50 Brown Hair Color Shades for Hot Brunette Looks
Hot chocolate, iced coffee, cappuccino… No, this is not a coffee shop menu, but exciting shades of brown hair that are worth trying.
We have sorted out the most interesting brown hair color ideas for brunettes, as well as blondes that want to go darker.
Whether you want to try warm brown hair color to make your skin glow or refresh your look with rich dark brown hues or reddish and purple tones, we have all the ideas to choose from.
Best Brown Hair Color Ideas
Modern brown hair shades are all about natural hues that make your brunette color and skin tone pop. To achieve such a color, it is best to remain within two levels of your natural color, whether making it a bit lighter or darker.
Alternatively, just enrich it by sticking to your own hair color level, but choosing a brown hair color dye with ashy, golden, red, or purple undertones. Scroll down for images that will make you fall in love with brown hair shades.
#1: Sultry Medium Brown Hair with Caramel Highlights
Instagram / @un.rooted
Brighten up your brunette hair with warm caramel highlights to make your features pop. Ask your colorist for a money piece – the type of highlights that frame your face.
#2: Rich Chocolate Brown Hair
Dark, deep brown color hair often boasts amazing shine. It’s partly thanks to the conditioning components of good quality dyes and also due to the natural ability of dark hair to reflect light. Chocolate brown is a great choice for natural brunettes.
Instagram / @styledby_debbe
#3: Cinnamon Brown with Subtle Highlights
Those warmer shades of cinnamon brown are the best to complement olive skin tone and hazel eyes. Some lighter highlights add dimension to your hair without compromising its condition.
Instagram / @chrisweberhair
#4: Espresso Brown with Caramel Highlights
Softly blended balayage gives definition to brown hair and makes an ideal base for wavy and curly blow dries. Warmer and lighter shades complement both green and hazel eyes as well as soften facial features.
Instagram / @hairbymickk
#5: Chestnut Brown Hair with Golden Balayage Highlights
Some lighter shades of brown going through the darker brunette color allows seeing the texture of the hair. This is a very versatile look that equally suits natural brunettes and those with dyed locks.
Instagram / @aykutbrsofficial
#6: Contrasting Honey Balayage
Striking chunky highlights are one of the latest trends. To keep the fresh look of this color, we recommend using products suitable for dyed hair as well as toning masks in warm shades.
Instagram / @daniloherbert
#7: Golden Brown Medium Length Hair
Warm brown hair with golden undertones suits every skin tone: it miraculously makes the complexion look healthy and glowy as well as softens the features. Make some curls using a 32 mm barrel wand to create this look.
Instagram / @ahmetcobain
#8: Ash Brown with Blonde Highlights
This dark brown base and bright blonde highlights make a perfect contrast to grab everyone’s attention. Beware, it might take your colorist several hours of work to lift your natural base to such a light level.
Instagram / @live_love_dohair
#9: Dark Hair with Light Face-Framing Pieces
The money piece is a set of face-framing highlights that come from the front hairline. This technique is amazing for adding dimension to your dark brown hair and hardly requires any effort to upkeep.
Instagram / @colorbykianna
#10: Subtle Ombré on Dark Brown Hair
Sometimes, too many blonde highlights around your face might wash you out, so ombre is a nice alternative. Lighter ends accentuate the texture of your hair whilst keeping the rich and deep brown color of your roots and mid-lengths.
Instagram / @hobbschelsey_hairstylist
#11: Dark Brown Curly Hair
Those warm brown curls are everything – we love the texture of the coils and the curly fringe. Use a tinted hair mask to enhance your natural brunette shade or to maintain the color between your salon appointments.
Instagram / @salsalhair
#12: Dark Auburn Balayage
This rich and velvety brown hair combines a multitude of different shades of brown that looks utterly stunning. Use a sulfate-free shampoo to keep your auburn shade for longer.
Instagram / @alex.mercedesss
#13: Cool All Over Brown Hair
The cool shade of brown is both difficult to achieve and challenging to maintain. In addition to the regular regrowth touch-ups, you will probably need to ask your colorist to put a toner all over your hair. It’s indeed worth the effort though – cool brown looks so gorgeously glossy and deep.
