9/30/2025
8 Ash Brown Hair Color Ideas for a Cozy, Cool-Toned Brunette
Zara Kenyon
You've heard of ash blonde, but what about ash brown hair color? This cool-toned shade is rich, sultry, and effortlessly chic, giving brunettes a smoky finish that feels both modern and timeless. From mink-toned highlights to an earthy balayage, there are so many ways to wear this trend. Ready to find your perfect shade? Let’s take a look at the coolest ash brown inspiration to take to your nearest Wella salon.
What is Ash Brown Hair Color?
Ash brown hair color is a modern, cool-toned brunette shade that blends deep brown with smoky, muted hues. Instead of the golden or reddish warmth found in traditional brown shades, this color leans toward an icy, silvery finish, giving it a sleek and sophisticated look.
It's an ultra-versatile shade, too, letting you unlock the trend with highlights, balayage or an ombre finish. So, no matter what hair coloring techniques you crave, there's an ash brown look for you – as you'll see in our round-up below.
What Skin Tone Looks Best with Ash Brown Hair?
Ash brown hair color is a flattering choice for a wide range of skin tones. It just depends on whether you prefer your shade to work in harmony with your complexion or you want to create a striking contrast. On a cool skin tone, ash brown hues help create balance by softening redness to make skin glow. Meanwhile, on warmer skin tones, a neutral brown base with ash brown balayage lets you go smoky without overwhelming your natural warmth.
8 Ash Brown Hair Colors to Try Now
1. Light Ash Brown Hair with Ash Blonde Highlights
Image Credit: @candaceliannehair
If you want to add some lightness and luminosity to your ash brown look, ask your colorist to sweep ash blonde highlights through the mid-lengths and ends of your hair. BlondorPlex , the No.1 salon lightener in the USA*, is ideal as it gives you up to 9 levels of lift with up to 97% less breakage¹, while its anti-brass technology means you don't have to worry about yellow tones. Don't forget to maintain the look in between salon visits with Color Fresh Mask in Pearl Blonde; a zero-damage, color-depositing mask to add color, condition and shine in 10 minutes.
2. Dark Ash Brown Hair Color
Image Credit: @hairxjojo
A shot of espresso will give your ash brown hair color a deeper finish. Case in point: this dimensional dark brunette, which features a hint of smokiness that's flawlessly blended. Color Touch is the salon formula behind this look, a demi-permanent color product that gives you rich vibrancy. Packed with the Metal Purifier, it neutralizes metals for a true-to-tone ash brown, no matter your hair's condition. Team the look with a glossy blow-dry so the multi-tones stand out. We love styling with ULTIMATE REPAIR Protective Leave-In, a delicate serum that protects and cares in one.
3. Cool-Toned Brown Highlights
Image Credit: @hairxjojo
These cookies and cream highlights are soft enough to blend seamlessly, yet bright enough to add luminosity to your dark brunette base. For added glow, your colorist can complete your look with a SHINEFINITY hair glaze. The zero-lift, zero-damage, demi-permanent formula gives you a translucent veil of ashy color, resulting in up to 250% shinier hair² that's up to 50% softer and smoother³ for shine you can feel. Then, wash and condition with ULTIMATE SMOOTH Shampoo and ULTIMATE SMOOTH Conditioner, a shine-boosting duo that leaves your hair irresistibly silky.
4. Ashy Chocolate Brown Hair Color
Image Credit: @byjohnsanchez
When you hear the words 'chocolate brown hair', you probably think of warm, radiantly rich tones. But, hear us out: chocolate brown can also be cool if you keep the color intense and glossy. Ask your colorist to use Color Touch to tone; its vibrancy and shine gives ash tones a delectable edge, so it still feels sumptuous. Then, add ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum to your kit. This luxurious elixir creates a mirror-like shine with 96 hours of frizz control.
5. Mocha Ash Brown Hair Color
Image Credit: @hail.does.hair
Medium ash brown hair is perfect if you don't want to go ultra-dark, as it captures that crisp, frosted finish while giving your overall look a soft-focus sheen. Request a cool-toned brown base and blonde chunky highlights for this 90s-style look. Then team with beachy waves, courtesy of EIMI Ocean Spritz salt spray for grip, guts and texture.
