Ash brown hair color is the cool hue of the moment, and it's not just for blondes anymore. Taking over Instagram feeds, this popular shade is adding a touch of silver to brunettes with mink-toned highlights, smoked-out ombre, and ashy balayage. This stunning color is a fresh take on classic brown hair, and it's about to become your mane-stay. Whether you’re a colorist looking to perfect your technique or simply searching for your latest hair inspiration for the new season, here’s everything you need to know.
Think of a cool, smoky shade with a rich, deep brunette base. Unlike warm brunettes, featuring hints of red or gold, ash brown hair is much cooler, toning things down with an almost silvery finish.
Ash brown hair is versatile enough to be adapted to different skin tones and shades, adding elements of the look to build up the desired finish. Paired with cool skin tones, which typically feature pinkish undertones, ash brown hair color works to balance and neutralize pink or red areas of the skin. But that doesn’t mean this shade will drain warm complexions. To build up this new hue on warm skin tones, start with a classic brunette base and smoke out your shade with an ash brown balayage or ash brown ombre for a more subtle take on the trend.
Scroll through our collection of the best ash brown looks and find your new fave.
Here’s how to take classic, sun-kissed balayage next level: Smoke out a cool brunette base with a scattering of soft, ashy strands from mid-lengths to ends.
Read also: Balayage Technique
#PROTIP: To go even smokier with this Instagram-worthy color, apply Illumina 10/69 or 10/81 + Welloxon Perfect Pastel 1.9% (6 volume) to lighter sections of hair for an extra cool pop.
Switch up contrasting color with a smoky twist on ombre hair. Stretch ash brown roots through to the mid-lengths before transitioning into a cool blonde shade to create a "lived-in" effect to graduating color.
We’re all about this sepia-toned shade. Start with a dark blonde base before building light ash brown color from root to tip, ensuring your shade is completely seamless.
Highlights on any hair color will instantly lift and lighten your shade. Add a scattering of cool blonde highlights through an ashy brown base, brightening your shade with a multi-dimensional finish. To keep hair looking glossy and healthy, add WellaPlex to your service, or complete the look with a ColorMotion+ Structure+ Mask treatment.
Rich, deep, smoky; This dark ash brown hair color adds depth to classic brunettes with just a hint of coolness. Ideal for natural brunettes looking to take their shade up a notch, achieve a dusty, smoky finish by toning with Illumina Color, using one of the cooler shades.
Read also: Clip-In Balayage Styles
FUN FACT: Illumina Color has a built-in violet base for an extra dose of coolness in every shade.
You don’t have to go a shade warmer when lightening up a brunette. Medium ash brown hair color is the best of both worlds; a seamless, cool brunette that’s a little lighter, without moving into a dark ash blonde. If you prefer one color to multi-dimensional strands or highlights, this is the shade for you! Apply EIMI Glam Mist to step up the shine on this ice-cool brunette.
Ready to make more of a statement? This smoky look weaves together a blend of silvery ribbons of color with hints of mauve, delivering a multi-dimensional effect that oozes cool. To really show off every shade in this ash-inspired look, curl hair into loose waves with the ghd Soft Curl and scrunch EIMI Ocean Spritz through mid-lengths and ends for color-enhancing texture.
Not feeling a full-on pink pastel shade? Add a different dimension to an ash brown base and achieve a cool hint of pink. Color Touch 9/75 or Shinefinity 00/56 + 00/00 Crystal Glaze delivers the perfect amount of color while adding luminous shine and a glossy finish your clients will love.
To keep color fresh and cool, add a purple shampoo like INVIGO Blonde Recharge Cool Blonde with violet hues to rid lighter sections of brassy tones. Alternatively, if your salon guest went for a richer tone, recommend a shampoo to keep color protected and vibrant. If your client's hair is feeling a little dry post-color, recommend Nutri-Enrich Deep Nourishing Mask our five-minute wonder. Apply to damp hair through the mid-lengths to ends to lock in moisture and nourish stressed-out hair. Glossy shine and luminous color are waiting.
Read also: Money Piece Highlights with Balayage
