I Use This Magic Marker to Color Strands of Gray Hair

I noticed my first gray hair in a Boston hotel bar about ten years ago, while on a first date. I had nothing to cover it with, so I plucked it out of my head — not a good long-term strategy, obviously. After that, I’d notice one or two grays every few months, but it was nothing that my trusty, thrice-yearly highlights couldn’t tackle.

Now, in my late 30s, I’m at a weird stage in my gray-hair growth: It’s enough that I want some sort of coverage between highlights appointments, but not enough that I need to commit to a “getting my roots done” routine. The hairs aren’t sprouting up in sheets — yet.

What I need is precision coverage that can quickly and efficiently cover individual grays. I’ve tried everything from powders to sprays, but those products are too messy and too much coverage for my single, melanin-free strands. Then I found the TouchBack Pro marker, and it completely changed my morning routine (our friends at the Cut have written about it before). You can cover a single strand of hair with one quick swipe. It’s easy to use because it’s literally a marker; it’s thicker than a Sharpie, but shaped so you can use the thin or flat sides, depending on what kind of coverage you need.

The formula is real, temporary hair color that bonds to hair, so it won’t flake off when you use a hairbrush or flip it throughout the day. I haven’t noticed any fading, even after a sweaty gym class, but it easily washes out with regular shampoo. It’s never stained any of my clothes or sheets, and once dry (it takes about 60 seconds), it won’t stain your hands, either. The marker lasts for about 60 applications before drying out, and comes in eight colors that are ammonia- and peroxide-free. There’s also a comb in the box that I find useful for separating out grays, and it’s even small enough to carry in your purse for unexpected bathroom touch-ups, so plucking will never cross your mind again.