The Ombre Thread

[Arctic]

Oh and one more thing: I find it funny that when I grew out henna I absolutely hated the ombre. Maybe partially because "ombre" wasn't a thing then yet, everyone just talked about outgrown colour/roots. I found the henna orange clashed really badly with my own colours and made my own brown look really grey and ashy, in a not very nice way.

I also had problems with the demarcation line, I had lot of breakage there. I think henna made my hair more rigid or something and caused enough texture difference that the hairs easily broke at that spot.

I ended up cutting my henna out (there were also other reasons for my cutting, but henna was one of the big ones), I think it was about chin level or so IIRC. I would never have imagined that some day I would deliberately dye my hair mimicing the growing out process, ha ha (although I'll never touch orange based colours again!)!

[meteor]

My theory about why the baggy method gives more soft results is, that you sort of smush and squieeze the colour into the mini ponies, and the results is that slightly less colour ever reaches the level of the hair elastic, so there is few centimeters before the elastic that only get little dye, where as the hair nearer the ends gets saturated with colour (the latter is exaggared by the fact that I seemed to need a lot more colour for good coverage with the baggy method). With foils it's easy to get even coverage all the way to the elastic.

Oh yeah! That definitely makes sense!

I have been thinking trying this the next time: do the foil method like I've always done, but stop applying the colour few centimeters before elastic, then, without adding more colour, sort of smush/push the dye a bit unevenly/softly upwards towards the elastic. Maybe this would create a similar "buffer zone" and would give that softer line between dye and natural colour. I will likely use foil method as long as my hair doesn't feel too long for it, because it seems easier to me, and uses less product.

That sounds like it could work very well! My only concern would be that it's much harder to softly smoosh/push around the dye inside foils than inside softer plastic bags. But you can check if it's easy to move around if you strand-test it, of course!
What if you coat the very tips with much thicker layer of dye and just lightly brush more dye higher up and maybe even stretch out a bit of dye above the foils (it won't produce a strong stain without the warmth in foils)?

Meteor it would be awesome if you'd dye your bleached parts with shock colours!

I forgot to say, that one of the reasons I have loved my dip dye is the cool effect it has on braids and buns!

^ Oh yeah! The interest added to buns / braids is one of the best things ever! I'll admit I'm often bored with wearing hair up all the time, and without ombre I feel like it would be less fun!
I'd absolutely love shock colors, I'm just worried about it not fading... After all, bleached ends are always porous and very "grabby" with any color. I'll need to think about this.
La Riche Directions look really, really enticing though!

[meteor]

Oh and one more thing: I find it funny that when I grew out henna I absolutely hated the ombre. Maybe partially because "ombre" wasn't a thing then yet, everyone just talked about outgrown colour/roots. I found the henna orange clashed really badly with my own colours and made my own brown look really grey and ashy, in a not very nice way.

I also had problems with the demarcation line, I had lot of breakage there. I think henna made my hair more rigid or something and caused enough texture difference that the hairs easily broke at that spot.

I ended up cutting my henna out (there were also other reasons for my cutting, but henna was one of the big ones), I think it was about chin level or so IIRC. I would never have imagined that some day I would deliberately dye my hair mimicing the growing out process, ha ha (although I'll never touch orange based colours again!)!

Wow! I'm really surprised the demarcation line was breakage-prone after henna! I guess it's the flip side of that strengthening/thickening coating and the dryness that henna can cause?

But yeah, your natural color is gloriously cool-toned, almost metallic, so your current cool red is PERFECT! I can see how orange/fiery henna couldn't create the same effect. So La Riche Directions is more "moisturizing" than henna? That's good to know!

[pastina]

My hair right now.

[Crystawni]

Ooooh, I love ombre, and you guys are rocking it!

Mine's naturally kinda ombre, with my incoming whites more prolific underneath so I use layering to bring them out to play. My latest lot of layers exposed more whites, but also killed a lot of my curlies, leaving a more feathery look (pics in my profile). The best part of embracing the ombre is that it allows me to transition to white in a fun, unique way without having to feel frumpy about losing my original hair colour. And after reading pastina's thread about mermaid hair, oh how I'd love to do something like that in teals, violets and blues when I'm all white! Or firey reds, oranges and pinks. Gah. Too many cool things!

[yahirwaO.o]

My hair right now.

This one looks nice and unique!!!!! Love blue greenish roots!!!!

[DollyDagger]

Ooooh, I love ombre, and you guys are rocking it!

