Your Everything Guide to Ombre Hair
Ombre hair isn’t going anywhere. Whether blonde, brunette or even bright red, a soft graduation of colour is one of the most popular in-salon hair requests out there. There are few hair trends more mesmerizing than the ombre look, and we’ve got all the tricks you need to ensure the fade is flawless. Here’s everything you need to know…
What is Ombre Hair?
Put simply, ombre is a colouring technique that sees hair gradually transition from deeper and darker at the roots to lighter and brighter through the ends. It works on all hair colours – blonde ombre, brown ombre… the list goes on – and you can make the root-to-tip contrast as bold or subtle as you like. The one rule you do have to follow? Ombre hair should always appear as an even fade, so make sure you don’t mistake it for a blocky dip-dye or multi-tonal balayage.
Are Ombre and Balayage the Same Thing?
Speaking of balayage, clients often get this freehand technique and ombre hair mixed up. Make sure that, when they ask for one of these techniques, they show you photos of their desired look, so you know exactly what they’re going for. You’ll see in the photos below the key differences between ombre and balayage, with the even fade of ombre on the left, and sun-kissed balayage Opens in a new tab on the right.
Image Credit 1: @kathapfrang Opens in a new tab
Image Credit 2: @janina_ehrenberg Opens in a new tab
For each of these looks, a pre-lightener, like Blondor Opens in a new tab, would have been applied. However, for the ombre technique, it should be painted through the entire width of the hair, getting lighter as you reach the tips. By contrast, balayage Opens in a new tab is swept through sections of hair at random, giving clients bespoke highlights for a flattering, light-reflective finish.
Will Ombre Damage Hair?
As with all hair colouring techniques, hair should be in good shape before ombre is applied. If your client is concerned about damage, there are a few ways you can minimize the impact their fresh, new shade has on the condition of their hair. First up, when lightener Opens in a new tab is needed, add a little WellaPlex Opens in a new tab to the mix, our bond-strengthening system that reinforces the internal hair bonds during the lifting process. You could also follow with a demi-permanent color Opens in a new tab, like Color Touch Opens in a new tab, which is gentler on locks and comes in an extensive spectrum of ammonia-free Opens in a new tab hues.
How to Do Ombre Hair
If you want to know how to do a professional ombre Opens in a new tab, we’ve got you covered. Take note of these three processes to achieve the perfect graduation of tones…
1. Shade the Root
For clients who are happy with their root colour, you can skip this root-shading step. Otherwise, select a shade that suits their desired look in a demi-permanent, semi-permanent Opens in a new tab or permanent formula Opens in a new tab, and apply with a tint brush to the root section. For clients who want to disguise stray silver hairs at the same time, we love permanent Koleston Perfect Opens in a new tab, which gives you up to 100% gray coverage.
2. Apply Pre-Lightener
You may need to use a pre-lightener through mid-lengths to ends on darker hair. Try Blondor Freelights Opens in a new tab to ensure the ombre-d colour you apply on top really pops. Sweep it from where you want the fade to begin down to the tips, then use a fine-toothed comb to guide the root-shading downwards so the two tones melt together.
3. Tone to Perfection
After shading and lightening locks, rinse and dry hair before you apply your ombre hues. Then, mix up two colour formulas; one medium tone and one lighter shade for the tips. Apply the medium shade in a band that starts where the root shading ends, then apply the lighter shade from where the medium shade ends, down to the tips. Allow to develop, wash out, and you’ve got the ombre hair of dreams.
7 Ways to Work Ombre Hair
1. Blonde Ombre Hair
Image Credit: @kathapfrang Opens in a new tab
Bump up the blonde in your client’s locks with blonde ombre hair; a look that sees flaxen hair go near-platinum through the tips using a lightener, like Blondor Freelights Opens in a new tab. To really show off the graduation in a lighter ‘do, try styling hair poker straight - as Katharina Pfrang Opens in a new tab did here - so the contrasting colours truly stand out.
2. Brown Ombre Hair
Image Credit: @hair_by_leo Opens in a new tab
Giving brown hair Opens in a new tab a glow-up, this creation sees chocolate brown Opens in a new tab roots melt into caramel blonde Opens in a new tab ends, all thanks to the pure pigment of Koleston Perfect Opens in a new tab. Perfect for anyone wanting to add a sun-touched effect to brown hair, you can take the luminosity further by softly tonging mid-lengths with the Pro-Curl Opens in a new tab wand for waves that reflect the light.
3. Brown to Blonde Ombre Hair
Image Credit: @mone_color Opens in a new tab
For those clients hoping to go from brown to blonde hair, why not give them both? We love how this ombre transitions from medium brown roots to lighter, brighter ends. It’s a bold look, for sure - one that plays with contrast in the most dramatic way - but you can make it subtle (hello, sombre hair) by going for a softer transition through to warm blonde Opens in a new tab tips.
4. Grey Ombre Hair
Image Credit: @profinadi2 Opens in a new tab
Packed with plenty of shimmer, this gray ombre look could also be described as silver ombre hair. And, when it comes to upping the shine, there’s nothing like permanent hair color Opens in a new tab Illumina Color Opens in a new tab. Sevrykova Nadezhda Opens in a new tab used this light-reflective toner after applying Blondor Freelights, resulting in an ultra-glossy finish you can take even further with a dose of EIMI Oil Spritz Opens in a new tab.
5. Red Ombre Hair
Image Credit: @julian.book Opens in a new tab
Cherry red ombre hair? Only semi-permanent hair color Opens in a new tab like Color Fresh CREATE Opens in a new tab could get a bob looking this vibrant. Julian Book Opens in a new tab mixed up the look using two show-stopping shades; Next Red and Hyper Coral. Artfully applied, they create a fierce, fire engine red shade, teamed with smoky roots and a blunt cut. This look was made for Instagram.
6. Pink Ombre Hair
Image Credit: @hair.by.craig_parkinson Opens in a new tab
Just when we thought pink hair Opens in a new tab couldn’t get any dreamier, Craig Parkinson Opens in a new tab went and created this pastel pink ombre look. Perfect for all year round, it’s icy enough to suit the winter temps, while brimming with enough whimsy to look fresh and flawless through spring/summer. Obsessed.
7. Black Ombre Hair
Image Credit: @lauramaystevenshair Opens in a new tab
Who said black ombre hair had to be monochrome? Laura May Stevens Opens in a new tab added a pop of pink to this long mane, before loosely braiding locks to show off the contrasting tones. If you want to try something similar, look to a pre-lightener and Color Fresh CREATE to turn black hair bold, then mist lengths with EIMI Dry Me Opens in a new tab dry shampoo to achieve grippy texture for your braid.
