Traditional Ombré
Traditional ombré is a dark-to-light effect, where colours gradually merge from one shade to the next. Darker hair is at the root, gradually getting lighter from the middle to the ends.
Reverse ombré
As the name suggests, instead of the traditional dark-to-light colouring, this ombré technique reverses it with lighter roots that gradually darken towards the ends of the hair.
Dip-dye ombré
The third ombré effect is a dip-dye effect, which is achieved using bolder, less conventional shades such as reds or pastels. For example, our
Colorista Paint Cherry Red Permanent Hair Dye creates a gorgeous, intense red ombré that’s perfect for autumn.
Once you’ve decided on the ombré effect you’re going for, here are the steps to take to successfully create salon-worthy ombré hair at home.
Decide where you want the transition of colour
Equally important to choosing the right ombré shade for you is deciding where you want the ombré effect to start and end. This might not sound that important, but if the two colours meet too high up the hair, you run the risk of looking like you have root re-growth, rather than a beautiful ombré.
In general, ombré hair is more suitable for longer hair as this helps to to minimise the root re-growth look, however you can still achieve a gorgeous ombré look with shorter hair if you don’t get too carried away with applying the dye, and just focus on the ends. As your hair grows, you can gradually move the colour transition further up the hair.
As a guide, we recommend positioning the colour fade in line with your jaw. It’s also important to remember that the intensity of the ombré will depend on how your hair naturally takes to the dye. If you’re not feeling that adventurous, it’s worth starting the process with a test strand, leaving it for twenty minutes, and checking every five minutes to see how your hair responds. This will give you a good idea of how long to leave the dye on your hair in order to achieve your desired ombré effect.
