The Big “O”

Drew Barrymore, Jessica Beil, and Sarah Jessica Parker are just a few of the Hollywood celebs now made in the shade with the Ombre look, today’s hottest trend in hair color. The French word for “shade”, Ombre refers to the fabric pattern of gradual color change, from dark to light, recently made popular in fashion apparel. The appeal of the Ombre technique in hair styling has been equally dynamic, not only because of its youthful, easy- going results, but also for the low maintenance it requires to look fantastic.

Stylists using the Ombre technique apply highlights heavier toward the ends and then gradually have them fade to dark at the root. The effect is an exaggerated dimension that gives the hair body, and creates a natural look that evokes summer days at the beach and sun-bleached hair growing out after vacation is over. And since the technique involves going dark at the roots—preferably to match your natural hair color—you don’t have to worry about the look growing out sooner than you would want it to.

For the best results, colorist Rick Wellman offers a few words of advice. First, the highlights must be applied vertically in a very blended manner without any strong horizontal lines. In the salon his team uses a painting technique called "feather dusting" which gives a softer and less extreme look. They also reinforce this look with a glaze for a more blended appearance and extra shine. “There is a fine line,” he says, “between looking amazing and just looking like you need your roots done.”