Ash tones are cool-based tones which counter-balance unwanted warmth, leaving a sleek, tonally balanced finish.

Ash is a tone which adds a cool ash finish to your color. Ash blends always have a cool tone, with predominantly blue or sometimes slightly green pigments that are blended with the color. The overall color effect is slightly matte, with a sleek silvery or smoky finish. They are not ‘vibrant’ or ‘bold’ – instead they have a subtle, soft, cool, silky finish.

We offer 13 cool toned colors, ranging from darkest brown to lightest blonde.

What Do Ash Tones Do?

Ash tones are great not only for what they do – think a sexy, modern, matte, smoky finish, but they really knock it out of the park in terms of what they don’t do.

Ash colors have underlying blue/green pigments which counter-act and neutralize the warm yellow or orange color tones which can often be seen when you lighten your hair.

Some people’s hair naturally throws a lot of warm tones. They may see warmth in their color even when coloring at their natural color level, without lightening.

Warm brassy pigments are always revealed during lightening due to the natural contributing pigment.

Brassy color pigments have the largest molecule size of all the color pigments, and are the last to be lifted out of the hair during any lightening process. This is why brassiness is typically visible whenever you lighten your color.

Ash will balance and mute unwanted warmth. Ash tones banish warm reflect while doubling down on delivering a shiny, glossy finish.

Lightening using a cool based color will give you a neutral result, as there will be natural warmth from lightening, which is then neutralised by the cool tones, leaving a neutral, tonally balanced result.

Sounds good, but will it work for me?

Switching up your hair tone is a great way to update your look without changing your color level.

Cool ash tones can work with almost all complexions, including cool, pale complexions but also olive complexions. 

Ash blondes work beautifully with pale, wintery skin, and they can also complement olive complexions as the contrast between the warmer skin tones and cooler hair tones can energise and flatter the complexion.

These are the only products I use when dying my hair! I have beached my hair for years and these colors are by best the far I have ever used.

B.Mifsud

I have been using the Shade haircolor for the past three applications, and I am so thrilled with the product and the results it delivers. Beautiful colors to select from and the finish and result is very natural. I have recently opted to do a half color between two shades Beige Blonde and Dark Ash Blonde, because I wanted a bit more depth in my color, this was a suggestion from Camilla and I couldn’t be more satisfied. I can definitely recommend The Shade Haircolor.

Y. Mackay

I was so pleased the result of my hair color Dark Ash Blonde, it covered my grays too. I love the kit with the bag so handy, and no ammonia smell! The shampoo and conditioner makes my hair so soft. So glad I found Shade and definitely will recommend.

A. Dawkins