Instagram / @hairby_chrissy
#14: Honey Brown Curls with Chunky Highlights
Add some highlights to your milk chocolate locks to create that sun-kissed look. Getting highlights in curls is a great way to change up your look protecting the health of the gentle hair structure and warm light brown hair color flatters most of the skin tones.
Instagram / @_edwardsandco
#15: Natural Hair with Light Brown Highlights
Having brown hair for all of your life and never trying new colors can feel monotonous. Yet, just the slightest touch of lightener can make miracles. Those barely-there highlights seriously uplevel this brunette base.
Instagram / @nathansmithhair
#16: Dark Chocolate Layered Hair
Rich and glossy, this hair look is an utter brunette dream. Put some layers in to emphasize the texture of your dark brown locks.
Instagram / @michellethompsonhair
#17: Caramel Brown Balayage
Balayage is a perfect way to brighten up brown hair and create a modern and sophisticated look. Golden or caramel highlights will suit most of the skin tones and are easy to maintain.
Instagram / @live_love_dohair
#18: Raven Color Hair with Light Brown Highlights
Add a touch of color to your dark hair with face-framing balayage – some brown shade highlights will make an accent on the fringe area and sharpen your look.
Instagram / @colorbymaddie
#19: Perfectly Layered Medium Brown Hair
This light chestnut color can be achieved with a semi-permanent dye or even a pigmented hair mask. To give your brunette hair some shape, ask your hairstylist for a 2000s’ inspired layered haircut -you’ll absolutely love it.
Instagram / @tarasiegel50
#20: Chestnut Brown Hair with a Dirty Blonde Fringe
You don’t have to be a Cruella to be both blonde and brunette at the same time: ask your hairdresser to lighten a part of your frontal area and tone it cool. Wear your hair parted in the middle or flip the fringe over on one side.
Instagram / @michellethompsonhair
#21: Auburn Brown
If you have thick, dense curls, a medium hairdo can seem heavy if it’s not cut correctly. An angled cut that’s shorter in the back and longer in the front keeps the weight in the back of your style so that your face isn’t overpowered. Ask your stylist for a blend of copper and dark warm neutrals to create this vibrant mahogany brown.
Instagram / @constancerobbins
#22: Cool Brunette Color with Ashy Hues
Many people believe that dark hair has to have warm undertones like red or orange. While warm hair is gorgeous, it doesn’t complement every skin tone. A cool ash brown hair color is your best bet for skin with olive or golden undertones because it will balance you out.
Instagram / @pedrosalon
#23: Light Chestnut Brown
Brown hair comes in many different hues, and this silky chestnut brown is a good example of how to pull off a lighter shade. A soft ombre brightens your complexion without changing the overall natural color that can be seen at the roots.
Instagram / @hairbytashalouisec
#24: Confident in Copper
Although copper tones seem to flatter many different complexions, they still take a lot of guts to pull off because they tend to reflect so much light and appear brighter. The unique mix of red, orange and brown is stylish, subtle and makes a statement.
Instagram / @larisadoll
#25: Medium Brown Hair with Chestnut Tones
With fashion’s shift towards minimalism, the popularity of the straight blunt cut continues to rise. Add dimension into the flat style by mixing different medium and light brown shades. Lighter colors around the face and ends will make your skin glow and show off the precision of the clipped ends.
Instagram / @hairbytashalouisec
#26: Medium Chocolate Brown
Dark hair colors are perfect for fine hair because they make your strands appear thicker. Other tricks are an expert cut and style; heavy layers create movement while loose curls add to the fullness.
Instagram / @singi.vo
#27: Brown to Toasted Caramel Color
Embrace your carefree beauty with extra-long flowing caramel waves. Keep the look from dragging you down by lightening up. An amber ombre gives a sun-kissed beach vibe to your hairstyle. Who doesn’t want their hair look like they are on vacation every day?
