30 Inspiring Brown Hair with Highlights Ideas for a Cool Look

We do believe that brunettes can have even more fun with their locks than blondes do. With so many techniques and color combinations available for dark-haired gals, brown hair with highlights is a go-to option when the time comes to give a new twist to brunette hair. And we aim at assisting you in your hair goals by providing both hair experts’ tips and photo inspiration.

1. Chocolate Brown with Caramel Highlights

This short straight bob might look flat with its lack of layers, if not for these random caramel pops of color bringing in dimension to brunette hair. Caramel is one of the trendiest shades for this season, and looks absolutely scrumptious when implemented in highlights.

via @prissyhippiebeautyshop

2. Light Chocolate Brown Babylights

Is this medium bob really chocolate brown or rather blonde? The hair sparks with multiple hues, making the style sophisticated and unique. Babylights, mixed with the base color, create a perfect example of bronde hair color.

via @analoveshair

3. Honey Brown Balayage

We love this adorable dark brown hair with vibrant caramel highlights. Without any doubt, long hairstyles are the best to showcase the cold brew trend everybody is crazy about for its customizable mix of highlighted ribbons.

via @loveurhairr

4. Brown to Dark Blonde Melt

Brown hair with highlights is a gorgeous color option if you wear a bob. Look how beautifully the brown roots blend to dark blonde to lighter ends. The shoulder-length induces texture and brightens up with a seamless balayage to add vibe.

via @mane_ivy

5. Block Blonde Highlights

Wondering how to make very short dark brown hair even more dramatic? Just spice it up with stunning flashes of block blonde highlights at the top and front – you will surely make and impression with this one.

via @kasdoeshair

6. Honey Blonde Ombre

The base of these gorgeous locks — natural dark brown hair — feels much richer and denser when contrasted with multidimensional blonde highlights shifted to the bottom. Trending honey blonde hue brings this ombre to another level.

via @_ceairrak

7. Sun-kissed Auburn Hair

For a softer effect, ask for light brown highlights blended seamlessly into your deep chocolate brown hair, including the face framing area. This brown balayage is absolutely gorgeous!

via @mane_ivy

8. Copper Blonde Highlights and Lowlights

We just adore this fabulous dark brown hair with copper strands. It’s really amazing how the lush mane gains brightness through golden highlights and lowlights placed strategically to outbalance the neutral tones and accentuate the sliced texture.

via @kellynaso

9. Deepest Brown with Chocolate Babylights

Dark brown hair with subtle highlights looks really classy. This vibrant and exquisite dark color palette is created with subtle streaks of medium brown to add some radiance to the natural feel.

via @alejandrojimenezofficial

10. Dark Brown with Red Balayage

A blonde hue is not your only option for brunette hair. If you consider brighter color combinations, make a note of this auburn-streaked look and save it for fall days.

via @texasbalayage

11. Brown Bob with Caramel Balayage

When having a dark brown base color, you might want to opt for the current caramel balayage trend, which implies a bit lighter color at the ends, while standing for effortlessness and low maintenance. Though this angled bob might have lost some fullness because of slicing, a caramel balayage made ample amends for the loss and provided depth and gloss to the dark brown hair.

via @hairbykatlin

12. Bronze and Golden Highlights

We adore this delicate brown balayage with strands of luscious bronze tones, incorporated to enhance dimension and create a naturally-looking blend. “You want the highlights to be subtle because you don’t want them to end up looking red or brassy—you want them on the neutral side,” says Stephanie Brown, celeb colorist catering to Melissa Villaseñor and Kate McKinnon, to Elle.

via @kayla__medeiros

13. Dark Brown with Magenta Highlights

Are you ready to make a strong statement by pairing a jet-black hair with subtle highlights of purple? Magenta highlights on dark base is a bold combo which is certainly hard to miss!

via @owayorganics

14. Warm Brown Balayage

Dark brown hair with warm tones is your best option if you want to look natural. Go for subtle highlights and lighter brown balayage towards the bottom to catch the light and enhance the bounce of long locks.

via @fabbianoreis

15. Brown Hair with Copper Balayage

Here’s another good alternative to blonde highlights: lend a great deal of color to your routine with those cooper splashes, which mix perfectly with a deep brown base.

via @hairbybritny

16. Red Brown with Blonde Balayage

This amazing piece of balayage combines a reddish base with blonde tips, delivering a striking contrast with a flawless transition. A stunning example of dark brown hair with highlights and warm blonde balayage.

