Ombre hair is a coloring effect in which the bottom portion of the hair looks lighter than the top portion. To achieve this effect, it is necessary to bleach the lower portion of the hair.
If you wish to prevent a brassy or orange toned color, dye the bottom part of the hair after bleaching it. Extra step can be skipped although it provides even tone to the ombre.
Keep reading the following article to know how to get ombre hair.
- Getting Started
- Bleaching the Hair
- Coloring the Hair
Getting Started
Select color. Choose a color that works well with natural color of the hair. Generally, it is better to opt for lighter shade of brown, red/auburn, or blonde. There are two types of ombre: traditional, and reverse.
- Traditional ombre has a lighter color at the tips of the hair than the roots
- Reverse ombre goes with darker tips and lighter roots.
Select a shade two shades lighter than existing hair color. The more subtle the color change, the more natural hair will appear. Try to choose mild or all-natural dyes for less damage to the hair.
Decide where the fade should stop. Choosing natural color and dyed color meet point is also equally important. The lower down hair the two meet, the safer the look will be. Risk of looking grown-out roots is higher in case the meeting point is at a higher place. Ombre hair is more suitable for longer hair, to look less like grown-out roots. The longer the hair, the further down the work will begin its contrast. Typically, the jawline is the best place for two tones meet.
Brush hair well. Ensure no tangles are left in the hair. Apply the bleach easier to ensure that hair will be evenly colored.
Put on a smock or apron. Chance are there that bleach or dye may get onto the clothes during the process. To help prevent this, try to use smock or apron. In case there is no smock to throw on, wear an old t-shirt which has been discarded.
Put on gloves. Gloves generally are provided with the dye kit or you may simply use normal rubber, vinyl, or latex gloves. Remember to wear gloves when dyeing or bleaching the hair. Otherwise you may end up dyeing or bleaching hands with hair. The bleach can cause irritation to skin or a burning sensation.
Bleaching the Hair
Mix the bleach. Unless opting for reverse ombre, use bleach to lift the color from the hair. While using blonde hair dye – which is safer on strands – and end-result will be much more subtle. Developer comes in 10, 20, 30, and 40 volumes. No need of 30 or 40 volumes to achieve an ombre look. The easiest and cheapest at home bleach method is to use equal parts of 20 volume peroxide and powdered bleach. Always mix the bleach in a well-ventilated area. Try to avoid inhaling the fumes.
Divide hair into sections. Part hair down the middle to split in half-and-half. Divide both halves into further sections. Divide every half into half again, splitting hair into quarters. For a professional-looking effect, split each of the sections into a top half, and a bottom half, which is underneath the visible hair. Pin each section to separate it from the rest. Ensure the clips used are non-metallic otherwise it will react with the chemicals.
Tease up the hair where you wish the ombre to begin. Teasing hair around the area help prevent a stark line where the bleach application is done.
Choose an application tool. While using a dye or bleach kit, it is provided with a small application brush. The best option is to get an applicator brush from local beauty supply store. Ensure to use a brush that is good for tossing out with, after you are done.
Begin bleaching the hair. Add bleach starting at the ends and working way up to the desired fade line. Work with all the strands to get them evenly coated with the lightening product. Ensure to apply the bleach evenly to both sides of hair. Check in the mirror to ensure the bleach starts at about the same spot on both sides. Coat full hair with bleach. Inspect strands to check for any spots missed while dyeing.
To avoid a stark line, apply the bleach using an applicator brush by taking vertical strokes down the hair strand. Do not paint the hair in a horizontal motion.
Let the bleach set. Depending on how light you wish hair to be, you need to let the bleach set for at least 10-45 minutes. Remove bleach from a small strand of hair after about 10-20 minutes to check.
- For a slight color, leave the bleach for 10-20 minutes.
- For a more bold color, leave the bleach for 40-45 minutes.
Leaving the bleach for longer help prevent orange or brassy tones.
Wash out the bleach. Keeping the gloves on, rinse out the bleach with warm water. Wash hair with a sulfate-free shampoo. Get out all the bleach otherwise hair will continue to lighten. Do not condition the hair now.
Coloring the Hair
Ensure the hair is dry. Use a towel to dry the hair before starting the coloring process. Wait for an hour or two to allow hair to get mostly dry.
Section off hair once more. Divide hair into its original sections. Tie off the ends with elastic bands or hair clips to make dying easier. Use at least 2-3 sections to feel comfortable while dyeing. Use non-metallic clips to avoid reactions with the chemicals in the dye.
Put on gloves. Gloves are provided with a dye kit or simply use any normal rubber, vinyl, or latex gloves. Remember to wear gloves while dyeing or bleaching the hair or you may get your hands dyed or bleached as well.
Prepare the color. Hair dyes need measuring and mixing. Follow the instructions and prepare the dye. Ensure to mix the dye in a well ventilated area.
Brush in color. Follow the application instructions to properly add dye to hair. Traditional ombre (lighter ends) needs to apply the hair dye to all the bleached sections of hair and strands as well. Reverse ombre needs to add the color to the color fade line, and apply second heavier coat near the tips.
Make sure to coat hair that you wish to dye. Inspect strands to check for any missed spots. Even saturation with dye is very important as with the bleach.
Let the color set. Follow the box instructions to determine how long to leave the dye in the hair. Wait the recommended amount of time for the hair dye to set. Since hair has been bleached, there is probably no need to leave the dye in for more than 10 minutes.
Wash out the hair color. Keeping the gloves on, rinse out the dye with warm water. Wash hair with a sulfate-free shampoo. Bleaching or coloring the hair may cause damage. Therefore, use a deep conditioner to help add moisture back into the locks.
Dry and style hair as usual. With hair being a tad fried from the chemical dye, it will be best to allow it to air-dry and avoid blow drying. However, most of us want to blow dry hair right away and get it looking back to normal. Doing this allows to determine the color you want, or to judge the need for post-dye touch up.
Hope the above article has given you an insight into how to get ombre hair to be used while dyeing them.
Happy Ombre Hair to You !!!