6. Ash Grey-Brown Hair Color
Image Credit: @jadahairandbalayage
If you're transitioning to a full head of brown-gray hair to soften your regrowth, ash tones are ideal, as they mimic the coolness of salt 'n' pepper roots. Some extra silver in your color formula will ensure your transformation blends seamlessly with your natural hair, but it's not just functional. This shimmering shade is a show-stopper, too. Here, you're seeing Color Touch bring ashy highlights to life, with a true-to-tone finish that fades beautifully over 28 washes. Add extra shine with a final misting of EIMI Glam Mist.
7. Ash Bronde Hair Color
Image Credit: @calumtierney
Bronde (AKA brown-blonde) hair color is a major trend right now, and it's your ideal shade when you want your ash brown mane to still feel light and bright. There are plenty of cool-toned browns in this blend, but milky highlights deliver a dose of ash blonde. Ask your Wella colorist for babylights to create the look; a blend of micro-fine highlights that appear beautifully natural. Then, because ash brown hair looks better when it's healthy, take ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue home with you. The leave-in treatment repairs hair damage in 90 seconds⁴ while giving you 99% less breakage⁵. A miracle, indeed!
8. Ash Brown Hair with Face-Framing Highlights
Image Credit: @annetrann
This is the perfect ash brown look for those with a warmer skin tone. You can keep your dark brunette base neutral, then add the ashy coolness with subtle face-framing highlights that gently shimmer. Color Touch's stunning vibrancy is giving this color a cozy richness. Enhance it with Color Fresh Mask in Cool Espresso to boost the depth in between Wella salon visits.
How to Maintain Ash Brown Hair Color
1. Wash with a Shine-Boosting Shampoo and Conditioner
Ashy tones can appear dull without the right hair care routine in place, so make sure you use shampoos and conditioners that focus on shine. ULTIMATE SMOOTH Shampoo and ULTIMATE SMOOTH Conditioner are your deeply nourishing glow-boosters, with a dose of Squalane and Omega-9 working to nourish hair from the inside out. Together, they leave your hair clean, light and cared-for from root to tip, with frizz-free smoothness and a glass hair shine that makes ash brown tones sparkle.
2. Enhance the Effects with a Nourishing Hair Oil
Add extra shine with a luxurious hair oil that multi-tasks in your regimen. ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum is a sumptuous serum, nourishing oil, heat protectant and UV shield in one. Apply it through the mid-lengths and ends of damp or dry hair to dial up the glassy, glossy finish. It nourishes in 30 seconds for smoothness that lasts up to 3 days⁶ – perfect for longer-lasting, ultra-silky blow-dries.
3. Keep Hair Cool with a Color-Depositing Mask
If your hair is prone to brassy yellow tones, make sure you keep a color-depositing mask in your kit. The right one, in the right shade will help to neutralize brassiness in between salon visits. We love Color Fresh Mask, as it gets to work in just 10 minutes, reviving and refreshing your tone. Choose the shade Pearl Blonde if you have ash blonde highlights in your hair, or Cool Espresso if your ash brown mane is deep and smoky. Simply smooth your shade of choice through clean, damp hair, let it develop for the full 10 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly. The lustrous results can be seen instantly.
Looking for more ways to care for your ash brown hair color? Perfect your hair care routine with our virtual hair consultation tool. It builds your bespoke, step-by-step ritual in minutes.
* Based on master brand USD sales on the 2023 Professional Hair Color Study for the bleach coloring sub-product type category published by Kline.
¹ When using Wellaplex N°2 with Blondorplex versus Blondorplex alone.
² Versus untreated bleached hair.
³ Instrumental testing versus our regular demi-permanent color.
⁴ When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue.
⁵ When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue instrumental test vs. non-conditioning Shampoo.
⁶ When using ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum, if unwashed for 3 days, vs. untreated.