots make a bold statement. A neon pink root fading into lavender, or black roots under vibrant rainbow strands adds intentional drama while giving the look structure.

Ghost roots are not just about contrast- they create depth and texture. By intentionally differentiating the root from the lengths, the hair gains a visual layer, making it appear fuller and more dynamic. This depth works particularly well with layered cuts, waves or curls, as the contrasting root peeks through the movement of the hair. 

Ghost roots work beautifully on bobs or pixies, where the roots can create a strong effect and visually frame the face. On longer hair, ghost roots give a lived-in, effortless vibe while still looking polished. The contrast can be subtle or bold, depending on appearance. Straight hair shows the root contrast clearly, giving a sleek, modern look. Wavy or curly hair benefits from ghost roots as the variation in colour adds dimension and highlights natural texture.

How to Achieve the Perfect Ghost Roots Look

Step-by-Step: Creating Ghost Roots

• Colour consultation and tone selection

Start by discussing with the client their desired look and lifestyle needs. Ghost roots work best when the root contrast is intentional and compliments the overall colour. Consider skin tones and undertones, desired impact and existing hair colour. The goal is to choose a root tone that adds depth without looking accidental.

• Root placement and diffusion technique

Section hair strategically, divide into manageable panels- usually four quadrants for precision. Apply the root colour, start 1-2cm from the scalp for a soft, natural effect or closer for a stronger contrast. Diffuse the root colour using fingers or a brush and feather the colour slightly downward to avoid harsh lines, the idea is to hint at the roots rather than paint a solid block, giving a soft, ethereal base. This step sets the foundation for depth and movement.

• Blending into mid-lengths

Apply the mid-length colour, depending on the design, this can be a continuation of the root tone or a lighter, complimentary shade. Use vertical strokes or a soft balayage technique to gently blend the root into the mid-lengths. Ensure the transition is smooth and intentional- ghost roots should feel integrated, not accidental.

Choose a toner or glaze, this balances warmth or coolness, ensures shine and unifies the overall pallet. For creative colours, consider a soft, paster glaze to harmonise tones. Tone the mid-lengths and ends, avoiding over-saturating the root unless a stronger statement is desired. Use a colour-safe, nourishing conditioner to lock in tone and maintain hair health. Finishing touches may include subtle glossing or lightweight styling products to enhance dimension and movement.

Tools & Products Used for Ghost Roots

For ghost roots, you want dependable, salon-grade colours with predictable lift and deposit, so the root tone reads intentionally against the mid-lengths. A good toner is essential to unify the pallet and eliminate unwanted undertones, purple/ blue toners counteract warmth on blonde or lightened mid-lengths, clear glazes boost shine and tie custom colours together. Creative glazes overlay or muted tones that refine without overwhelming. Root shadow/ diffusion brushes create soft, seamless root placement. They blend the root colour into the mid-lengths with finesse without leaving streaks. With the right tools and products and thoughtful and deliberate application, ghost roots become a controlled design choice instead of an accident, the result is dimensional, wearable and beautifully intentional.

Why Choose the Ghost Roots Trend?

One of the biggest reasons people are drawn to ghost roots is the low-maintenance appeal. Because visible roots are part of the look, regrowth blends in naturally and appointments can be spaced further apart without colour looking unfinished. This makes it especially attractive for clients who want impact without constant upkeep.

Ghost roots add depth and dimension. The contrast at the roots creates visual layers, making hair appear fuller and more dynamic, whether the colour is blonde, brunette or a creative shade. This depth helps avoid flat, one-tone colour and enhances movement, particularly in layered or textured cuts.

Another reason to choose this trend is its versatility. Ghost roots can be soft and subtle or bold and graphic, depending on tone selection and placement. They work across different lengths and textures and can be tailored to suit individual skin tones, personal style and lifestyle needs. Ultimately, ghost roots are chosen because they feel modern, intentional and confident. They shift the narrative from ‘covering regrowth’ to celebrating contrast, offering a stylish, forward-thinking alternative to traditional root coverage.

Maintaining Ghost Roots

One of the strongest reasons to choose ghost roots is their genuinely low-maintenance appeal, without compromising on polish or value. Because the roots are designed to be visible and intentional, the colour evolves beautifully over time rather than looking grown out. 

From a maintenance perspective, wash frequency can stay relaxed. Washing 2-3 times per week is ideal, as it helps preserve both the root tone and the mid-length colour. Using a colour-safe, sulphate-free shampoo is key to preventing premature fading and keeping the contrast looking clean and intentional. 

When it comes to salon visits, ghost roots allow for longer gaps between appointments. Most clients can comfortably book a refresh every 10-16 weeks depending on how bold their original contrast was and how quickly their hair grows. Refreshes are often simple- toner, gloss or subtle root refinement- rather than a full recolour, which adds long-term value. 

Book Your Ghost Roots Appointment at Rush Hair

While ghost roots look effortless, they are a professional technique best customised to hair colour, cut, lifestyle and maintenance preferences. Rush hair colourists are trend-led experts with experience delivering modern, low-maintenance preferences. 

Book an in-salon appointment for personalised colour consultation, customised ghost root depth and tone, professional blending for seamless grow-out and advice on maintenance and aftercare.