If you’re looking to give your brown hair a little more life and style, you can’t go past highlights. When done right, highlights have the ability to transform the appearance of your hair in the most flattering of ways. By adding light and dimension, these colored strips can create a radiant appearance. Whether you’re adding subtle, barely-there highlights or something much bolder, you would love the way they enhance and complement your base color. Of course, some combinations naturally look better than others, so it’s important to choose the right highlights for you.
RELATED: 50 Beautiful Light Brown Hair Color Ideas
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1. Warm Chocolate Hair with Blonde Highlights
2. Brunette with Caramel Highlights
3. Brown Hair with Warm Blonde Highlights
4. Short Brown Hair with Highlights
5. Short Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
6. Rich Brown Hair with Blonde and Caramel Highlights
7. Red/Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
8. Natural Brown Highlights
9. Dark Brown Hair with Medium Brown Highlights
10. Medium Brown Hair +with Highlights
11. Medium Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
12. Medium Brown Hair with Blonde and Red Highlights
13. Dark Brown Hair with Light Brown Highlights
14. Brown Hair with Icy Blonde Highlights
15. Dark Brown Hair with Golden Highlights
16. Brown Hair with Golden Highlights
17. Deep Brunette Hair Color with Caramel Highlights
18. Dark Red/Brown Hair with Caramel Highlights
19. Dark Honey Hair with Highlights
20. Dark Chocolate Hair with Thin Blonde Streaks
21. Dark Chocolate Hair with Light Chocolate Highlights
22. Dark Chocolate Hair with Caramel Highlights
23. Dark Brunette with Brown Highlights
24. Dark Brown Hair with Vibrant Red Highlights
25. Dark Brown Hair with Toffee Highlights
26. Dark Brown Hair with Subtle Highlights
27. Dark Brown Hair with Light Blonde Highlights
28. Dark Brown Hair with Honey and Blonde Highlights
29. Dark Brown Hair with Wispy Gold Highlights
30. Dark Brown Hair with Dark Blonde Highlights
31. Dark Brown Hair with Blonde Streaks
32. Dark Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
33. Dark Brown Hair Color with Chestnut Highlights
34. Light Brown Hair with Cool Blonde Highlights
35. Chocolate Hair with Chestnut Highlights
36. Chocolate Hair with Blonde Highlights
37. Chocolate Hair with Blonde and Caramel Highlights
38. Chocolate Brown Hair with Light Brown Highlights and Red Ends
39. Chocolate Brown Hair with Highlights
40. Chocolate Brown Hair with Caramel Highlights
41. Chestnut Hair Color with Blonde Highlights
42. Brunette Hair with Caramel Highlights
43. Caramel Color Hair with Blonde and Auburn Highlights
44. Light Brown Hair with Caramel and Blonde Highlights
45. Blonde Hair with Caramel Highlights
46. Burgundy Brown Hair with Bold Red Highlights
47. Brunette Hair with Caramel Highlights
48. Brunette Hair with Caramel and Blonde Highlights
49. Brunette Hair with Auburn Highlights
50. Brown Hair with Brown Highlights
51. Brown Hair with Red Highlights
52. Brown Hair with Highlights
53. Brown Hair with Golden Highlights
54. Brown Hair with Dark Blonde Highlights
55. Brown Hair with Blonde and Caramel Highlights
56. Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
57. Blonde and Brown Hair
58. Ash Brown Hair with Caramel Highlights
59. Ash Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
60. Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
Brown Hair Color FAQs
What color highlights look good on brown hair?
How can I highlight my brown hair at home?
What highlights and lowlights for brown hair?
Should brunettes get highlights?
Are highlights better to cover grey?
1. Warm Chocolate Hair with Blonde Highlights
If you wear your chocolate hair straight, make sure that any blonde highlights are blended well to prevent creating a striped appearance.
2. Brunette with Caramel Highlights
Partner a warm brown or auburn hair color with caramel highlights for a beautiful and feminine appearance.
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3. Brown Hair with Warm Blonde Highlights
Get the “bombshell” look by adding plenty of warm blonde highlights to your brown hair.
4. Short Brown Hair with Highlights
Short hairstyles can appear more flattering and stylish with the addition of some well-placed highlights.
5. Short Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
It’s not just long hair lengths that benefit from the addition of highlights.
6. Rich Brown Hair with Blonde and Caramel Highlights
Create a dimensional and flattering hair color by adding blonde and caramel highlights to rich brown locks.
