Your Everything Guide to Ombre Hair
Ombre hair isn’t going anywhere. Whether blonde, brunette or even bright red, a soft graduation of color 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 coloring 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 colors – 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 on the right.
Image Credit 1: @kathapfrang
Image Credit 2: @janina_ehrenberg
For each of these looks, a pre-lightener, like Blondor, 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 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 coloring 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 is needed, add a little WellaPlex 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, like Color Touch, which is gentler on locks and comes in an extensive spectrum of ammonia-free hues.
How to Do Ombre Hair
If you want to know how to do a professional ombre, 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 color, you can skip this root-shading step. Otherwise, select a shade that suits their desired look in a demi-permanent, semi-permanent or permanent formula, 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, 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 to ensure the ombre-d color 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 color 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
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. To really show off the graduation in a lighter ‘do, try styling hair poker straight - as Katharina Pfrang did here - so the contrasting colors truly stand out.
2. Brown Ombre Hair
Image Credit: @hair_by_leo
Giving brown hair a glow-up, this creation sees chocolate brown roots melt into caramel blonde ends, all thanks to the pure pigment of Koleston Perfect. 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 wand for waves that reflect the light.
3. Brown to Blonde Ombre Hair
Image Credit: @mone_color
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 tips.
4. Grey Ombre Hair
Image Credit: @profinadi2
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 Illumina Color. Sevrykova Nadezhda 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.
5. Red Ombre Hair
Image Credit: @julian.book
Cherry red ombre hair? Only semi-permanent hair color like Color Fresh CREATE could get a bob looking this vibrant. Julian Book 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
Just when we thought pink hair couldn’t get any dreamier, Craig Parkinson 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
Who said black ombre hair had to be monochrome? Laura May Stevens 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 dry shampoo to achieve grippy texture for your braid.
