24 dreamy ombre hair colours that you'll want to show your stylist
There's more to this technique than what you remember from 2012...
It's been 9 years since ombre hair first started trending back in 2012. Thankfully we've come a long way from those DIY YouTube jobs and those brassy blonde ends are now a thing of the past.
Ombre styles now are much more subtle and way more blended than they ever used to be. So it's time to forget everything you thought you knew.
First of all an ombre style is perfect for anyone who wants a low maintenance hair colour. Whether you're short on money, time, or patience, having a distinction between your roots and ends means you no longer have to book in for a touch up every 6 weeks.
Not only that, but ombre styles now have merged with the extremely popular balayage technique. If you want to subtly lighten your hair for summer all you need to do is add some face-framing balayage pieces to your existing ombre.
If you're lacking in inspiration, we've trawled the Instagram feeds of some of the UK's expert colourists including Blue Tit London, Larry King, Hershesons, Not Another Salon and Bleach London.
Finally, remember that ombre hair doesn't have to mean brunette to blonde. If you love a bright colour, we have all the vivid inspiration you could ever need, including a very cool reverse lilac ombre.
Just promise us that whatever style you pick you'll book in with a professional to have it done... we don't want any 2012 repeaters over here.
This subtle ombre is so natural it looks like you've just spent 2 weeks in the sun. Ask your colourist for sun-kissed ends that are 1 or 2 times lighter than the rest of your hair.
With ombre we're used to seeing the usual brunette roots and blonde ends, which is why we love this tangerine take on a classic.
Don't think ombre won't work for you if your hair is on the shorter side. We love this natural fade by Hype Coiffure in Battersea.
The best thing about ombre hair? You can go bright blonde without having to keep on top of the roots... Perfect for lazy girls (aka, all of us).
If you're all about that ash, prepare to fall in love with this dreamy cool ombre blonde. There are zero yellow tones in sight.
Give deep strands a summery upgrade by adding a caramel balayage through the ends. The result? A dreamy ombre finish.
Cool brunettes should try adding warm, honey-blonde highlights through the ends to create a summery ombre.
Feeling a little colour shy? You can still get on the ombre hype, just opt for a subtler shade a la FKA Twigs.
Blocky blonde ombres can be suuuper flattering. The key? Choosing the right shade, whether it's a cool ash or warm caramel blonde, make sure you ask your hair stylist which shade they recommend for your skin tone.
Inky blue tips are our fave way to add a bit of edge to a cool grey dye job.
Ombres don't have to be super obvious, adding a couple of caramel highlights through the mid-lengths and ends will subtley brighten up your locks.
A reverse lilac ombre is a quirky-but-cool way to try the dip-dye trend.
Rose-tinted strands are all the range come festival season... Opt for an ombre finish if all-over pastel, seems a little scary.
This cool brown faded to a beaut creamy blonde is giving us all the hair envy right now.
We're seriously feelin' these inky mermaid hair hues. Who says brunettes can't get colourful?
Dip dye hair doesn't have to be crazy colourful... A sun-kissed blonde balayage will give a natural-looking ombre effect.
Victoria Jowett is an award-winning journalist and the former Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan UK. She was named one of PPA’s 30 Under 30 for her work in beauty journalism and oversees the skincare, hair, makeup and fragrance content across all of Cosmopolitan’s platforms. She's worked in the beauty industry for over 13 years (and tested 1000s of products), making her an expert when it comes to recommending beauty brands that truly work. Having started her career working weekends on a makeup counter, Victoria began interning at the likes of AnOther and IDOL magazine, before landing her first Beauty Writer job at weekly fashion magazine, LOOK. Joining Cosmopolitan in 2016, Victoria has always remained a beauty fanatic and has been lucky enough to interview everyone from Britney Spears to Kourtney Kardashian about their beauty routines. Follow her on LinkedIn.
Laura is a former writer for Cosmopolitan UK, covering everything beauty and fashion related and specialises in makeup, plus-size fashion and the world of YouTube. Her favourite pastime is reminding everyone of that one time she met Charlie Hunnam and Jason Momoa. Please don't ask to see the pictures...
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