Brown hair with highlights is an iconic trend that has existed for a long time. It’s known for the mesmerizing contrast from blending lighter hues against a rich brunette base. I’ve found that this striking color combination can bring out certain features in your hair, such as texture, volume, and even length, depending on the placement of the highlights. This results in giving your hair a beautiful dimension!
Highlights can add warmth to your brown hair color and give you that wonderful sun-kissed effect that every girl wants right now. It can also be a fashionable way to contour your features by painting ribbons of lighter hues around the face.
Before your next hair color appointment, check out these photos of popular brown hair with highlights!
#1: Long Dark Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
Give off a modest yet radiant vibe with this long dark brunette hair with blonde highlights, curled at the ends. Note how beautifully the balayage blonde streaks can highlight your dark brown strands and waves!
#2: Dimensional Highlights with Soft Framing
If your hair is boring and you’re looking to add dimension to your brown hair, then dimensional highlights with soft framing could be the perfect option for you. By adding highlights that blend seamlessly with your natural color, you can achieve a beautiful and sun-kissed look. Opt for tones that complement your skin tone, such as warm, caramel hues for olive and tan skin. If you have lighter skin tones, talk to your colorist about making the highlights level 7 or above. This technique will give your hair a natural-looking and multi-dimensional effect that will enhance your overall appearance.
#3: Brunette Hair with Light Brown Highlights
Try brunette hair coloring with light brown highlights. This is a low-maintenance color. Remember that dyeing your hair will require you to use professional products at home.
#4: Fluffy Brunette Hair with Pink Highlights
Embrace the boldness of fluffy brunette hair with pink highlights for a stylish cut. I suggest pink highlights to add a playful touch to your fluffy short hair. The combination of brunette and pink creates a dynamic and eye-catching contrast. These highlights add depth and dimension to your hairstyle, making it stand out uniquely. Be sure to ask for your desired level of intensity for the pink highlights. Let your stylist know whether you prefer subtle or bold pops of color. The fluffy texture of your short hair provides the perfect canvas for pink highlights.
#5: Side-Swept Gorgeous Brown Long Hair
Go for a gorgeous long side-swept hairstyle with brown hair highlights. The advantage of adding dark to your hair with highlights is that you will create more contrast. It’s beneficial to make your blonde look lighter by adding dimension. If you already have dark hair, it will also be a lower maintenance color option every 8-12 weeks.
#6: Mushroom Brown Hair with Subtle Natural Highlights
Mushroom brown hair with subtle natural highlights is naturally effortless everyday hair. You’ll need to go in every five weeks if you have grey hair. Ask your stylist to touch your roots and add fine foils for a seamless, natural blend. When it comes to your cut, ask for a razor cut. The razor softens coarse hair and controls and eliminates weight removal. These subtle highlights are for you if you’re that everyday woman who wants a wear-and-go style. It’s soft, and it’s trendy and easy to maintain.
#7: Warm Blonde Money Piece on Short Brown Hair
Looking to liven up your short brown hair but prefer natural hair colors? A sandy highlight can brighten up any shade of brown and give your hair a more youthful glow. Ask for a root shadow for a more low-maintenance salon schedule.
#8: Hazelnut Tones for Brunette Hair
Have your brunette mane look gorgeous with hazelnut tones. The contrasting colors give off a multi-dimensional tone and add depth to your hair. Glistening warm highlights give your hair a delicious shine. If you want to spice up your hair and try natural-looking highlights, go for it.
#9: Dark Brown Balayage with Barely-There Highlights
Get beautiful luscious locks with a dark brown balayage with barely-there highlights. Glistening highlights will give your dark base some much-needed dimension. Barely-there highlights will liven up your hair color and blend seamlessly. Wave your hair with a curling iron and use some light hairspray, and your hairstyle will hold all day.
#10: Babylights on Warm Brown Balayage
Babylights on warm brown balayage create such a beautifully subtle yet noticeable look. This is also a great way to give a sun-kissed effect to your dark head of hair. A very popular hairstyle is the beach waved look. How to best achieve this look is with a 1-1.5 inch titanium curling iron. It’s best to leave your ends and curl all your hair above it. Once your hair is curled, I like to spray with a shine/oil spray and comb through the curls!
