What is a Sombre Hair Color?

A young lady avail sombre hair color at the salon

Published February 11, 2022

No matter the season, good black or blonde hair will always affect your overall style. There are many unique and pretty hairstyles for women that you can try out this season. However, if you’re a professional that needs to keep your hair moderately conservative or if you’re not into crazy hair looks, keeping up with the trends might be a little difficult.

You’ve probably heard of ombré hair or balayage highlights, but are you familiar with sombre hair? If you’re bold enough to get out there and just try something new, you might probably want to check this popular hairstyle out!

What is Sombre Hair?

Ombre simply means shade or shadow. An ombre hair color is the shading or blending of colors with similar hues. Usually, the roots are darker than the middle part and ends of your hair.

On the other hand, Sombre means “subtle ombre.” Sombre is a softer version of ombre because you only need to shift two levels of colors to achieve natural hair look. It has a gentle gradience that will make your hair look shiny, voluminous, and bouncy because of the way different layers of colors were applied.

Who Wears It Best?

Anyone who wants to have blonde sombre hair can just ask their hairstylist to get it done. No matter what your hair looks like, whether you have short hair, long hair, ash brown hair, medium brown hair, dark brown hair, brunette hair, or you are blonde color haired or on the side of ash blondes; you deserve hair styles that will make you feel confident about yourself.

However, those with long locks tend to show better results since you can see the shadowing of the colors from roots to ends. It’s also a perfect hairstyle for those who want to experiment with new looks but don’t want to look too unnatural.

A Guide In Applying Sombre Hair Color

To have a gorgeous sombre hairstyle, you can easily do it yourself, but it would be most convenient to have a friend or family member help you out.

Some hairstyles, like ombre and balayage hair styles, are similar to sombre and can be pretty difficult to distinguish. Be careful when applying, as you might end up having a different style that you are intending. The sombre hair color technique can be applied to any base color, so ready your hair tools and start styling now!

1. Find and Use a Good Lightener for your Hair Color

If your hair is dark, using a lightener will help bring out the color of the hair dye well because you don’t want your sombre to be barely visible. Here are some of the best hair lighteners you can try:

2. Color the Roots First

Do you have dark roots showing that’s ruining your gorgeous hair? If so, you can try this. Start by parting your hair between the top and bottom. Then, to the sides and clip them. Four parts sectioning is usually ideal for those with an average thickness of hair. Start with the side first.

If you like your roots as is, you can leave them be, especially if it’s light and close to the color of your lighter ends.

If you’ve dyed your hair before and just want to touch up your roots, you can use a tint brush and feather down with a semi-permanent color. Ensure that you do the entire section of your roots and slowly stop where the middle gradience should start.

3. Section the Hair and Color the Middle

The middle color should only be slightly lighter than the roots to make the transition look flawless and to the ends to prevent choppy-looking hair.

Then, feather down your chosen color for the middle part, 3-5 inches from your roots. Feather down from the top of your head and to your bangs. As you go downward, apply the dye to wider portions of your hair but stop where the lightest shade should start.

4. Apply the Lightest Shade in the Ends

The key to achieving a sombre hairstyle is to have the ends of your hair the lightest shade. The ends of your hair should only be two levels lighter than your roots for a natural-looking style.

5. Wash, Blow-Dry, and Style!

Wait for the colors to process. Once done, wash your hair well with high-end color shampoo to retain the shine and vibrancy of your new hair color. You can also blow-dry your hair and style it the way you usually do, or you can curl it to maximize the visibility of the sombre effect.

(Related: What is Hair Color Correction?)

A teen girl choosing the right Sombre hair color

Differences Between Sombre, Ombre, and Balayage

Balayage

Balayage, in a nutshell, is a freehand highlight technique that results in a gentler gradient of color. Typically, foils are not employed; sectioning is more random, and the process does not begin from the root. Because the appearance is smooth and regrowth is considerably less noticeable than highlights, it requires less care.

Ombré

Ombré and balayage are frequently used interchangeably. Ombré, on the other hand, is a form of hair color balayage. Both techniques result in a darker, more saturated color at the roots and a brighter, lighter color at the tips. Balayage is typically done with darker tips, which creates greater depth and a more naturally sun-kissed appearance. In Ombré, the color transitions smoothly from root to tip.

Sombré

Sombré is a shade darker than ombré. It generates a more gradual transition of colors from root to tip that is gentler and less striking. The blending process begins higher on the hair and incorporates more hues, resulting in a softer, more gradual transition. In ombré, the color can be lifted two or three shades, whereas, in sombré, the color is simply lightened one shade for a more natural, “short beach vacation” look. This is the most low-maintenance variation of the appearance, as it may be allowed to grow out naturally. If you’re on the fence about experimenting with balayage, this is the look for you.

Final Words

Sombre hair is a low-maintenance look that almost anyone, especially those with long locks, can pull off. You can stick with a slightly similar color to your original one. You can also do completely different colors and still make it look gentle and natural-looking. It all depends on how the shadowing of the colors is being transitioned.

You can do this hairstyle yourself, with the help of one of your girlfriends, or you can also get it done professionally by your trusted hairstylist. The most important thing is to choose a hair color technique to boost your confidence and make you embrace your beautiful hair!

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About The Author

Krizzia Paolyn is a professional blogger whose work has reached millions of people worldwide. She has a bachelors degree in Psychology and a passion for beauty trends.