If you’re looking for the perfect shade of brown hair, then look no further. Just scroll down to see this year’s most popular shades of brown hair color ideas that are sure to make you crave a dark chocolate brown hair color that’s right for you!
Go brown all over or throw some contrast into your blonde for a cool multi-dimensional effect using balayage, highlights, ombre’s, and more!
Before your next color appointment, check out these photos of popular brown hair ideas.
Chocolate Cherry Brown
This rich chocolate brunette with very strong red undertones was created by stylist Allison Campbell of Dallas, TX. “The prettiest thing about it is that it’s a very bold color combination. It combines the sultry attitude of a brunette while mixing the boldness of a redhead,” says Campbell.
“Be okay with coming to the salon every four to five weeks to freshen up the color with toner and adding warmth into the hair,” she adds. “This brunette is definitely for the female that likes to turn heads so if you’ve got time and like attention, this is the color for you!”
Campbell’s styling recommendation with a balayage on dark hair is to take the time to curl it. “Curling the hair showcases more dimension.”
Ashy Mushroom Brown for Women Over 50
For women over 50, try an ashy mushroom brown. Soft and natural, a mushroom brown is great for beginning a gray transition or for women who want to enhance their color.
Light Ash Brown
Mix in some gray on brown hair to achieve a beautiful light ash brunette hue.
Brown Hair with Hints of Auburn for Older Women
Opt for brown hair with hints of auburn for older women to give a subtle lift that will make your hair look fuller. The dimension of the soft auburn against your brunette hair looks almost like the sun has kissed your hair, warming up the skin tone and giving depth to your hair. This hue instantly makes the hair look fuller and brighter.
Dimensional Bronze Balayage for Brown Hair
A dimensional bronze balayage for brown hair is a classy choice. The balayage highlights make the perfect transitional color choice for women wanting to take baby steps into going lighter.
Dark Cocoa Brown to Caramel Blonde Ombre
Dark cocoa brown hair blended to a caramel blonde ombré is easy maintenance, and grows out beautifully as it a lightly feathered and weaves into the roots. Caramel coloring looks best on warm complexion and can be worn on long or short hair.
Copper Brown Highlights
Colored copper brown highlights are beautiful next to a brunette base. You can start off naturally brown and balayage the hair to tone with a copper brown, or do a root melt to darken the base with the copper. Maintenance will run about 6-8 weeks if you’re a lighter base and 8-12 weeks for brown bases.
Platinum Brown Balayage
What a glamorous way to change your hair! Match up your long silky hair with this light brunette color melt and add some highlights to reach perfection.
Dark Chocolate
Bring out the warmth that your long locks offer with a dark chocolate hair color. Still wanna upgrade the look? Try sporting some beach waves.
Mahogany Brown
Mean business with this blunt straight and sleek shoulder-length hair that’s mega divine.
Natural Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
This long and wavy style with natural brown hair with blonde highlights blends so naturally with the roots.
Brown Hair With Highlights
This brown hair also was given lighter, more natural brown highlights. Cherin blended the roots down with baby lights and brighter tips.
Dark and Milk Chocolate Brown
“I call this look dimensional chocolate – an all-over brown color with ribbons of dark and milkier tones,” says colorist Camille Whited of London, OH. “This color is tailored for a brunette looking for low-maintenance, rich color.”
Whited recommends you use products like Moroccan oil root boost in the crown and Moroccan oil smoothing lotion to tame all of the disbursed crazy, little frizzies throughout the hair.
Dark Golden Brown
This dark golden brown haircut has a soft, natural look. It was created by hairstylist and colorist Donna Love of Dubai.
“The color is an easy-to-maintain warm brown, as my client’s natural hair color is light brown,” explains Love. “This added warmth and depth, then I did some very fine weaves of balayage in a few places to add a slightly lighter tone and to give texture.”
Reddish Brown
“This is the perfect red-brown hair color for that brunette who what’s to see something different without the full commitment and maintenance of being a full-blown redhead,” explains master stylist Melinda Reyes of Riverside, CA.