#11: Inverted Bob with Light Brown Accents
An inverted bob paired with light brown accents could be the perfect look to keep some of your natural hair colors. The light brown accents will accentuate your brown hair and make it sparkle. Ask your stylist if they have any ideas to make your color pop.
#12: Honey Beige Bronde Hair with Partial Highlights
Get your hair to sparkle with honey beige bronde hair with partial highlights. When you highlight your medium brown hair, you can achieve warm honey-rich highlights easily. Locks with warm, rich tones will reflect light and look super shiny. Beautiful honey-blonde accent tones will look natural on your brown hair and glisten in the sunlight.
#13: Pink and Bronze Highlights on Dark Hair
Have some fun with pink and bronze highlights on your dark hair. Colors of intense browns will give your hair dimension and make lighter tones pop. Fashion colors require some upkeep so that you will be in the salon more frequently. Ladies, go for it if you have been waiting to add fun, vibrant colors to your locks.
#14: Light Brown Balayage for Medium Hair
Try an easy-maintenance color with light brown balayage for medium hair. Balayage is a great technique if you need something that is truly low maintenance. Your hair and wallet will benefit from getting balayage instead of dyeing your hair with traditional highlights. Balayage is more natural and will look good for months.
#15: Warm Highlights on Wavy Brown Hair
Warm blonde highlights on your wavy brown hair can show off the shape of your curls and add dimension. Blondes, on the other hand, would want to add some lowlights for the same effect. Upkeep is simple, every 4 weeks for a color glaze and every 12 to 14 weeks for a partial highlight refresh.
#16: Long Sun-Kissed Hair with Babylights
Liven up your long locks with sun-kissed hair. Babylights give you the perfect amount of lightness to your stands for subtle shine. Your skin tone will look more vibrant and healthy with sun-kissed strands falling around your face. Babylights give off such a glow and will make your strands look beautiful.
#17: Sultry Espresso Brown with Light Brunette Highlights
A vibrant shade of espresso brown with light brunette highlights can class up your long hair. Styling and giving your darker hair with hair highlights some voluminous waves show off your chic dimension. This beautiful look is an excellent way to add highlights to your dark hair without doing too much damage.
#18: Dimensional Dark Blonde Highlights
The best way to display dimension is on dark brown locks, allowing the blonde hue to pop yet brighter. A wavy style highlights brown hair and its dimensions.
#19: Face-Framing Highlights on Espresso Brown Hair
Face-framing highlights on espresso-brown hair can accentuate and soften your facial features. They provide an illusion of dimension to any cut. If you’re one of the beauties with defined cheekbones, a framing money piece and waves can emphasize them!
#20 Burgundy Brown Hair for Older Women
This elegant hairstyle features medium-length burgundy brown hair with soft, face-framing layers. The rich burgundy hue adds a youthful vibrancy, perfect for older women looking to refresh their look without going too bold. This style works well for those with medium to thick hair, enhancing natural volume and texture. The soft waves add a touch of movement, making it a flattering choice for various face shapes. This color requires regular maintenance to keep its vibrant tone.
#21: Stunning Sun-Kissed Highlights on Chestnut Brown Hair
These sun-kissed highlights on chestnut brown hair are stunning. It’s a combination of highlights, balayage, and a face frame. Your colorist may tone your hair with a milkshake silver shine shampoo. To keep your color fresh, I recommend you use the milkshake silver shampoo once a week.
#22 Cool-Toned Highlights on Warm Brown Hair
This hairstyle features long, wavy brown hair with cool-toned highlights and lowlights, adding a modern touch to the warm brown base. The highlights and lowlights create a multi-dimensional effect, enhancing the natural waves and adding depth. Ideal for medium to thick hair, this style suits various face shapes and provides a trendy, low-maintenance look. Perfect for those wanting to update their hair with a fresh, contrasting color.
#23: Perfect Ash Brown Balayage for Brunettes
An ash brown balayage for brunettes creates that subtle smokey tone you’ll love! Look at how those full highlights appear soft and seamless. The perfect haircut and style must be something that adds emphasis to the ash-brown hair color. A long layered chop with waves is the optimum combo for such ash-brown highlights.
#24: Radiant Brunette Highlights on Cinnamon Brown Hair
Brunette highlights on cinnamon brown hair result in a beautiful, radiant style. It’s best to style your tresses with waves to avoid a flat finish when wearing shades like this. Hair color like this looks more promising when shiny, so use oil for added glow.
