Best Ombre Colors for Every Type of Hair
Find the best ombre colors for every type of hair!
Ombre is one trend that will never go out of style. At its core, it is a technique that fades one color into the next from the roots to the ends of your hair. The most classic combination is dark brown to light blonde hair. Over the years it has grown way beyond that. Whether you want a touch of lightness or to go full on rock n' roll red, ombre works for everyone.
Natural ombre colors allow your hair to progress naturally, as the gradient gently shifts from dark to light. These styles also require little to no maintenance. They are the perfect way to add some brightness to your complexion and dimension to a solid color. You can choose to be bold or subtle, natural or neon and classic or crazy. It's up to you! Ombre styles also help you cover up any damaged ends or bold roots by blending your natural hair with another color.
There are endless ombre options, so the best way to pick yours is to consider a few things. What colors compliment your skin? Everyone's skin has undertones that work best with either cool or warm shades of hair. You can easily determine which direction to go in, but of course don't be afraid to break any rules! Next, ask yourself how drastically you want to change your look. Do you want to add a subtle touch of blonde or are you ready to go full on rainbow?
These ombre looks work best with naturally dark hair. Your hair can vary in shades of darkness, from black to medium brown. Depending on your color preference, these styles can range from subtle changes to a blast of contrast.
This natural look combines warm and cool shades of browns, like chocolate and copper. Even though the tones are different, the colors can blend together to still complement one another.
Adding red to your hair can be subtle or drastic, depending on the shade you choose. Keep the roots dark to avoid an awkward growing out process and pay attention to the saturation of color at the ends. Use a darker red for a more subtle look and an orange, fiery red for a dramatic change.
This style avoids adding bleach and harmful chemicals to your hair altogether. With this style, your hair starts with dark brown roots and gradually fades into lighter shades of brown. This will be a subtle look, but it requires little to no maintenance.
Adding purple to the ends of your naturally dark hair will add a burst of color without going over the top. You can stick with darker hues without using any bleach.
Instead of always reaching for blonde dye, try adding reddish brown hues to naturally dark hair. This is a great way to warm up your complexion without a drastic shift in color.
This classic look put ombre at the top of every hair trend list. Add shades of blonde to your hair gradually, keeping the lightest blondes at the bottom. The sun-kissed look works best with naturally medium to light brown hair.
For a more dramatic look, try fading your dark brown roots fade into silver blue-grey. You can decide to dye just the ends or apply the color all over your head.
Not all ombre styles need to start with brown hair. If you're naturally blonde, try one of these looks to accent your color.
Reverse the ombre look by keeping the darkest shades at the ends of your hair. This works best when you choose browns that are the same tone as your blonde hair. Try to stick will cool or warm tones.
Transition light hair to shades of red and pink for a bright, fun look. For a more subtle look, gradually add red highlights that are close to your natural hair color.
Subtly transition your blonde hair into lighter hues at the end. This is a great way to add brightness and makes it easy to maintain your natural blonde color.
Add a pop of color to your light locks! One of the most classic ombre combinations is blonde hair at the roots and purple at the ends. You can use temporary hair dyes and paints if you want to try new colors more frequently.
Play around with cool and warm shades by dying the ends of your hair an icy blonde and keeping your roots a warm hue.
Keep your hair its natural color and gradually fade into a lighter hue within the same color family. This is a perfect look whether your hair is straight, wavy or curly.
Avoid bleach and transition from brunette to blonde by adding in warm tones throughout your hair. Instead of just one color, try utilizing different shades of warm blonde.
If you have long hair, gradually add in lighter shades starting at your shoulders. Keep it natural by using honey-colored blonde. This also works to cover up dark roots by seamlessly blending brown and blonde hair.
Add a touch of light blonde to the ends of your hair. For the most subtle look, just go 1-2 shades lighter than your natural color.
If you're looking to try something extremely different (and you've gotten the OK from your boss)try out these wild ombre trends.
Keep your bangs the darkest color and have the rest of your hair transition to lighter shades. This will create a more dramatic look that goes one step further than simply dark to light.
