12 Ash Blonde Hair Looks that Give Us the Chills
Cool in more ways than one, ash blonde hair colour is one of the most coveted blondes of all. Why? Because, when balanced out with dark roots, it’s a shade that flatters almost everyone. Whether you’re creating a dusky platinum mane or a bronde with a hint of silver-grey, this most versatile of flaxen hues can flatter all manner of eye colours and skin tones.
And, just because ash blonde is popular doesn’t mean the colour is passé. In fact, Katy Perry and Wella Professionals Global Brand Ambassador, Sophie Turner, have both been trying the shade of late. Meanwhile, the ashy mushroom blonde trend has taken the beauty world by storm, proving it’s always cool to go cool-toned, no matter the season. Keep scrolling for tips on how to achieve the look with the Wella Professionals colour portfolio, plus seven ashy colour ideas your clients are bound to love…
How to Get Ash Blonde Hair
You know the rules. When creating blonde shades, brown and dark hair colours need to be pre-lightened, so lift the tone with our high precision, high performance pre-lightener, Blondor Freelights. Not only does the formula allow you to lift the hair up to seven levels; it also works well when applied with a freehand technique, like babylights or balayage. Ash blonde balayage is the dream if you or your clients crave sun-kissed locks, while cool tones applied in micro-fine babylights ensure a seamless, natural-looking blend.
After lightening with Blondor, there are endless toning options for an ashy hue. Some of our favourites include Chrome Olive, a permanent shade from the Opal-Essence by Illumina Color palette, and Color Fresh semi permanent colour in the shade 8/81. For clients who seek less damage colour after colour*, try Koleston Perfect 9/16. Or, for the ingredients-conscious, our plant-based hair dye, EOS, is a luminous, damage-free option.
What Ash Blonde Colour Ideas Can I Achieve?
Ash Blonde Balayage
Image Credit: @allyson_m_
Ashy highlights meet warm, sun-kissed ribbons in this beautiful beachy ‘do, which Wella Passionista, Allyson, created on dark blonde hair using only a brush and brightening Blondor. She painted on Freelights + 40vol freehand through the mid-lengths, ensuring plenty of lightness was scattered in the face-framing layers to make the colour pop.
Ash Blonde Babylights
Image Credit: @folksiiri
Here’s the lowdown on babylights: these micro-fine highlights are designed to mimic the multi-dimensional colour of a child’s hair. Think, subtle, soft and natural-looking. Siiri’s ash blonde take pairs perfectly with her client’s wavy bob (or wob), and we’re desperate to try the look ourselves. Highlighting brushes at the ready…
Ash Blonde Hun
Image Credit: @folksiiri
Introducing the hun (half-up bun) of dreams. Another creation from Siiri, this ashy ‘do is made up of yet more babylights and a dose of toning from Illumina Color. The permanent formula is perfect for luminous highlights, as it reveals unseen light reflections in the hair, resulting in cool tones that never look flat – just bright and multi-tonal.
Ash Blonde Ice
Image Credit: @allison_colors
Wella Passionista, Allison, gave ash an ice blonde twist with this cool, bright blonde, which saw her take her client from highlights to an all-over brightened hue. She says it took several bowls of lightener and six hours to achieve, but we think it was worth wait. Her toning formula? Permanent hair dye Illumina Color in 9/ plus 9/60 through the roots and 9/60 at the ends, followed by lowlights through the top with 8/ to create soft dimension.
Ash Blonde Mermaid
Image Credit: @loirusco
Look at this mane. Created, again, using Illumina Color, it shows how dark roots can be softened with fine, brightening strokes of an ash blonde shade. Wella Passionista, Tiago, seamlessly blended and melted tones of Illumina together, ensuring the color gradually became lighter through the ends. What a dreamy finish.
Ash Blonde Champagne
Image Credit: @parturikampaamosarianna
This champagne-tinted ash blonde creation doesn’t just look irresistibly soft; thanks to the Koleston Perfect permanent formula, it probably feels pretty silky, too. The luminous look consists of 9/17 + 10/04 + pastel developer 1.9% at the base, plus 10/95 + a little bit of 8/34 + pastel developer 1.9% through the lengths.
Ash Blonde Melt
Image Credit: @d.tailbeautybar
Proving beige is anything but boring, Wella Passionista, Lauren, combined the colour with ashy highlights and root shading for the most mesmerizing melt. After balayaging hair with Blondor Freelights + 20vol, she neutralized the hair’s pH with Blondor Seal & Care Conditioner. Then, Lauren pre-toned using Color Touch Relights /18 for 10 minutes, and rinsed and toned with demi-permanent dye Color Touch 7/89 + 10/81 for another 10 minutes.
Ash Blonde Hair Colour Formulas
ICY BLONDE
By Noora Pakanen
Colour Formulas:
Blondor Multi-Blonde Powder, Welloxon Perfect
Babylights: 30g Blondor + 45g 6%
Illumina Color, Welloxon Perfect
Roots: 10g 6/16 + 10g 8/69 + 10g 8/05 + 60g 1.9%
Lengths: 10g 10/ + 10g 10/69 + 10g 10/1 + 60g 1.9%
FROSTED BLONDE
By Annaa
Colour Formulas:
Blondor Multi-Blonde Powder, Welloxon Perfect
Babylights: 30g Blondor + 45g 6%
Koleston Perfect, Welloxon Perfect
Roots: 10g 7/18 + 10g 6/97 + 40g 1.9%
Mid-lengths & ends: 10g 10/86 + 10g 10/95 + 40g 1.9%
MUSHROOM BLONDE
By Siiri Puumalainen
Colour Formulas:
Blondor Freelights, Freelight Developer
30g Powder + 60g 9%
Color Touch Relights, Color Touch Emulsion
10g /18 + 10g /86 + 10g /06 + 60g 1.9%
WAVY ASH BLONDE
By Thomas Frear
Colour Formulas:
Koleston Perfect, Welloxon Perfect
20g 9/81 + 20g 1.9% + 20g Invigo Post Color Treatment
SOFT ASH BLONDE
By Jason Black
Colour Formulas:
Illumina Color, Welloxon Perfect
Roots: 20g 6/16 + 40g 1.9%
Ends: 10g 10/69 + 10g 9/60 + 40g 1.9%
Maintain Ash Blonde Hair
Once you’ve secured the perfect ash blonde – whether for yourself or a client – maintaining your colour with a purple shampoo is key. INVIGO’s Blonde Recharge collection has everything you need for keeping the color fresh and bright. The number one must-have is the Cool Blonde Color Refreshing Shampoo, which deposits a small amount of violet pigment to neutralise yellow and eliminate brassiness. Follow with the Cool Blonde Color Refreshing Conditioner, which maintains a blonde mane’s multi-tonal finish, while leaving locks intensely conditioned after a five-minute treatment.
You can find daily updates on the @WellaHairUK Instagram and the Wella Hair Pinterest boards.
* Versus previous Koleston Perfect. Valid for Koleston Perfect with Pure Balance Technology.