50 Ideas for Light Brown Hair with Highlights and Lowlights
There is a joke claiming that everything is simple with women: straight hair has to be weaved, curly – relaxed, short – extended, long – cut. We may go on and add that blondes want to be brunettes and dark-hair girls see themselves blondes in their dreams. With highlights any change of hair hue is getting softer. It can be very subtle and absolutely in tune with your natural hair color. Or you can become a “bronde”, for instance, which is a blend of a brunette and blonde, why not? Besides, there are tons of interesting solutions with full/partial highlights and lowlights. Here is a gallery of 50 most eye-catching ones.
Highlights and Lowlights
Highlights are a spice of your dark brown or light brown hairstyles. Even the simplest haircut looks exquisite with the right chosen and done highlights. They will bring out your eye color and skin tone, add body to your hair and look stunning whether you wear your hair lose or style it in sophisticated dos.
Basically highlights are at least 2 tones lighter than your natural color. When they are done all through the head, these are full highlights. Partial highlights are done more locally, from the crown towards the bangs, for instance, or mainly for side tresses. Sometimes, lowlights are added for the 3-tone dyeing. Lowlights are normally at least 2 tones darker than your natural hair. To make highlights or/and lowlights on brown hair colorists use either traditional foil techniques for precise streaking or the balayage method when dyes are applied with special paddles.
The latest hair trends suggest natural looks and subtle transitions of hair colors and shades, which make your basic color more radiant, accentuate your eyes and skin tone. Pale skin and soft brown hair, for example, go well with highlights just 1 shade lighter. However, you may also opt for more contrasting bolder solutions.
Light Brown Hair with Highlights or Lowlights
Let’s see the ideas in photos in order to have a better idea.
#1: Side Swept Waves for Ash Blonde Hair
Don’t want to go fully blond? Try out one of our favorite color ideas. Ash blonde is a step between blonde and brunette and is a nice, subtle change. Hair with highlights is always more multidimensional than monochromatic locks.
#2: Long Chocolate Hair with Subtle Highlights
Lighten up your brown locks with cool ash highlights. They lift the color and give your locks gorgeous brightness. Layers will help to balance the cut even further, adding your hairstyle texture and dimension.
Instagram / @cristen_smith
#3: Golden Bronde Colormelt
Blend highlights and lowlights for a hairstyle with endless depth. The colormelt is stunning and perfect for those who are noncommittal. You get the best of both worlds with a little brown and a little blonde. No need to choose when the hues complement each other so well.
Instagram / @cristen_smith
#4: Chocolate Bob with Golden Blonde Highlights
Light brown hair with blonde highlights is delicate and feminine. The long streaks of honey extend through the length of the wavy, neck-length bob and enhance the effect of the coy and flirtatious peek-a-boo bangs.
Instagram / @_julieanna
#5: Light Caramel Balayage for Brown Hair
Your swoopy shoulder-length waves will glow even brighter if you dress them up with some rich caramel highlights. The side-parted, peek-a-boo bangs add a hint of Hollywood glamour.
Instagram / @michelepritchardhair
#6: Thin and Soft Highlights
The soft, barely-there blonde streaks in this bob are totally chic. Subtle highlights are a great option when you want partial highlights, or you can go all out and have some highlights in the under layers as well. Because every stylist has different ideas of subtlety, you’ll do best if you bring in a picture.
#7: Highlights on Sandy Brown Hair
Some of the best highlight ideas for light brown hair are all based on achieving a natural look. Think of this style as the recreation of the highlights you used to get as a kid after long days spent outside. With inspiration like that, you’ll achieve a youthful style.
#8: Medium Brown Hair with Golden Highlights
Light brown hair with highlights is a big opportunity for creativity. You can do whatever you want. This style combines the balayage technique with stand-out streaks for a super pretty, fun style. With the blonde skewing on the golden side and the brown showing mild tones of red, this look is for those with a warm skin tone.
#9: Sophisticated Light Brown Balayage Hair
The light brown hair color for the lengths set off by dark roots adds a sense of fullness and depth to otherwise flat and lifeless hair. The delicate tones of the balayage pattern are muted and lend an air of refinement that helps fine, limp hair appears bouncy and healthy.
