Keep Your Ombre Hair in Tip Top Condition

Ombre hair has been a hot hairstyle trend in the past year. But while the hype may have simmered down a bit, it continues to be a top favorite for women who want to update their look without cutting their hair. Ombre hair is definitely a stunner and a look that captures attention. However, any form of bleaching or double processing will take its toll on strands in the long run. Therefore it’s of utmost importance to give hair proper maintenance and care to ensure that you not only make the colors last, but also keep hair looking healthy and vibrant.

Three Essential Rules

In general, there are three rules you need to observe when it comes to caring for ombre hair:

Rule #1: Invest in products designed for color-treated hair. Make your life easy. Most importantly, opt for a shampoo and conditioner formulated for color treated hair. In addition, avoid products that contain sulfate as an ingredient as it is the surest way to leave your ombre color looking dry and flat.  It can also make your hair brittle with continued use. Hence, you need to opt for a color nourishing formula to keep your ombre looking good as new.

Rule #2: Undergo regular deep conditioning. Weekly deep conditioning is your ombre hairs BFF.  This will give those treated locks some much needed moisture. Deep conditioning is the best way to add moisture back to the hair that was lost during the color process. Deep conditioning protects the color and keeps hair looking shiny and soft.

Rule #3: Always use heat protection when heat styling. Thjs is a preventative step that should be included in everyone’s styling routine,  ombre hair or not.  Continued use of blow-dryers, flat-irons, curling irons and hot rollers take a toll on hair, especially chemically treated hair.  A heat protection spray will serve as your line of defense against damaging heat.

More Expert Hair Care Tips

Here are tips from industry experts to make the most of your ombre hair, as well as best practices to care for it:

• The key to achieving a natural, fresh ombre look is to opt for soft tones that are closer to your hair’s base color. It makes the color seem all the more natural due to the illusion of a seamless transition. Ombre hair is not the same as dip-dyed hair. Focus on achieving a more natural looking color.

• A great trick for achieving a modern vibe to your ombre look is to avoid lightening the ends of your hair. Instead,  work on certain pieces of hair to achieve a multi-dimensional effect. Add extra life by varying the tone and intensity of the color as you go from the roots to the ends.

• Do not over lighten the ends of your hair. The ends are old and more fragile than the rest of your hair and they are susceptible to breakage. Find a fortifying hair product to protect your hair from possible damage. A good nourishing product will keep your hair looking soft and shiny.

• Undergo a deep conditioning treatment at least once a week. It does not mean that only a certain portion of your hair is treated that it does not make it prone to dryness. It is important to maintain moisture to keep breakage at bay.

What is your best hair care tip for ombre hair?

Contributing author Abby Pringles is a writer who likes to write about topics relating to beauty, hair, and fashion. You can check her personal blog, Life in the Fash Lane, to read more of her works. Aside from fashion and beauty, Abby is also a hardcore basketball and tennis fan. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

Is DIY Ombre Hair The Right Choice for You?

The look started with the enviously chic celebrity rebels, who confidently rocked their grown out roots like it was the latest Gucci handbag. But now, grown out roots have evolved to the super trendy and sought after ombre look. It may sound surprising, but the sexiest ombre looks are achieved with a little more finesse than just ditching the salon for a few touch ups.

But, with Féria Wild Ombré At-Home Hair Color Treatment, L’Oréal Paris promises that you can achieve a natural ombre look, without the fuss of a salon. The kit comes with a lightening agent and comb, for creating a DIY ombre hair look.

L’Oréal’s consulting hair colorist, French hair stylist Christopher Robin, offers some tips to help you achieve the best results.”Do a mask to condition and prepare hair a week before to mend the ends,” he advises.”Also turning the brush horizontally might look too defined but if turned vertical, you will get a more natural look.”

These are important tips, but are there other things to consider before jumping on the DIY wagon? Yes! You’ve got the box, you’ve gained the confidence, but before you take the plunge, consider a couple important insights from a hairstylist (yours truly) who has seen every hair color mistake in the book!

1. Don’t color all your hair at once, instead, take half inch sections at a time. Only color every other section.

2. Back comb the section, and run the comb over the remaining hair to create a more diffused look.

3. Avoid over-lightening the ends to keep a natural contrast between your natural color and the pieces you are coloring. Pay close attention to the suggested processing times on the box.

4. If the highlighted hair appears too warm (with an orange undertone), it’s not the end of the world! You can visit a beauty supply for a toner to soften the color and achieve a more desirable tone. Don’t put more lightener on the colored hair!

5. Remember, you can always go back and add more highlights, so don’t overdo it the first time around.

DIY ombre hair color is totally possible, but, it does take a little more thought than just buying a box. If you’ve never  done at home hair color, then you might want to leave this one to the pros.  But, if you’re confident with color and understand that the process takes a little more time and planning than ordering take out Chinese, then maybe Féria Wild Ombré At-Home Hair Color Treatment is a solution for a DIY ombre hair look. Fingers crossed!

For more great ombre hair color pics checkout our Hair Coloring Ideas Pinterest board.

Contributing author Lindsay Hausch has provided clients with professional cutting edge color and cutting techniques at exclusive Paul Mitchell and Bumble and Bumble Signature Salons for the past seven years. She co-founded Sedona Beauty Team, which represents a team of artists that offer luxury, on-location beauty services. She enjoys writing articles that share her expertise. You can follow Lindsay on Twitter and FaceBook.

Ombre hair extensions with a twist!

These new 3D Strand FX ombre hair extensions by Great Lengths are something a bit more novel in the look of hair extensions. These extensions will give a three-dimensional ombre color effect when combined with your regular base color. The 3D Strand FX collection comes in 4 jewel tones which won’t fade and transition in hue from top to bottom.

• Sapphire – a pastel blue base changing into jewel blue at ends
• Ruby – a pastel pink base changing into jewel red at ends
• Emerald – a mint green base changing into jewel green at ends
• Amethyst – a pastel purple base changing into jewel purple at ends

Jewel toned hair and extensions may be considered a bit radical by some, but as this trend continues it’s taken on a softer, more user-friendly side. These pure pigment tones have changed from the initial neon pinks, purples, blues and greens to softer pastels and are more acceptable to more people. Although a full head of jewel toned funky hair color isn’t on most’s to-do list, the new ombre hair extensions will no doubt be a trend we’ll be seeing more of.

These strands by Great Lengths are made from 100% human hair which has been painstakingly dyed by professionals to transition in color from tip to end. Another unique quality to these extensions is they are colorfast. This means they won’t fade like normal hair color.  The patented process of removing the pigment from the hair involves no bleach or ammonia derivatives. The original color is completely removed and textile dyes are used to replace the original color.

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