60 Chocolate Brown Hair Color Ideas for Brunettes
Vibrant chocolate hues remain in the mainstream from season to season. No wonder, they are of the same importance to brunettes and girls with medium brown hair as platinum or strawberry blonde to blondes. The palette of chocolate shades varies from milk chocolate with warm red notes to the cool bittersweet one. Commonly we attribute to the chocolates all the sweet and delicious browns, such as mocha, hot cocoa, truffle brown, chocolate cherry, brown sugar, espresso, sweet cola, etc. Chocolate hair looks classy, dramatic and occasionally a little bit strict. Even men unconsciously believe that women with chocolate hair are more serious, trustworthy and loyal. That’s why dark-haired ladies happen to hold top positions much more often than lightheaded blondes. However, a chocolate brunette can easily look very feminine and romantic once she curls her delicious locks or shape them into a chic updo. Since chocolate palette is rather broad and versatile, even most blondes can afford it.
The Right Hue of Chocolate Brown Hair
The choice of the right hue depends on your skin undertone (warm/cool) and your personal preferences: some women prefer chocolate tones with a reddish tint, others try to achieve noble cold shades. With the right choice of hue, chocolate color refreshes your face and makes it look younger.
According to the four-season typology that suggests creating your image around a defined color palette that brings out the natural tones of your appearance, women with warm golden undertone of skin, belonging to the autumn colortype, will look great with chocolate hair hues, bearing a warm reddish sheen. And ladies with cool or olive skin undertones (summer or winter colortype) should try to achieve deep velvety hues without any warm red tints. Normally these are the shades such as hot or black chocolate. As for the “spring girls” with clear warm skin undertone and natural light golden blonde or strawberry blonde hair, chocolate hues are not their best choice, since a “spring” face is going to look a kind of washed out in such a rich vibrant frame.
Chocolate hair harmonizes the best with tanned skin and green, hazel or brown eyes. However, keeping in mind all the variety of chocolate hues, it would be fair to say that almost any woman can select her most flattering chocolate shade. There are fantastic examples of rich chocolate hair, complimenting fair skin with cool undertone and clear blue or blue-grey eyes. Such looks appear highly contrasting and eye-catching, but remember to make a start from something that is given to you by nature. How to choose the right hue? Viewing the gallery we have prepared for you may help a lot.
#1: Espresso Base with Hazel Ribbons
Instagram / @saloncouture_ny
Blonde and light chocolate highlights woven throughout boost the glossy effect of this mane, while the wavy texture complements the layers. Espresso colored hair is gorgeous, but it can get a little bland. Added color and texture are surefire ways to bring it to life.
#2: Medium Bob with Light Brown Highlights
A classic ‘do that suits all ages and will never go out of style is a medium chocolate bob with light brown highlights. Choose a light brown a few tones lighter than your roots for a fresh and natural look that’ll make you appear at least 5 years younger!
Instagram / @_laura_toelle
#3: Thick Brown Hair with Caramel Ribbons
Light caramel ribbons blended into a deep brown base create a bold contrast that makes a statement. Juxtaposing, multi-toned highlights are popular once again so there’s no better time to try them out! Playing around in brown tones suits every skin undertone.
Instagram / @caroline.anythingbutbasic
#4: Graduated Bob with Caramel Streaks
Rich browns aren’t only reserved for those with long locks! Add some gorgeous caramel smears for an instantly brighter complexion. The optical illusion from the color placement will also make hair look thicker and healthier.
Instagram / @hairbyelm
#5: Cherry Chocolate Balayage Bob
A wild, wavy angled bob is the epitome of cool — and pairing the style with a chocolate cherry hair shade is the literal cherry on top of the edgy, chic look. Keep the roots dark reddish brown, and allow for a slightly brighter, coppery cherry to lighten things up towards the bottom.
Instagram / @texasbalayage
#6: Rich Brown Hair with Caramel Colormelt
Here is today’s most updated version of ombre in gorgeous chocolate tones. Seamlessly blended into a deep brunette base, get the best of both worlds with a rich espresso brown that fades to a warm caramel. This delicious melt flatters both cool and warm undertones.