#25: Rich & Vibrant Dark Highlights on Dark Hair
Dark highlights result in a vibrant dimension. You can add soft waves and subtle texture for a chic finish. Plus, doing so will make your blonde highlights pop.
#26: Natural-Looking Chestnut Highlights on Rich Dark Hair
How can you not be obsessed with these hair highlights for brown hair? It offers chestnut highlights on rich dark hair, complementing dark brown eyes. When styling, curl your long tresses away from the face and apply hairspray. That should boost your natural beauty.
#27: Gorgeous Brown Balayage with Highlights
Merging brown balayage and highlights creates warm tones, perfect with loose waves. Spritz a sea salt and sugar spray to your lengthy mane, adding a bounce to your cut without weighing it down. The face-framing highlights will brighten up any skin tone.
#28: Jewel-Like Dark Brown to Light Brown Ombre Highlights
Dark brown to light brown ombre highlights will let your long tresses glow like jewels. For hair that’s fine and straight, beach waves and texture will add volume to it. Keeping your roots darker can make fine hair appear thicker, while the ombre highlights add that pop of color you are searching for.
#29: Flattering Balayage Highlights for Dark Chocolate Hair
These dark chocolate locks are perfect if you have a warm skin undertone! It features flattering blonde balayage highlights for dark chocolate hair. The dimension makes a sun-kissed effect that is natural on long soft waves. Always consider the upkeep when choosing your future new hair color. A bronde hair color is a great option for quarterly salon visits.
#30: Prettiest Light Chocolate Highlights for Black Hair
Long, soft waves and subtle highlights in a chocolate brown hue—what a combo! These light chocolate highlights for black hair are perfect when opting for a bit of a shine. Dark brown highlights are a great idea, too, for a more subtle finish. The volume is what makes the color accentuate even brighter.
#31: Unique Rose Gold Highlights
I’m drooling over those hints of strawberry intertwined with a rich, dark chocolate brown base! This pretty and refreshing style gives you a pop of uniqueness and edge. Keep in mind that rose shades will fade fast. Ask your stylist what your upkeep and home maintenance will be.
#32: Eye-Catching Dark Brunette with Red Highlights
Go for a quirky and bright hairstyle when you have a brunette hair color and pair it with red highlights. It creates dimension in your hair without effort. Reds can spice up your dark-toned mane and give contrast and depth. This dark red-brown hair that’s two-toned is a must-try!
#33: Lovely Rich Brown Hair with Silver Streaks
Add some flashes of silver streaks on your brunette mane for a livelier look! This is a very stylish technique to add brightness to your brown hair. Using a purple shampoo at home will keep your blonde looking bright and vibrant.
#34: Top-Notch Medium-Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
Wavy medium-length hair that’s painted with medium-brown highlights looks amazing. The transition from dark to light and honey balayage make this a top-notch hairstyle. This honey shade is a perfect color to try if you want to go lighter but are slightly hesitant.
#35: Chestnut Hair with Electrifying Blue Highlights
Pairing it with electrifying mermaid azure streaks is a cool way to wear ashy brunette hair! Wavy chestnut hair with blue highlights is a unique hairstyle if that’s what you’re looking for.
#36: Amazing Dark Red-Brown Hair With Subtle Highlights
Amp up your bob with a combination of vibrant and dimensional reddish-brown colors! Wine red hair brightened by blonde highlights produces amazing dimensions if you have straight hair.
#37 Lived-In Caramel And Blonde Highlights
This hairstyle showcases long, wavy brown hair with caramel and blonde highlights, creating a sun-kissed, natural look. The highlights are expertly blended, adding depth and dimension while maintaining a lived-in, low-maintenance appearance. Ideal for medium to thick hair, this style suits various face shapes, enhancing the hair’s natural movement and texture. Perfect for those wanting a vibrant yet effortless style that brightens their overall look.
#38 Impactful Brown Hair with Red Highlights
This stunning hairstyle features long, dark brown hair with vibrant red highlights, creating a striking contrast. The red streaks add depth and dimension, making this look perfect for those with thick hair who want a bold, modern update. The wavy texture enhances the color blend, giving a dynamic and lively appearance. This style requires regular maintenance to keep the red vibrant but is perfect for anyone looking to make a statement with their hair.
