French women are well known for not dying their hair, if they do, it is only to highlight their natural colour or hide any grey. This rule is more or less followed by every woman in France—as French philosophy revolves around respecting Mother Nature and sticking to the colour chosen for you.
Fashionistas are saying that Ecaille (AKA tortoiseshell in French) is trending in Paris right now. Actually, I think it always has been. French women have worn this style for years - it's basically just warm, earthy and natural highlights that have grown out.
Ombre hair has been a fashion statement for a few years now, so it's no wonder fashionistas are turning to the streets of Paris for some new inspiration on how to wear the ombre.
Since many French women prefer just to highlight their hair and have minimal colour upkeep - the écaille we are seeing has beautiful warm and earthy tones that are similar to the natural hair colour. The look tends to also be darker at the roots and lighter at the ends – probably because French women have let it grow out as they prefer to spend their weekends riding their bikes through the countryside rather than sitting in a hairdresser's chair.
Nevertheless, I love the look.
How to get the look
Think of tortoiseshell and all the colours that come in it: golden blondes, chestnuts, mahogany, chocolate, honey, and all those lovely, warm tones. The focus is not on the technique but on the tones. The key to this hair colour is that it looks multidimensional, and to achieve this look the tones have to be painted - not foiled.