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25 Stunning Black Ombré Hair Ideas You'll Love

 

New season, new shade.

Who remembers the early 2000s, when everywhere you turned you saw ombré hair? The color technique blew up overnight and has transcended the test of time. Since there's no better time to try out a new shade than the start of a new season—hey, fall; hey, new hair color—why not go for the ombré look that's still relevant after all these years? If you have black hair, consider yourself blessed because so many colors will look amazing coupled with your color. Your laid-back dark hairstyle would look effortlessly stunning with any one of these black ombré hair ideas.

One of the best things about black ombré hair is it requires very little upkeep. You don't have to rush to the salon every few weeks because the gradient is designed to look natural as it fades. It's essentially every lazy girl's hair dream. There are several techniques for executing this color transition. We spoke with experts for tips on exactly how to pull off this look.

MEET THE EXPERT

Janna Velasquez is a hair stylist at Bomane Salon in Beverly Hills.

Lorena M. Valdes is a colorist at Maxine Salon in Chicago.

 

"Ombré technique is a bit bolder," Velasquez told Byrdie in reference to ombré's cousin, balayage. "I tend to approach ombrés in foils using a teasing technique to ensure a really nice melt from dark to light, embracing more of a dramatic feel from roots to ends."

FAST FACTS

BLACK OMBRÉ

CHOOSING A SHADE: "The best combination for black/dark brown ombré is going from dark at the root to either a red or caramel tone towards the ends with a modern cross-over of balayage-ombré to make it even more low maintenance," says Valdes.

MAINTENANCE LEVEL: "To bring the ombré back up, every three to six months for a fresh look—but it could need a gloss every so often depending on the ends," explains Valdes.

GOES GREAT WITH: Those with natural black or brunette hair can easily pull of this look.

SIMILAR SHADES: Brown ombré, brown balayage, purple ombré

PRICE: You can expect to pay at least $160 and up

 

Get your color mood board started with a scroll through our 25 favorite black ombré hair ideas for all hair types. Then, call your colorist to bring these looks to life.

Black and Caramel

Go the classic route and dip-dye your jet-black strands with a caramel-brown hue. I mean, look at how effortlessly gorgeous these wavy styles look. We may not be on a beach at all this fall, but that doesn't mean we can't pretend to be. 

Black and Soft Red

"If your hair is naturally black/dark brown, I would highly recommend the reds and caramels to maintain the shine and integrity," says Valdes. "With more maintenance and time you could go lighter and cooler." 

Black and Chestnut Ombré

Get your strands in the fall spirit with a fade to chestnut brown, as seen here on actress Gina Rodriguez. It's a subtle yet noticeably gorgeous upgrade. It's one of the oldest ombré trends in the book that'll always be in style and loved among celebs, colorists, and models alike. 

Black and Golden Chestnut Ombré

For more of a sun-kissed look, lighten the ends to a golden chestnut hue. Use a curling iron to add in face-framing curls. Velasquez recommends the Davines Alchemic Tonal Shampoos ($32) and Conditioners ($35) to ensure long lasting results and to enhance your color.

Black and Light Chestnut Ombré

This light chestnut hue gives the perfect natural look for those who want a more subtle take on this trend. It also grows out well so maintenance is easy and requires less trips to the salon.

Black and Blonde Ombré

Whether you're going for an ash and sandy or platinum and vivid blonde hue, this versatile colorway, seen here on actress Sarah Jane Crawford, will surely turn heads. The options are endless when it comes to balayage blonde.

This a nice step into the middle ground if you're not ready to go all the way blonde yet. This style illustrates how stunning these contrasting shades look together. 

Black and Blonde Curly Ombré

To lighten darken hair to blonde, it does require more upkeep, says Valdes. "They may touch up their natural with a dark base, but will be the complete opposite of low maintenance. It will need root touch-ups every 4-6 weeks."

Black and Burgundy Ombré

Burgundy ombré, seen here on Vanessa Hudgens, looks so stunning and very on trend for fall. It's a smooth departure from standard brown or blonde hues that's still versatile and suitable for all hair types. This color does have a tendency to fade quickly, however washing the ends with a color depositing shampoo ($35) can help preserve your shade.

Black and Copper Ombré

Copper hues flatter those with warm skin tones. This color blends well with dark hair, and adds dimension and movement to your hair.

