Ash blonde hair color is a cool-toned shade of blonde with smokey, dusty undertones. It can also create a muted pastel tint for a more fashionable outcome.
Rachel Saxon is a senior stylist in Austin, TX. She ensures that even women with opposite hair colors can still pull off this shade.
“Don’t expect results right away when you have colored hair. It may take two or more sessions to get the tone while guaranteeing your hair’s health. Dark virgin hair may not take as long, yet it depends on your texture and density,” Saxon explains.
Achieving ashy tones takes time and patience. However, if you don’t like the idea of going lighter gradually, you can ask for a test strand.
Test strands determine what kind of lift your hair will attain. The stylist will take a small inconspicuous section of your mane. They’ll apply a lightener to it and process it for 15-30 minutes.
Before going blonde, understand the maintenance. Ask your stylist if this hue will meet your lifestyle, time, and budget.
Know what products can help sustain the color and keep your locks healthy.
“You definitely want a good purple shampoo,” says Saxon. She recommends the BLONDE.ANGEL from Kevin Murphy.
Saxon adds,” A good heat protectant is also essential as hot tools can cause toner to fade faster.”
This is now the chic hair trend most women are craving. Don’t miss out on these photos of the most popular ash blonde colors you can try next!
#1: Beautiful Ash Blonde Balayage
My ashy blonde hair color creation! The guest had a year old grown out balayage that I had also done. She wanted a really blended look that had very low upkeep. She asked that the tone be very cool, ash blonde with lowlights. It’s important to keep the strength and health of your hair when going so light so it’s a great look that doesn’t put too much wear and tear on your strands.
I paired a couple of different techniques together to get the blend and brightness of the blonde so that the cool tone of the ash wouldn’t darken it up too much. I did a pattern of backcombed, medium weaves, super fine babylights to the scalp, and hand-painted ends. I toned with Aveda Demi+ light ash and Aveda Men’s Grey blending in 7a. The cut is a blunt one length to maintain strength at the perimeter and just a few softer, face-framing pieces at the front.
#2: Cool Ash Blonde Balayage Hair with Babylights
Feeling icy? Try ash blonde balayage hair with babylights! Balayage and babylights go hand in hand when creating a blonde hue.
#3: Ashy Mushroom Blonde
Ashy mushroom blonde is an elevated take on an all over color. This rich, dimensional hue shines brighter than your standard ashy blonde.
#4: Ashy White Blonde on V-Cut Layered Hair
Ashy white blonde on v-cut layered hair is a nice combination. This head turning hue is the perfect inspo to take to the salon!
#5: Balayage Ombre on Long Ash Blonde Hair
A balayage ombre on long ash blonde hair is a timeless hue. Balayage and ombre have cemented themselves as a staple in hair color, and for good reason. Opting for the ombre style of blonde keeps your maintenance lighter. And it allows you to grow longer and stronger hair. You won’t have to lighten to the root during every application.
#6: Light Ashy Tones on Long Middle Part Hair
Light ashy tones look angelic on long, middle part hair. Pair this tone with a soft Hollywood wave for the ultimate style.
#7: Layered Short Hair with Ash Blonde Highlights and Lowlights
Try a short haircut with feathery layers and ash blonde highlights and lowlights if you want a low-maintenance styling routine. A cropped cut is wonderful for ladies who only have a few minutes to spend on their hair. The back is similar to a stacked bob in that it adds fullness to the back of your head.
#8: Smokey Dark Blonde with Teasylights
Try this smokey dark blonde with teasylights if you’re feeling moody this Fall. This is one of the best ash blonde hair color ideas if you’re looking to take a break from lightener at your next hair appointment. Add a haircut and treatment instead, the dark blonde will blend into your roots and keep you looking fresh and bouncy.
#9: Vanilla Blonde with Face-Framing Highlights
Try this vanilla blonde with face-framing highlights for a bold, dimensional color. Use a color-safe shampoo and avoid heat when possible, as this will help you maintain brightness. A toner every 4-6 weeks can help your ash blonde hair color from turning brassy.
#10: Ashy Blonde with Caramel Tones
Opposites attract when it comes to pairing ashy blonde with caramel tones. The swirls of caramel contrast the ash blonde shades for a head-turning color. To complement the ribbons of blonde, curl all of your hair away from your face, spray a flexible hold styling product, then comb with a boar brush to smooth the waves together.
#11: Curled Long Bob with Ash Blonde Hues
Transform your summer locks with a curled long bob with ash blonde hues and be ready for fall. Get rid of brassy tones and give your hair some much-needed dimension. Pick the perfect ash tone to brighten your face and skin tone. Add some waves to look cute and be ready for the day.
#12: Rooted Ashy Platinum Hair
Rooted ashy platinum hair incorporates some of your natural hair colors to soften the grow-out without sacrificing brightness. Every 6 weeks can be a lot of maintenance for a majority of women. Consider ash blonde hair with a rooted look for a more modern approach and some extra time between appointments.