Instagram / @cooperativehair
#28: Dark to Mocha Brown Hair Color
If you can’t experiment too much with color due to work or hair health reasons, there’s still a way to have fun with these dark brown hair color ideas. Ask your colorist for chunky mocha highlights that add warmth and make soft waves look more defined. The color is still striking while remaining subtle and sophisticated.
Instagram / @melisaochoahairT
#29: Mushroom Brown Hair Color
This is proof that you don’t need crazy colors to make a statement. A muted mushroom brown hair color is the perfect complement to your camera-ready makeup and hair that boasts major volume. A deep side part and blown out curls will have all eyes on you. Don’t distract from this major beauty moment and keep your outfit minimal with monochromatic nudes.
Instagram / @iluvsarahii
#30: Dark Brown with Mahogany Tones
When you have healthy long brown hair, creating a stunning hairstyle comes with little to no effort. Just go back to the basics and opt for soft curls, long layers, and a side or a middle parting.
Instagram / @singi.vo
#31: Spicy Chocolate Brown
Enhance your full, bouncy locks with an expert blend of brown hair colors. It makes strands appear shinier by reflecting more light, which will look especially good when being photographed. If you are ready to give it a try, explore even more chocolate brown hair ideas.
Instagram / @styleelin
#32: Golden Brown Balayage
If there is one hairstyle that is universally appealing, it is lob and brunette balayage. Whether you have a long face shape or chubby cheeks, thick curls or pin straight strands, this style always looks fresh and flattering. Chunky honey brown highlights will make the style more visually interesting.
Instagram / @gina.devine
#33: Brunette Espresso
The worst thing about having a beautiful color is watching it fade. Luckily, there is something you can do to maintain the vibrancy between appointments. Ask your stylist to mix Brazilian Bond Builder into your color to reduce breakage, prevent damage and retain your color longer.
Color: @christinesilvermancolor Cut/Style: @candicenicolle
#34: Medium Golden Brown Hair Color
Instead of chunky highlights throughout chestnut strands, achieve a sunny golden brown hair color with a sombre solution. To avoid harsh transitions and contrasting colors, the subtle technique fades from dark to light in soft, complementing types of brown hair color. Warm hues like this will work great for various skin tones with cool undertones.
Instagram / @idolapiazzabovio
#35: Dark Brown with Bronze Golden Balayage
One of the simplest ways to transform a boring, dull style is with a balayage in brighter, warmer tones. Not only does it create fullness, but it also offers a new dimension to your hairstyle. Perfect for a woman with a busy schedule, as keeping the roots natural makes the hairstyle totally low-maintenance.
Instagram / @gustavomigli
#36: Ravishing Chocolate Cherry Hair Color
Brown hair comes in many different shades, and this red tinted color is perfect for many different eye colors and complexions. To achieve the bouncy shoulder-length cut, ask your stylist for round layers. The curved lines remove weight and create tons of volume.
Instagram / @theironicperfectionist
#37: Medium Copper Brown
Enjoy one of the spicier brown shades with a radiant auburn hue. Loose curls are the epitome of casual cool. To achieve the messy texture, curl your locks, alternating directions with each curl which will allow the pieces to separate instead blending together when you brush them out.
Instagram / @modernsalon
#38: Black Brown Hair
Dark coffee colored strands are just as rich and bold as a cup of Joe. To make this deep brunette shade stand out, try making tight, bouncy curls in long hair. Aim at a natural-looking texture that doesn’t resemble large overdone pageant hair.
Instagram / @carlosnetro
#39: Cappuccino Hair with Golden Tones
Who would have thought that this gorgeous cappuccino hair color was actually achieved with a blonde dye? Because dark hair takes so much to lighten, you actually have to go a few shades lighter to get your desired color. This look was achieved with L’oreal Blonde Studio lightening paste.
Instagram / @kristen.lumiere
#40: Brown Ombre
A one-dimensional brown hair color in a shoulder length can seem uninspiring. Elevate your haistyle by adding highlighs in dark brown hair. It works especially well with wavy hair because it makes the tousled texture stand out. Although you can wear this color year round, it looks particularly radiant with fall foliage.