7. Red/Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
Try adding golden blonde highlights to red-brown hair for an on-trend and rich hair color.
8. Natural Brown Highlights
Highlights just a shade or two lighter than your base tone will appear the most natural and convincing.
9. Dark Brown Hair with Medium Brown Highlights
Adding medium brown highlights to dark brown hair will create a naturally radiant appearance.
10. Medium Brown Hair +with Highlights
Highlights will help stop your medium brown hair from looking too one-dimensional.
11. Medium Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
Medium brown hair can work with any shade of blonde highlights but looks particularly striking with warm, sandy tones.
12. Medium Brown Hair with Blonde and Red Highlights
Spice up your medium brown hair color by adding both blonde and red highlights.
13. Dark Brown Hair with Light Brown Highlights
Light brown highlights on dark brown hair is a classic combination that produces natural and beautiful results.
14. Brown Hair with Icy Blonde Highlights
Icy blonde highlights are perfect for making brown hair work with a pale skin tone.
15. Dark Brown Hair with Golden Highlights
Chunky golden highlights in dark brown hair appear edgy and artistic.
16. Brown Hair with Golden Highlights
When it comes to lightening and brightening brown hair, golden highlights are the perfect option.
17. Deep Brunette Hair Color with Caramel Highlights
Deep brown with caramel highlights is an outstanding color combination.
18. Dark Red/Brown Hair with Caramel Highlights
Red-brown hair is a seriously popular color and can be made even more lovely with the addition of some caramel highlights.
19. Dark Honey Hair with Highlights
Add some dark honey highlights when you want your hair to catch the light and glow.
20. Dark Chocolate Hair with Thin Blonde Streaks
Thin blonde streaks in dark chocolate locks can look stunning, particularly if you wear your hair in loose, beach waves.
21. Dark Chocolate Hair with Light Chocolate Highlights
Light chocolate highlights on a dark chocolate base create a subtle yet complementary style.
22. Dark Chocolate Hair with Caramel Highlights
Chocolate and caramel are just as good of a match for your hair as they are for your dessert.
23. Dark Brunette with Brown Highlights
Dark brunette hair with brown highlights never goes out of style and always looks stunning.
24. Dark Brown Hair with Vibrant Red Highlights
While blondes play with pastel highlights, brunettes can indulge in some more vibrant and intense hues.
25. Dark Brown Hair with Toffee Highlights
Ladies with dark brown hair and a warm complexion are the perfect candidates for some gorgeous toffee highlights.
26. Dark Brown Hair with Subtle Highlights
Add dimension and shine to dark brown hair with the addition of some subtle highlights in a shade like mahogany.
27. Dark Brown Hair with Light Blonde Highlights
Combining rich, dark brown hair with ultra-blonde highlights creates a daring and fashion-forward look.
28. Dark Brown Hair with Honey and Blonde Highlights
Honey and warm blonde highlights create a lovely, youthful appearance when added to dark brown strands.
29. Dark Brown Hair with Wispy Gold Highlights
Even subtle highlights have the power to instantly transform your hair color.
30. Dark Brown Hair with Dark Blonde Highlights
If you really want to lighten up your dark brown hair, try adding dark blonde highlights all over.
31. Dark Brown Hair with Blonde Streaks
Sometimes, just a couple of strategically placed streaks is all you need to transform your look from plain to perfect.
32. Dark Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
Dark brown hair with blonde highlights creates an edgy and beautiful appearance.
33. Dark Brown Hair Color with Chestnut Highlights
Let chestnut highlights add a light, fiery touch to your dark brown locks this season.
34. Light Brown Hair with Cool Blonde Highlights
Cool blonde highlights add an incredible chicness to light brown locks.
35. Chocolate Hair with Chestnut Highlights
When paired with chestnut highlights, chocolate hair can become even more rich and sensual.
36. Chocolate Hair with Blonde Highlights
The combination of light, chocolate hair with soft blonde highlights can create a gorgeous and surprisingly natural appearance.
37. Chocolate Hair with Blonde and Caramel Highlights
Adding subtle blonde and caramel highlights to chocolate hair is a fantastic way to transition dark locks into warmer weather.
38. Chocolate Brown Hair with Light Brown Highlights and Red Ends
Try balancing colored ends in chocolate hair by adding some lighter highlights throughout.
39. Chocolate Brown Hair with Highlights
Concentrate highlights around your face to help bring out facial features.