#13: Neutral Blonde on a Wavy Lob
Say goodbye to brassy hues with a neutral blonde on a wavy lob. Show off your personality with a lob that is customized specifically for you. A jawline cut is low-maintenance and will make your locks look fuller and healthier. Add some waves and show off the multi-dimensional ribbons of your ash blonde tones.
#14: Off Center Bob with a Platinum Blonde Shade
Cool down your brassy hair with a platinum blonde shade with an off-center-parted bob. Layering your hair will give you more body and volume for a fuller-looking appearance. Ashy blonde hues will brighten your locks and make brassy tones disappear for fabulous-looking hair.
#15: Dishwater Blonde Foilayage
Keep brassy tones at bay with a dishwater blonde foilayage. Dishwater blonde has a very ashy tint with no warmth in sight. With foilayage, the root is defused for a soft grow-out. Even when you flat iron your hair you should see no harsh lines with a foilayage technique.
#16: Pearl Ash Blonde
A pearl ash blonde is a great tone for your tresses if you are looking for a neutral cool look and have cool to neutral skin. Ask your stylist to eliminate warmth for a nice ash color that is perfect for hair that can be lightened. Bring this image for a reference of what “type” of blonde you want.
#17: Sandy Blonde Hair with Choppy Ends
Say goodbye to brassy locks with sandy blonde hair with choppy ends. Turn your dull locks into vibrant and vivid-looking strands. Ash tones do appear a little more muted than warm tones. They do not reflect the light as much. To keep yellow tones away use a purple shampoo once a week.
#18: Beige Blonde Highlights on Long Hair
Beige blonde highlights on long hair bring dimension and movement. Long ash blonde hair compliments women with a naturally lighter base. Be sure to specify where you want the highlights to start for a more dramatic or soft and natural look.
#19: Silver Blonde Hair with Soft Waves
Transform your locks with silver blonde hair with soft waves. Silver and platinum shades go hand-in-hand and are very high maintenance. It may take several sessions to get your desired tone of blonde. Try to do conditioning treatment in between appointments and get frequent trims to keep your hair looking healthy and dead ends away.
#20: Ash Blonde Sombre with Platinum Accents
Go for bold locks with an ash blonde sombre paired with platinum accents. Ash highlights will add some dimensional tones to your dark roots. Having the lightest blonde at the mid-shaft gives a more natural appearance and will make the color less maintenance.
#21: Icy Blonde Balayage Highlights
Have a super dimensional color with icy blonde balayage highlights. Make your icy blonde looks richer by having a lowlight right next to it to make the blonde pop. Wave your hair for a charming look and be ready for the day.
#22: Shiny Ash Blonde on Light Brown Hair
Shiny ash blonde on light brown hair is an eye-catching color for women who can be lightened. Great for neutral to cool skin tones, ash tones are sassy and classy and can look very natural.
#23: Dimensional Ash Blonde Balayage on Brunette Hair
Ask for a dimensional ash blonde balayage on your brunette hair for your next style. Personally, I ask clients if they are low or high-maintenance in order to suggest whether or not they need a root color to blend the balayage. Ash tones may need a refresh sooner than regular color services. If you need lower maintenance, for example, fewer wash days, this color may be right for you.
#24: Creamy Blonde with a Shadow Root
Look stunningly cool with a creamy blonde with a shadow root. Tones of ash color have more of a muted natural hue and when paired with a darker shadow root, are surprisingly low-maintenance. Add a straight fringe to flatter your face and look totally on trend.
#25: Gorgeous Ashy Gold Blonde
Create a brighter, more vibrant look for your blonde by opting for an ashy gold blonde at your next hair appointment. The addition of the gold tone with the ash helps to make the color look brighter and shinier than just ash alone. Ashy hair colors look best if you have fair skin tone and cool undertones. Ask your stylist for a root smudge to transition from your natural hair color into the lighter, brighter blonde.
#26: Natural-Looking Ash Blonde Pixie Cut
An ash blonde pixie cut is a great way to transition for the ladies that are starting to naturally sparkle. Cutting off old processed colors and matching your new canvas with a complimenting color is an alternative way to expedite the overall look. Short hairstyles like a pixie cut can provide a lot more texture and dimension.
#27: Dimensional Ashy Highlights on Dark Brown Hair
Try a totally dimensional beachy-textured ash blonde hair shade on ash brown hair that looks stunning when hit by the light. These ashy highlights are gorgeous on light-skinned ladies!
#28: Medium Ash Blonde Hue
We love this shoulder-length blunt cut wavy hair painted with dirty blonde and ashy brown hue and dark roots. With an ash blonde hair dye, it’s important to keep your hair’s integrity by conditioning well after every session and at home. No gold tones here.
#29: Sexy Brown and Ash Blonde Highlights
A little on the beige side – these dimensional ash blonde highlights with wavy layered hair with soft babylights are absolutely pleasing to the eye!
#30: Sleek Light Ash Blonde Hair
Sleek and super edgy – this solid light ash blonde shade is doing a marvelous job on this straight mid-length cut with a few side bangs. It’s the perfect option that suits cool and fair complexions and can bring out the pink undertones in your skin.