#39: Mahogany Highlights
Why not add vibrant crimson pieces to your mahogany mane for a spicy look?! These can save you the upkeep of having solid red hair and still offer you a hot hairstyle.
#40 Swirled Purple Highlights in Brown Hair
This striking medium-length hairstyle features rich brown hair accented with vibrant swirled purple highlights. The wavy texture adds dimension and movement, making the purple hues pop beautifully. Ideal for those with medium density hair, this style suits oval and heart-shaped faces. The unique color combination is perfect for anyone looking to make a bold statement, though be aware that maintaining the vivid purple will require regular salon visits for touch-ups.
#41: Fun & Edgy Pink Highlights
Kick it up a notch without major commitment! If you want to do fun colors but can’t make it to the salon all the time, the best thing you can do is add some rose pink highlights to your brown hair!
#42: Best Dark Cocoa with Auburn Highlights
Transition your hair into this dark cocoa color with auburn highlights to bring out hints and vibrancy of reds. These undertones look stunning if you have simple straight hair. This is ideal when you want a super stylish look with just enough maintenance needed.
#43: Fantastic Light Brown Hair
Light brown hair with highlights looking fantastic on a layered tousled lob. Using face-framing blonde highlights on brown hair going around the face can make your skin look bright and lively!
#44 Beautiful Platinum Blonde Highlights on Ash Brown Hair
This hairstyle features a chic bob with platinum blonde highlights on an ash brown base, creating a striking contrast and dimensional look. The soft waves add volume and movement, making it ideal for fine to medium hair. This cut flatters oval and heart-shaped faces, accentuating the cheekbones. While the highlights add brightness and a modern touch, they do require regular upkeep to maintain their vibrancy and prevent brassiness. Perfect for those seeking a stylish, contemporary look.
#45 Marvelous Light Blonde Highlights
This hairstyle features long, dark brown hair with light blonde highlights. The soft, beachy waves add movement and texture, creating a natural, sun-kissed look. Perfect for medium to thick hair, this style is low-maintenance yet striking. The contrast between the dark roots and light ends adds dimension, making it ideal for those seeking a fresh, modern update without frequent salon visits. Suitable for various face shapes, especially oval and heart-shaped faces.
#46: Coolest Gray Highlights in Brown Hair
This one’s a smart and gorgeous hairstyle if you have naturally dark hair without much maintenance. A silver balayage plus soft waves make for unique and gorgeous hair highlights! This is a perfect option if you are starting to grey and want to blend your natural color.
#47: Warmer Golden Highlights in Dimensional Brown Hair
A golden butter balayage is perfect if you have brown locks. You can opt to put in some highlighted layers for added dimension. Feel free to go the extra by opting for brown hair with golden highlights. This color transitions beautifully from dark to light without any harsh lines. The warmer tones are beautiful, but it’s important to avoid brassiness. This color technique is perfect if you don’t want a lot of maintenance.
#48: Caramel and Toffee Highlights
Caramel highlights in brunette hair are super stylish when styled into a tousled wavy toffee lob! Its softness and volume will get your attention. If you’re a brunette, caramel, and toffee highlights are the perfect examples of an eye-catching dimension.
#49: Beautifully-Blended Bronde Highlights
If you have naturally very dark or deep brown hair color, ask for a combination of foilayage and babylight. The balayage in foils will give your hair maximum lift and create a lived-in style. To break up harsh lines and create a beautiful blend, smudge the roots. This combo technique is for dark brunettes looking to achieve a “bronde” effect with minimal upkeep.
#50: Warm Brown Hair with Fiery Copper Highlights
Use a warm copper-brown base with pops of copper highlights throughout your hair to achieve this chic yet sophisticated color. Copper hair color is ideal for almost all women and is highly achievable for many hair types. You should know that red tones fade fast.
#51: Low-Maintenance with Ash Blonde Highlights
Balayage dark brown hair with highlights is low-maintenance on the regrowth. It’s perfect if you don’t want to be in the salon too often. You can also choose to refresh the toner once it washes out. The lighter you choose for your color, the higher the maintenance, and also expect a price increase.
#52: Short Mocha Brown Hair
A brown blunt bob with naturally blended highlights and lowlights looks wonderful. The light brown highlights on dark brown hair complement each other so well. Even if you’re not going to heat style your dark brunette with blonde highlights, you still need a heat protectant because the sun alone can damage your hair.
