What is Ombre?

With summer in full swing, many of our clients are asking how to get a fun, sun kissed look to lighten up their locks. We asked our resident color specialist, Courtney, for her take on a great summer look that allows for optimal versatility and can be adapted to meet every guest’s personal uniqueness. She has provided us with a little history on one of her favorite looks, Ombre, and details on what to expect when opting for this service.

Courtney, Color Specialist at Parlor

Ombre by Courtney Sutherland

Ombre is a hair color technique made extremely popular in the last 5 years. The term Ombre is from the french word meaning “shaded” or “shading”. In general, the term Ombre is synonymous with the image of dark new growth fading into lighter ends. In most cases, this description adequately describes what most guests visualize when originally consulting with them. However, as Ombre has evolved through the years of its popularity, so have the options for the colors used in the technique. Anything from bright blonde, vibrant red, and pretty pastel hues have been used. 

The actual technique can vary from stylist to stylist. Back combing is the most widely used, along with balayage painting and free form highlights. Because there are so many "looks" with Ombre, it is essential to have a lengthy consultation with your stylist, and to bring in many pictures of the exact look that you're going for. Many guests entertain the idea of Ombre because of its low maintenance upkeep. Since the technique calls for the lightening of ones ends, the dreaded roots aren't much of a concern. In general, guests that I perform the Ombre technique on only have to come in every 4-6 months for brightening, or reapplication if they've received a haircut. Most of the true maintenance is up to the guest with at home care. The biggest issue with Ombre is that you are lightening the ends of the hair, which are the most fragile and most prone to damage or dryness. It's crucial that Ombre guests take home a leave in conditioner and dry or damage repair shampoo. My favorites are Aveda Dry Remedy or Aveda Damage Remedy. 

When booking your appointment for you new Ombre look, expect to be at the salon for around the duration of a full foil (2 hours). Depending on your natural color, or current color canvas, it may also be more than one step to get you right where you want to be! 

This beautiful technique has shown its staying power, and the effortless look of lightly sun kissed locks is the perfect summer color! 

I invite you to schedule a complimentary consultation with me and we can talk about the best option for you!    ...Sincerely Courtney Sutherland