40. Chocolate Brown Hair with Caramel Highlights
Subtle caramel highlights in chocolate brown hair can create a lovely, natural look.
41. Chestnut Hair Color with Blonde Highlights
While chestnut hair is already somewhat bold, the addition of a few blonde highlights takes it to the next level.
42. Brunette Hair with Caramel Highlights
If you have curly brunette hair, consider adding some caramel highlights to make your locks appear naturally sunlit.
43. Caramel Color Hair with Blonde and Auburn Highlights
Pairing a caramel base color with blonde and auburn highlights will create a warm and radiant appearance.
44. Light Brown Hair with Caramel and Blonde Highlights
Caramel and blonde highlights are the perfect way to keep light brown hair from looking mousy.
45. Blonde Hair with Caramel Highlights
Try a caramel and blonde hair color when you want to lighten your locks but aren’t quite ready to go completely blonde.
46. Burgundy Brown Hair with Bold Red Highlights
If you have burgundy brown locks, consider adding some bold, red highlights to really spice things up.
47. Brunette Hair with Caramel Highlights
Caramel highlights are perfect for both lightening the appearance of locks and adding warmth.
48. Brunette Hair with Caramel and Blonde Highlights
Mixing caramel and blonde highlights into brunette locks can create a wonderfully warm and creamy color.
49. Brunette Hair with Auburn Highlights
Try warming up your hair color for autumn with some lovely auburn highlights.
50. Brown Hair with Brown Highlights
Brown highlights on brown hair of a different shade is always a winning combination.
51. Brown Hair with Red Highlights
When deciding upon highlights for your brown hair, don’t forget about red as a stylish option.
52. Brown Hair with Highlights
Sometimes, the most stylish highlights are the ones that are only a shade or two lighter than your base hue.
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53. Brown Hair with Golden Highlights
Golden highlights appear warm and rich when partnered with brown locks.
54. Brown Hair with Dark Blonde Highlights
Cool, dark blonde highlights look perfect when paired with cool, medium brown tones.
55. Brown Hair with Blonde and Caramel Highlights
Why choose just one color of highlights when you can have two?
56. Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
Adding warm blonde highlights to medium brown hair can create a gorgeous summer style.
57. Blonde and Brown Hair
“Bronde” hair is currently trending and can be created by adding plenty of blonde highlights to brown locks.
58. Ash Brown Hair with Caramel Highlights
If you have ash brown hair, choose either blonde or soft caramel highlights for a lovely look.
59. Ash Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
Ash brown hair can greatly benefit from the added dimension of highlights.
60. Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
Warm, dark blonde highlights are an excellent way to take brown hair lighter without creating too much contrast.
Brown Hair Color FAQs
What color highlights look good on brown hair?
Any lighter brown and blonde shades look beautiful as highlights in brunette hair. Try caramel, honey, gold, natural brown, toffee, or chestnut highlights. These all look great in both dark, medium, and light brown hair. If you want something more adventurous, try icy blond or vibrant red, which contrasts incredibly against darker browns.
How can I highlight my brown hair at home?
Some brands, such as L’Oreal Paris, have kits designed explicitly for highlights with a special brush to make it easier. Alternatively, you can use a regular dye brush and paint the highlights on by hand. It helps if you style your hair as you usually would to identify the strands you should color. Choose pieces of hair that the sun would naturally hit, and apply the dye. The highlighted strand should be no more than a quarter-inch wide to keep it looking natural. Wash out, tone if required, and style as usual.
What highlights and lowlights for brown hair?
Highlights should be at least two to three shades lighter than your base color and sit where the sun would naturally hit your hair. On the flipside, lowlights should be two to three shades darker than the base and provide additional depth and dimension. You can do one or the other, or both. Good color combinations include caramel and chocolate, icy blond and dark brown, or red and deep auburn.
Should brunettes get highlights?
Brunettes don’t have to get highlights, but it is a great way to add movement, dimension, and interest if your hair feels a bit flat. Brown hair is one of the easiest and most versatile shades to add highlights to, as it works with so many different hues from caramel and honey to icy blond and red.
Are highlights better to cover grey?
If you don’t have many greys, highlights are a great way to cover and disguise them without changing your whole hair color. It can also look more natural, as well. The different shades will help distract from the greys, making them look like part of the style and minimizing regrowth. However, if you have a lot of greys, coloring all over will still be the best option.