Mine's naturally kinda ombre, with my incoming whites more prolific underneath so I use layering to bring them out to play. My latest lot of layers exposed more whites, but also killed a lot of my curlies, leaving a more feathery look (pics in my profile). The best part of embracing the ombre is that it allows me to transition to white in a fun, unique way without having to feel frumpy about losing my original hair colour. And after reading pastina's thread about mermaid hair, oh how I'd love to do something like that in teals, violets and blues when I'm all white! Or firey reds, oranges and pinks. Gah. Too many cool things!

i <3 your natural butterscotch/cinnamon/vanilla swirl ombre/balayage its spectacular

[laceyfairy]

1) How was your ombre achieved and with what colors (e.g. balayage, highlights/lowlights, dye grow-out, color-melt, dip-dye, reverse ombre with henna or direct dyes, etc)?

Accidentally, growing out manic panic on virgin and lightened hair

2) How long do you like your ombre to be (virgin length vs. color-treated length)? Do you like it chunky or fine? High-contrast & bold or soft & subtle? Dip-dyed or thoroughly blended?

More virgin I guess since I'm growing it out. Aesthetically I prefer blended

3) What are your long-term goals for your ombre? (e.g. Transitioning to virgin color or some other color? Experimenting with new color without commitment? Low-maintenance way of experiencing color variety? Giving hair a break from processing? Or anything else?)

Eventually have monochrome hair again

4) Your ombre evolution: are you retouching color, intensifying it or blending it in? If so, how and how often? Or are you just letting it grow out?

Just letting it grow, last dyed august 2012


7) How do you maintain the health/condition of your ombred hair (any special treatments, serums, oils, routines, micro-trimming, etc)?

S&D adventures

How are you handling the differences in textures between unprocessed and processed hair? Do you use different products/amounts/routines/styling methods on these sections?

Nope I'm not that involved

9) Do you find that your ombre is enhanced with added texture (e.g. waves/curls) or cuts (e.g. layers or specific shape) or hairstyles (e.g. braids or mini-accents)?

nautilus buns sometimes end up being in color chunks. like the bit that goes around the knob is a different color if that makes sense
10) Have you found any tips and tricks for care and for preserving those ends in top condition?

11) What's the best thing about having ombre hair? And what's the worst?

Best- it justifies not dying the roots, you can see detail in buns better
worst- I don't like it on me

12) Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

Pictures with my ombre visible

[Seeshami]

1) How was your ombre achieved and with what colors- henna and a hair friendly ombre technique I found on youtube and adapted to be more hair friendly and blend better with henna.
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/40120700
I no longer use the hair tie but other then that it is still pretty much the same.

2) How long do you like your ombre to be? About a third of my hair length for the amount and I prefer the blend now compared to the dip dye look it started out as

3) What are your long-term goals for your ombre? I want henna and I want my ash blond hair. This works.

4) Your ombre evolution: are you retouching color, intensifying it or blending it in? If so, how and how often? Or are you just letting it grow out? Yes. It blends on it's own the higher I take it. When I get annoyed with it not looking how I want. No, I add to it when it gets to short.

5) Do you like to sometimes change up the color of the ombre-ed ends? ......no but shorta. I switch back and forth between a henna indigo mix and straight henna but it doesn't really change the color. It's my own personal madness to keep the blend orange.

6) How do you maintain the color and keep it fresh? Blood. bwaahahahaha re touching with henna gloss.

7) How do you maintain the health/condition of your ombred hair? He does what he wants.

How are you handling the differences in textures between unprocessed and processed hair? Do you use different products/amounts/routines/styling methods on these sections? I don't. I mean I use to be super careful with the hair that was bleached then it was hennaed and I stopped. I do what I would do if my hair was colored or not. Wash and condition. Oil when I feel like being nice to his majesty.

9) Do you find that your ombre is enhanced with added texture or cuts or hairstyles? No texture, yes on styles in both the cut and the updos. I would have kept my hair in a layered v but it's harder to ombre my way well so I have a slight u hem and it makes my buns look funky. Like a party funky not like cheese you're not sure if you're okay to eat funky.

10) Have you found any tips and tricks for care and for preserving those ends in top condition? Pay attention and react accordingly.

11) What's the best thing about having ombre hair? And what's the worst? Mess hates being put in a plastic bag which is hilarious and I love my ombre. Ummm nothing my ombre is awesome.

[Crystawni]

Thank you, DollyDagger! You actually made my hair sound yummy (and now I'm hungry!)!

Seeshami, every time I see that pic, just wow. Absolutely love it! The gradient, the depth.