via @anunziohair

17. Subtle Red Highlights

On the contrary, the next color blend incorporates red highlights, shining with copper, ginger and auburn hues to brighten up the neutral base. Subtle strands mixed with the base color create a multidimensional effect.

via @hairondisplay

18. Dimensional Caramel Balayage

A shade of caramel is nearly the most popular highlights choice for a brown base, since it adds warmth, brightness and dimension, yet feels lived-in. “I think a big trend for 2022 will be natural-looking, soft highlights. Bleached hair and single process platinum was a huge trend, I think people will be softening their blonde this year,” Oliva Virden, another color artist of Nova Arts Salon who styles Machine Gun Kelly among other Hollywood elite, says to Refinery29.

via @maria_fialko_v_barlyhair

19. Espresso Hair with Brown Balayage

When you want to bring a vibe to your hair color with no signs of blonde involved, team up your base shade with brunette highlights. Blending light brown and deep chocolate hues is your go to combo for a subtle yet noticeable look.

via @fabbianoreis

20. Chunky Silver Highlights

Give a stir to platinum, golden, gray and even reddish shades to get an eye-popping effect like this one. This is one of the most creative chunky highlights ideas we’ve seen lately.

via @rudyzamora__

21. Honey Blonde Balayage

Black cuties with a deep tan complexion can get a dark chocolate base and compliment their curly locks with golden undertones or opt for amber brown highlights. Keep exploring our Best combos to find an idea for your skin tone. This brunette rocks her long shiny waves freshened up with streaky splashes of warm light brown highlights. Perfect variation of honey blonde for dark brown hair.

via @cnyfacecandy

22. Pink Ombre Highlights

This ombre work, graduating from a neutral brown base to bright pink tips, is quite unexpected, yet fun. When it comes to darker base, you can pull off any vibrant highlights with previously bleaching the desired strands.

via @jleighwebdoeshair

23. Face Framing Highlights

When exploring this stunning mix of hues, pay particular attention to the lovely blonde highlights placed around the face to brighten it up. These pieces frame the face just the right way, enhancing features.

via @stylesbyyessey

24. Sandy Blonde Highlights

“Medium brown hair that has strategically placed golden highlights throughout is almost always flattering on fair skin,” says celebrity colorist at Sally Hershberger Nikki Ferrara to Allure, explaining that these highlights make the skin look porcelain, not ‘too pale’. This long dark brown hair an example of the stunningly multidimensional mane. Full highlights comprise an array of golden blonde and caramel hues to build dimension and accentuate the wave.

via @pitcrewhairstudio

25. Ashy and Purple Highlights

If you are looking for something creatively different, opt for blue hues playing nicely on ash brown hair. On raven black base, light purple highlights look almost ashy.

via @hairby_tonyad

26. Vibrant Red Balayage

If a muted color scheme is not your cup of tea, go for a crisp rave of burgundy, glaring against the background almost black hair color. What could be more expressive when a mix of black and red?

via @gohardhairdesigner

27. Dirty Blonde Highlights

Here’s a quite unusual example of dark hair with highlights. We love how natural brown melts gradually into dusty almost gray blonde hues, adding to the effortless and cute bob hairstyle.

via @jenmachingo

28. Silver Highlights and Auburn Lowlights

Who could have thought that silver and auburn ribbons would make such a fantastic combo – discreet, yet outstanding! The colorist’s work on this one is absolutely insane – in the best way possible.

via @hairby_arci_

29. Dark Ash Blonde Highlights

Those brunettes who don’t like any warm hues in the hair should follow this cool-toned beauty with glimmering ash highlights. Cold blonde hues on dark hair look quite outstanding, indeed.

via @jtanghair

30. Mahogany and Auburn Balayage

This wavy lob features the smoothest color transition that starts out as intense brown burgundy shade, then goes into auburn territory, and finally lands in rich milk chocolate tips. You can’t go wrong with mahogany!

via @texasbalayage

“Highlights aren’t a one-size-fits-all, and neither is the way they are administered. Moreover, the type of highlight depends on a number of things: the look you want, the kind of hair you have, how blonde you wish to go,” writes Kyle White, Oscar Blandi’s celebrity colorist who works with Robin Wright and Ivanka Trump, in his post for Refinery29.

We’re hoping that with our selection of all shades of brown hair with all kinds of highlights, you’ll surely find whatever works best for you. So take inspo from our collection and visit your hair dresser to discuss how to adapt the trendy looks to your personal features.