Picture the underside of a Portobello mushroom: ashy brown, highlights and lowlights, and a hint of creamy grey… drooling? Us too! And not only because we love a grilled Portobello. Our favourite vegetable has inspired a hair trend, and we are living for it! Here’s how you can jump on the mushroom brown hair trend.
Why mushroom brown?
Many highlights lean towards warmer shades of honey, copper and gold… but not mushroom brown! This trend tilts in the other direction, giving an unexpectedly flattering twist. Cooler skin tones won’t be washed out by the subtle ash, and warmer skin tones pop against the contrasting hues. Bonus: if you’ve got any grey hairs tucked away, they won’t stand out against this style, giving you extra coverage without another trip to the hairdresser. Nice!
What to ask for
If your hairdresser hasn’t heard of it, (maybe they’ve been living under a rock… like a mushroom) here’s how to describe it. Ask your hairdresser for an ashy-brown base, with highlights and lowlights applied over the top to give the colour more dimension. The end result should be subtle shades of brown and grey – no 2002 stripes, thanks. You could also work with your hairdresser to create mushroom brown balayage if a grown-out look is more your style.
How to achieve mushroom brown hair at home
Look, we need to give you fair warning – mushroom brown can be tricky! If lightener and hair dye aren’t expertly applied, you could end up with muddy brown tresses, grey stripes or splotchy brown patches… not exactly the subtle beauty we’re aiming for. BUT, if a hairdresser isn’t an option, and you’re confident in your DIY dexterity, here’s how you can get the look at home.
Step One: Choose the right dye/dyes
Be realistic about your starting colour, and choose an ash brown dye to suit. Ideally, you want at least two shades – one lighter and one darker – to create the more varied mushroom brown look.
If you’re starting with lighter hair, you could opt for a darker beige/blonde as your base shade, but if you’re a natural brunette, you might try a mocha ash brown. Remember that hair dye won’t lighten your hair. If you want to achieve highlights and less pigmented parts, you’ll need to use a product containing bleach to lighten the hair first.
Some of our favourite at-home mushroom brown dyes:
John Frieda precision foam in medium ash brown.
Loreal Paris excellence crème permanent triple protection hair colour in light ash brown.
Loreal Paris excellence crème permanent triple protection hair colour in mocha ash brown.
Schwarzkopf colour expert in natural light brown.
Loreal Paris excellence crème permanent triple protection hair colour in dark beige blonde.
Clairol Nice‘n Easy light ash brown.
Step Two: Apply the colour
Once you’ve chosen your dye, follow the packet instructions to mix and apply the colour. If you can, try a test strand first, to make sure the dye creates the colour you want. If you’re using the darker shade for lowlights, apply the lighter shade over the whole head first, going over the lowlights with the darker colour only once the first dye job is complete.
Step Three: Adjust
Check, and touch up. Mushroom brown is a trend with huge variation, and no-one said you had to get it perfect on your first go. Assess your work, and add more highlights or lowlights as needed.
Pitfalls to avoid
#1 Bleach disaster. Going from blonde to brown is always risky, but this goes double for mushroom brown. If your hair is bleached, or if you’re planning to bleach highlights, proceed with caution! Make sure you use toner to remove as much yellow pigment from your hair as possible. Why? Ashy browns and greys are blue-toned, and golden-blonde is yellow-toned. Blue plus yellow equals? Yup. Green. You can avoid this by “filling the hair” with red tones first. This will prevent the green, but will make the ashy mushroom colour harder to achieve. Best solution? Go to the hairdresser.
#2 Too grey too soon. Overdo it with the ash and you could end up less Portobello-brown princess, more mouse-grey mama. Avoid this by doing a test strand of each dye you’re using before committing to your whole head. And if you’re starting with blonde hair, don’t overdo the toner.
#3 Zebra stripes. If your multi-dimensional mushroom brown look comes out looking more “highway” than highlights, it can be tricky to fix. Avoid going down that road by carefully choosing smaller sections of hair. Don’t start them all from your centre part; choose some from around your face, and from an inch or two below your part. To avoid harsh lines and stripes, use the end of a comb to wave in and out of your hair, selecting a group of tiny sections rather than one big chunk. If you’re balayaging, use a dye brush to grip hair and slightly tease it before applying lightener. This will avoid the harsh stripe of where you apply your dye. Watch ‘How To’ videos to get your technique right, and start with sections that are less visible, leaving the most important pieces for when you’re in the flow.
How to style mushroom brown hair
The blended layers of this colour are best shown off by waves. Curl your hair with a curling wand, and run your fingers through it to create soft, subtle waves. Alternatively, use a triple barrel waver or crimper to create mermaid-waves.
If you’re naturally curly, simply scrunch some curl cream into your hair to bring out your natural coils. Light hits each piece of hair differently, creating a rippling variation of colour. Mmm, lush.
Makeup to compliment mushroom brown hair
Keep your make-up soft and romantic to best show off your mushroom brown hair. Try smoky eyes with lids of woody brown, taupe, or a pop of maroon. For lips, think nude, dusty pink, or cocoa for a more striking look. Opt for blush instead of bronzer, and go easy on the highlighter. Keep brows neutral by brushing through a clear gloss, or lightly fill them with pencil. The look you’re going for is sleek, chic, and not too dramatic.
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