Bleach the ends of your hair higher on the sides and lower in the middle to create a unique "V" shape.
Brighten up your complexion! Keep most of your hair dark and gradually add lighter hues around your face. This style works with any color.
Add in touches of color and lightness to various strands of hair, instead of dying your whole head. You can choose to be bold by picking heavier chunks of hair as opposed to a look that resembles basic highlights.
This look is exactly what it sounds like. Choose a color and dye the bottom three inches of your hair for a pop of fun. This can be done with temporary dyes so that you can change the color up often.
Try more bold shifts in color instead of a gradual transition. The colors should be more opaque instead of subtle shades.
Add a pop of color to short hair by dying the ends of your hair. For a crazier style, try using multiple colors.
This style uses cool tones of platinum and icy blonde mixed in with shades of purple. You can choose to transition from light to dark, or the reverse depending on the look you want.
Put a twist on the ombre style by adding bright colors into the mix. Colombre combines the classic ombre transition from dark to light but substitutes brown and blonde for colors of the rainbow. A few classic combos include dark mahogany to copper, red faded into coral and peach, lime green to aqua blue and fiery red to light orange. Colombre works for any hair length but requires more consistent maintenance.
Think about your hair as a sunset. Pick cool or warm colors and transition from the roots to the ends. You can also mix various colors throughout your hair that fade from dark to light.
By using shades of red, orange and yellow, you can transform your hair into a flame. You can choose to start with red and fade to yellow or the reverse.
This is one of the hottest colombre trends. Think of opal as pearl and rose colors. Mix iridescent pinks, blues and purples to achieve this romantic look.
Start with bright, neon blue and transition to ice blonde at the ends. Aqua and bright blue are a classic combination. You can also add hints of purple and turquoise to mix it up.
Ombre is one trend that will never go out of style. At its core, it is a technique that fades one color into the next from the roots to the ends of your hair. The most classic combination is dark brown to light blonde hair. Over the years it has grown way beyond that. Whether you want a touch of lightness or to go full on rock n' roll red, ombre works for everyone.
Natural ombre colors allow your hair to progress naturally, as the gradient gently shifts from dark to light. These styles also require little to no maintenance. They are the perfect way to add some brightness to your complexion and dimension to a solid color. You can choose to be bold or subtle, natural or neon and classic or crazy. It's up to you! Ombre styles also help you cover up any damaged ends or bold roots by blending your natural hair with another color.
There are endless ombre options, so the best way to pick yours is to consider a few things. What colors compliment your skin? Everyone's skin has undertones that work best with either cool or warm shades of hair. You can easily determine which direction to go in, but of course don't be afraid to break any rules! Next, ask yourself how drastically you want to change your look. Do you want to add a subtle touch of blonde or are you ready to go full on rainbow?
Best Styles for Dark Hair
These ombre looks work best with naturally dark hair. Your hair can vary in shades of darkness, from black to medium brown. Depending on your color preference, these styles can range from subtle changes to a blast of contrast.
Warm and Cool
This natural look combines warm and cool shades of browns, like chocolate and copper. Even though the tones are different, the colors can blend together to still complement one another.
Shades of Red
Adding red to your hair can be subtle or drastic, depending on the shade you choose. Keep the roots dark to avoid an awkward growing out process and pay attention to the saturation of color at the ends. Use a darker red for a more subtle look and an orange, fiery red for a dramatic change.
Shades of Brown
This style avoids adding bleach and harmful chemicals to your hair altogether. With this style, your hair starts with dark brown roots and gradually fades into lighter shades of brown. This will be a subtle look, but it requires little to no maintenance.
Purple
Adding purple to the ends of your naturally dark hair will add a burst of color without going over the top. You can stick with darker hues without using any bleach.
Auburn
Instead of always reaching for blonde dye, try adding reddish brown hues to naturally dark hair. This is a great way to warm up your complexion without a drastic shift in color.
Sun-kissed
This classic look put ombre at the top of every hair trend list. Add shades of blonde to your hair gradually, keeping the lightest blondes at the bottom. The sun-kissed look works best with naturally medium to light brown hair.
