Ash brown hair color is a modern variant of brunette hair blended with cool grey tones. Sometimes referred to as mushroom brown hair, this multi-dimensional hue is a favorite for being not too harsh, especially on fair to medium complexions or skin tones with cool undertones. Some shades can be produced with at-home hair dye.
You can create a fresh, smoky brunette look with a silky and smooth balayage, a full-on dye job, an ombre, some subtle highlights, or even with just the tips of your hair.
From light, medium, and dark, this chic color will always give your tresses amazing depth and dimension.
Tips on How to Get Ash Brown Hair
- If you have naturally dark hair, you’ll likely need to start by lightening it up using bleach. This could take an extra coloring session or two.
- One coloring session should be all you need if you have naturally lighter hair.
- Browse through the gallery below to determine which color style you’d like – balayage, ombre, highlights, dip-dye, etc.
- Consider getting an ash brown balayage for a low-maintenance, natural look.
- Invest in a good color-preserving shampoo to keep the ash brown color. Ask your colorist/stylist for some suggestions on at-home hair care products.
- Always wash your hair with cold water to help your color last even longer.
Are you tired of seeing blonde hair ideas everywhere? Before your next hair color appointment, get this cool hue by first checking out these popular photos of ash brown hair color ideas!
#1: Smokey Warm Bronde Balayage
Get the cool girl color with smokey warm bronde balayage. When you work with dark natural hair, balayage will always come with a blend of warm tones. An ash toner will always neutralize and mute your color to get a smokey and ashy hue. Ask your stylist about ash brown tones and see if they are the right fit for your hair.
#2: Dark Ashy Brunette for Long Hair
These hues are popular, and they tend to grow out softer. This makes your regrowth less noticeable than that of rich golden browns.
#3: Light Brunette Babylights with Root Melt
If you want a soft look for your brown hair, you should try light brunette babylights with a root melt. The root melt will add depth and make your hair easier to maintain by smoothing out any visible lines.
#4: Dark Hair with Brown and Silver Tones
If you don’t prefer warm golden hues, a dark ashy brown base can blend well with similar tone hair colors like ashy silver tones. Even though they fall in different color spectrums, both have the same tone. For maximum lightening, it’s essential to apply a high-quality hair mask weekly and have regular trims to prevent dryness.
#5: Sandy Grey Highlights on Brown Hair
Add layers of color to your hair. Use lighter highlights on your darker base. This will add depth and movement to your hair. It will also give the illusion of thicker hair. Colors can be lighter and still blend well. Stick to the same cool or warm tones for a soothing and gentle look.
#6: Natural Dark Ash Brown Teasylights
To create a soft look on olive skin tones, use teasylights instead of going drastically blonde. This look needs little maintenance because the hair color will grow gradually and smoothly. To maintain the ashy color at home, use a purple shampoo a few times a month.
#7: Ash Brunette with Subtle Caramel Ends
Look cool with hair with subtle caramel ends. Highlights for your dark brown hair will complement you and add dimension and depth. Blend the roots for a smooth transition with no hash lines for low-maintenance color.
#8: Sun-Kissed Mushroom Brunette with Long Waves
Looking for the most flattering color no matter what season you’re in? Consider a mushroom brown color. It’s the perfect combination of cool ash and warm beige. Remember to ask your stylist if this color would compliment your complexion. A 1-1.5 inch curling iron is the ideal styling tool to achieve these soft, beachy waves.
#9: Ash Brown Balayage Highlights on Black Hair
Try an ash brown balayage with highlights on your black hair. When you have naturally dark hair and want to lighten it, it will naturally lighten warmer. Ask your colorist to use shades of cool color to counteract the warmth.
#10: V-Shaped Cut with Ashy Dark Brown Hair
A v-shaped cut with ashy dark brown hair compliments warm skin tones on nearly every face shape. When a lady wants a dark, ashy color, I like to add a small amount of dimension so the color has more than one solid tone. Sometimes when brown hair is one solid color, it looks flat. Adding some subtle dimension will prevent that from happening.
#11: Chic Light Beige Brown Hair with Choppy Ends
If you aren’t concerned about the maintenance of color, then consider an ashy, beige brown. This look requires at-home care and touch-ups between appointments to prevent brassiness. A shadow root is one aspect of this color that makes it easy to wear and maintain. This will prevent any lines of demarcation as your hair grows, versus if you had highlights all the way to the root.
#12: Luscious Ash Brown Babylights
Try luscious ash-brown babylights if you’re looking to enhance your natural color. If you want something lower maintenance, opt for a balayage style. This keeps your color lower on your roots and creates a softer grow-out. Browns have many shades, so look for one that best suits your skin tone. An easy way to determine what suits your skin tone is by the jewelry you wear. If gold looks better on you, warmer tones will be best. And if you typically wear more silver jewelry, a cooler tone will compliment you.
#13: Stunning Light Ash Brown Balayage
A light ashy brown balayage is a beautiful brown-silver color. This stunning hand-painted color complements women with a fair skin complexion. By keeping your base natural, the grow-out will be seamless!
#14: Neutral Ashy Brown Balayage Highlights
Highlights will suit you well if you have a cool to neutral skin tone. Ashy brown is a very neutral color and may require more maintenance to keep your color looking its best.
#15: Gorgeous Ash Brown Balayage
It’s time to start the ash brown hair trend with an ash brown balayage or this gorgeous smoky ash brown ombre with babylights! Notice how the colors fade seamlessly from dark hair to mocha to a muted brunette. Whether your hair is straight or curly, this is sure to look gorgeous on you.
