21 Beautiful Hair Color Ideas For Brunettes

Brown hair makes for a great painting canvas. It is such a versatile shade that you can experiment with any hair color that works brilliantly together! If you do not believe it, stick around to see some beautiful hair color ideas for brunettes. Many brown hair shades range from chocolate and chestnut to mahogany and coffee. You can play around with these shades with a balayage, ombre, highlights, lowlights, or a complete hair color change. And if you do not have brown hair, but would like to enter the brunette pool of brilliance, we have something for you. Scroll down for a DIY tutorial on how to color your hair brown at home! Keep reading to check out some beautiful color trends for your brown hair. Trust us; you won’t be sorry for going brown. Swipe up now!

How To Color Your Hair Brown At Home

What You Need

• Old towel
• Rubber/plastic gloves
• Hair brush
• Sectioning clips
• Brown hair dye (in the shade of your choice)
• 30 volume developer (if your hair is black)
• Hair tinting brush
• Bowl
• Shampoo
• Conditioner

What To Do

1. Start off by draping a towel around your shoulders to avoid staining your clothes with the hair dye.
2. Mix and prepare the brown hair dye in a bowl according to the instructions given on the box. If you have long hair, get two boxes of dye to be on the safer side. You will also have to add the 30 volume developer to your hair dye if you have dark black hair.
3. Part your hair from the center of your forehead to the nape of your neck and from ear to ear to divide into 4 equal sections.
4. Leaving one of the sections at the back of your head loose, clip up the remaining 3 sections of hair.
5. Starting from the nape of your neck, pick up a thin section of hair and coat it with dye on both sides using a hair tinting brush. You can use your fingers to work the dye into the section of hair.
6. Unclip the sections of hair one by one and apply dye to all your hair in the same manner.
7. Leave the brown hair dye on for the duration of time indicated on the box.
8. Wash off the dye with plain water until the water runs clear before shampooing and conditioning it.

Quick Tip

Use coconut oil on your hairline to ensure the hair dye does not stain your face.

Before you color your locks, you first need to pick a brilliant shade of brown. But how do you find that ideal hue? Do not worry and keep reading!

Choosing The Right Brunette Shade For Your Skin Tone

Start by considering your skin undertones:

• Warm Skin Tones: If your skin has warm undertones, shades like golden brown, honey, or caramel can complement your complexion beautifully. These colors add warmth and brightness, enhancing your natural glow. These earthy shades add a touch of gold to your hair color that brings out your skin tone in the best way.
• Cool Skin Tones: For those with cooler undertones, ashy browns, chestnut, or deep chocolate shades work wonders. These colors provide a striking contrast and create a sophisticated look. These colors add a hint of silver or gray to your locks, making them look sophisticated.
• Neutral Skin Tones: Those with neutral skin tones can choose from both warm and cool tones depending on the outfit colors and makeup shades they flaunt often.

Well, now that you’ve managed to go brunette, let’s move on to the fun part and look at the best ways that you can style it!

21 Beautiful Brunette Hair Colors

1. Glossy Chocolate Balayage

If hair looks were considered a piece of art, then this one would be a masterpiece. This rich and glossy chocolate brown balayage done on a dark mahogany brown base looks luxurious to say the least. But it’s the styling done in voluminous waves that takes this hair look to a whole new level.

2. Golden Blonde Highlights On Chestnut Brown Hair

Add some texture and movement to your monochrome brunette mane by giving it some highlights in a soft golden blonde shade. These delicate highlights line her dark chestnut brown tresses perfectly and add a pop of brightness without venturing too far into light hair territory. Just style this look in some big waves before you flood your Instagram with artistically taken shots in your new do.

3. Deep Auburn Brown

Auburn is one of those shades that teeters the line between red and brown. So perhaps the best way to describe it would be a rich brown hue with scarlet red undertones. This gorgeous brunette look is perfect for adding tons of depth and the illusion of volume to your hair.

4. Light Brown Ombre

Want to soften up your dark brown hair? Then a light brown ombre is just what you need. This ombre starts off a rich chocolate brown shade at the roots and fades into a soft golden brown shade towards the end. It is perfect for infusing your look with a youthful vibe.