Silver Fox
For a more dramatic look, try fading your dark brown roots fade into silver blue-grey. You can decide to dye just the ends or apply the color all over your head.
Best Styles for Light Hair
Not all ombre styles need to start with brown hair. If you're naturally blonde, try one of these looks to accent your color.
Light to Dark
Reverse the ombre look by keeping the darkest shades at the ends of your hair. This works best when you choose browns that are the same tone as your blonde hair. Try to stick will cool or warm tones.
Strawberry Blonde
Transition light hair to shades of red and pink for a bright, fun look. For a more subtle look, gradually add red highlights that are close to your natural hair color.
Shades of Blonde
Subtly transition your blonde hair into lighter hues at the end. This is a great way to add brightness and makes it easy to maintain your natural blonde color.
Purple Passion
Add a pop of color to your light locks! One of the most classic ombre combinations is blonde hair at the roots and purple at the ends. You can use temporary hair dyes and paints if you want to try new colors more frequently.
Ice Blonde
Play around with cool and warm shades by dying the ends of your hair an icy blonde and keeping your roots a warm hue.
Subtle Styles
Cascading
Keep your hair its natural color and gradually fade into a lighter hue within the same color family. This is a perfect look whether your hair is straight, wavy or curly.
Bright and Sunny
Avoid bleach and transition from brunette to blonde by adding in warm tones throughout your hair. Instead of just one color, try utilizing different shades of warm blonde.
Shoulder Length
If you have long hair, gradually add in lighter shades starting at your shoulders. Keep it natural by using honey-colored blonde. This also works to cover up dark roots by seamlessly blending brown and blonde hair.
Hint at the Ends
Add a touch of light blonde to the ends of your hair. For the most subtle look, just go 1-2 shades lighter than your natural color.
Drastic Styles
If you're looking to try something extremely different (and you've gotten the OK from your boss)try out these wild ombre trends.
Bold Bangs
Keep your bangs the darkest color and have the rest of your hair transition to lighter shades. This will create a more dramatic look that goes one step further than simply dark to light.
Angled
Bleach the ends of your hair higher on the sides and lower in the middle to create a unique "V" shape.
Face Framing
Brighten up your complexion! Keep most of your hair dark and gradually add lighter hues around your face. This style works with any color.
Single Strands
Add in touches of color and lightness to various strands of hair, instead of dying your whole head. You can choose to be bold by picking heavier chunks of hair as opposed to a look that resembles basic highlights.
Dip Dye
This look is exactly what it sounds like. Choose a color and dye the bottom three inches of your hair for a pop of fun. This can be done with temporary dyes so that you can change the color up often.
Solid Shades
Try more bold shifts in color instead of a gradual transition. The colors should be more opaque instead of subtle shades.
Pixie
Add a pop of color to short hair by dying the ends of your hair. For a crazier style, try using multiple colors.
Platinum to Purple
This style uses cool tones of platinum and icy blonde mixed in with shades of purple. You can choose to transition from light to dark, or the reverse depending on the look you want.
Colombre
Put a twist on the ombre style by adding bright colors into the mix. Colombre combines the classic ombre transition from dark to light but substitutes brown and blonde for colors of the rainbow. A few classic combos include dark mahogany to copper, red faded into coral and peach, lime green to aqua blue and fiery red to light orange. Colombre works for any hair length but requires more consistent maintenance.
Rainbow
Think about your hair as a sunset. Pick cool or warm colors and transition from the roots to the ends. You can also mix various colors throughout your hair that fade from dark to light.
Fire
By using shades of red, orange and yellow, you can transform your hair into a flame. You can choose to start with red and fade to yellow or the reverse.
Opal
This is one of the hottest colombre trends. Think of opal as pearl and rose colors. Mix iridescent pinks, blues and purples to achieve this romantic look.
Icy Blue
Start with bright, neon blue and transition to ice blonde at the ends. Aqua and bright blue are a classic combination. You can also add hints of purple and turquoise to mix it up.