Instagram / @hairbykatlin
#7: Multi-Hue Brown Balayage Bob
When you’ve got a neutral, medium chocolate brown hair as your base, who says you have to stick to one tone for your highlights? Cool and warm, light and dark shades play well together when balayaged properly, and the outcome is a unique, multi-hued finish that appears creative and carefree, not messy or streaky.
Instagram / @mikaatbhc
#8: Choppy Bob with Tonal Highlights
Wispy layers combined with soft highlights are the key to messy-chic bobs. The highlights are only a shade or two lighter than the base, which makes the look totally natural. Just make sure to keep the ends of your chocolate brown hair dye job moisturized. Bleach is a blessing and a curse, because even the most subtle color can have drying effects. Try a hair masque or hot oil treatment to prevent brittle strands.
Instagram / @prettylittleombre
#9: Understated Balayage Bob
Balayage is as sexy on bobs as it is on waist-grazing tresses. With fewer inches to work with, however, there is no shame in keeping a shorter coif simple and understated. A lighter brown worked throughout your locks is sure to enliven your everyday look.
Instagram / @colorbydae
#10: Shoulder Length Chocolate Hair
These gorgeous colors are a perfect way to do cool-toned dark chocolate hair with highlights. Ask your stylist for a medium cut with just a few chin-length layers. You’ll have so many modern ways to style this cut: perfectly straight, curled under layers, or large waves.
#11: Sultry Chocolate Balayage for Thick Hair
Sometimes, adding dramatic highlights to thick hair can create a flashy, streaky style. Instead, ask your stylist to apply color using the balayage technique, which guarantees a seamless melt. Straight-haired, layered brunettes look great with dark chocolate hair as a base and just a touch of lightness blended throughout.
Instagram / @emilyjohnson_hair
#12: Sleek Ash Brown Balayage Bob
A sleek bob is hands down the best shorter ‘do rocked by modern, professional, minimalist ladies. Whether the seasons are changing or you have been sporting dark locks for too long, update your chic bob style with babylights in a delicate ash brown or a bolder cinnamon hair color.
Instagram / @alexanderscotthair
#13: Brown Layers for Thick Hair
Balayage suits layered cuts really well, since layers give loads of movement and body, and it’s great to enhance them with color. Spice your deep mocha hair color with highlights in a cinnamon shade to create a delicious coffee-inspired dye job to treat your gorgeous mane.
Instagram / @hairbyjessicascottsanto
#14: Thick Dark Curls with Copper Glimpses
Running low on hair color ideas for brunettes? If you gravitate towards warmer shades, the ruddy tint in thin copper highlights is a great bet! Start them lower down from roots and show off the dimension of your dye job styling loose flowy curls.
Instagram / @aimee_cuts_and_dyes
#15: Chocolate Hair with Toffee Highlights
Light chocolate brown hair looks incredibly sweet when striped with toffee-colored highlights, which can really warm up one’s complexion. To emphasize highlights and boost the volume up top, gather pieces of hair loosely into a braid and leave it sans hair tie.
Instagram / @jenghair
#16: Choppy Black Hair with Brown Balayage
Dark chocolate brown hair becomes even more gorgeous when set off by black. Wavy locks look like a waterfall of soft color when worn down – loose and flowing.
Instagram / @beautybyhanin
#17: Ash Brown Hair in Medium Length
Here is an example of the perfect milk chocolate shade that’s made for cooler skin tones. Going an ashier medium brown route complements a cool color palette in your looks, resulting in a more natural looking mane.
Instagram / @anhcotran
#18: Long Brown Layers with Butterscotch Balayage
Displaying a gorgeous range of hues from espresso and mocha to butterscotch and light chocolate, these locks have it all! Expertly blended through balayage, they shine and flow miraculously. Long-haired brunettes can really play with numerous nuances of chocolate hair color.
Instagram / @hairby_gabbs
#19: Black Hair with Twinkling Warm Brown Balayage
Highlighting black hair is tricky, as the contrast is often too dramatic or extreme, but a chocolatey brown balayage may be the perfect pop of warmth to transform your strands. The best part about experimenting with colors using balayage? Since your roots remain untouched, you can grow it out over time and start again.
Instagram / @crisferreira23
#20: Long Hair with a Hint of Copper
Interestingly enough, the lightest part of your hair doesn’t necessarily have to be at the ends — it can also be applied to midshaft! Hints of copper sprinkled throughout dark chocolate hair color is a unique way to stand out from the crowd and incorporate brightness into your ‘do.
