Embrace Ombre Hair

A handful of fashion-forward personalities are embracing the ‘ombre’ look- the two-tone, dark roots/bleached ends look.

Some of the world’s most stylish women- such as Alexa Chung, Erin Wasson and Rachel Bilson, are in its thrall but this style certainly isn’t for the fainthearted. The look tends to work best on natural brunettes, but blondes can also get in on the fun.
If you’re flirting with the idea of letting your roots grow out check out these expert tips!

1. Start Subtly

“Ombre hair can come in various shades, good and bad,” cautions Harry Azidis, a hair stylist from Melbourne’s Oxey and Bushey salon. “It can range from the subtle to the quirky extreme, which has to be executed well and with confidence.”

He points to Samantha Harris, Australia’s first aboriginal supermodel, as a great example of how to ease into the look. “She had a natural dark shade up to mid-cheek, and then fading up one or two shades lighter in pieces toward the ends of her long hair, adding another dimension and texture to her hairstyle.”

2. Consider Your Lifestyle

As with any avant-garde look, it’s important to take your lifestyle into account when deciding whether or not to commit. If your day job is in a buttoned-up, conservative environment, you may want to reconsider taking the plunge into obvious two-tone, or what Azidis calls “extreme dip coloured hair.”

Azidis says he has seen the look work really well in an Australian context, with “some brilliant wavy beach hair versions for that Bondi sun-bleached halo effect.”

3. Choose Your Colourist

Colourist Bruna Ballan from Sweet Caroline salon in South Yarra, Melbourne, uses a method of alternating woven foil highlights, teasing the woven wefts and smearing the colour from mid-length to ends to create that faded effect. “It is an effective way of avoiding the nasty obvious regrowth,” comments Azidis, who admires Bruna’s colour work along with the ‘funky curly version’ of the ombre style she sports herself.Of course, you could achieve a similar look by simply letting your roots grow out, but given that the trick lies in having the colour bleed subtly from roots to tips, it’s best to leave this look to the professionals.