Hair mascara is a versatile tool that is used to temporarily change the color of small sections of hair. This hair product comes in a narrow tube, much like eyelash mascara, and it has a similar wand-like applicator inside. The product inside the tube can have a variety of purposes, such as covering gray hairs or roots, adding highlights or adding brightly colored or unnaturally hued streaks to the hair. Using a hair mascara will have only temporary results because the product does not penetrate the cuticle and will rinse away when the hair is washed.
The aesthetic similarities between hair mascara and eyelash mascara are quite substantial, so it is easy to compare the two. Hair mascara is sold in packaging similar to eyelash mascara, so the two might be difficult to differentiate at first glance. Application is also similar, because both products distribute product by means of a thin wand with a round, bristly end. Despite these apparent similarities, these are two very different products, and it would not be wise to use hair mascara and eyelash mascara interchangeably.
Different types of hair mascara serve different purposes. One variety can be used to add temporary highlights to the hair by streaking it with a lighter hue. The small applicator makes it easy to apply the product very precisely, so the highlights can come out as natural-looking as possible.
A hair mascara also can be used to touch up roots in between hair colorings. If people dye their hair, as the new hair grows in, there can be an obvious difference between their natural hair color and the dyed shade. Some brands of hair mascaras feature a wide variety of shades to match multiple hair types, meaning that it usually is possible to find a color that can sufficiently hide roots until a new dye job can be performed.
Apart from natural hair color shades such as blond, brunette, red or black, some types of hair mascara are available in less-traditional shades. These products can feature every color of the rainbow and can be used to add a pop of interest or edge to an otherwise normal hair color. Hair mascaras do not impart permanent color, so these products require no commitment and, consequently, create no regret.
Just like eyelash mascaras, hair mascaras do not dye the hair. There are no active ingredients that penetrate the cuticle and actually change the color of the natural hair. Instead, they coat the strands with temporary color that will stay on the hair only until it is washed out.