Instagram / @mekey_colour
#21: Inverted Bob with Subtle Tawny Balayage
Proof of how dramatically different someone can appear through hair changes. Sass up an inverted bob with red highlights — copper or tawny is a match made in heaven for espresso hair. Working mamas, give this ‘do a whirl!
Instagram / @butterflyloftsalon
#22: Half-Up Bob with Caramel Highlights
Well-blended highlights boost the texture of your hair and minimize the styling time. Make a messy half updo just tying the upper section of your hair into a messy knot or try a cute small half up bun.
Instagram / @hairbycarly
#23: Black Base with Cinnamon Brown Balayage
If you are a brunette, a wavy cinnamon brown balayage hairstyle will look stunning on you. Rock it this summer at the beach in a loose messy bun or this fall at the office down and dangling over a cozy jumper. A longer hairstyle with color like this is super versatile.
Instagram / @hairbyheathern
#24: Dark Hair with Chocolate and Blonde Highlights
Blonde highlights may give brunette locks a whole new life, and contrasting light streaks against a deep, dark chocolate base makes a major impact. Wrap generous sections of hair around a large-barrel curling wand to create a head of bouncy waves, but leave the last inch out so you don’t lose any length.
Instagram / @cnyfacecandy
#25: Smooth Chocolate Brown Hair
This is such a sophisticated (but still sexy) style. We’re not sure if it’s the smooth, glossy layers or the espresso and cocoa tones, but this is one of our all-time favorites. What brunette doesn’t dream of hair that looks exactly like this?
#26: Cool-Toned Chocolate Highlights for Black Hair
When adding lighter tones to black hair, it’s important to ensure the shades selected aren’t orange-y or brassy, as the black base will make the contrast even harsher. Instead, a dark chocolate red works well when melted into the jet-black base and helps to brighten up your strands without actually lightening the hair much.
Instagram / @hairbyjosh_u
#27: Chocolate and Caramel Balayage Hair
We love this milk chocolate balayage on long brown hair. The layered levels of chocolate and caramel hues give this look the ultimate dimension and built-in style for the days when you just want to roll out of bed. With these stunning cascading ribbons of color you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried a balayage before!
Instagram / @alissonacostaoficial_
#28: Long Chocolate Hair with Caramel Balayage
Long, milk chocolate hair is simple and stunning on its own; but add caramel and bronze highlights, and it’s practically begging for a braided style. Braids show off highlights and draw attention to the color that’s done right, so gather up your favorite pictures as inspiration and find a hair stylist who can French, fishtail, and waterfall.
Instagram / @jenghair
#29: Long Layered Dark Chocolate Hairstyle
If you’re too proud of your dark chocolate hair color to ever dream of bringing in other colors in highlights, you can use your cut to give your shade a little dimension. When layers are added into long hair, they allow the previously weighed-down strands a chance for more movement, which can result in some effortlessly tousled texture.
Instagram / @nabisalon
#30: Shiny Dark Hair with Toasted Highlights
A chocolate hair color is anything but boring when spiced with toasted highlights. Cut hair into a lob for summer or go even shorter to be bold and beautiful at the beach. No need for a curling iron, choppy layers will give you plenty of built-in texture.
Instagram / @cristenkelso
#31: Chocolate and Honey Brown Bob
With voluminous, face-framing layers, this bob has a chic 90s appeal. The dark chocolate brown base gets a refresh with multitoned highlights worked throughout the hair. A large round brush will be your new best friend for sure.
#32: Wavy Bob with Cherry Highlights
Warm up a deep brown base with some chocolate cherry highlights. When blended into wavy strands, they create subtle dimension that enlivens your locks without being too bold. It’s a safe choice if you’re looking to experiment with color, but still want a timeless style.
Instagram / @thehairprojecthtx
#33: Layered Lob with Ginger Ribbons
Babylights are more understated than ombres, balayages, and colormelts, but they still enrich chocolate brown hair with their sweet and delicate charm. This works perfectly on a medium-length layered cut since tips look lighter when they don’t feature a solid dark color.