Instagram / @douglasgarciaoficial
#10: Painted Balayage Highlights
This light brown hair look is perfection. You can’t go wrong with these flattering tones and textures. Ask your stylist for painted on (or balayage) highlights that are brighter near the face. Then have her style it with modern loose waves.
#11: Multi-Toned Bob with Lowlights
Partial highlights are typically placed through the top layer of the hair off the part, so that they fall over the rest of the hair. The darker hair underneath with the blond on top makes for a sassy look. Light brown hair color can be known for skewing “mousy,” – this look is anything but.
#12: Angled Bob with Light Brown Highlights
The caramel and ashy tones in this hair color are so pretty! The addition of just a few thin blonde highlights makes it super fresh and modern. To keep the look contemporary, go for a choppy bob with no bangs. For a city chic look style it with bendy waves.
#13: Shiny Blonde Ribbons for Toffee Brown Base
Light brown hair with highlights is a guaranteed wow-worthy combination. The balayage mixed with babylights oozes beachy vibes, and the loose waves emphasize it even more. The lived-in look is perfect for someone who is laid-back and a big fan of effortless style.
Instagram / @soraverly
#14: Cool-Toned Bronde Lob with Blonde Highlights
Wear a beachy hairstyle all year round with a shoulder-length lob that boasts sun-kissed light brown hair with highlights. The bright blonde streaks that meander throughout the cut enhance the appearance of deeper, chunkier waves and the darker roots keep the color looking naturally bleached.
Instagram / @eversonfernandes_
#15: Brown Blonde Hairstyle with Loose Waves
Get a totally beachy look by creating gentle waves using a large barrel curling iron. Part your hair to the side to create lengthy bangs that blend easily into the mane. Keep your natural darker hair color mostly at the roots and add highlights throughout. Or, on the contrary, freshen your light brown hair with lowlights, the result will amaze you!
#16: Soft Caramel Bronde Balayage Hair
The caramel bronde balayage has the perfect combination of highlights and lowlights, and when it’s parted in the center, the bright blonde bangs act as an ideal face frame. The versatile, shoulder-length hairstyle features sharply cut choppy ends and the best length to be easily styled into a ponytail or a bun.
Instagram / @samanthacusicklondon
#17: Bronze Highlights for Brunettes
Your super-long, chocolate-colored hair can appear sleeker and shinier with light brown highlights with a metallic, bronze sheen. The oversized knot in the back shows off the nuances of shades and balances out the large loose waves on the bottom.
Instagram / @glayda
#18: Toffee Brown Lob with Golden Blonde Highlights
Golden highlights pair well with brown locks because not only is the color gorgeous, but it helps to emphasize the sheen of your locks. That frizz-free shine is what gives hair its healthy glow. Plus, it’s easy to maintain with this medium-length cut.
Instagram / @chrisgreenehair
#19: Mid-Shaft-To-Ends Ash Blonde Balayage
A balayage already delivers effortless style with its luscious mix of colors. What makes it even better is when your hair grows out, with the dark roots your hairstyle gains more contrast and gets chicer. So, you can skip your routine six-week touchups, which is also healthier for your locks.
Instagram / @romeufelipe
#20: Scattered Golden Highlights for Chocolate Hair
Light brown hair with blonde highlights is the key to shiny locks with depth. The lighter shades bring a subtle contrast and give more definition to the texture of the cut. The loose waves are really pronounced because of the multiple tones woven throughout.
Instagram / @cristen_smith
#21: Espresso Brown Hair with Cinnamon Highlights
Long dark brown hair with blonde highlights can be too sharp for women who prefer a conservative style. Why not spice your brown waves with a more muted rusty cinnamon shade? The soft edges and a glossy finish help keep your hair looking healthy and thick.
Instagram / @petermenezes
#22: Thin Beige Highlights for Brown Hair
Thin highlights blend seamlessly into the hair, which makes them a good choice for someone seeking a more natural look. You only have to go a couple shades lighter, and that is more than enough to make an impact.
