The Ombre Thread

[meteor]

Lovers of multi-colored hair unite! Let's start an official Ombre Thread!

Whether your hair was ombre-ed intentionally or not, at salon or DIY'ed, naturally sun-bleached, or as a result of growing out dyes/henna/bleach..., please share your experiences, hair care tips & tricks, support, pictures, and all the joys and frustrations of the ombre life!

[meteor]

To get us started, here are a few questions that I think might help (please feel free to skip any or to add any new ones, of course ):

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)?

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?

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?)

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?

5) Do you like to sometimes change up the color of the ombre-ed ends? Please share techniques/details on how you do that.

6) How do you maintain the color and keep it fresh (toners, special shampoos, color-depositing conditioners, topping up dyes, etc)?

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

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?

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)?

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?

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


Thank you very much, guys!

[Arctic]

Here are few of mine: link to my blog.

Mine is (or was, currently) dip dyed with La Riché Directions' Ruby Red. It's a deep wine red colour, and I used it on my natural brown hair, withoutt bleaching. The colour itself is non-damaging shock colour, more like conditioner. These particular photos were taken, if I remember correctly, after I used a baggy method, which gave me more blended results. I liked it, but the baggy method itself was messier than my normal method which was something I didn't like, so I doubt I'll be doing the baggy method again. My normal method involds several mini-ponytails and foils, and I get the process much neater that way.

I have done the dip dye several times, and let it fade completely. It's too much effort to keep up with it, as I wash often and the dyeing is time consuming and very messy. In other words, I've never maintained it.

I've been curious about trying green colour too (Directions Alpine green), but haven't yet gathered the courage.

[Groovy Granny]

Subscribing out of curiosity
I love to see all your beautiful and creative hair colors, but I'm not touching my natural silver highlights

[meteor]

Here are my answers:

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)?

Unintentional. I decided to grow out bleach highlights and that's what originally brought me to the LHC.

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?

It's currently pretty grown out: virgin hair till mid-back, highlights from mid-back till classic+.
Medium thickness, somewhat blendy (I have some natural sun-bleached highlights, as well).

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?)

Probably transitioning to virgin color. Or at least, that was my original plan when I joined the LHC.
Now I kind of like two-toned hair so I'm trying not to trim off the bleach much.
Possible medium-term plan: dying bleach ends with temporary dyes in crazy colors if I'm courageous.

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?

Not retouching the highlights, letting it grow out for now... but I'm not sure, I might add a couple highlights only in the face-framing area. Considering my options.

5) Do you like to sometimes change up the color of the ombre-ed ends? Please share techniques/details on how you do that.

Haven't tried it yet.

6) How do you maintain the color and keep it fresh (toners, special shampoos, color-depositing conditioners, topping up dyes, etc)?

I like honey rinses or adding honey to conditioners and clarifying seems enough (I don't experience brassiness much naturally).

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

Gelatin treatments for protein.

Lots of oiling and silicone serums concentrated on the ends.

I use a lot more conditioner on ends and try to keep ends contained. I only use silk ribbon to tie of my night braid or I don't even bother to tie it off for the night.

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?

It's a challenge. I find detangling difficult in the demarcation area.

My bleached ends are a lot more fragile and prone to dryness, especially at this length.

I keep my virgin hair clean and don't bother to condition it much at all. I always focus all oils, leave-ins or rinse-out conditioners on the ombre ends. I like to style my bleached ends with a bit of wave/curl (always heat-free, of course).

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)?

Absolutely. IMHO, it looks better with curls and waves - a-la Guy Tang's ombre jobs. And it looks really nice with long layers, but I grew them out because they were fussy to maintain and seemed to cause more tangling. I also find that accent braids and multi-strand braids, braided updos and sectioned updos look great with multi-toned hair. The color adds more interest, a bit like a natural paranda.

10) Have you found any tips and tricks for care and for preserving those ends in top condition?