If you’re considering brown hair colors to add a little pizzazz to your brown hair, Reyes recommends taking home sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner to maintain the color and keep it from fading. “Unite has many to choose from that serve multiple purposes like creating volume, adding moisture, or smoothing, all while protecting your hair color,” she adds.
Milk Chocolate Brown with Caramel Swirls
“I would call this look milk chocolate caramel swirl,” says cosmetologist and esthetician Alex Davis of Pittsburgh, PA. “There is so much dimension in this look, but it’s really showcased in the cut which is an inverted bob. The bob has a slight undercut in the back to remove weight from her thick hair.”
Women looking to achieve this brown hair should ask for a color pieces that are hand-painted. Adjustments will only need to be made according to what shades would match best with the woman’s skin tones and eye color depth.
Davis recommends a purple shampoo to maintain the perfect color and prevent it from being too orange or brassy.
Warm Dimensional Chestnut Brown
This brunette hair color has warm dimensional browns with hints of chestnut brown. “My favorite thing about it is the soft blend of all the different tones and the shine that it creates,” says stylist and color specialist Heather Rolland of Tampa, FL.
“The Kevin Murphy color line (Color ME) is a multi-dimensional color loaded with amazing ingredients such as shea butter, honey, and rose hip oil,” she explains. “It delivers amazing shine and leaves the hair feeling like silk. Instead of the hair being a matte solid color, you achieve a subtle multi-dimensional color without the maintenance or boldness of highlights.”
This is a great look for women who are already brunette or want to become one by adding warmth and shine with subtly changing tones.
Beautiful Bronde (Blonde+Brown)
This is the ideal combo of brown and blonde hair. It was created by hairstylist Megan Rose of Seattle, WA.
“The dimension here creates a beautifully rich and interesting twist to a classic brunette,” says Rose. “This color combo can best be described as “bronde“. Not all brunettes and blondes wants to go lighter, so this is perfect for the woman craving beautiful, natural tones with that extra wow factor!”
Rose says that wearing this color smooth and straight looks divine, but know that it will look more blended when worn straight. “Two different looks with one color combo – who doesn’t want that? Pair hair shades like this with dark red lipstick and you’ll look instantly pulled together and are pretty much guaranteed to be a compliment magnet,” she notes.
Regular trims, glosses, and touch-ups are very important to maintain this color, shape, and the overall health of the hair.
Dimensional Cinnamon Brown
“This look shows exactly what brown hair should be: shiny, healthy, and with dimension,” says senior stylist Margaret Cunningham of Wayland, MA. “We balayaged babylights into her hair to create depth and richness because brunettes can often look matte or drab,” she explains.
In Cunningham’s opinion, brunettes need richness. “Talk to your stylist about highlights/balayage and glosses to bring out tones that work best with your skin and placement that goes with your lifestyle. Make sure to also use hydrating shampoos and conditioners because a good look starts in the shower!”
Natural Light Brown
“This lady has always covered her grey hair with a dark shade of brown color, but wanted a change to something more natural that would bring her confidence,” explains stylist Kate of Thailand.
“I choose to balayage to lighten her dark brown shade to a light brown hair color so that it would keep the original color, but not so boring,” she notes. “The great thing about this look is that you don’t need to color it often.”
This look is great for all face shapes and women can easily style it at home. This look can be worn with a normal blow dry or with some curl as shown in the photo.
If you need to bleach the hair to get this color, Kate recommends you use a blue shampoo and come in once a month for toner and trimming.
Multi-Technique Brunette Shade
“Most looks nowadays are not just highlights, they involve a few techniques. For this brunette hair color, I did babylights, teasey lights, and balayage,” states colorist Raquel Checo of Danbury, CT.
Checo loves looks like this because “it gives a brown dimension and creates movement to enhance any haircut, all while staying low-maintenance.”