#53: Yummy Chocolate Brown Hair with Caramel Highlights
A long, tousled bob with rich chocolate, honey, and caramel tones is perfect for a wash-and-go person. Use a bit of mousse for this haircut and color, like Moroccan Oil Beach Wave Mousse on dry hair. Finish it with a bit of texture spray for volume and added definition. Try Surfrider Texture Spray, and it’ll make the most of your chocolate brown hair with highlights.
#54: Natural Brown Hair with Bright White Highlights
Natural brown hair with white highlights as a balayage is beautiful. It’s a fun dimensional color and a different way of highlighting hair. If you get your hair cut with long layers, it will create a lot of movement in your hair. Curls make your colors pop and show the contrast between dark and light! A color like this may take multiple sessions and cost $150-200 each time. Going slower to get this blonde is the best way rather than trying to do it all at once. This can be very damaging and nearly impossible to come back from.
#55: Fabulous Purple Ombre Highlights
A balayage purple ombre on a deep brown hair color looks sleek when cut into an A-line, triangular bob. A smokey, deep lavender balayage or ombre style looks great as it grows out. There are no harsh lines of demarcation. However, the vivid purple color will only last 4-6 weeks.
#56: Thin Light Brown Hair with Soft Honey Highlights
Thin, light brown hair with honey highlights screams warmth, softness, & fun! Ask your colorist for some warm brunette lowlights intermixed with honey highlights. Use a texturizing/salt spray to add texture & softness to your bob style.
#57: Shiny Honey Blonde Highlights for Dark Hair
The richness of the honey blonde highlights for dark hair color is stunning! It’s a nice honey tone with a rich brown base color. It shows contrast and depth while still looking natural. It’s a perfect transition to fall tones from that brighter summer blonde. The honey-toned highlights can be placed so they don’t need to be retouched for 3-5 months. With good products, your brown hair with blond highlights will maintain its shine. I recommend you try the Kevin Murphy line.
#58: Seamless Light Brown Highlights on Chocolate Brown Hair
When it comes to hair trends, most stylists are influenced by short brown hair that has been naturally kissed by the sun. When highlighting brunettes, you don’t go for real bleached color. It has to look natural and seamless as it was kissed by the summer sun. These chocolate brown highlights are kept warm to compliment the deep-colored base.
#59: Flirty Brunette Hair with Strawberry Blonde Highlights
Brown highlighted hair color looks amazing on redheads. If you were a natural redhead as a child, you know your red had become drabber as you aged. Try to stay on the natural side of red, meaning a copper-based, not violet-based, tone. With redheads, the trick is to keep your tones believable, which means tons of dimension. Ask for some lighter strawberry-blonde (again, a copper-based tone) highlights. That way, you feel lighter for the spring transition but retain your redhead identity.
#60 Modern & Chic Golden Highlights
This long, dark brown hairstyle features modern and chic golden highlights, adding a touch of warmth and brightness. The highlights are expertly blended through a balayage technique, enhancing the natural waves and creating a seamless, sun-kissed look. Ideal for those with thick, wavy hair, this style suits oval and heart-shaped faces. The golden tones add dimension and shine, making it a stylish yet low-maintenance option.
#61: Balayage Hair with Burgundy Highlights
A blended burgundy/violet balayage with a deep brown looks spectacular. Adding some teasylights (teased foil highlights) through the top helps to break up what could otherwise be a harsh base color. The best thing about this brown style of balayage makes a very bold violet-red look much more natural and approachable. This burgundy is brought to life in natural light but can also look very subtle in other light.
#62: Red and Blonde Highlights
The beautiful lows of a rich red and the highs of a cool-toned natural blonde on brown tresses are eye-catching. With this mixture of natural-looking highlights, don’t you think of fire? Ask your stylist/colorist first to go completely red, then add blonde highlights to your hair. Be prepared to have your roots done every 4-6 weeks.
#63: Light Caramel Highlights on Straight Mousy Brown Hair
Combining caramel and chocolate colors blends nicely in these gorgeous caramel highlights on naturally brown hair. If you’re a brunette, spice your color with a few different natural tones.
#64: Full-Looking Brown Curly Hair with Golden Highlights
This curly hair with golden highlights is best if you have brunette hair and want blonde and brown hues and a warm golden-toned balayage. You’ll need a root touch-up for your color every 5 weeks and a balayage every 3 months.
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