Instagram / @cassderosa
#41: Sun-Kissed Shade of Brown Hair
Jennifer Aniston’s dark brown base is softly gilded on the very surface. Through these gorgeous sun-kissed notes, it’s softly connected with the face-framing dark blonde streaks. Such a complicated brown hair color harmonizes with Jennifer’s gray eyes. Whenever the actress goes for a darker shade, she looks older. So, the choice of hair color is one of your most responsible choices, indeed!
Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com
#42: Mixed Sweet Cappuccino and Dark Mocha Shades
Olivia Palermo opts for the cute cappuccino shade that mimics the color of her eyes and mingles with the rich chocolate mocha streaks. Stylists claim that cappuccino shade of brown hair looks best on medium-length locks, and it loses its showiness on short or extra long tresses. Besides, cappuccino shade loves curly hair. A wavy downdo with extra shine from Olivia Palermo is a lovely hair style idea for cappuccino hair color.
Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com
#43: Robust Coffee Hue
Coffee is an invigorating cool shade of brown hair that can be softened with blondish or copper highlights. Jennifer Garner goes for the bronde ombre highlights on a dark brown base, and we see that her awesome brown hair color sets off her sparkling eyes and fair skin.
Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com
#44: Chestnut Brown Hair Tone
Many women try to duplicate Lisa Rinna’s haircut and hair color. The secret of her blooming look is the warm golden chestnut shade of brown hair, that matches the color of her eyes. Besides, it’s not a monochromatic color. The roots of Lisa’s locks are darkened, and there’s a sprinkling of lowlights through the layers.
s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
#45: Brown Shade Locks with Reddish Highlights
Golden brown hair, undoubtedly, attracts attention. Check Jessica Biel’s fabulous brunette hair color solution. Jessica has mesmerized Justin Timberlake not only with her ambitions and lovely smile. It has been proved that hair color may have an impact on your character. Golden browns make a woman easy-going, add her cheerfulness and playfulness.
Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com
#46: The Softest Almond Hue
The rich honey almond shade of brown hair is extremely natural. It can be associated with a dark blonde hue. If you dye your blonde hair brown, you will achieve a light-to-medium nut brown tone. And, as for dark brown hair base, almond gives it a spicy reddish-brown note. Kate Beckinsale has tried the deep velvety brown from the roots to mid-shaft with a soft transition to the honey almond brown towards the ends.
Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com
#47: Dark Chocolate Brown with Framing Highlights
Eva Longoria is a perfect example of an active woman who succeeds in every sphere of her life. Eva’s choice is the lovely dark chocolate shade of brown hair with the graceful toffee streaks through her face-framing locks. Chocolate hair color is for those who are always in movement. Maintain the health of your brunette tresses, and they will pay you back with an excellent look even in simple hairstyles.
DFree / Shutterstock.com
#47: Posh Mahogany Brown
Mahogany hue stands out from other beautiful shades of brown hair thanks to its saturated dark reddish sub tone. Michelle Monaghan looks breathtaking with her thick mahogany copper locks cascading on her shoulders. Her red dress is a wonderful outfit choice to set off her hair color.
Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com
#49: Hot Espresso with Reddish Ends
Espresso brown hair hue is deep, rich and expressive. If you want to add some spice to your look, consider tinting the ends of your tresses in one of complimenting hair hues. Mila Kunis chooses hot cocoa-brown hair color because it harmonizes with her skin tone and the color of her eyes, doesn’t it?
Featureflash / Shutterstock.com
#50: Medium Brunette with Honey Brown Balayage
Julia’s brunette hair is upgraded with terrific ombre highlights. The lovely blend of cool and warm tones is the top of coloristic art. We can distinguish the pecan brown tone that serves a background for the lovely caramel and flaxen blonde balayage highlights. Well, one look at the picture is worth a hundred words of its description.
Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com
Who knew that brown hair could be so diverse? In fact, brunettes have as many interesting choices for enhancing their color as blondes or redheads do. Different shades of brown hair are inspiring and expressive. We wish you to find your most flattering options!