Instagram / @off7thsalon
#34: Caramel Balayage with Purple Touches
Who would’ve thought that caramel and purple in chocolate cherry hair would go so well together? We see this as the next summer trend, and who is better to rock it than you? Summer is a time for fun and bold moves. We think this stunning hair color falls into that category!
Instagram / @sarahzstylz
#35: Mermaid Waves in Rich Chocolate
Ladies with olive skin: if you’re running out of hair color ideas, your skin will be complimented by a rich chocolate shade! Dark chocolate brown hair is the epitome of sultry lush.
Instagram / @cristen_smith
#36: Thick Hair with Warm Brown Balayage
A warm chocolate brown hair dye painted delicately as balayage concentrated towards the ends of layered hair is a fantastic technique to consider when changing up your look. Perfect for seasonal updates, highlight the delicate hand-painted work by big, voluminous waves.
Instagram / @southmarksouth
#37: Brunette Wavy Bob with Bronde Highlights
If you like chocolate brown hair with highlights, but have always secretly wondered about the blonde life, throwing in some bronde accents turn out to be the best of both worlds. The lighter locks will contrast your base and make it look even darker, and the mix is striking, not streaky — especially when styled in soft, cascading waves.
Instagram / @hairbykatlin
#38: Light Chocolate Balayage Hair
Want to refresh the color of your long brown hair? Try a soft chocolate balayage. The warm chocolate tones look incredibly silky on wavy locks, and the lighter color brings a hint of summer to your style.
Instagram / @styledbycarolyn
#39: Chin-Length Warm Brown Balayage Bob
Chocolate brown hair is fun and playful when cut short — a chin-length bob is ultra-flirty, especially when curled to create some texture. If your locks are naturally dark, using the balayage coloring to add in darker and lighter warm brown tones allows for some interest that isn’t as extreme as blonde highlights.
Instagram / @cyauhairmua
#40: Cropped Chocolate Brown Hair
For a gorgeous take on the balayage trend that doesn’t feel too prissy, go for a cute choppy bob. Add some randomly placed honey highlights to update your natural dark hair color. This cut is girly and tons of fun. Imperfect curls only add to the allure.
Instagram/ @alexkhoeunhair
#41: Bright Caramel Highlights for Chocolate Hair
Achieve a sensational chocolate hair color by inserting bright caramel highlights. Be prepared to be bombarded with admiring compliments and see copycats, because this color is really desirable. Straight or curly, you’re a queen!
Instagram / @salonspruce
#42: Black Bob with Toffee Balayage
Who doesn’t love a rich chocolate caramel balayage on short brown hair? The added color helps an otherwise plain hairstyle pop with shine and dimension. Next time you’re at the salon, treat yourself – and your hair – to a luscious shine in warm browns.
Instagram / @hair2dyeforu
#43: Shiny Light Brown Balayage with Black Roots
With a light brown balayage, black roots won’t look too harsh. The caramel blonde is a nice contrasting color for brunettes to help thinner hair look full and more textured. Encourage the curls to reap the benefits of your new color.
Instagram / @hairbymadisoncarlisle
#44: Chocolate and Bronze Highlights for Black Hair
Could chocolate brown hair be any more stunning than with bronze highlights? A few well-placed highlights can not only help frame the face, but bring light to your complexion. A perfect look for the office or a fun weekend out.
Instagram / @_beautynative
#45: Chocolate Lob with Golden Babylights
When you’ve finally found the most flattering haircut for your face shape — in this case, a chic lob — stick with what works for you and use hair dye to satisfy any cravings for change. Warmer-toned, chocolate brown hair can transform when golden babylights are woven into the mix, giving strands a sun-kissed finish.
Instagram / @texturedbymeg
#46: Shiny Chocolate Balayage Hair
A chocolate balayage helps an otherwise basic downdo stand out. Upgrade your color with subtle highlights and try wavy messy hairstyles with sexy volume for a change!
Instagram / @beautyxjasmin
#47: Deep Brown to Beige Colormelt
Colormelting is ombré’s modernized younger sister. This is a marriage between the delicate hand painting technique that balayage offers and the seamless distribution of color typical for ombré styles. Get a beige colormelt if you want to wear a chocolate brown, but prefer ashier tones to warm hues as an accent.
Instagram / @mizzchoi
#48: Chocolate and Mahogany Brown
This chocolate cherry hair color is really incredible. The subtle way that the red tones are worked into the dark color is simply perfection. While this color would still look amazing when your hair is styled straight, it’s undeniable that curls are the best to show off cherry hues.
