Ombre has been a trend for almost long enough now to become a classic. If you’re a fan of the layered coloring technique that it provides, we invite you to Salon Antoine for a fresh take with ‘sombre’ – aka “soft ombre”. This subtle option is low maintenance and perfect for cooler weather, so give us a call to make your appointment today!
We love sombre because it provides you the best of both worlds. You’ll get the tonal dimension and varying color palette like ombre or even balayage but in a more natural way. The key is taking the color of your natural hair, usually what’s at your roots, and then integrated that into the ends along with lighter colors and darker color. Depending on the length of your hair, the highlights will begin a little lower than halfway, with the lightest color at your ends.

Since the goal here is to achieve a natural and barely noticeable gradient, our stylists will usually recommend adding one or two shades lighter and one or two shades darker than your natural color. The longer length of hair you have, the more colors or shades you can naturally integrate. This makes sombre ideal for mid- to long-hair customers, although it can certainly work for those with shoulder length cuts. We also keep in mind your skin tone as well as the season – many customers prefer slightly darker tones during the fall and winter months. Since most of your roots will stay your natural color, this is an easy look to maintain.

Enhancing the ease and low maintenance benefits of sombre is that it works great with curls and waves. If your hair has natural body, skip the blow-dryer and simply add a bit frizz-taming product, letting it air dry for a beach-y look. For those who have hair that needs a little extra encouragement to hold loose waves, sea salt spray and braiding your hair while it is wet are all you need. Straight hair also does well with sombre, especially if you have layers to highlight the different colors. We would be happy to help you learn more about the different ways to style this stunning look for day and night!
If you’re ready for a refreshing way to beat the heat, come to Salon Antoine for a summer lob! We want to see you leave feeling excited about your look and knowledgeable about how to style it on your own. For the customer-focused salon experience you deserve, head on over to 11092 Lee Highway in Fairfax, VA.