Ombré Hair Color

Ombré highlights

Major hair trend that you'll either love or hate!

Beautylish's Christina walked into Chakra Salon wanting a subtle Ombré look for her jet black hair. "Ombré hair color brings life back into your strands without a big commitment," Senior Stylist, Ernesto Meneses said, "You can go as dramatic or subtle as you want, that's the beauty of the style. Christina has black hair with some old color left on her ends. For the Ombré look to appear natural on her locks, I'll stay within three levels of her natural hue and choose warmer shades that will compliment her complexion."

To give Christina the ombré effect, Ernesto broke up the coloring process into two steps. He first brushed Aveda Full Spectrum Deep Creme Color for Dark Hair on three-quarters of the hair, from root to mid-shaft. 25 minutes later, he rinsed the color out of her hair and washed the ends with a color three shades lighter than her natural shade. "By washing the color into the ends instead of brushing, it gives that gradual and blended effect we want."

With hair wash, blowout, and bonus massage (who doesn't love that?), the entire process took less than two hours. Instead of a drastic change, Christina's hair looked vibrant, glossy, and fresh. "Christina has darker roots so she can get away with growing out the look. The style is 'grungy-modern' and totally trendy." If you're looking to spice your hair color this season, talk with your colorist and see how you can customize your own ombré look.

Image courtesy of Joe Gomez

Ernesto is a senior stylist at Chakra Salon in San Francisco, California. "I’m the SF hairdresser you invite to show off at your party. Give me any type of hair on any person and I'll be able to transform it to a style you'll love and embrace. I love what I do—filling people's lives with beauty and creativity."