#49: Black Hair with Light Chocolate Balayage
For brunettes, a hairstyle with highlights in light chocolate might be just the thing. Warm tones are perfect for warm weather and fall fashion. Worn curly or straight, your hair color might borrow ideas from a Twix bar, but you’ll be the only snack in the room!
Instagram / @sincerely__melissa
#50: Chocolate Brown with Highlights
People tend to think of cocoa hair color as of a solid shade, but we’re here to tell you that you can go chocolate and still incorporate highlights. Just be sure to keep the highlights one or two shades lighter than your base color for a more natural, flattering look.
#51: Black Hair with Highlights
A ruddy brown is very complementing for brunettes. Place highlights on the lower half of your hair and along the sides of your face to illuminate your entire look! Make strands closest to your cheeks lighter to frame and brighten your face.
Instagram / @anhcotran
#52: Bold Brown-to-Caramel Ombre Lob
Few flavors beat a milk chocolate and caramel combo. The iconic duo is as much a treat for your strands as it is for your taste buds. Want proof? Just look at this medium-length ombre take on the trend. The lighter ends keep the coif playful, while complementing the richness of the chocolatey roots.
Instagram / @hairbykathynunez
#53: Dimensional Balayage for Straight Brunette Lob
A truly flawless chocolate hair color lies in the right mixture of brunette tones and shades. Straight hair can be particularly unforgiving when it comes to showing off highlights, so a dimensional balayage of lighter, warmer browns atop a deeper, more cool-toned base is key for mastering the ultimate chocolate blend.
Instagram / @stephanie_stylist
#54: Espresso and Chocolate Lob
A lob is equally classy on blondes and brunettes, but on chocolate brown hair color it’s timeless. The depth of rich chocolate tones helps eyes pop and makes the perfect finishing touch to a sophisticated night-out style. Wavy locks assist with body and bounce.
Instagram / @carla.jean.styles
#55: Brunette Locks with Chocolate Accents
A fabulous way to add some warmth to your tresses is through a subtle balayage. Chocolate highlights suit those with warm skin undertones beautifully and they soften up cooler complexions as well! The shown highlights are ideal for black or nearly black base colors.
Instagram / @keannehair
#56: Chocolate Brown Shag
Dark chocolate brown hair may not have any warm undertone. If you look best in cool tones, you’ll want to choose chocolate brown hair dye within deep ashy hues. You can add in sandy highlights that will help compliment your piecey, textured layers.
#57: Light Chocolate Curls
For bombshell hair, go for a light chocolate base color with caramel balayage highlights on the face-framing pieces and on the ends. To get these curls, use a clipless curling iron and pin each curl with a metal clip so that it sets. Keep all the pins in for fifteen minutes.
#58: Chocolate-Blonde Balayage
When a perfectly executed caramel blonde balayage meets a chocolate base, it’s simply heaven. Researching the right stylist is probably the most important part, because after a professional cut and dye job you will have a gorgeous hairstyle effortlessly, every day. Just sleep in a messy bun at night and let it down in the AM for beautiful curls and easy everyday glamour.
Instagram / @cris_cobucci
#59: Dark Brown Bob with Subtle Face-Framing Highlights
Dark chocolate brown hair is mysterious and sexy all on its own! There’s something sultry about a deep brunette shade, and a bob with sweeping layers is the perfect, equally alluring cut. To spice things up, introduce just a few face-framing highlights in a slightly lighter shade, to draw the eye towards the face and finish off the look.
Instagram / @edumottawt
#60: Wavy Locks with Tiny Babylights
Babylights, the subtle cousins of highlights, are shown off best when styled in big, voluptuous waves. When chocolate blonde hair color is done as balayage, it can suit even brunettes. This one oozes glamour and luxury, being a risk free ‘do that will never go out of style.
Instagram / @cristen_smith
Well, these were 60 chocolate looks which have inspired us the most. If you decide on going chocolate, consider whether you want to do it yourself or go to a salon. When dying your hair at home it’s important to remember that on very dark or previously dyed hair the chocolate hue you’ll obtain may differ from what you see on the dye pack. So, weigh all the pros and cons and good luck!