Not really, I'm afraid - just being generally paranoid about damage, preserving the ends, sleeping on silk/satin, using LOC, ad-hoc protein treatments, conditioning & oiling quite a bit. Watching for any sign of breakage/splits, since they are quite likely, compared to all-virgin hair.

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

Best: variety with no commitment, no roots, highly personalized color (all ombres seem to have slightly different highlights placement, which is cool).
Worst: difficult texture, detangling issues, damage and dryness accumulated on the oldest parts of hair, doesn't necessarily look great in all lights, might require a bit of styling to look neat/professional.

[meteor]

Here are few of mine: link to my blog.

Mine is (or was, currently) dip dyed with La Riché Directions' Ruby Red. It's a deep wine red colour, and I used it on my natural brown hair, withoutt bleaching. The colour itself is non-damaging shock colour, more like conditioner. These particular photos were taken, if I remember correctly, after I used a baggy method, which gave me more blended results. I liked it, but the baggy method itself was messier than my normal method which I didn't like, so I doubt I'll be doing it again. My normal method involds several mini-ponytails and foils.

I have done the dip dye several times, and let it fade completely. It's too much effort to keep up with it, as I wash often and the dyeing is time consuming and very messy. In other words, I've never maintained it.

I've been curious about trying green colour too (Directions Alpine green), but haven't yet gathered the courage.

Wow, Arctic! It's super-gorgeous!

So you prefer the baggy method? Could you please share why? And how is it done? The ends of the whole mane are kept in a zip-lock bag or did I get it wrong? Is the ponytails'-ends-in-foils method more "blendy"?

Do your ends experience any dryness? Or need any extra conditioning since the temporary dye?

I love how you didn't even need to bleach at all! Wow! That's such an incredibly beautiful rich color!

[Arctic]

Wow, Arctic! It's super-gorgeous!

So you prefer the baggy method? Could you please share why? And how is it done? The ends of the whole mane are kept in a zip-lock bag or did I get it wrong? Is the ponytails'-ends-in-foils method more "blendy"?

Do your ends experience any dryness? Or need any extra conditioning since the temporary dye?

I love how you didn't even need to bleach at all! Wow! That's such an incredibly beautiful rich color!

Thank you, I quite liked it myself too! Part of me wishes the direct colours would stay longer, and part of me is very happy they fade quite fast! I can't decide which is better, lol!

I think I prefered the results of the baggy method versus my normal method, but I prefer the process of my normal method over the baggy method

Baggy method gave more blended results, more like ombre, whereas the normal method creates more sharp line between the natural colour and the dye. My normal method gives a true dip dyed look, as if the hair would have been dipped in paint. I noticed I like the more gradient effect better. I am thinking of trying to tweek my normal method a bit, maybe I could get similar blended results with few small changes.

My normal method:

- Here's a link to a very detailed post in my blog I've written about the way I dip dye: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/entry.php?b=120835
- clarify hair, no conditioner, let dry
- divide hair into small ponytails, IIRC I have made 6-8 mini ponies. Just letting my hemline hang down I take the divided sections and secure with mini elastic at the level where I want the colour to reach. Ponytails are not make high up in the head like in ponytail hairstyle, but used as a tool to gather and keep the hemline in manageable sections
- so the elastic has 3 jobs: it keeps the hair in manageable chunks and act as a guide where I'll put the colour to, and they help me to get even results all around my hair (colour reaches the same height everywhere)
- I have made as many square-ish pieces of normal kitchen aluminium foils in advance, as I have ponytails. I take one piece, put it behing one of the mini-ponies, and apply the dye using the foil as a helpful background. The foil helps me to work without making a mess, as my hair is so short I am working near my face/neck area. I sometimes use dye brush, sometimes just fingers. If the ponytail is small enough it's very easy to get it covered with dye and I get by with very small amounts. I use the pony holder as a guide to how high I apply the colour. Then I wrap the foil as a package around the dyed part which helps keep the warmth and prevents it from drying or messing up myself. Then I take the next mini pony and work around my head this way. Finally I put on a shower cap and let the colour sit for 1,5-2 hours before rinsing.

