Raise your hand if your roots are looking a little darker after several weeks in isolation. Same.
While some are turning to box dyes or root touch up sprays to cover regrowth and greys at home, or dyeing their hair various shades of pink, others are thinking about trying something different and giving an ombre style a go.
Ombre hair is a style that features darker roots that gradually fade into lighter ends. You might remember some ‘ombre hair’ from the mid 2000s that looked more like it’d been dipped in bleach, but what we’re talking about today is a more subtle approach to the ombre finish.
In any other time, you’d leave this kind of hair colouring to a professional, but if you’re game to give it a try at home, here’s exactly how.
What is ombre hair and how is it different to balayage?
The difference between these two commonly used hair terms is: ombre is a hairstyle and balayage is a hair colouring technique.
The balayage technique involves free-painting the hair rather than using foils. The result is more natural, which is why using a balayage technique to lighten your ends for a subtle ombre look is a good at-home approach.
How to choose your at-home hair dye.
To achieve a natural ombre hair look at home, you’ll need a box dye or a colour kit from your hairstylist.
A popular one is the L’Oreal Paris Preference Permanent Wild Ombre Hair Colour ($19.45) but if you’re after a more subtle result, you can use whichever product you like in a shade closer to your natural/current hair colour.
As for choosing the colour, it’s important to remember box dyes always turn out darker than you think they will. Stick to colours between one to three shades lighter than your current colour for the best results.