What I love about ashy brown balayage is that it’s unique on everyone, which also means I get to do something new every time. I get so many clients requesting the same balayage as their friends, but I love for example, how your best friend has ashy brown hair while yours may look grey due to your underlying tones. It shows how different looks work on different people.
It was so much fun to do ashy brown blends because I got to do so much different work. I had a client once who was going to go platinum. I convinced her to try ashy balayage blends first because her natural dark base was stunning. I let her get settled into the chair, and you could see the tears start to flow as I started the process. That’s what makes it magic! It fights with nothing and actually brings out the best in everything. Your clients will feel gorgeously refreshed after their appointment without that forced “I was just in a salon” look. I pulled together a whole collection of blends and I am really excited for those subtle contrast looks. I will expect a ton of screenshots!
#1: Soft Waves That Make This Ashy Brown Balayage Look Effortless
The shoulder cut with soft waves is the perfect example of how I define ‘your hair but better.’ It looks so healthy! The ashy colors seem to melt into the natural base, and it all flows so nicely. If you have fine or medium hair, this is the golden spot. The waves create great volume without being too much. Ideal styling commitment, all you need is a good scrunch and some texturizing spray!
#2 Face-Framing Layers with the Prettiest Ashy Brown Blend
I adore the effortless look of these layers and how they do that amazing curtain thing around the face. The balayage is super subtle and that is what makes it work. It looks like your hair has that natural depth. If your hair falls really flat, the layering does a lot of the work so you don’t have to fight against a blowout every morning trying to get some volume that just won’t stay.
#3: That Long, Flowing Ashy Brown Everyone Asks About
Keeping the length is one thing, but if you are bored with just “long brown hair,” this is it! The lighter pieces are woven through SO seamlessly that it looks like your hair just decided to be gorgeous on its own. I will say that ashy tones on longer hair can start creeping toward brassy territory if you aren\”t using the right shampoo, so get a purple shampoo and use it weekly and you\”ll be golden. Well, not golden. That’s literally the opposite of what we want here.
#4: Soft Curls That Show Off Every Dimension of This Color
Let’s talk about how curls ENHANCE balayage. When hair is curled, each curl bounces and reflects different shades, meaning the depth of color you get with balayage would be lost on straight hair. The combination of darker roots with lighter, ashy ends gives that expensive, “just got back from vacation” look. If you have fine hair, you will benefit the most from a balayage because the lighter color will make your hair look even thicker and more voluminous.
#5: Waves with Subtle Lightened Ends That Brighten Everything Up
**Waves.**
This service brightens all natural with no root touch ups! Best part? Grow out is invisible for MONTHS! Let’s be honest that is what we care about the most. The waves look relaxed and natural, not super uniform curling iron ringlets. More like you slept on a braid and woke up like this. Any hair type can pull this off but medium to thick will hold the wave pattern best.
#6: Long and Flowing with That Perfect Ashy Melt
We need to have a conversation if you have thick, wavy hair and are NOT doing something like this. This is one of those hairstyles with hair that does what it wants, and because of the balayage, it actually works. It complements the natural flow of the hair rather than the split ends. The color blend is very nice and flows without any obvious stops. It’s just one great stain that reflects the light at all the right angles. The ashy colors will require regular toning to keep them cool so keep that in mind during your salon visits. I’ll be honest about that.
#7: Mid-Length Layers That Let the Balayage Do All the Talking
This haircut is good. The soft layers add a nice touch, and so does the color. The balayage adds dimension, but is not too flashy. There is a nice subtle shine to the hair. The face framing layers focus the attention on your eyes. If your hair is fine, these layers will create good movement. Rather than having flat panels of hair, these layers will give the illusion of fullness.
#8: Rich, Shiny Waves with Highlights That Catch the Light
THE SHINE ON THIS. I literally gasped. Healthy hair with the right balayage looks like it is glowing and there is light hitting your hair. Those waves show every single tone. This is the look I would show to a client that says, “I want something that looks expensive.” Because it does. It really, really does. If your hair is naturally thick and you keep it in good condition, you’re already halfway there.
