Yes, ombre isn’t exactly a new trend. But, when I decided to change my hairstyle for summer, ombre seemed to be the most low maintenance (no roots!) and natural way to go. I am not a fan of the dip-dyed look, so I wanted my ombre to be a nice blend, with the highlights peeking out at the ends.
My inspiration was Victoria Secret model Lily Aldridge’s look:
My next step was deciding how I would do my ombre. Should I do it myself or leave it up to the experts? I consulted Toronto’s favourite hair colourist, Luis Pacheco (owner of Hair on the Avenue). He gave me tips on how to get my own at-home ombre (which you can read below). It seemed pretty simple, but I still decided to have him do my hair¦ just to be extra certain I would get the results I was hoping for.
I spent a full afternoon in Luis’ chair, as he parted my hair into 1-inch sections and backcombed every section, leaving a thin piece of hair that he would paint with his colour. After we washed my tresses and combed out all the teasing, he toned my hair an ash blonde that was the perfect complement to my skin tone.
My Before & After:
Luis’ At-Home Ombre Tips:
Step 1: Choose a permanent hair colour that is three or four shades lighter than your natural colour in a neutral to ash shade. Try: Clairol’s Nice ˜n Easy Colour Blend Technology.
Step 2: Before using the hair colour, do an allergy test 48 hours prior to application to make sure you don’t have a negative reaction.
Step 3: Part your hair to create a rectangle shape at the top of your head that is an average bang’s width. Start at each temple and part your hair straight back to about the top of your ears, leaving the sides and the back to fall free.
Step 4: Take 1-inch sections from the top rectangle, pulling them back one at a time and back combing each one until it looks about 50 percent thinner. Pin away from the rest of your hair.
Step 5: In 1-inch sections, back comb the sides and backs pieces of your hair, also so that they look 50 percent thinner.
Step 6: Apply your colour to the bottom 3 to 4 inches of the hair that is hanging from the back combing and let it sit for approximately 20 minutes.
Step 7: Wash your hair using a good conditioner and use a wide tooth comb to detangle your hair.
