ASH BLONDE VS. BRUNETTE
Two of the most popular hair colour trends are ash blonde, and its darker version ash brown hair. Should you try the colour? We explain how to know if a hair colour will suit you’re your eye colour, and how to get the best hair colour result that you will love. Plus, there’s a special focus on the best haircuts for ash coloured hair!
ALL ABOUT ASH HAIR COLOUR
Whether blonde or brunette, ash hair colour has undertones of grey (hence the name), green, blue and violet. Ash hair colour is on the cool side of the colour spectrum, meaning that it does not contain many red or orange tones. Ash hair colours can vary from a light ash blonde to a dark brown ash, and is a popular hair colour because it adds a silvery tone to the hair, and avoids any brassiess.
HOW TO KNOW WHICH COLOUR SUITS ME
To know if a hair shade will look good on you or not, it’s all about the undertones to your skin, not the colour. Some of us have warm undertones to our skin, some have cool tones. And some of us lies in the middle. Here’s how to know what undertones you have and what hair colour will suit you.
You’re warm-toned if : you suit gold more than silver, your veins appear green, and you look good in orange, yellow and olive green.
Warm tones suit : honey brown, golden blonde, chestnut and deep auburn (anything with a little warmth to it.)
You’re cool-toned if : you’re more of a silver person, your veins have a bluish tinge to them, and you really suit blue, violet and other cooler tones.
Cool tones suit : ash blonde, ash brown, strawberry blonde and platinum hair (avoid shades with yellow and orange tones).
If you recognise yourself in both the warm and cool categories, this probably means that you have a neutral, or combination, tones to your skin. And that’s good news: you can rock any hair colour you like.
DECIDING BETWEEN BLONDE OR ASH BROWN HAIR?
Ash hair colours are on the cool side of the spectrum, meaning it is particularly flattering on those with a cool-toned complexion. The blue/purple pigments in ash blonde and ash brown hair colour are great for counter-balancing any redness in the skin, turning ruddy cheeks into a light rosy blush. Blue, light green and grey eyes really pop with ash coloured hair, whether you go light or dark.
To be sure of achieving exactly the right shade of ash to suit your complexion, L’Oréal Professionnel have launched new cool shades. From an icy ash brown to cool-toned ash blonde, or a cool mink ash result, there’s the perfect ash hair colour waiting for you!
HOW TO CARE FOR COLOURED HAIR
As with any colour-treated hair, it’s essential to use a shampoo and conditioner that won’t strip your hair of its new colour. For ash blonde hair, look no further than the Blondifier hair colour range, in particular the Cool Shampoo, which neutralises undesired yellow tones and keeps your ash cool. For ash brown hair, the Vitamino Colour A OX CC Cream for Brunettes is a colour-correcting conditioner that works to counteract any unwanted red tones in your ash brown hair.
BEST HAIRCUTS FOR ASH BLONDE AND ASH BROWN HAIR
Cool tones can risk looking a little dull without the right haircut. Why? Because the blue and purple pigments give less radiance than the orange and red hues found in warm shades. This is why a statement haircut is all-important.
We love a blunt bob, with or without bangs, on ash blonde/brown hair. Or the opposite, a full head of bouncy ash curls that give energy to the hair colour. Use your ash hair to choose a haircut that really reflects your personality!
Of course, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t go the wavy long bob. More manageable than long hair, but not so short that you can’t create an updo, the slightly wavy lob is top of the trends. On ash brown hair, think about adding in just a few highlights (perhaps with the balayage technique) to emphasize the waves and create more depth to the hair.
