21 Light Brown Hair Highlight Ideas for Brunettes

Avery Hunt
Avery Hunt Hair Colorist

Light brown hair with highlights is a fantastic way to elevate your pale brunette locks! This color combination creates stunning shadows and a striking contrast to your hair.

This timeless hue paired with a defining flush of lighter tones is truly a match made in heaven. It’s flattering on various hair lengths and textures, too! The added accent enhances not just your tresses but also your facial features. This accentuates elements like eye color and jawline thanks to the brightening qualities of the color.

Textures such as curls, layers, and waves help to amplify its effects. Moreover, it establishes a transition that is rich and sophisticated. But only if those lovely highlights are applied in all the right spots.

Brown hair with highlights is a stunning hair color that many women can embrace. So what color highlights work well with light brown hair? Well, here we’ll explore some ideas on how to sport this classic radiant look regardless of the hair type you have!

Before your next salon visit, take a look at these trendy photos of light brown hair with highlights.

Photos

#1: Warm Brown Blunt Cut with Subtle Highlights

Transform your hair with a warm brown blunt cut. Subtle highlights add depth and vibrancy to enliven your brown locks. Opt for a natural look with just a few highlights to enhance your color. Depending on your complexion, various shades of blonde can complement your natural brown hair, such as golden or ash tones.

Delicate beige highlights for brunette hair
Instagram @coresalonnj

#2: Delicate Beige Highlights for Brunette Hair

Delicate beige highlights for brunette hair are the ideal low-maintenance color you seek. This shade pairs beautifully with any skin tone. The blonde accents will stand out against this stunning base color. Styling your hair with soft beachy waves will highlight your dimensions!

#3: Sleek Blonde Highlights with Dark Roots

Sleek blonde highlights with dark roots, an ideal hair color for women seeking a more effortless look with a smooth transition. This technique allows the blonde on the ends to stand out beautifully. Tip: Consult your hairstylist for shadow roots, striking face-framing pieces, and full highlights on brown hair.

an ash brown hair with golden blonde highlights

#4 Ash Brown Hair with Golden Blonde Highlights

Gentle golden highlights can enhance and enliven lighter ash brown hair. This results in a fresher and lighter blonde balayage.

This vibrant, ash brown hair with golden accents complements cool skin tones with pink hues.

wavy locks with champagne blonde enhancements
Instagram @maeipaint

#5: Wavy Locks with Champagne Blonde Enhancements

This wavy hairstyle is a classic ash bronde balayage with blonde tones and darker roots.

With a wavy cut like this, you can style it straight, curled, braided, or in its natural form. A popular choice for these blonde tones is a lovely bouncy wave.

These balayage tones are ideal for natural brunettes seeking low-maintenance upkeep. The initial appointment may take a bit longer and cost more, but it will be worth it over time. You’ll easily go 6+ months before needing to lighten your strands again.

Caramel blonde highlights for brunette tresses
Instagram @lunaemma_hair

#6: Caramel Blonde Highlights for Brunette Tresses

Caramel blonde highlights for brunette tresses present an ideal hue for women to experiment with. Warmer skin tones complement caramel shades, enhancing a vibrant glow and a sun-kissed appearance.

#7: Wavy Light Brown Hair with Subtle Highlights

We adore this short brown hair featuring reddish and lighter highlights, styled in a messy angled wavy bob. The blend of ash brown, blonde, and red highlights for light brown hair is simply charming.

This light brown wavy hair with highlights creates a fashionable look that brings depth, transition, and movement!

#8: Mid-Length Hair Featuring Ash Blonde Highlights

Cool-toned ashy highlights are guaranteed to illuminate and add shimmer to your mid-length cut and hairstyle. The contrast with the rich mocha chocolate hair enhances fair to neutral complexions.

The dimension in this ashy brown hair with fine highlights works beautifully on a sleek and straight texture.

Soft Chestnut Tresses with Golden Highlights
Instagram @chezneynicole

#9: Soft Chestnut Tresses with Golden Highlights

These delicate sun-kissed strands provide a lovely contrast to soft chestnut hair. Such hues enhance the brightness of headpieces. Additionally, fine blonde highlights can be added near the face for a flattering and slimming effect.

#10: Bold Blonde Highlights for Darker Hair

Bold blonde highlights for darker hair are perfect for women who appreciate a vibrant contrast to their existing hair shades. To achieve this look, consult your stylist for some thick strands of blonde to pair with your light brown locks.