- Good points: neat result, neat process, easier for me, I get by with surprisingly little dye
- Bad points: so far has resulted in rather sharp dye line (truly dip dyed looking), but I am hopeful I can tweak it to become more soft looking and blended


Baggy method:

- Here's a link to my very detailed version I've posted in my blog about baggy method: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...m=4&y=2015&d=7
- basically very similar to above, instead of foils, small plastic baggies are used. In theory this should be super neat, non-messy, easy, fast method, but my experience was the opposite, lol. Probably it's about what I've been used to
- make similar ponytails as above. again use the ponytail holder to mark the level up to which you want the colour. (but this time the colour doesn't go quite as high which results in the softer effect.
- Take a small plastic bag, and put your hand inside it (this process reminds of how one would pick doggy poo in a bag, ha ha), take some dye on your baggied hand, and work they dye to your mini-pony so, that the pony and dye and (in theory) the mess will stay inside the baggy. Tye the baggy to your ponytail.
- again work aroung the head, one pony after another, and finally pop a shower cap on and let sit 1,5-2 hours before rinsing

- Good points: probably neat and quick when I'd get used to it, nice, gradient results, probably 100% easier for dyeing long hair than the foil/ponytail method would be
- Bad points: I made more mess with this than with my normal method, and this needed way more dye than my normal method


The Direction dyes I've used, always on my natural hair without bleaching, have never made my hair or ends feel dry or bad. The ingredients are close to a conditioner, which is nice I don't need any special conditioner treatments afterwards. What has made my hair feel weird has been too strong vinegar rinses I've done sometimes after dyeing, because I've read this would help the colour to stick better and not rub off or "bleed". My hair used to like vinegar (or mys scalp did and hair didn't mind) but these days my wiry hairs seem to rebel with vinegar. BUt the colour itself has never made my hair feel bad.

I made my homework before I ever dyed, and read lot of user experiences about which specific colours would work with natural brown hair. These colours often are darker and more saturated colours, like fuhcsia, wine red, dark reds, darker purples, darker greens, darker blues. The brown base colour ofcourse affects the final results, but yeah I have to say I was positively surprised about how well the colours I've tried so far (fuchsia and wine red) have showed in my hair!

[meteor]

Thank you so very much for all those helpful details on your methods and their differences, Arctic! Super-helpful, awesome stuff!
And wow, your blog is truly a treasure trove of great hair experiments: hairstyles and treatments!

You did such a great job with your ombre!
I must admit, I'm quite mystified why the first method produced more contrasting results than the second method that blended things better... After all, you used the same sizes and placement of ponytails? Could it be that there was a bit of color still left from the previous job and it helped the hair achieve a more dimensional, richer result? Or maybe it was more blendy because the process was kind of messier, as you described, so maybe more "mixed", the dye less perfectly placed - which is actually desirable for more natural-looking ombres? Or maybe the dye slowly moved downwards in baggies (creating a gradual "fade") but stayed put in foils? I really don't know.

I noticed I like the more gradient effect better. I am thinking of trying to tweek my normal method a bit, maybe I could get similar blended results with few small changes.

You are quite a pro at this so you probably already know this, but just in case... for a more gradient effect, it helps to start by leaving the baggies on the very ends (e.g. 30 minutes), then going up a tiny bit (e.g. for another 30 minutes), etc etc - keep going up for as long as you choose the color to show. This creates accumulation of dye on the ends and less time of contact with dye higher up.
Alternatively, since there is already some dye, the gradient can be built on top of the old dye by doing the dip-dye only on the very tips of the previous dip-dye job.

[Arctic]

I'm glad you liked my blog! yeah I have written and tried quite a few things since 2007 I try to record my experiments, and have often gotten feedback from people that they've found my blatherings helpful, which is always nice!

Lol, I'm hardly a pro, I did my first dip dye less than year ago before that I had done few whole head dyeings and few stripes with Directions dyes. Good tip about moving the bggies upwards!

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.

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.

[Arctic]

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!