5. Rose Gold And Brown Balayage

Metal toned hair colors are a great way to add some light and brightness to your monotone hair look. These rose gold balayage highlights done on soft brown hair add tons of stunning dimension and movement to her hair and make her look effortlessly chic, especially when styled in beachy waves.

6. Brown And Copper Ombre

A good way to accentuate the natural dark brown tone of your hair is to go for an ombre style in a light hue. A warm copper shade works brilliantly in this case as it creates a dazzling contrast with the deep brown shade at the roots. Curl the lower ombre section of your hair to look like a million bucks.

Trivia

Anne Hathaway, Angelina Jolie, Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, and Halle Berry are popular brown-haired celebrities.

7. Dripping Chocolate Brunette

I think we can all agree that when it comes to style, Priyanka Chopra can do no wrong. This brunette bombshell is the definition of #hairgoals because of her multi-tonal brown hair look. Luxurious shades of chestnut, mahogany, caramel, espresso, and chocolate brown blend together flawlessly to make her look classy as hell.

8. Distressed Brunette Bob

Chrissy Teigen may be the undisputed queen of Twitter and at trolling Trump, but there’s another area that she absolutely kills it in. Yep, I’m talking about her gorgeous hair. This distressed dark brown bob done up in messy golden brown, honey, and blonde highlights has been given a grungy vibe with the help of scrunched up waves.

9. Warm Brunette Babylights

A big fear that women have when they cut off their long hair into a short bob is it’ll lose all its volume. A good way to counteract that situation is by going in for some babylights. Some warm toned brown babylights can work wonders in making your short bob look fuller and more voluminous.

10. Walnut Brown With Blonde Edges

Modernity meets elegance in this brunette hair color that you absolutely need to try out. The deep walnut brown of this layered cut has been contrasted with a cool toned blonde hue right at the edges. The wispy bangs up front add to the wow-factor of this look.

11. Dimensional Dark Chocolate

When it comes to brunette hair color, chocolate brown leads the list. This gorgeous shade works like a charm if you want to go for a hair look that has depth and dimension. To do so, go for the darkest brown shade as your base and highlight it with a rich chocolate shade right at the front in very subtle strokes.

12. Cinnamon Sombre

Sugar and spice may be everything nice but this one spice, in particular, is the inspiration for one of the most fabulous hair colors. Cinnamon brown is the perfect warm toned color for anyone looking to change up their hair look for fall or winter. Go for a sombre look with this shade under a coffee brown base to up the beauty of this style.

13. Tawny Brown

When it comes to brunette hair colors, tawny brown doesn’t get nearly as much attention as it deserves. This medium brown shade with peachy undertones is lovely for an all-over color job and is sure to give you that perfect natural hair look. Just keep things simple by styling it straight and you’re good to go!

14. Sandy Brown Ombre

You know an ombre is a work of art when it is blended out so seamlessly that you can’t figure out where the natural color ends and the dye begins. This sandy brown ombre done on a chestnut brown base does exactly that to create a marvelous hair look.

15. Dark To Light Transition Brunette

Struggling to decide if you want to go for a light hair color job? Then this transitional color look can help you make up your mind. This brunette style starts off with a dark coffee shade at the roots and slowly fades into a soft biscuit-y brown hue. This transitional brunette style looks especially great on long, waist-length hair.

16. Spicy Chocolate Brown

Now here’s a brunette look that is inspired by the famous spicy hot chocolate that everyone loves around Christmas time. This ginger toned balayage done on dark chocolate brown hair looks oh-so-luxurious and like it was hand painted by an artist (which, frankly, it was because hairdressers are artists in their own right).

17. Bronze Toned Brunette Bob

Emma Watson may have stolen the world’s heart with her acting chops and beauty but what I loved the most about her were her ever-so-classy hair looks. This mahogany bob with bronze undertones is the perfect example of the same. The sleek styling with a pinned up side part makes her look like a glamorous Hollywood starlet from the 20s.

18. Blonde Tinted Brunette Curls

Women with coiled curly hair often find it hard to go for highlights thinking they won’t show up well on their hair. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. These light blonde highlights done on brunette hair add a glimmering tint to the mane and accentuate the curls in all their glory.

