Recently, chocolate cherry balayage has taken off and for good reason! Many clients are worried how bold the look will be, but the end result is so exciting! When cherry tones are mixed with chocolate, the results can be unpredictably amazing. I’ve had clients with identical hair show up back-to-back who all used the same formulation. One client had hair that pulled warm and coppery while the other’s looked deep and wine-like. That’s the magic of balayage!
These colors are universally flattering, but my favorite is under fluorescent lights. In those lights, the colors look even more chocolate-y! Once the sun hits, the cherry tones instantly pop to give your hair a whole new vibe. A few years back I worked with a middle school principal and she wanted something ‘professional but not boring’, so we did chocolate cherry. Just two days later, i got a call from her while she was at a farmers market. A stranger stopped her and asked about her hair! That’s what makes this work rewarding. I’m excited to share 25 examples of chocolate cherry balayage with you!
#1: Deep Cherry Balayage on Long, Loose Waves
I feel like the color job is standing out the most to me. The gradient from a rich dark chocolate brown for the roots to cherry for the mid-lengths shows a lot of patience. You can tell that the stylist took time with the placement. The waves are showing off the dimension flawlessly by capturing the light in all the right spots. If you want to recreate those waves at home, a one-inch barrel curling wand will do the trick. Let’s be real this is one of those colors that is just as good air dried with some texture. Instead of waiting until you see fading to get one, invest in a color safe shampoo. It’s worth it.
#2 Layered Chocolate Cherry Lob with Lived-In Texture
The combination of the layers and colors used in this look is amazing. The balayage is just the right amount of brightness so it doesn’t overshadow the natural base, it just warms everything up which is nice because it gives the eyes a place to travel. I think it says a lot when a cut looks better on day two hair than when it’s just been done, and I really mean that as a compliment. The layers around the face are doing a lot of work to soften the look, and that’s not easy to accomplish, so it takes a confident stylist to get that.
#3 Clean Chocolate Cherry Blunt Cut
I love the rich colors and the straight bottom line! The cherry tones warmth is balanced nicely with the blunt edge. I find the cut really shows off how well you keep up with trims, that clean line is doing a lot of work. You especially get rewarded for it on finer hair, this combo of structure and gloss is going to make it look thicker than it is.
#4 Cherry-Kissed Layers with Natural Movement
The amount of layering is just right so that the color is able to shine. With the cherry, I think most of the depth is in the movement, in the areas that go foward and catch the light, rather than staying flat and uniform across the surface. That sort of placement takes a bit of thought. It’s the kind of look that as the outfit settles into its shape and the color shifts, will become more and more polished over a few weeks.
#5 Chocolate Cherry Bob with Soft Dimension
Cherry highlights demonstrate just the right (and no more than just the right) amount. The warmth of the cherry highlights around the ends and the few framing pieces is nice while the base stays steady. For someone with finer hair, this length is wise because you achieve all the visual color interest without a lot of density to support it. It looks effortless which generally indicates that someone spent a lot of time and consideration on it to get to that point.
#6 Warm Chocolate Cherry with Face-Framing Layers
The front pieces are carrying the look, and they know it! That placement of balayage where the lightest cherry tones sit at the cheekbone level is doing so much more for the effect than any all-over color could. The rest of the length stays darker and richer which creates a nice contrast with warmth near the face and depth everywhere else. It’s a low-drama approach that ends up being striking.
#7 Long Cascading Chocolate Cherry Layers
The color looks great in the photos, but even better in person. You can see how many different tones shift as the light changes. The long layers cause the hair to fall naturally and show color changes in a really dynamic way. I love being able to explain to a client how considerate I need to be with a grow out. Not everyone wants to live in the salon, and this look appreciates that.
#8 Warm Chocolate Cherry Textured Bob
This shade is so pretty, landing perfectly between brown and red, and can lean towards either color based on the light. The timeless option of a textured bob that grazes the jaw is made more interesting with the addition of color. I see this as a perfect starter shade for those who have been a boring brunette for ages and want to add some warmth without going overboard. It’s a change, not a leaving.
#9 Chocolate Cherry Pixie with Playful Texture
Pixie cuts are amazing!!! They draw all attention to the face, which, by the way, is stunning! Who wouldn’t want their beautiful face to be the center of attention?! The texture in this particular pixie cut is gorgeous. The rich cherry tones colored weaved throughout the cut add warmth that softens an otherwise sharp silhouette. I love this haircut and color. It absolutely displays the stylist’s skill level – I mean look how gorgeous this is! It will take some regular maintenance (4–5 week touch ups) to keep this shape, but I have no doubt that it will be worth it.
#10 Romantic Chocolate Cherry Shoulder Waves
I think a softness comes in with the look. The wavy design and the warmer colors are lovely, as well as the length that hits at the collar bone. The cherry tones are a lot more romantic than dramatic which makes it feel more versatile than some of the bolder choices, and the color pairs easily with a silk blouse and a t-shirt. I really don’t say that about a lot of looks.
#11 Voluminous Chocolate Cherry with Rich Highlights
The volume and thickness of the hair is incredible, and it is clear the layers are working with the hair instead of against it to thin the hair out. The cherry highlights are dispersed across the middle section where they catch the most movement, and the darker roots keep everything from floating away into red territory. This is the sort of look that requires some commitment, both to the color upkeep, and to the conditioning treatments that keep hair this processed looking healthy.
#12 Mid-Length Chocolate Cherry with Natural Shine
Shininess makes me happy because I can see the colorist applied the color while maintaining the condition of the hair. The soft layers and the tousled finish give it a relaxed feel which I really love. The highlights provide depth without being too apparent. That is an expert colorist because they know that the best work is often the work that you can’t really identify. It just looks like really good hair.
