Ash brown hair color is a contemporary variation of brunette hair mixed with cool grey tones. Sometimes known as mushroom brown hair, this multi-dimensional hue is popular for being gentle, especially on fair to medium complexions or skin tones with cool undertones. Some shades can be achieved with at-home hair dye.
You can achieve a fresh, smoky brunette look with a silky and smooth balayage, a complete dye job, an ombre, some subtle highlights, or even just the tips of your hair.
From light and medium to dark, this chic color will consistently give your tresses remarkable 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 with bleach. This may require an additional coloring session or two.
- One coloring session should suffice if you have naturally lighter hair.
- Browse through the gallery below to decide which color style you’d prefer – balayage, ombre, highlights, dip-dye, etc.
- Consider getting an ash brown balayage for a low-maintenance, natural appearance.
- Invest in a good color-preserving shampoo to maintain the ash brown shade. Ask your colorist/stylist for recommendations on at-home hair care products.
- Always rinse your hair with cold water to help your color last even longer.
Are you weary of seeing blonde hair trends everywhere? Before your upcoming hair color appointment, get this cool hue by first checking out these popular photos of ash brown hair color inspirations!

#1 Elegant Silver Ash Brown for Women Over 70
Explore the beauty of silver ash brown if you’re over 70 or wish to blend your natural grey rather than conceal it. This effortless hair color can be achieved by incorporating ash brown lowlights throughout. Maintain your silver’s cool tone by using purple shampoo between salon visits.

#2 Chic Ash Brown Ombre with Textured Ends
The dark roots blending seamlessly into a stunning light ash brown hue and textured ends are giving us the chills! A balayage like this ash brown hair with dark roots works beautifully no matter your hair length.

#3 Chic Lilac Ash Brown Hair Shade
Warm lilac shades mixed with cool ashy undertones create a multifaceted appearance for your hair. Pastel lilac shades on darker hair can reflect light and bring brightness to your color. Consult your colorist about a balayage service featuring hints of lavender, pink, and ashy tones to give your brown hair depth and softness. Enhance your color by opting for a classic graduated bob haircut to showcase your new hair color.

#4 Amazing Ash Chocolate Brown
Enhance your classic dark brown hair with a gorgeous balayage like this. Elevate your brown base and mid-length, wavy mane by applying a striking shade of ash chocolate brown. It’s the ideal color choice for those with a dark skin tone.

#5 Dimensional Grey-Brown Balayage
These dimensional and contrasted grey-brown balayage babylights look stunning on beachy waves! Embracing this smokey ash brown shade is a fantastic way to rejuvenate and enliven your naturally dark mane.

#6 Cool Ashy Brown Balayage Accents
These highlights will look fantastic on those with a cool to neutral skin tone. The ashy brown shade is quite neutral and may need extra upkeep to ensure your color remains vibrant.

#7 Subtle Dark Ash Brown Teasylights
To achieve a gentle look on olive skin tones, opt for teasylights instead of making a drastic shift to blonde. This style requires minimal upkeep as the hair color will blend seamlessly as it grows. To preserve the ashy hue at home, utilize a purple shampoo a few times each month.

#8: Elegant Smoky Warm Bronde Balayage
Achieve the trendy color with elegant smoky warm bronde balayage. When you start with dark natural hair, balayage will often feature a mix of warm tones. An ash toner will help to neutralize and soften your color for a smoky and muted hue. Consult your stylist about ash brown shades and determine if they suit your hair.

#9 Stunning Ash Brown Balayage
It’s time to kick off the ash brown hair trend with an ash brown balayage or this stunning smoky ash brown ombre with babylights! Notice how the colors transition seamlessly from dark hair to mocha to a muted brunette. Whether your hair is straight or curly, this is sure to look stunning on you.

#10 Chic Light Ash Brown Hair
Here’s a beautiful light ash brown hair that will elevate your stylish look. This shade’s luster will undoubtedly bring vibrancy to your medium-length, straight hair. Apply oil throughout your strands for a uniform shine and a smoother creamy ash brown finish.

#11 Stylish Light Beige Brown Hair with Textured Ends
If you aren’t worried about the upkeep of color, then consider an ashy, beige brown. This look requires at-home care and touch-ups between appointments to avoid brassiness. A shadow root is one element of this color that makes it effortless to wear and maintain. This will prevent any lines of demarcation as your hair grows, in contrast to having highlights all the way to the root.

#12 Softer Ashy Shades
Choose mushroom brown hair with cool undertones. The best part about this color is that it provides your hair with a natural, low-maintenance appearance while incorporating long layers and renewing your split ends to enhance smoothness and luster.

#13 Beautiful Ash Brown Babylights
Consider beautiful ash-brown babylights if you’re aiming to elevate your natural color. For a more manageable option, go for a balayage technique. This keeps your color lower on your roots and results in a more gradual grow-out. Browns come in various shades, so find one that complements your skin tone. A simple way to identify what suits your tone is by the type of jewelry you favor. If gold looks more flattering on you, warmer shades will be ideal. Conversely, if you usually prefer silver jewelry, a cooler tone will suit you better.

#14 Sandy Ash Highlights on Brown Hair
Enhance your hair with layers of color. Use subtle highlights on your deeper base. This approach will create depth and movement in your hair. It will also provide the appearance of fuller hair. Shades can be lighter yet still harmonize beautifully. Stick to similar cool or warm tones for a tranquil and gentle effect.

