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What Is Light Ash Brown Hair Color

Not just for blondes; ash brown hair color is the cool hue of the moment. Taking over our Instagram feeds one post at a time, this souped-up shade is adding a touch of silver to block brunettes with mink-toned highlights, smoked-out ombre and ashy balayage. A fresh take on classic brown, this new cool-girl color is about to become your mane-stay.

Whether you're a hair colorist looking to perfect your technique, or simply searching for your latest hairspiration for the new season, we've got everything you need to know right here. Grab a pen...

What is Ash Brown Hair Color?

Think a cool, smoky shade with a rich, deep brunette base. Unlike warmer brunettes, featuring hints of red or gold, ash brown hair is much cooler, toning things down with an almost silvery finish.

Will Ash Brown Hair Suit Me?

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 cooler skin tones, which typically feature pinkish undertones, an ash brown hair colour will work to balance and neutralize pink or red areas of the skin. But that doesn't mean this shade will drain warmer 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.

Ash Brown Hair Color Ideas

Warming up to the idea of a cooler color? Scroll through our round-up of the best ash brown hair color looks to find your new fave.

Woman with long, ash brown, balayage hair, created using Wella Professionals.

1

Ash Brown Balayage

Image Credit: @biancahdrs

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. To go even smokier with this Instagram-worthy color, apply Opal-Essence by Illumina Color in Silver Mauve onto lighter sections of hair.

Side profile image of a woman with short hair and ash brown ombre hair color, created using Wella Professionals.

2

Ash Brown Ombre Hair

Image Credit: @tc2_hair

Switch up contrasting color with a smoky twist on ombre hair. Stretch ash brown roots through to the mid-lengths before transitioning into a cooler blonde shade; a grown-out effect to graduating color. To create a dustier feel, tone down ashy blonde strands with the new Color Touch Smoky Blonde Collection.

Photo of the back of a woman's head with long, light ash brown hair, created using Wella Professionals.

3

Light Ash Brown Hair

Image Credit: @ambiente_by_pablo

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. Work EIMI Oil Spritz through mid-lengths to ends for a high-shine photo finish.

Photo of a woman with ash brown hair and highlights, created using Wella Professionals.

4

Ash Brown Hair with Highlights

Image credit: @ans0403

Highlights on any hair color will instantly lift and lighten your shade, even with cooler hues. Add a scattering of cool blonde highlights through an ashy brown base, brightening your shade with a multi-tonal finish. To keep hair looking glossy and feeling oh-so-silky, add WellaPlex to color; it strengthens hair bonds to keep strands strong and smooth.

Image of the back of a woman's head showing dark ash brown hair, created using Wella Professionals.

5

Dark Ash Brown Hair

Image Credit: @sonitabeauty

Rich, deep, smoky; this dark ash brown hair color adds depth to classic brunettes with a 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.

Photo of the back of a woman's head with medium ash brown hair, created using Wella Professionals.

6

Medium Ash Brown Hair

Image Credit: @jamiekeikohair

You don't have to go a shade warmer when lightening up block brunette color. Medium ash brown hair color is the best of both worlds; a seamless, cool brunette shade that's a little lighter, without moving over to dark ash blonde. If you prefer one color to multi-tonal strands or highlights, this is the shade for you. Apply EIMI Glam Mist to up the shine on this ice cool brunette look even more.

Image of a woman with smoky ash brown hair, created using Wella Professionals.

7

Smoky Ash Brown Hair

Image Credit: @jamiekeikohair

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-tonal effect that oozes cool. To really show off every shade in this ash-inspired look, curl hair into loose waves and scrunch EIMI Ocean Spritz through mid-lengths to ends for color-enhancing texture.

Photo of a woman with rose ash brown hair, created using Wella Professionals.

8

Rose Ash Brown Hair

Image Credit: @sergiu.cristea.f

Not feeling a full-on pink pastel shade? Add a different dimension to an ash brown base and achieve a cool hint of pink on hair. Opal-Essence by Illumina Color in Titanium Rose delivers the perfect amount of color while adding luminous shine and a glossy finish you'll love.

Photo of the back of a woman's head with grey ash brown hair, created using Wella Professionals.

9

Grey Ash Brown Hair

Image Credit: @hairbysaphira

Moving the color spectrum more gray than ash, this shade is super-sleek, delivering an almost metallic finish to ash brown hair color with a cool grey tint. Ideal for those with a lighter brown base color, lift and lighten with a cool shade of Illumina Color to get that shine.

Ash Brown Hair Color Formulas

From super subtle smokey reflections to visible ash strands, upgrade your new brunettes and bring them to life with the below formulas. Enjoy all the inspiration we need for fall…

Ash Brown Ombre

back of woman's head with ash brown ombre hair,created with Wella Professionals

Color Formulas:

Color Touch

A [roots]: 15g 3/0 + 30g 4%

B [ends]: 15g 9/16 + 15g 7/97 + 60g 1.9%

Subtle Ash Brown

Smoky Ends

Woman with wavy hair and smoky ends, created with Wella Professionals

Ash Brown Reflections

Back of woman's head with long ash brown hair,created with Wella Professionals

Color Formulas:

Color Touch, Color Touch Emulsion

9/97 + 9/16 + 7/73 + 1.9%

Ash Accents

side profile of woman with bob hair with ash accents, created with Wella Professionals

How to Maintain Ash Brown Hair

Ready to go for your new shade? To keep color looking fresh and cool, add a purple shampoo and conditioner to your hair regimen. Invigo Blonde Recharge Cool Blonde Color Refreshing Shampoo and Conditioner both contain violet hues to rid lighter sections of any brassy tones, maintaining that cool, ashy feel.

If your hair is feeling a little dry post-color, Nutri-Enrich Deep Nourishing Mask is your new 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 awaits.

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What Is Light Ash Brown Hair Color

Source: https://blog.wella.com/ash-brown-hair-color