“With a color like this, you have to be patient because you might need a few sessions. This was her second session from having dark brown hair with highlights, and we nailed it,” explains Checo. “She did her part at home by using a lot of Olaplex to prep her for her future session, performing deep conditioning treatments once a week, and using the right shampoo. You never want to leave a salon without the proper at-home care. Results cannot be guaranteed when drugstore products are used because they will strip the color.”
This is a great color for most brunettes and can be tweaked depending eye color, skin color, and haircut. Always show your colorist pictures because those are our best guide!
Perfect Summer Sombre
The perfect summer sombre it is so fun and edgy. “I love how this color is so blended and seamless,” says head stylist Trish Rossel of Western Australia.
The best thing about this sombre is that it’s a great color for any woman who wants to be dark and light.
“This hair color and cut is perfect for the low-maintenance woman who wants a bit of texture and likes wearing her hair wavy,” explains Rossel. “The color adds a different dimension and can be suited to all types of hair, but hair that is medium in density and naturally straight is perfect for a summer sombre like this one.”
Dark to Medium Golden Brown Ombre
A dark to medium brown ombre is all about simplicity. “I love how the color blends. The transition from root to highlight creates an effortless effect,” says stylist Mary K Burt of Macon, GA.
“This color is for the low-maintenance woman who wants to enhance their natural color while having the brightness of a lived-in highlight,” explains Burt. “What’s great about this look is that it works for any face shape and any lifestyle.”
Burt recommends a good color-protecting shampoo and conditioner like Pureology Hydrate or Redken Color Magnetics.
Natural Hickory Brown with Subtle Dimension
This natural hickory brown with a subtle dimension was created by senior stylist Shelby Merz of Springfield, IL.
“For any women considering this look, I would say to take into consideration their natural color. For a base that is lighter, it would require a refresh every six to eight weeks to maintain,” says Merz. “I recommend always using a color-safe shampoo and conditioner to prevent fading.”
Dark Brunette with Light Brown Highlights
This dark brunette hair color with light brown highlights was created by stylist Erica Martin of San Jose, CA.
To style this dark hair, Martin says all you need is a great leave-in conditioner, a curling iron, and dry shampoo. “If you’re looking for a more wash and wear-friendly style, I suggest using a sea salt beach spray. Apply it to wet hair and let the air dry or diffuse to create a tousled effect,” she adds.
Milk Chocolate Babylights
These milk chocolate babylights with effortless waves were created by salon manager and stylist Amy Birmingham of Chicago, IL.
“My favorite thing about this look is that it’s an easy transition for women new to coloring their hair. It eases the lady into color without them feeling overwhelmed,” she notes.
Birmingham recommends J Beverly Hills Fragile shampoo and conditioner to maintain the color and shine. “No matter the age, skin tone or lifestyle, this look can make anyone feel great and beautiful,” she adds.
Medium Brown & Honey Blonde Balayage
This is a multi-dimensional balayage with caramel and honey tones. “This client has thick, curly hair and came in with a short, boxy bob and red/burgundy box hair dye,” explains senior stylist Francis Barrientos of Toronto, CA.
The best thing about this look is how by adding dimension, we were able to create the illusion of natural-looking hues while keeping the integrity of the hair intact.
To create this look, Barrientos used a blue powdered lightener, Olaplex #1, Additive #2, and prescribed #3 as a take home treatment. “I used Goldwell Topchic and Colorance with a balayage technique, isolating the in between pieces in foil for deeper concentration,” she notes.
Barrientos recommends this brown shade to women that want to change their hair color from a dark base and/or are growing out their hair. “It’s also ideal for women that have greys creeping up because it’s low-maintenance, and the dimensional color will camouflage the grey re-growth, stretching your next visit an extra two to three weeks,” she adds.
Rich Fall Brown with Caramel Highlights
“I would consider this a rich and texturized fall brown hair with some caramel highlights throughout,” says stylist Kristi Peters of Omaha, NE.
This look is fabulous for the woman who wants the versatility of straight or curled hair and loves the soft lived-in look. “I think the color is really great on most skin tones and hair types,” she adds.
