Beach Hair 101: DIY Non-Permanent Ombre color

There are 2 easy & safe (aka bleach is a non-factor) ways to get the sweet ombre look that screams I love wavy, salty, messy, carefree beach hair.

I’ve done/use them both. 

Option 1: Take your patient pills

Don’t highlight your hair regularly. Go about every 6 months at least, you’ll have natural, sweet, dark roots, and save money. When you do highlight your hair, use the balayage technique so the color doesn’t grow out in an even line.

Option 2: Instant gratification.

(hairstylists, please don’t hate me, I get bored and it’s an easy, affordable fix)

1. Grab a box of non-permanent hair color (the kind that washes out in 28 shampoos) that’s 1 or 2 shades darker than your current color. Natural Instincts dark blonde is my go-to.

2. Brush your hair out so it’s tangle free, and then using a wide toothed comb, lightly comb in the color from your scalp down as low as you want it to go, concentrating on getting most of the color at your roots, then fading it out.

3. Make sure to not get color on the ends, and leave a few sections right around your face dry for a sun pecked look.

*Mine looks rather sweet right now, I’m trying to not wash it so the color will last. Thank goodness for dry shampoo.

Photo via my Pal Kir’s pinterest.

Beach Hair 101: Balayage

You want hair that looks like this? I mean, do you want pecked-by-the sun, I’m 8 and spent the summer at the beach, natural looking highlights that you can go 6 months between touch ups and have a mane that slightly resembles that of Lily Aldridge?

Save the foils for covering up lasagna, and say bonjour to Balayage.

It’s the more artistic (yup, it originated in France), free form style of hair coloring in which a colorist freely paints on the lightener, and it’s AHHHHH-some. Just a few ho-hum beauties that are advocates: Gisele, Lily Aldridge, Jenifer Aniston, and Kate Hudson.

So, next time you feel like coloring your hair - and you want to look like you just stepped off a jet after a week in the Maldives, ask the salon if they offer Balayage (or some are calling it Ombre coloring). Try it out and then be prepared to 1: Save a heck of a lot of money (I only have to color my hair 2x a year) and 2: Soak up a ton of compliments.

* If you are in or traveling through AZ, I highly recommend Molly Wolk. She is a genius.