Ash hair colour will cool down your hair with a sleek salon finish that feels soft and modern. Ash shades work best when you have warm yellow, orange, or red tones, making your hair lacklustre. Ash hair tones need extra attention when colouring your hair in the UAE’s sunny heat and dry climate. Your colour prep starts with selecting the correct depth, tone and aftercare products.
What Is Ash Hair Colour?
Ash hair colour refers to any hair colour with cool tone undertones of grey, blue, violet or green. These cool tones help neutralise warm “orangey” or yellow tones your hair doesn’t want.
A neutral ash hair colour should appear soft, clean, and elegant. An ashy hair colour can leave you looking dull and too grey or green if the wrong dye is used. This is why we stress so much about what your current hair colour is before applying ash hair colour.
Although ash colours are popular with blondes, that doesn’t mean brunettes can’t join in. You could go for baby cold blonde, soft beige ash, smoky ash brown or a cool dark brown. In this article, we will focus on ash blonde hair colour, ash brown hair, dark ash blonde hair, and light ash blonde hair.
How to Choose the Right Ash Hair Colour for Your Skin Tone
Your skin tone is a great place to start when deciding which ash hair colour will work best for you. Cool skin tones are often complemented by smoky blondes, soft ash browns and icy beige tones. Ash hair colour can work for warm skin tones too, but make sure it isn't too grey, which can leave your skin looking washed out.
Your base colour matters too. Very dark hair will likely need to be bleached first to properly see a pale ash hue. If you have medium brown hair, you may find deeper ash brown or soft smoky brunette tones work better for you.
Consider how you will maintain your colour. Lighter ash tones will require more toning to prevent brassiness from showing through. This is because lighter colours fade faster. Deeper ash brown hair colours are typically low maintenance as fades are less drastic.
Pick a dream colour that you know you can achieve. Rather than going for drastic changes like dark hair to silver-blonde, go for a softer, cooler brunette. Check out our guide to professional blonde hair colours for more ideas if you have blonde undertones.
Ash Hair Colour Shades: Which One Is Right for You?
The colour of the ash will vary depending on the colour of your hair, your skin tone, and the amount of maintenance you wish to provide. Before selecting a formula, use this table as a basic guideline.
Ash Blonde Hair Colour
Ash blonde hair colour produces a cool blonde shade that minimises yellows and oranges. Try this shade if you already have blonde hair or light brown hair. If you have darker hair, you will need to lighten it carefully before this shade appears clean and even.
Ash Brown Hair
Ash brown hair colour creates a brunette shade with cool, rather than warm, undertones. Use this colour if you want brown hair that doesn't have red or coppery tones. If you have medium brown hair, it's likely to become this shade without too much difficulty. However, starting with very dark hair will require more work.
Dark Ash Blonde
Dark ash blonde is a medium tone that falls between blonde and light brown hair colours. The ash produces a softer look that looks luxurious without being overly bright. It's a great option if you want cool-toned hair without the maintenance of platinum blonde.
Light Ash Blonde
Light ash blonde hair is cool and bright with a pale base. The ash shade will only work well on hair that has been lifted to a pale yellow or blonde colour. Applying it to orange hair will create a muddy appearance.
How to Get Ash Hair Colour at Home
Ash hair colour can absolutely be achieved at home. You just have to be patient. Applying ash hair dye directly to hair that is too dark or has too much warmth is the quickest way to be disappointed. Ash tones must have their levels lifted or prepared properly first.
Step 1: Examine Your Base Colour
Start by examining your natural hair colour in natural light. If you have dark brown to black hair, ash hair dye in one box will not lighten your hair to a cool pale blonde colour. Very dark hair usually requires professional bleach processing to achieve a clean ash colour result.
Step 2: Lighten, if Necessary
Bleaching your hair is a process that should be done gradually and with patience. If your hair feels dry, weak or rubbery from damage, it’s not meant to be bleached at home. Consult a professional colourist to get targeted treatment for patchy colour, breakage and banding.
Step 3: Tone Down Warmth
Once you’ve lightened your hair, assess how much warmth is left in your hair. Yellow hairs typically require violet-based toners, while orange hairs require blue-based colour. Toning helps neutralise your hair, creating a clean base to work from before applying your final ash colour.
Step 4: Apply the Colour
GK Hair Juvexin Cream colour Ash is formulated for salon-quality colour results. Ash shades include 5.1 Light Ash Chestnut, 7.1 Ash Blonde and 9.1 Very Light Ash Blonde. Apply the cream hair colour to dry, sectioned hair using a tint brush. Use enough product to coat each section, starting at your mid-lengths, working to the ends, and to the roots (if you chose not to lighten). Process no longer than the instructed amount of time on the box or by your professional colourist. Rinse until the water runs clear.
How to Apply Ash Blonde Hair Colour
Ash blonde hair typically requires your hair colour to be lifted first. After your hair is light enough, toner is used to get rid of unwanted yellow or orange hues. Then, apply your chosen ash blonde hair colour evenly in sections.
How to Apply Ash Brown Hair Colour
Depending on how much warmth your current brunette hair colour has, your stylist will determine where to start. If you have very red or copper tones, they will likely need to correct the tone first. Apply your ash brown formula evenly to your hair and then rinse and condition as normal.
Before You Colour: Patch Test and Strand Test
Do a patch test first. The FDA recommends applying a small amount of hair dye to the skin before colouring your hair. Wait a couple of days to see if you have a reaction.
Perform a strand test. Apply colour to a small section of hair that's out of the way first to preview the end result. Contact dermatitis is one possible side effect of hair dye. Cleveland Clinic says identifying triggers for contact dermatitis is why patch tests are beneficial. Don't skip safety tests.
Don't colour on irritated skin. Do not colour your hair right after bleaching or another damaging chemical process unless your stylist insists it's necessary. Colour looks smoother and shinier on healthy hair.
- Wash with GK Hair Silver Bombshell Shampoo once a week or when you start to notice brassiness. Dispense a coin-sized amount onto wet hair, concentrating on the areas that look warm. Massage gently, then rinse thoroughly. Silver Bombshell Shampoo is specially formulated to cleanse, moisturise and tone blonde hair. It helps maintain vibrant shade-free lustre.
- Deep condition once a week or if you have bleached or blond-toned hair. Apply a deep conditioner from mid-lengths through to ends after shampooing. Leave it on for the instructed time, then rinse until hair is squeaky clean and feels soft.
- Dispense a small amount of Argan Oil Serum onto a towel, dry or damp ends only when your hair feels straw-like. Apply to the ends, not the scalp. This will allow hair to look sleek without weighing it down or looking oily.
- Avoid heat styling where possible. When using heat, keep it at a medium temperature with protection to prevent hair and colour from drying out and losing shine.
Your Ash Hair Colour Story Starts Here
Whether you went light ash blonde, dark ash blonde, or ash brown hair, you want your ash hair colour to look effortless, soft, and clean. Prep and maintenance make the biggest difference. Keep your hair care routine simple, gentle, and consistent. Shop GK Hair’s full ash hair colour collection for salon results at home.
