ColorMark TouchBack

Bottom line

ColorMark TouchBack is a temporary hair color that resembles an oversized marker. It's a quick fix for touching up roots between full colorings. TouchBack comes in eight shades that stay put during the day, but wash out completely with shampoo. If you prefer longer-lasting root coverage, Clairol Nice 'n Easy Root Touch-Up (Est. $7) is our best reviewed pick for root touch-ups.

Performance

Quick fix. TouchBack has won a Best of Beauty award from Allure magazine for three years. Editors praise this temporary hair color as a quick fix that "hides roots when you can't go to the salon." In their tests the ammonia- and peroxide-free formula blended with existing hair color and stayed put. Editors point out that it easily shampoos out, however.

Reviewers at Amazon.com are impressed with the formula, saying it covers gray roots well, but it doesn't last long -- just about 12 uses per bottle. This will vary greatly from one person to the next depending on how much coverage is needed.

Ease of use

Fast and easy. Editors at Allure magazine say TouchBack's angled applicator "makes it a cinch to apply." The formula goes on wet but dries quickly. Furthermore, the color flows easily once you push down on the applicator without over-saturating hair or running everywhere. But it can stain clothes and linens. Users at Amazon.com say it provides immediate coverage, but some say the "marker" tip is too wide for really small areas.

Smell

No strong chemicals here. Editors at Allure magazine say TouchBack has "barely a perceptible cleanser-like smell" that is unlike traditional hair color. Most users at Amazon.com don't comment on the scent, but one says it smells like shoe polish. The formula is ammonia- and peroxide-free, however, so it lacks the strong chemical smell that is common with most hair dyes.