Instagram / @richiemiao
#23: Bright Blonde Contour Highlights
Have fun with your balayage and highlights. You don’t have to stick to the ordinary ombre-inspired look. Have the lightest pieces around your face to brighten and draw attention to it. The higher the contrast between the highlights and your natural color, the bolder the style.
Instagram / @romeufelipe
#24: Messy Bob with Face-Framing Balayage
Even a short bob is a cute canvas for balayage light brown hair. Since you don’t have a lot of inches to work with, opt for a stark contrast between the blonde and brown to make the most out of the locks you got. The choppy ends and a messy finish actually enhance the edginess of the cut.
Instagram / @mane_ivy
#25: Delicious Ash Brown and Caramel Blonde Blend
Nice and toasty, the honey-hued highlights warm up this medium bob. The different shades make the texture really stand out. The waves pop thanks to the darker base and lighter pieces throughout.
Instagram / @mmseportfolio
#26: Gorgeous Tawny Bob with Blonde Balayage
Guaranteed to look good in pictures, the balayage bob is trending for good reason. The angular cut is flattering, while the color combo is mesmerizing. When you’re headed out in the AM, give your locks a tousle with your favorite product to create that messy-but-cute style.
Instagram / @penniepannavalee
#27: Honey Light Brown Locks
Warm and natural, this is one of the most popular options when it comes to highlights for light brown hair. Starting with your base color, your stylist will work with caramel highlights to create an even, flattering splash of color enhancement.
Instagram / @gina.devine
#28: Shiny Bronze and Blonde Balayage
Even if your dye job is low contrast, hair with lowlights always gets the required depth and brings out highlights. This balayage is a true masterpiece and a go-to solution for skin with neutral and warm undertones.
Instagram / @hellobalayage
#29: Creamy Blonde Highlights on Hazel Brown Base
Light brown hair with caramel highlights will have you doing a double take, it’s so stunning! Chunkier highlights might not be as natural but they do create an almost sun-bleached look, like you’re fresh off the beach. And of course, the loose waves complement that So-Cal vibe.
Instagram / @beautiquebynicole
#30: Dramatic Highlights and Lowlights
Ditch your homegrown light brown hair color for something much more dramatic when you combine a very bright blonde color with a deep dark brown hue. This stark contrast is especially lovely on longer hair, where there’s more room to show off the artistic blend of light meeting dark.
Instagram / @hairby.ashleypac
#31: Chocolate and Caramel Blonde Balayage
The thick luscious waves of light brown hair drop to the shoulders and cascade towards the back. The dark chocolate-brown base color is beautifully enhanced by a caramel-blonde balayage that makes even the finest hair appear thicker and more voluminous.
Instagram / @sadiejcre8s
#32: Very Soft Feminine Bronde Balayage
A lot of times when someone thinks of balayage, they think of something very trendy. This golden hairstyle, however, proves that minimalism and subtlety can be current too. It’s important that when you try out a new trend, you find a way to make it fit with your personal style.
Instagram / @beautyandbalayage
#33: Bold Face-Framing and Understated Balayage
Use your light brown hair with highlights for a cool retro vibe. Layered and slightly feathered, the hairstyle pictured, is a chic example of taking a classic style and making it feel fresh. The loose curls and face-framing highlights are the key.
Instagram / @ninezeroone
#34: Delicious Caramel Bronde Waves
Your long blonde waves will appear richer and juicier with deep caramel highlights. The chest-length cut features textured ends contributing to the sense of depth and volume. A light tousle at the top gives the style a natural and carefree vibe.
Instagram / @mane_ivy
#35: Angled Highlights
Liven up your brown hair with a pop of honey blonde in strategically placed locations. If you have an angled haircut, you will want the color to follow these lines as well – accentuating the longer pieces as well as the rear of the style.
Instagram / @constancerobbins
#36: Light Chocolate Hair with Ash Blonde Highlights
Highlights for light brown hair come in muted tones that range between ashy browns and golden blondes. Show off those delicate shades in the longer cut that hits the upper back. The center part allows the lighter shades to frame and brighten your face.
