Brown Hair Color 2024 - Best Ideas
Posted on Oct 5, 2023
Whether you’re looking to enhance your natural hair color, or you just want to try out brown hair this fall, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some of our favorite brunette hair coloring ideas that good hairdressers can do.
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What Are The Shades Of Brown Hair
Some people assume that all dark hair colors are alike. This is a big mistake- there are so many different options available for people with brunette hair, making it easy to find ones that flatter your skin tone and look fabulous.
Just like blonde colors, brown hair shades range from warm brown to neutral and even cool tones (ash brown hair is a good example of this). At the same time, you can choose anything from a very dark brown hair color that’s almost black to a sun-kissed golden brown with subtle highlights.
A brunette base is very versatile and can be the perfect background for showcasing colored highlights, too.
How To Choose The Best Brown Hair Color For You
If you’re a bit intimidated by the idea of brunette hair, don’t worry- there’s a brown hair color out there for everyone.
Different shades look better with different skin tones. Some neutral brown hair colors like bronde, mushroom or ash chocolate brown work well with most skin tones, since they contain both warm and cool elements.
If your skin has warm undertones ( peach or golden to brown), then you should consider warm brown hair colors like dark chocolate or honey brown. These will flatter a warm skin tone and give your complexion a fresh look, without making you appear pale.
If you have a cool complexion (pink to bluish undertones) then you’ll want a brown hair color with cool undertones to complement this. Some examples include espresso brown and ash brown shades.
Finally, you’ll need to decide how dark or light you want your brunette hair to be. For the best results, go with something that’s within two or three shades of your natural color. This is also the best strategy for anyone wanting low maintenance hair, since your roots will be less obvious.
How To Look After Brown Hair
Looking after brown hair isn’t hard, but with any new hair color, there are some special care tips that you should follow to keep your freshly colored hair looking its best.
Don’t wash your brown hair too often. Brown hair color can fade if you wash it too aggressively. Try to wash your hair with cool or warm water every few days, and use a dry shampoo as needed.
Use color-protecting shampoo and styling products. This will help keep a flattering brunette shade looking good, and will add extra shine to your hair color. You don’t want it to look dull and faded.
After your hair color appointment, wait at least 72 hours before shampooing. This will give your brown hair color time to fully absorb as the cuticles close. It’s especially important if you want to retail a deep brunette shade for as long as possible.
Use color-protecting conditioner after each wash. You’ll want to do this for any hair color, especially if you have long hair. Conditioner formulated for brown shades is best, so make sure to ask your stylist for recommendations.
Protect your brown hair color from the sun. UV rays can dry out and damage a new hair color, so it’s important to either wear a hat or stay inside during the sunniest parts of the day, especially if you have naturally dry or fine hair.
Trendy Brown Hair Color Ideas
Here are some of our favorite brown hair color trends. Since brunette hair works well with all skin tones, we’re confident that you’ll find several different shades and styles that you’ll love.
Rich Medium Brown Hair
If you have a warmer complexion, try a medium brown hair color with warm tones. Not only is this a great shade for fall, but it goes well with an autumn wardrobe.
Chestnut Brown Hair
A few shades away from being truly dark brown, chestnut brown hair has toasty, reddish undertones. The subtle reddish colors give this rich chocolate brown color a lot of warmth and will add dimension.
Caramel Brown Hair
This is a warm brown hair color that looks great on most complexions, since it’s not as reddish as some other shades. If your hair is already brown, you can try adding some caramel highlights for eye-catching shine. This color works well on dark or fair skin tones.
Light Brown Hair With Blonde Highlights
Adding blonde highlights to light brown hair automatically makes the color more fun, since these blonde strands reflect light and draw people’s eyes. You can choose either a warm or a cool blonde, depending on your complexion and your hair’s base color.
Golden Brown Hair
Golden brown is a great brunette color for anyone who doesn’t want to go too dark. It’s usually on the warmer side, so proceed with caution if you have a cooler skin tone.
Brown Balayage
Applying brown balayage to blonde locks is another way to achieve dark hair. This is a wonderful option for anyone who doesn’t want to go completely brunette. Balayage works best on longer hair or mid lengths, especially if you style it into soft waves when you’re done.
Brown With Blonde Highlights
Subtle highlights can be used to add dimension to regular brown hair, but you can also use them to create a bold contrast between light and dark shades. Many people prefer highlights for this reason.
Smokey Ash Brown Hair Color
This dark hair is the perfect complement to a neutral or cool complexion. The cooler tones in this color give it an almost silvery finish, especially if you choose a lighter shade.