Black and Ginger Ombré

Ginger hues add more of a red tone to your hair, versus copper. Make sure you wash with a shampoo made for color-treated hair to preserve your ginger shade. One great option that won't break the bank is the sulfate-free Hair Food Color Protect shampoo ($7).

Black and Gray Ombré

Black and gray just go together. This chic hair color trend blew up a few years ago and isn't going anywhere anytime soon. This elegant transition from black to gray can read silver, ashy, pearly, and more. It's up to you and the route you want to go. So long to the days gray was associated with age.

Black and Ash Ombré

This ashy gray color is a bit more subtle take on the gray trend. What shade of gray is best for you? "Consulting with a professional and having pictures is the best way to personalize the color if you're wanting to emphasize or diffuse the grays," says Valdes.

Black and Blue Ombré

Liven up your hair with lowlights of blue. It's fun, unexpected, and out-of-the-box, which is what experimenting with hair colors is all about, right? 

Black and Purple Ombré

Purple pairs so well with black hair. We're into moody beauty choices, and these deep lavender lowlights give off that vibe. A pop of purple on your ends will add an element of surprise to your strands. 

Black and Pink Ombré

For those who want to make a statement, black and pink is a surefire way to turn some heads.

To preserve the color, wash only a few times a week in cold water with a color-protecting shampoo.

Black and Auburn Ombré

Bella Thorne's black and auburn ombré is edgy and totally flattering. She pairs her look with coral lipstick and winged eyeliner.  To protect your hair from dryness and frizz after coloring your hair, Velasquez recommends Davines nourishing Oi Hair Milk ($38) and Oil ($48).

Black and Green Ombré

Black and green is bold, yet a little more subtle than pink. It is important to know, however, that green hair color does not wash out easily. To get rid of the green, you will either need to color your entire hair black or get a haircut.

Black and Honey Ombré

This black and honey is a warmer take on the black and blonde ombré trend. It will require bleach to lighten your hair, so make sure you invest in a good conditioner to keep your ends healthy.

Black to Rainbow Ombré

Cardi B gets in on the rainbow trend with this out-of-this-world look. This look will require bleach, followed by the colors. "My absolutely favorite is to do it as a bleach and tone to clean out the hair from roots to ends then adding the fashion colors over top," says Valdes.

Reverse Black Ombré

You can also try out this trend in reverse, with blonde at the root and a black ombré at the ends. Depending on your natural hair color, this look may require more trips to the salon to keep your roots from growing out.

Neon Black Ombré

Leave it to Billie Eilish to put her own cool spin on the black ombré trend. She does a bit of the reverse ombre, with neon green at the crown transitioning to black at the ends.

Black Ombré Locs

Megan Thee Stallion showed off her long ombré locs, which are black at the crown and transition to copper ends. Locs are considered a protective hairstyle, however the ends can get dry and damaged, especially if you color the ends. Use a product like Lion Locs ($24) to protect the ends from drying out and to help control frizz.

Silver Ombré Curls

Silver is making a comeback in a big way, and it is not just for the older crowd. This shimmery gray color draws attention to the face framing curls. If you have naturally black hair, maintenance will be a breeze for this style.

Oil Slick

Oil slick hair is all over Instagram, as it is a more subtle take on the rainbow hair trend. Black roots transition to a jewel color ombré, which shimmers in the light like an oil slick. Work in a shine boosting serum, such as COLOR WOW Pop + Lock Frizz Control + Glossing Serum ($20) to make your colors really stand out.

Black to White Ombré

Dark black roots transition to a white blonde in this chic ombré look. You can choose an ashy blonde white, golden blonde or platinum blonde, depending on what best flatters your skin tone.

FAQ

What are the best ombré colors for black hair?

If you want a natural look, consider chestnut, honey, auburn or light brown hues. For a more dramatic look, have fun with platinum, green, pink or blue.

How can you keep your black ombré hair looking healthy?

If your hair is bleached at the ends, make sure you use a good conditioner and a heat protectant product before styling to prevent split ends. If your ends have color on them, avoid using clarifying shampoos which can strip the color and stick to color-safe shampoo and conditioner.

What is a reverse ombré ?

A reverse ombré is light at the roots and gets gradually darker, while a regular ombré has dark roots and lighter ends. Depending on your natural hair color, a reverse ombré may require more upkeep to prevent grow-out at your roots.