If you’re devoted to your brunette hair, you might find it tricky to refresh your look. But the beauty of brown hair is that its versatile. Whether you want to go lighter for the summer or take it darker and more dramatic, there’s a multitude of brown hair color ideas that you can choose from to reignite your love for brunette hair.
Brown hair caramel balayage
Caramel balayage on brunette hair is perfect if you want to experiment with going blonder without the full commitment. With caramel balayage, you’ll keep your darker brunette roots but with lighter bronde and brunette shades swept through the lengths. It creates a natural-looking, multi-dimensional color that is flattering to all skin tones.
The beauty of caramel balayage is that it’s low maintenance. Thanks to the darker roots, this hair color will keep looking beautiful even as it grows out, meaning you’ll need to take fewer trips to the hair salon. It also looks great on straight, curly, and wavy hair, so no matter how much effort you want to put into styling that day, your hair will always look gorgeous.
It’s important to look after dyed and lightened hair to keep it looking nourished and healthy. If you go for caramel balayage, make sure to use a deep conditioning treatment regularly between salon visits. Our Glaze Super Gloss in Clear Glow is perfect for multi-toned hair color, reinvigorating your hair to leave a mirror glaze shine and extraordinary softness.
Brown to blonde ombré
Like balayage, ombré hair is fantastic for brunettes who want to take their hair blonder without losing the drama of brown hair. Where balayage has lighter shades swept through the hair, ombré will start with darker roots and then gradually turn to lighter blonde at the ends. The aim is to have a seamless, steady change from brunette to blonde.
Your hairstylist will be able to work with you to find exactly the right shades and produce the perfect ombré on your hair. You can find exactly the right hues to complement your skin tone, whether you want to start with warm mahogany brown to caramel ends, or ashy brown to platinum blonde.
Bronze highlights
A shade favoured by the likes of Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez, bronze is a great hue to enhance your brunette hair. The added golden tones will catch the light and give you a beautiful natural glow, all throughout the year. Include some face-framing highlights to bring out your most attractive features.
If you naturally have light to medium brunette hair, your stylist will be able to easily add some bronze highlights to add depth and dimension to your color. If you have naturally darker brown hair, you’ll probably have to lighten it a few shades to ensure the bronze seamlessly enhances your shade.
Rich dark chocolate
If you want to keep your hair color simple, you can still maintain a chic and stylish look with rich dark chocolate hair. Think Meghan Markle, Priyanka Chopra and Penelope Cruz, who have all pulled off this classic look. With rich dark chocolate hair, you can go for an all-over color or add some extra dimension with highlights and lowlights.
Rich dark chocolate hair will usually suit those with warmer skin tones better, but some cooler toned hues could be incorporated for lighter skin tones too. Speak to your stylist to find the best shade for you. You can keep your hair glowing and nourished between salon visits with Glaze Super Gloss in Chocolate Gleam, boosting the vibrancy of your color and leaving you with gorgeous shiny hair.
Chocolate cherry hair
Chocolate cherry hair is ideal if you want to add a little oomph and vibrancy into your hair color, but still need to keep it looking professional. It’s also great for brunettes wanting to change up their color without adding in any blonde shades.
The base will be a warm cherry red, combined with rich chocolate brown hues to create multi-dimensional color. Working with your hairstylist to create this look means that you can find your perfect blend of deep reds and browns. Chocolate cherry hair can be versatile, but with its warm undertones, it will likely suit those with warmer skin tones better.
Smoky ash brown
Smoky ash brown is the brunette color you need if you want cool tones in your hair. Ash brown hair starts with a deep brunette base but incorporates cool, smoky hues to lighten the look with a silvery sheen. You can go for an all-over smoky ash brown color, or instead opt for a smoky balayage or ombré.
Smoky ash brown hair will easily complement cooler skin tones, balancing any pink or red that might occur in your complexion. But those with warmer skin tones don’t need to worry about missing out on this trend. Just make sure to work with your stylist to find the perfect blend of warm brunette and smoky ash to make sure this color doesn’t leave you washed out.
Auburn brown
Auburn brown might typically be associated with fall hair colors, but we think it looks fabulous all year round. A rich, dark auburn balances deep brunette shades with warm, spicy reds. Whilst chocolate cherry hair leans towards the purple-red hues, auburn incorporates more red-orange tones.
Auburn brown hair is great for natural redheads who want to go darker, as the red-orange color will complement your skin tone perfectly. If you have naturally dark brunette hair, the right auburn highlights can lift your color and add vitality and warmth.
Espresso brown hair
Espresso brown hair includes cooler undertones and leans away from red and orange tones, creating a dramatic, icy look. Whilst caramel balayage and bronde highlights have been all over our Instagram feeds for a while now, a dark espresso brown brings mystery and a chic look.
This darker brunette look is super easy to maintain and flattering on most complexions. We’ve seen everyone from Olivia Rodrigo to Anne Hathaway pull this look off. Espresso brown hair can be worn as an all-over color, but consult with your stylist to find the right color for your skin tone and to ensure you still maintain a healthy glow. And, in between salon visits, use Glaze Super Gloss in Sleek Espresso to boost the vibrancy of your color and keep your hair nourished and shiny.
Chestnut brown
Chestnut brown is a shade that can liven up brunette hair whilst still looking beautifully natural. It uses warmer hues and darker brown shades to create a multi-dimensional color that always looks glossy and healthy.
Chestnut brown is fabulous for brunettes who want to add something extra to their look, and also for blondes who want to take a step to the darker side. It works great for all skin tones, although those with cooler skin tones can still rock the look by incorporating some ashier brown hues. Chestnut brown is beautiful as an all-over color or can be used with another color style, such as balayage or ombré.
Midnight brown
Midnight brown hair is as close as you can get to black without taking the full plunge. Dark hair will reflect more light, so midnight brown hair will ensure your hair always looks glossy and shiny. Lucy Liu, Zoe Saldana, and Megan Fox have all rocked this look and will usually keep coming back to this classic color.
Midnight brown can suit most complexions. You should always work with a professional hairstylist to find exactly the right shade for you and to ensure you have beautiful multi-dimensional color that won’t leave you washed out.