#16: Wearable Smokey Ashy Brown
This color is smokey and wearable, perfect to match ladies with warm skin tones. You’ll first need to lighten your hair evenly. Then, the color melts to a darker brown hue. At-home maintenance is important to maintaining hair health, such as deep conditioning treatments, proper professional shampoos, limiting hair washes to two times a week, and utilizing heat protectant/leave-in products to maintain maximum healthy-looking hair.
#17: Classic Ash Brown + Ash Blonde Balayage
We’re head over heels for this beautifully done hair with babylights and ash bronde. This has a smokey brown ombre, and it’s one chic way to upgrade your classic brunette look! At-home ash brown hair dye might get you this amazing light brown color, but a colorist will create magic. Combining a smokey shade with some blonde, of course, will rock.
#18: Nice Silver Ash Brown for Women Over 70
Consider a silver ash brown if you’re over 70 or want to blend your natural grey instead of covering it. This low-maintenance hair hue can be achieved by adding ash brown lowlights throughout. Keep your silver nice and cool by using purple shampoo in-between visits.
#19: Cool Ash Brown Hair with Soft Purple Tones
Ash brown with soft purple tones is a great way for brunettes to play with icy, cool shades. Brunettes can have fun with their color by adding cool, ashy highlights with soft purple cool undertones. Ask your stylist to use a teasy light technique when adding these ashy highlights to your hair, so it grows out seamlessly.
#20: Elegant Lilac Ash Brown Hair Color
Warm lilac hues combined with cool ashy tones give hair a multifaceted dimension. Pastel lilac tones on brunette hair reflect light and give brunettes brightness in their color. Ask your colorist for a balayage color service with hints of lavender, pink, and ashy tones to give your brown hair dimension and softness. Make your color pop by trying a classic graduated bob haircut to define your new hair color.
#21: Low-Maintenance Ash Blonde Hair for Women Over 50
If you’re a woman over 50, an ash-blonde hair color is perfect if you’re already gray. If you have more pepper in your hair, add some blonde highlights to get more blonde in there, and tone with an ash blonde toner.
#22: Ashy Brown-Grey for Women Over 60
An ashy brown-grey color looks great if you’re in your 50s and can be great if you’re already going grey and have a natural base level 6 and above. When your natural color starts to grow out, your line of demarcation will be less visible. Ash helps cool down warmth, which may be undesirable if you’re going grey and want it to blend.
#23: Trendy Ash Brown Ombre with Choppy Ends
The dark roots blending finely into a very light ash brown shade and choppy ends are giving us the chills! A balayage like this ash brown hair with dark roots works no matter your hair length.
#24: Dimensional Ash Brown Hair with Highlights
This wavy style and ash color will give your hair the best of both worlds with its deep brunette base and those luscious babylights! Style with flawless waves for a more accentuated and dimensional effect to the dark ash brown hair color.
#25: Stylish Silvery Ash Brunette
Here’s another lovely ash brown ombre idea for girls who want a stylish yet low-maintenance hairstyle! I recommend adding beachy waves to take advantage of this shade’s edginess. Silver brown hair adds a unique element to any hairstyle but can look dull if not done correctly.
#26: Incredible Ash Chocolate Brown
Brighten up your classic dark brown hair with a brunette balayage like this. Jazz your brown base and mid-length, wavy mane by painting it with a vibrant shade of ash chocolate brown. It’s the color perfect if you have a dark skin tone.
#27: Ash Brown on Short Hair with an Undercut
While everyone else opts for long hair, why don’t you explore this undercut pixie trend, matched with lovely ash, smokey brown shade to create a perfect foxy look? This soft color on short hair undercut looks pretty. You’ll be down for a trim! Style your hair with texture to bring out the layers and subtle ash-brown dimension.
#28: Contrasted Grey-Brown Balayage
These contrasted and dimensional grey-brown balayage babylights are super amazing on beachy waves! Rocking this dimensional smoky ash brown hue is one easy idea to freshen up and give life to your dark naturally-colored mane.
#29: Trendiest Light Ash Brown Hair
Here’s a lovely light ash brown hair that will boost your glamorous style. This shade’s glossiness will surely add life to your medium-length, straight hair. Apply oil through your strands for a consistent shiny and smoother creamy ash brown finish.
#30: Perfect Ashy Grey-Brown
We’re super obsessed with this popular mushroom silver hair! The way those soft waves fall accentuates the dimension perfectly. Try this ashy grey-brown color and when you see the before and after photos, you’ll fall in love with your hair even more!
#31: Modern Medium Ash Brown
Who says only a black hue can give a fuller-looking effect? This medium ash brown hair will boost the bulkiness of your tresses. Your color offers the right amount of vibrancy when under the sun. It also works well with soft but voluminous waves. Ask your stylist for a haircut that goes beyond the shoulders to maximize the movement of your locks.
#32: Subtle Cool-Toned Ash Brown Highlights
When you’re looking for a new hair color, ash brown highlights compliment any skin tone. While at the salon, ask your hairdresser to add subtle cool-toned babylights to your hair to achieve a similar look.
#33: Face-Framing Ash Blonde Streaks for Older Women
The face-framing ash-blonde streaks create a modern and bolder if you’re an older woman. These also accentuate facial features very well. This style is good for you to brighten up previous dull highlights. This ashy tone requires maintenance every ten weeks, too.
#34: Cooler Ashy Tones
Opt for mushroom brown hair with cool tones. The greatest thing about doing this color is to give your hair natural-looking, low-maintenance hair while adding some long layers and refreshing your split ends to smoothen and shine the color more.
#35: Shiny & Wavy Mushroom Brown
This chic mushroom brown isn’t your typical shade. Hair color trends like this have an ashy-looking edge that gives your mane a shiny, cooler tone. Partner your medium-length chop with beachy waves for extra texture and movement.
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