#9: Beachy Waves with That Perfectly Undone Ashy Vibe
Flowy and relaxed beach hair is way easier than straight hair! The layers create that fresh out of the ocean look, and the cut makes your hair look more rugged and worn. The aim is that slightly messy tousled look. A summer face tan will go hand in hand with that summer ocean hair look, and the color will create that natural ocean vibe. Summer hairspray and ocean water will work wonders with shorter hair. A bit of beachy texture will look amazing with the cut!
#10: Big, Bouncy Volume with Ashy Tones That Add So Much Depth
Check out this inspo pic for a shampoo commercial quality look! The soft layers and big waves are all you need, and the center part is genius! It makes the balayage fall perfectly on both sides for that full impact! This is one of those looks where the color and cut are both amazing, but one definitely needs the other. If you have medium to thick hair, this will be perfect because it will give you a lot of volume. And you won’t even need a lot of products to keep it topped up!
#11: Long, Elegant Ashy Brown with Subtle Color Shifts
With all due respect, this is a very subtle balayage, and I mean that in a good way. It adds dimension without screaming bam, and it gives an understated richness, or sophistication to the hair. People will look at your hair and think, “something, about it, is really pretty but I can’t quite put my finger on it”. Finer hair that is straight and falls within the range of low to mid density will allow this color to just glow, and it will fall really nicely. It’s pretty low maintenance too because the grow out will be very forgiving. You will just have to keep those lighter pieces toned every few months to keep them looking fresh.
#12: Defined Waves Showing Off a Gorgeous Color Transition
My clients always spend time and money on getting a balayage done, and I recommend practicing your curling skills because that is when the magic happens. The defined waves will shift and show all the color changes. It tells a whole beautiful story from dark root to bright end. This is especially true with medium and thick hair because the waves will keep their form and create a nice full look. The sun-kissed effect in this example is also very good, nothing looks stripey or out of place, it is all blended beautifully.
#13: Textured Loose Waves with Depth for Days
This texture is very important to the whole look. Loose waves are movement, and make the balayage move and change with the hair. The idea with getting balayage is for it to look different from every angle. The subtle face-framing highlights finish the look and sit nicely because they blend well with straight hair. This is one of those haircuts that can easily go from day to night without having to change anything.
#14: Effortless Waves with a Cool-Toned Balayage That Just Works
Have you seen someone with fantastic hair and wilded a bit how it looks so good? Check it out. The balayage is phenomenal, the waves are so relaxed, and the whole combo looks like you just walked off a beach in Hawaii. The highlights bring dimension to the hair without taking too much attention from the rest of the look. This is exactly what you want when trying to achieve the effortlessly cool look. Nothing looks worse than that ‘I tried to look like I didn’t try’ look than a bunch of really gaudy highlights. If your hair is straight or just a bit wavy you can achieve this look really easily. Grab a 1.25 inch curling iron and just 15 mins of your time.
#15: Voluminous Waves with Gorgeous Movement and Shine
I am doing my best to mask my jealousy for the amount of hair here. The soft layers are so important as they remove weight while keeping length, allowing movement and bounce, rather than just hanging. And the balayage? The color shifting with the waves adds a nearly 3D effect that flat hair just can’t do. If your hair is thick and healthy, you are BLESSED and I do not say that lightly. The ashy tones are so well done. They are modern and cool enough not to wash anything out.
#16 Layered and Textured with the Perfect Amount of Ash
Seeing the natural waviness of a client’s hair is always a highlight! It makes it so much easier and you get to spend time on the more fun parts of styling. The soft layers add more volume and the face framing layers are spot on to show off the best features. If you’re not wanting to go too ashy this is a great option. The shades underneath are more of a cool tone rather than ashy so it looks really natural. This length is super underrated and gives you so many more options without the maintenance of longer hair!
#17 A Slightly Layered Cut That Makes This Balayage Pop
The layers are done very well here. Adding some movement and letting the balayage breathe is just enough. If someone has too many layers in their hair, the balayage can look very disconnected. However, with enough layers that this all comes together and flows nicely. The face framing waves are lovely and the color range in this is modern and smoky. Personally, I’ve been really liking this style. Just keep in mind the difference this will feel compared to a blunt cut with the same thickness of hair. It will feel much lighter and have so much more movement. To really sell this style, you will have to keep its shine with a quality hydrating treatment. You will need to protect the shine to really sell this style.