Instagram / @beckym_hair
#37: Natural Looking Lowlights
With this look, there are so many highlights that you don’t know where the base color ends and where the highlighting begins. The result is one of the most beautiful light hair colors we’ve ever seen. To maintain the perfect toning over time, a deep purple shampoo will work wonders.
#38: Dimensional Medium Waves
Experienced stylists know that understated looks can be the most difficult ones to create. It requires restraint and control to balayage hair in a way that’s natural but also show-stopping. The key is face-framing highlights that are more prominent than the highlights throughout.
#39: Cool Toned Highlights
Highlights and lowlights twisting together in loose curls? Umm, yes please! The brown lowlights are more prominent on the top and back of the head, while the blonde tones stand out more in the front. So it’s like ombre, but not quite. Stunning, for sure.
Instagram/ @habitsalon
#40: Ash Bronde Highlights for Brown Hair
In the mood for cooler tones? Ashen highlights are the way to go. They offer your hair a softer color, while still feeling natural. The balayage is subtle, but that doesn’t stop it from giving your light brown hair color endless dimension.
Instagram / @cristen_smith
#41: Blonde Highlights on Brown Hair
If you’re looking for something different but don’t want to spend a fortune, opt for highlights or lowlights. They tend to be more affordable than a new solid color, and they have the added advantage of brightening your face and boosting dimension of curls.
Instagram / @ms_robinita
#42: Bronze Highlights for Dark Brown Hair
If you’re going from blonde to brunette, a balayage is one way to hold onto some of the lighter hues you love. It will be a less dramatic transformation, that doesn’t skimp on style. Plus, the mix of blonde and brown makes the hair multidimensional.
Instagram / @cristen_smith
#43: Caramel Highlights on Choppy Cut
A choppy haircut is an ideal style for those who have fine hair but don’t want to deal with a ton of maintenance. Sporting light brown hair with highlights that lean more toward a caramel color will really make your face glow and your new cut shine.
Instagram / @dannyrichohair
#44:Brown Ombre Hair
Light brown hair enjoys a brand new life with the addition of ombre hair color. Starting with your natural brown at the roots, hair is progressively lightened until the ends are golden blonde.
Instagram / @hairxjojo
#45: Illuminating Lowlights
Love to curl your hair but want something a bit different? Go with some lowlights and highlights that enhance your base color instead of hiding it. The lowlights will add a distinctive richness to your hair, while the highlights will really accentuate curls and layers.
Instagram / @alexisbutterflyloft
#46: Cool and Neutral Blonde Balayage Highlights
The balayage is known for its cool-factor. You have a lot to play around and experiment with to make the style feel unique to you. While warm and golden hues are very popular choices, a neutral blonde shade might be better suited to your complexion.
Instagram / @paigeweir
#47: Long Soft Caramel Balayage Hair
Emphasize the sleekness of your long mane with a warm balayage. The highlights elongate the look of your tresses, while the long locks elongate the face. So, that makes this cut as flattering as it’s stylish.
Instagram / @maeipaint
#48: Delicate Light Brown Highlights
This light brown hair with blonde highlights is what you get when you grow out a balayage lob. The angled ends that made your long bob so structured now give your back-skimming locks beautiful movement.
Instagram / @kristen.lumiere
#49: Scattered Bronde Highlights of Varied Intensity
Make your balayage unique by spreading out the highlights unevenly. Yes, unevenly. The difference in concentration of color in some areas versus others creates a coif rich in dimension. Pass on a style with a lot of texture, like layers, to keep the haircut from feeling too busy.
Instagram / @kendallxfire
#50: Medium Brown Hair with Shine-Boosting Highlights
The way highlights accent the curls creates the illusion that the hair is even shinier than it actually is. So, you don’t have to reach for product and wave your tresses trying to create that healthy-looking glow. In fact, the strategic use of layers will make your cut feel lighter and look fuller.
Instagram / @jayrua_glam
Well, thanks to these pictures we have provided you with a bunch of ideas on highlights for light and dark brown hair. Hopefully, you’ll choose something inspiring for your fresh spring look and feel more confident when explaining in a salon what you’d like to get as a result.
