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You probably saw the somber hair trend but didn’t know what it was. You might have thought it was a stripped down ombré, or perhaps a masterfully applied soft balayage — but sombré is a hair coloring technique all of its own, favored by the A-list.
Sombré is simply “soft ombré”; a highlighting technique that gradually lightens hair from root to tip, but in a more gradual, “naturally sun-kissed” way than traditional ombré. Balayage, on the other hand, is the freehand application of bouncy highlights to the hair. Sombré is a bit more strategic.
“Sombre is chic, fun and classy,” says Larry King colorist Harriet Muldoon. “It takes the ombré look and moves the highlights up a bit to create a softer effect while adding lots of tones and dimension.
“This look is great if you just want to go a few shades lighter or add some depth to your lighter tones. A blonde can be undone, and a brunette can be lifted a little.”
So what should you ask for when you want your hairstylist to create the most perfect, natural, sun-kissed look in the salon? “To create this look, I would always say less is more,” says Harriet. “You can use bleach, but I would also use a softer oxidizer so as not to create too much lift, or a ‘high lift tint’ (that’s a level 10 or higher hair color, with no bleach) can give an amazing sombre effect. To finish, I would use the Redken Shades EQ Gloss treatment to give myself a golden root smudge for the ideal sombré look.”
For celebrity inspiration look no further than Lily James, Hayley Bieber and Rosie Huntington Whiteley or scroll down for our picks of the best sombré hair inspiration…
This article originally appeared on glamour.com
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