#15 Effortless Ash Blonde Styles for Women Above 50
If you’re a woman above 50, an ash-blonde hair color is ideal if you’re already gray. If you have more pepper in your hair, add some blonde highlights to incorporate more blonde, and tone with an ash blonde toner.

#16 Textured Ash Brown Hair Featuring Highlights
This wavy look and ash hue will provide your hair with a perfect blend of tones, featuring a rich brunette foundation and stunning babylights! Style with elegant waves for a more pronounced and dimensional appearance to the dark ash brown color.

#17 Sun-Drenched Mushroom Brunette with Flowing Waves
Searching for the most flattering shade regardless of the season? Try a mushroom brown hue. It’s the ideal blend of cool ash and warm beige. Be sure to consult your stylist on whether this color would enhance your complexion. A 1-1.5 inch curling iron is the perfect styling tool to create these gentle, beachy waves.

#18 Ash Brown on Short Hair with a Dramatic Undercut
While everyone else opts for long hair, why don’t you explore this undercut pixie trend, combined with a beautiful ash, smokey brown shade to create a perfect foxy look? This gentle color on short hair undercut looks delightful. You’ll be ready for a trim! Style your hair with texture to enhance the layers and soft ash-brown highlights.

#19 Deep Brown Hair with Ashy Silver Highlights
If you don’t favor warm golden tones, a dark ashy brown foundation can harmonize beautifully with similar hue hair colors like ashy silver highlights. Even though they exist in different color families, both maintain the same undertone. For optimal lightening, it’s crucial to use a premium hair mask weekly and schedule regular trims to avoid dryness.

#20 Ashy Brown-Grey Shades for Women Aged 60 and Above
An ashy brown-grey shade can elevate your look if you’re in your 50s and also works beautifully if you’re embracing your grey hair with a natural base level 6 and higher. As your original color begins to grow out, the transition line will become less noticeable. Ash tones effectively reduce warmth, which might be preferable when going grey and desiring a seamless blend.

#21 Chic Ash Brown Hair Featuring Subtle Purple Highlights
Ash brown with subtle purple highlights is a fantastic way for brunettes to explore icy, cool tones. Brunettes can enjoy their color by incorporating cool, ashy highlights with soft purple undertones. Ask your stylist to use a teasy light technique when adding these ashy highlights to your hair, ensuring it grows out beautifully.

#22 Chic Silvery Ash Brunette
Here’s another beautiful ash brown ombre idea for girls who desire a fashionable yet easy-to-maintain hairstyle! I recommend adding beachy waves to enhance the edginess of this shade. Silver brown hair brings a distinct flair to any hairstyle but can appear flat if not styled properly.

#23 Subtle Dark Ashy Brunette for Longer Locks
These tones are trending, and they typically fade more gracefully. This results in your regrowth being less prominent compared to deep golden browns.

#24 Subtle Light Brunette Babylights with Root Melt
If you’re looking for a gentle look for your brown hair, consider light brunette babylights paired with a root melt. This technique will enhance depth and simplify maintenance by blending any noticeable lines.

#25 Stylish Smokey Ashy Brown
This shade is smoldering and versatile, ideally suited for women with warm complexion tones. You’ll first need to lighten your hair evenly. Then, the color transitions to a deeper brown shade. At-home upkeep is crucial for hair health, including deep conditioning treatments, suitable professional shampoos, limiting hair washes to two times a week, and using heat protectant/leave-in products to ensure maximum healthy-looking hair.

#26 Lustrous & Curly Mushroom Brown
This elegant mushroom brown isn’t your average hue. Hair color trends like this feature a slightly ashy edge that imparts a glossy, cooler tone to your locks. Pair your medium-length cut with soft waves for added texture and movement.

#27 Stunning Ashy Grey-Brown
We’re really enamored with this trendy mushroom silver hair! The way those soft waves cascade highlights the dimension beautifully. Try this ashy grey-brown shade, and when you check out the before and after photos, you’ll be even more in love with your hair!

#28 Ash Brown Tresses with Delicate Caramel Tips
Look effortlessly stylish with hair featuring delicate caramel tips. Highlights for your dark brown locks will enhance your look and provide dimension and depth. Blend the roots for a seamless transition with no harsh lines for an easy-to-maintain color.

#29 Delicate Cool-Toned Ash Brown Highlights
When you’re seeking a fresh hair color, ash brown highlights enhance any skin tone. While at the salon, ask your hairdresser to incorporate subtle cool-toned babylights into your hair to achieve a similar look.

#30 Beautiful Ash Brown Balayage Highlights
A soft ashy brown balayage is an exquisite brown-silver color. This eye-catching hand-painted shade enhances the beauty of women with a fair skin tone. By keeping your base shade natural, the grow-out will be imperceptible!

#31 Elegant Ash Brown + Ash Blonde Balayage
We’re simply enchanted by this stunningly executed hair featuring babylights and ash bronde. This look showcases a smokey brown ombre, making it a stylish way to enhance your timeless brunette style! At-home ash brown hair dye could achieve this gorgeous light brown hue, but a professional colorist will work wonders. Blending a smokey tone with hints of blonde, of course, will definitely impress.
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