Honey Brown Hair
Fans of golden tones will love this honey brown color. We think that it looks great either short or long. Just make sure that you deep-condition the ends to keep it golden and glowing.
Mushroom Brown Hair
This light brown is the perfect neutral brunette hair color. Mushroom brown looks amazing on anyone with dark or hazel eyes, since it really draws attention to your skin and eye color.
Dark Brown Hair With Red Highlights
Use a dark brown base with red hair shades, then layer on dramatic red highlights for an eye-catching autumn look that everyone will remember. Colors like chestnut and rich chocolate brown work well for this.
Espresso Brown Hair Color
This dark brown hair color is almost black, so it’s a great one for anyone wanting a rich and deep shade. It’s also amazing on cool or neutral skin tones, since it’s less warm than many brunette colors.
Dark Chocolate Brown Hair
On the opposite side of things, dark chocolate brown hair is very warm, while still being intense. Try this color if you want something that looks cozy, warm and inviting. Use a color-boosting shampoo to maintain it.
Reddish, Cinnamon Brown Hair
Like chocolate brown hair, cinnamon brown is another wonderful warm color. This one is a good choice for anyone who’s considering becoming a redhead, but wants their hair to stay on the dark side.
Medium Brown Hair With Copper Highlights
For a sun kissed appearance, brighten your brown hair with some copper tones. Make sure that you choose a brunette shade that’s warm, since this will match well and be the most flattering.
Honey Brown Locks With Caramel Highlights
Adding caramel highlights to your honey-brown hair will help it to catch the light and will also brighten your complexion. If you’re a natural brunette, this is an awesome way to update your look without sacrificing your original color.
Auburn Brown Hair
Instead of chestnut brown, try auburn brown hair for an even deeper and more dramatic shade of red. This color is relatively low maintenance as far as reds go, but make sure that you don’t wash it too often if you want it to stay deep and lustrous.
Dark Brown Hair With Light Brown Highlights
Dark chestnut brown looks good with light brown highlights, since this brightens it a bit and makes the color shimmer. You can make the highlights denser for a brighter look, or try face-framing “money piece” highlights.
Brown Hair With Purple Highlights
If you want to add a punk touch to hair that’s dark brown, highlights in fun colors like purple are a great option. There’s no reason that brunette hair needs to be conservative or boring, and we love the way that purple streaks look against brown locks.
Brown Ombre Hair
Ombre hair starts out lighter at the roots, then prodresses into a gradual dark brown at the ends. It’s dramatic and sexy, but takes a bit of maintenance to keep it looking its best. Be prepared to schedule regular salon appointments to touch up the color.
Subtle Coffee-Colored Hair
This medium brown shade is reminiscent of an iced coffee: fresh, rich and a bit shimmery. It’s definitely not as bold as some of the other shades we’ve look at, but it’s very flattering to most complexions and is relatively low maintenance.
Nearly Black Brown Hair
This color could almost be mistaken for black- it’s so dark. We love the way that it shines brown in the light, but looks deep and dramatic. If you’re in search of a new fall or winter color, why not give this one a try?
Silver Highlights On Brown Hair
If you’re bored by the idea of a brown balayage, and even red highlights seem dull to you, then what about adding some silver streaks to your brunette hair? They work best if your base color is a cooler brown, since they’ll pick up the same undertones.
Burgundy Brown Hair Color
This hair color is like rich chocolate, but with red wine poured over it. We absolutely love how dramatic it looks, especially if you have a lighter eye color.
Brown Hair With Peekaboo Highlights
Peekaboo highlights are always a fun choice, especially if you choose a color like pink, purple or blue. This is a very fun way to add a playful touch to your hair, while still looking professional most of the time.
Do not miss our post on How Much Developer Do I Mix With Hair Dye?
Recommendations
After looking through these options, we hope that you feel inspired and excited to try out brown hair.
The truth is that brown hair often gets passed up in favor of lighter colors like blonde and red when people think about dyeing their hair, but the truth is that this color is far from boring, and it shouldn’t be overlooked.
Citations
Hair color and wages: Waitresses with blond hair have more fun
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article
The Effect of Hair Color on the Incorporation of Codeine into Human Hair
https://academic.oup.com/jat/article/27/8/545/872220
The biology of hair care
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs
Ann
Ann, a writer with a keen eye for hair and beauty trends, loves translating the latest styles into engaging content. Her expertise spans across both hair and beauty, allowing her to craft informative pieces on everything from chic haircuts to flawless makeup looks. When not writing, Ann keeps her finger on the pulse of the industry by following fashion shows and scouring social media for the hottest trends.