#18 A Blended Balayage with Highlights That Actually Look Real
This is what I mean when I say highlights should look like they belong. The worst highlights are the painted on, obvious, and separated from the hair. But the person who did this did an amazing job blending. The soft waves show the dimension really well, and the color is warm and ashy without being icy. If you have medium hair density, the layers will give you fullness without the bulk, which is the sweet spot. The color melt around the cheekbones is really flattering, and I would guess that was intentional.
#19 An Ashy Brown Bob That Proves Short Hair Can Do Balayage Too
Let’s stop ignoring bob hairstyles with balayage because LOOK AT THIS. All the shorter length does is make the balayage more impactful because there is less hair to share the spotlight with. Every single highlight gets to shine. The layers are subtle and give just the right amount of movement to avoid that helmet look. Shine is also a big factor and in a bob like this fine to medium hair will reflect the light beautifully. The surface will feel more uniform and smoother. If you are scared to chop your hair then let this be the picture that gets you to do it!
#20 Just-Past-the-Shoulders Length with Soft, Wearable Color
The simplicity of this style is what makes it so great! The length is enough to pull your hair back without it looking messy when left down. The waves in your hair will bounce and give a “just got back from the salon” look. The highlights look great, and blend nicely with the base color. They compliment the nice base color without being too loud. This look is great for a first time balayage because it is low maintenance and the grow out will look great.
#21 Feathered Layers with Cool Ashy Tones
I love that feathered layers are once again trending as they provide movement at the ends of the hair and don’t add bulk in the middle. Combined with ashy balayage, these feathers provide a light and airy feel to your hair, which is great when your hair feels heavy or looks dull and one-dimensional. Shoulder-length hair is also very versatile and allows you to create any look you want, whether that is up, down, half up, or some other variation. The ashy balayage along with the darker base color adds a modern touch and the contrast will be classy and current.
#22 Face-Framing Balayage That Actually Frames Your Face
Most people talk about “face framing highlights”, but the truth is, most of the time, the highlights are placed incorrectly and do nothing for you. This picture is an example of how to do highlights right. These front face framing highlights are light enough to have enough impact, and the highlights blend with the rest of the balayage seamlessly. I also think the medium length is a good decision because then the face frames will be more visible and won’t get covered by the rest of the hair. With highlights like these, and balayage, the grow out is super gradual so you can delay your appointments a lot more than you would be able to with regular highlights.
#23 Textured Shoulder-Length with Just the Right Amount of Cool Tone
Ash colors can require specific upkeep and it can be time-consuming to ensure your hair looks great. If you wash your hair every day and grab shampoo from the hotel trays, this style is probably not going to work for you. With the right upkeep this style with her amazing shoulder length texturized layers is the whole package! It’s versatile, works with all different hair types, which is not something I can say for every style I recommend.
#24 A Shoulder-Length Cut with Balayage That Adds So Much Dimension
The subtle layered cut adds some volume at the top and movement through the mid-lengths without making the ends thin or wispy. That’s HARD to do. That’s honestly what separates a good haircut from a great one. The depth of the balayage here gives you that multi-tonal effect. Your hair no longer looks like one solid, flat color. There is warmth, coolness, and lights and shadows all at once. Shoulder length hair is the most practical length and I will die on that hill.
#25 Polished and Sleek with a Soft Ashy Finish
Not every balayage has to be styled with curls to showcase the colors. Here, the straight style works beautifully, giving the color effect a polished and sleeker appearance. When the hair is laid flat, the color looks especially luminous and sleek; there is a certain classy quality to it. The soft layers provide just enough shape, avoiding a dull appearance, but it is giving a more neat aesthetic than beachy, and sometimes that is just what you need. One thing to keep in mind is that if your skin has a warm undertone, be sure to tell your stylist to add a bit of warmth to the mix. Otherwise, the ashy tones in your hair may clash with your skin. To keep this look bright and reflective, a gloss is essential in between appointments, and that’s the whole vibe of this look.
#26 A Natural-Looking Balayage with Dimension That Speaks for Itself
This is really good example of balayage done right. Super natural and effortless, it looks like her hair just naturally varies in tone. The straight styling also shows off how clean the color work is. The color work paired with layered cut is a modern look without being high-maintenance. This is the kind of balayage I love doing. The subtle layers to lend a little extra interest and the overall effect is just so good. Hair that looks done without obviously being done is so much better than the opposite. This kind of work is way more appealing.
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