#31: Trendy Two-Tone Ash Blonde
It’s a trendy hair look for your freshly cut, soft, and wavy locks. This lighter version of an ash blonde balayage with hints of caramel, when hit by the sunlight, underlines your waves and draws attention.
#32: Silver Ash Blonde with Dark Roots
Going with dark brunette shadow roots makes it appear like there’s a sexy subtle ash blonde ombre happening with this medium-length slightly bent straight hair. Those ashy babylights also help transition the colors smoothly.
#33: Sun-Kissed Ash Blonde
This ash-colored hair is one of my all-time favorite looks with dark brown hair color. It gives you a consistent ashy blonde and natural tone from the darker roots to the ends, yet there are dimensions and texture. It’s a medium length with texture layers which is great to style quickly with a few waves or can also be pulled back into a sophisticated pony.
An ash hair color is great for women who already have an ashy base color to their natural hair with pops of honey blonde, and it’s the best of both worlds. You get blonde with a smudged root, lived-in look, so if you aren’t wanting the major upkeep of hair highlights, this is perfect! It’s just very soft all around almost making it seem as though it’s just your natural color! Also, the cut has tons of versatility so it’s really great for anyone. Whether you have 30 seconds or 30 minutes to style your hair, it can look great either way!
#34: Dark Ash Blonde on Black Hair
The seamless transition from a dark ash blonde hue to light makes it expansive and modern. As well as the cool shades and harmonious tones on her gorgeous long hair. Check the condition of your hair to see if it can take the process before doing it. Avoid hot styling tools to maintain your color, and make sure that it suits your skin tone.
#35: Smokey Ash Blonde
The best thing about this blonde gray hair is the seamless blend into a silvery tone, which was very hard to achieve. This is also my favorite way to do waves since it makes your hair have volume and body without the curls being too tight!
To be honest, an ash color like this requires a lot of maintenance. The tone washes out fairly quickly if not taken proper care. For someone who is very adamant about keeping the silver hair and ash-blonde locks, you would want to go to the salon and get a tone once or twice between balayage touch-ups. Otherwise, it fades to a beautiful smokey blonde balayage.
#36: Edgy Ash Blonde Ombre
This ash blonde ombre hair color trend catches your eye! It has such a dramatic and edgy look to it yet the shadow tone in the root area is what keeps it less maintenance than the old-school bleach and tone.
This ash ombre is great if you are feeling like a change. We all get in that rut where we look in the mirror and feel so boring! This color brings life back to your look. I feel that almost anyone could do it because of the natural root color that remains. Just keep in mind, that the darker your hair is the more time, money, and aftercare will be needed.
#37: Stunning Ash Blonde Babylights
This is an ash beige blonde created by using a combination of balayage and babylights to achieve dimension and brightness! When it comes to color services, I specialize in blondes, especially ash. The greatest part would be creating a customized toner to suit my client’s skin tone along with making sure their cut/style complements their face shape. Afterward, I like to add a soft, beachy wave to enhance texture and body.
Aftercare and maintenance are key, especially for cooler blondes like this ash hair. I always recommend a good shampoo specific to my client’s needs and a toning shampoo to brighten up the tone in between appointments.
#38: Beachy Grey and Ash Blonde Tones
I call this a silver foilage because I combined the two techniques, foils and balayage to achieve the lightness needed to create a silver color. First off, I want to point out that this blonde hair color took 6+ months in the making and I was starting at level 6-7 hair. It’s important not to push your hair beyond its strengths when achieving this color. To get to silver you have to take all the pigment out of your hair, which will leave it vulnerable and needing treatments and frequent maintenance.
Although this ash blonde hairstyle is highly sought after, it comes with a lot of time, money, and maintenance. 99% of silvers are not created in one appointment. Your appointments could take 3-5 hrs depending on your hair and could cost upwards of $200-500 plus the take-home products to keep your hair in great shape.
#39: Classic Platinum Ash Blonde
What I love about this technique is the softness it gives to a harsh grow outline. I applied Redken’s Shades eq to zone 1 and blurred down to different parts of zone 2 and 3 to give a soft blended look. Shampooing it after it was processed, I used Redken’s Color Extend Blondage shampoo pulling ash platinum blonde color down and through the rest of the hair to tone out all the brassy color.
Listen to your stylist for your home care regime and turn heated appliances down. I recommend only Redken and Pureology. This platinum blonde hair is for any hair type and color and can be formulated and placed just for your specialized look.
#40: Flattering Ashy Champagne Blonde Bob
It’s an iridescent pearl ash blonde babylights with a smudged root and style-textured beach waves. The thing I love most about this bob haircut and color is the silver pearl toner we used for this amazing hair color trend.
If you have dark hair, this ash blonde hairstyle will be an intense process taking multiple sessions and can get expensive. Maintenance can become quite intense as well. The grow-out is nice. However, you need a toner refresh every 4-6 weeks to keep the ashy tone in your hair. The darker your hair is naturally the more maintenance and the harder it will be.