#11: Chic Brunette Bob with Subtle Platinum Highlights

This light brown hair with blonde highlights hairstyle for short, thin hair features a layered long bob. The hair was beautifully enhanced with platinum highlights for a stylish ombre effect.

a soft brown straight hair featuring  blonde highlisghts

#12 Soft Brown Straight Hair Featuring Blonde Highlights

This natural light beige blonde ombre melts from the dark roots to long bronde strands. This delicate, low-maintenance brown hair with light blonde highlights can complement any hair length.

Elegant Long Brown Hair with Purple Tints
Instagram @cristina_gav

#13: Elegant Long Brown Hair with Purple Tints

Long brown hair with purple tints is soft and understated. These were created by hairstylist Cristina Gavrila of Romania. “The purple tints add the perfect dynamic to brunette hair, creating movement and depth,” she notes.

This mocha hair with purple tints can be flattering for different hair types. Also, it isn’t a time-consuming hairstyle; you can straighten it, curl it, or even leave it natural.

Gavrila encourages you to use products specially created for dyed hair to prevent color fading. Use heat-protecting products when using a curling iron, straightener, or blow dryer.

#14: Soft Reddish Hair Infused with Auburn Highlights

Thick, defined curls look stunning on mid-length light brown hair complimented by auburn highlights. They add vibrancy to the entire auburn appearance!

This light brown hair color with highlights features hints of copper tones that complement warm skin tones beautifully.

a golden brown hair with face framing highlights

#15 Golden Brown Hair with Face-Framing Highlights

Golden brown hair with face-framing highlights will enhance the eyes and complexion while keeping the hair dimensional and easy to maintain. Use purple shampoo between salon visits to prevent the color from appearing brassy.

a soft brown hair enhanced with caramel accents

#16 Soft Brown Hair Enhanced with Caramel Accents

Choose a lighter version of warm brown with natural caramel highlights. The ends are gently bent to create a soft movement and texture.

This light brown with highlights features a level 6 mocha-brown as a base, so ask your stylist to lift your hair by 2 levels to achieve a soft, warm hue. Light brown hair with caramel accents is a lovely option for women of any age with a fair skin tone.

Light Chocolate Brown Hair Featuring Silver Highlights
Instagram @hairby_arci_

#17: Light Chocolate Brown Hair Featuring Silver Highlights

This delicate milk chocolate brown hair color with silver highlights hairstyle is effortless. It was crafted by hairstylist Arijana Arci of Louisville, KY. The bursts of color are exquisite, and these complement any hair type.

“Half of the hair is natural brown, a number 5,” Arci explains. “I used the top section, side sections, and back (temporal bone) for highlights with 40 developer.”

She adds, “It’s better to have some natural hair color when you mix light chocolate brown hair with highlights—whether in silver or blonde hue. Styling with waves or straightened will make your balayage highlights appear more organic.”

#18: Chestnut Brown Locks with Soft Auburn Accents

Try chestnut brown locks with soft auburn accents to elevate your look. The auburn accents on this rich chestnut brown base color will definitely catch attention! Enjoy this vibrant hue throughout the year.

Rich Golden Brown Locks with Deep Highlights
Instagram @molliezeehair

#19: Rich Golden Brown Locks with Deep Highlights

This beautifully highlighted golden brown hair with waves was crafted by stylist Mollie Zee of Langhorne, PA.

“These balayaged highlights on light brown hair are for those who wish to introduce a touch of brightness. It’s also low-maintenance,” says Zee. “Plus, it can be tailored with face-framing to enhance your most flattering features. You’ll enjoy a stunning grow-out.”

#20: Rich Light Brown Hair Featuring Bronze Highlights

Rich light brown hair with bronze highlights can enhance the overall appearance while offering plenty of dimensions. Use color-safe products to maintain vibrancy and reduce dullness, and steer clear of purple shampoo.

Golden Blonde Highlights with Soft Brown Lowlights
Instagram @by_jessbrown

#21: Golden Blonde Highlights with Soft Brown Lowlights

These warm babylights (lowlights) on long brunette hair provide a natural and understated way to introduce brightness. They were crafted by cosmetologist Jessica Brown of Pleasant Hill, CA.

Brown advocates for ombre blonde highlights for her clients with darker hair tones. She mentions, “especially if you’re seeking a gentle transformation without compromising the appearance of their healthy hair. Transitioning to blonde can modify the texture.”

“From my perspective, soft brown hair adorned with highlights and lowlights like this is quite easy to maintain,” she continues. “Typically, women with this natural color schedule their touch-ups every 10-12 weeks. Thus, if you’re mindful of your expenses, this method is an excellent option for enhancing your hair’s dimension without a significant financial impact.”