19. Brunette With Auburn Undertones

I’m sure you did a double take when you saw that stunning shot of Selena Gomez. And why wouldn’t you? Her glorious chestnut mane was taken to new heights by just adding some auburn undertones to it. No wonder this shot held the record for the ‘Most Liked Picture’ on Instagram for a good while.

20. Lightest Brown

Can’t make up your mind about going blonde or brunette? Then let this simple all over color job sported by Jennifer Lopez put you out of your dilemma. This spun gold brown shade is so light that it can almost pass off as blonde. But the multidimensional quality of it firmly establishes it as a brunette hair look.

21. Dark Brown

A stunning choice for a versatile and classic look is the dark brown hair color. It is a timeless hue that adds depth and richness to your locks. Dark brown shades come in various undertones like warm, cool, or neutral. This makes it suitable for different skin tones and preferences. This color also offers a a subtle but bold appearance which accentuates your features without being too overpowering. Its low-maintenance nature makes it ideal for those looking for an elegant yet easy-to-manage hair color. We recommend consulting with a professional colorist to choose the perfect shade of dark brown that enhances your overall look and brings out the best in your hair.

Now that you know how to transform yourself into a stunning brunette, you should learn how to keep that rich color vibrant for as long as possible. Check out the following tips to ensure your hair stays radiant and healthy!

Hair Care Tips For Brunette Hair Color

Following these tips will help ensure your brunette hair stays fresh and radiant!

• Choose shampoos and conditioners specifically formulated for color-treated hair to help preserve vibrancy.
• Deep condition your hair in a routine to keep your hair hydrated and glossy.
• Avoid overwashing your hair as it can fade the added color.
• Minimize the use of heat styling tools to prevent damage and keep your hair healthy.
• Use hair products with UV protection to shield your color from fading due to sun exposure.
• Drink plenty of water to maintain overall hair health and keep your locks looking vibrant.

Infographic: 4 Vibrant Hair Colors For Brunettes

Dark chocolate brown hair is absolutely crave-worthy. Those gifted with naturally brunette hair can go for a makeover with highlights, lowlights, or balayage for a multidimensional effect. Take a look at the infographic for the top four brunette hairstyles to sport to the next party.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

What colors should brunettes avoid?

Brunettes should avoid going any lighter than two shades of your natural color. To pick the best hair color, you can use chocolate as a reference, with the coolest shade being dark chocolate and the warmest being milk chocolate. Any color in between can suit brunettes.

How do natural brunettes get highlights?

Natural brunettes can opt for highlights in blonde or other lighter colors to create dimension and interest.

What colors suit brunettes with green eyes?

Deep chestnut brown, cinnamon brown, and medium brown suit brunettes with green eyes.

Illustration: Beautiful Hair Color Ideas For Brunettes

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

Check out this video for some gorgeous brown hair color ideas to inspire your next brunette look! From subtle highlights to bold balayage, you’ll find the perfect style.

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Madison DufourBarber & Cosmetologist

     

Madison Dufour is a licensed and practicing barber and cosmetologist with 10 years of experience, as well as an entrepreneur running several hair businesses, including MadisonD Barbering and The Exquisite Find Hair Blog. After working behind the chair for several years, she felt the calling to start the non-profit Barber in a Bag that teaches basic hair cutting skills in street and slum communities in South America.

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Arshiya SyedaCo-Editor-in-Chief

 

Arshiya Syeda is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of StyleCraze with 8 years of experience. Prior to that, she was a content writer who combined her writing and research skills to write over 200 high-performing articles on hairstyles, hair care, and skin care.

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Shatabdi BhattacharyaAssociate Editor

Shatabdi is an associate editor and an alumnus of Lady Brabourne College, Kolkata, where she honed her skills and developed a deep understanding of the world of literature and expression. She has worked with various organizations and websites operating in different industries, ranging from education to lifestyle, showing her adaptability and drive to learn.

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Anu PallaviBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

Anu is a beauty and lifestyle writer and a graduate of Amity University, Noida, where she refined her writing skills and cultivated her deep passion for the field. She pursued the Beauty Technician Training Program at Maquillage Beauty Institute, which has equipped her with practical skills in various beauty treatments.

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