#13 Shaggy Chocolate Cherry Layers
The chocolate cherry color looks good with a shag haircut because it shows off the color in interesting ways that highlight the movement of the layers. The shorter face framing layers help draw the eye up, and paired with the rest of the hair falling into relaxed modern layers, it creates an effortless contemporary feel. This look is best with some natural wave in the hair because the styling will require less work than one might expect.
#14 Textured Chocolate Cherry Bob with Warm Highlights
Doing something clever and understated with the highlights is keeping the middle sections darker, while the ends and face framing highlights add depth to the look. This makes it seem more expensive than just a solid color. Almost everyone looks good with a jaw length cut and the texture just adds to it so it doesn’t look too precious. This is the type of cut that improves the more you leave it alone.
#15 Sleek Chocolate Cherry Long Layers
This is about the gloss. Long sleek layers can sometimes appear heavy and flat, but the subtle layering continues to create movement. The sliding on the cherry tones is phenomenal. If you want a look that is polished, classy, and super easy to maintain, this is a great option. It is important to regularly condition the ends and protect them. On styles this smooth, any dryness will show immediately.
#16 Flowing Chocolate Cherry Layers with Gentle Movement
These long layers have a nice and simple drape that encircles the face in an unobtrusive way. I especially appreciate how color and cut work together in harmony. I know the warmest cherry tones are in the midsection and tips, so the elegant grow-out will be nice. If you are planning to style those waves with heat, then heat protectant spray is a must for color-treated hair at this length.
#17 Sharp Chocolate Cherry A-Line Bob
I like this A-line haircut! The angle from back to front is so clean and the chocolate cherry color is warm and keeps it from being too cold. The end layers add enough softness to avoid the helmet head A-line cuts can end up with. This cut looks very decisive, conveying that the person wearing it knows what she wants.
#18 Angled Chocolate Cherry Bob with Soft Highlights
I think the angle on the bob is good and the highlights are nice and naturally placed. The technique used here is really good because it helps give finer hair a lot more dimension and thickness, which is really good when the hair is less dense. The shorter length will also help the colour to look fresher for longer because it will be kept at that length due to regular trims. I love practical looks, and this is a perfect example of that!
#19 Polished Chocolate Cherry Long Layers
I appreciate the timelessness of this look. The layers are classic, the waves are soft, and the chocolate cherry hue is warm enough to keep it from being boring. This is a style a client can commit to long term and still feel good about it. It does not lean on a trend too heavily. The color has a certain smoothness to it that suggests the hair underneath is also well taken care of, which is always going to be the foundation of any color being its best.
#20 Textured Chocolate Cherry Lob with Cherry Accents
The cherry accents light up in waves. The color gradually shows when the hair moves. For someone who wants brightness that’s not the first thing you notice, this is a nice touch. The softer texture of a shoulder length style is universally flattering, and it’s a cut that looks great with a blow dry, an air dry or even a messy second day. With a busy routine, that sort of versatility is really nice.
#21 Structured Chocolate Cherry Stacked Bob
The back stacking gives this bob fullness and shape that a blunt cut will never give, and the chocolate cherry color adds even more structure and dimension from all angles. The lighter ends are a great touch as they help to really draw the attention to the shape of the cut. I would recommend this to anyone wanting a style that looks really intentional and finished, even when they haven’t put a lot of effort into it. It does mean that you need to get your hair cut regularly to keep the stacking sharp, but that is a small price to pay for how amazing this looks.
#22 Warm Chocolate Cherry Lob with Effortless Waves
These waves may look effortless and casual, but creating this look is actually a lot more challenging than it appears to be. The hues of chocolate and cherry are warm and inviting. The subtle layers add volume just enough to give some movement without changing the overall length. To prevent the tones from washing out too soon, use a sulfate-free shampoo. This style really gives off the impression that the wearer has gorgeous natural hair, and that’s the best compliment I could give a colorist.
#23 Glossy Chocolate Cherry Layers with Soft Movement
I appreciate this balayage. The blend of dark shades at the roots and light cherry ends is seamless. The hair has clearly been very well maintained, the gloss and waves are so alive, and the subtle waves keep the long hair from looking flat and lifeless. Overall the look is classic and could even be done in color combos like this. Not every hairstyle has to be groundbreaking to be good, and in fact this is one of those styles.
#24 Soft Chocolate Cherry Lob with Warm Dimension
Here, the color is doing most of the work, and the cut is happy to let it do so. The gentle face framing layers and overall shape have a softness that works with the cherry tones, rather than against them. I find that with this particular length, grazing the shoulders, the chocolate cherry color tends to look most balanced because there is enough hair to show the transition, but not so much that the lighter ends get lost. It’s well proportioned all around.
#25 Glamorous Chocolate Cherry Waves on Long Layers
Long layers are so much fun especially with lots of colors! I think the soft waves are better to show off all the colors. The more defined waves help give structure to the whole hairstyle. With this style, the cherry tones give a warm natural glow to your complexion. This is a self carrying style, which means you can walk out the door and feel done up without having to do much. While the color will need to be refreshed, the layers are enough to get you through a few salon visits.
#26 Chocolate Cherry Soft Waves at Medium Length
This blend of brown and dark red is understated, yet warm and welcoming versus an over the top color application. The soft waves and medium length offer versatility that is sadly underrated. This is hair that works with you no matter if you are dressing up or just running errands. The hair is also real and not synthetic which tells me that either the natural wave pattern is being worked with beautifully or the stylist is very skilled at heat wave styling. This is hair that works with you.
Enter your email and get this picture and description straight to your inbox, and you'll also get new hair ideas ❤️
🔒 We don't spam or sell emails. See our Privacy Policy.