Queen of the beauty verse, Jodie Michalak is a hair and beauty consultant, lifestyle writer, and how-to expert with over 10 years professional beauty writing experience and over 2500 published articles. Since obtaining her cosmetology license in 1999, she's collaborated with experts in every niche including other hairdressers, product developers, and cosmetic brands. Jodie's contributions can be found at About.com, LiveAbout.com, CBS, moorebeautyusa.com, Texas Living Magazine, and more. Her passion, curiosity, and penchant for a pen keeps Jodie making waves in the industry.
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@hairbymickk
Selecting a suitable color of highlights can be a quite challenging task, but if you take into consideration your skin tone, you will easily come up with the right shade. For example, if you have a fair complexion like the girl in the photo, a dark brown base with sandy highlights is what the doctor ordered!
With over 50 variants of blonde hair color, blonde highlights can be very different, ranging from heavy blonde on chestnut brown hair to mahogany tresses kissed with copper. When you lighten your tresses, it is important to choose a tone that will flatter your skin tone and complement a base. Thus, mixing blonde and brown hair is best done by a professional using a customized hair coloring technique.
Take a look at the following brunette hue ideas and get inspired for an enlightened look. Who ever said brown has to be boring, anyway?
@hairbysaiphetkhosa
Melting three shades of medium brown together and adding some light blonde streaks creates warmth and visual interest without a solitary tone. This coloring technique is perfect for anyone who wants to keep their dark brown richness while adding a multitude of hues.
Add some blonde to your lob hairstyle and your mid-length cut will be far from basic. This painted color leaves plenty of room to grow and can be toned to flatter your complexion. Ask your colorist to richen up your brown first for maximum contrast.
@texasbalayage
Icy mocha and beige highlights are ideal for warm complexions and make a neutral approach to adding highlights for brown hair without unflattering golden or orange tones. Ash blonde highlights flatter medium and olive complexions.
@stephanie_stylist
Hair smudging is back in trend, so why not use it to add brighter hues to your chocolate brown hair and warm up your complexion with lighter accents? By the way, the technique is ideal for adding blonde highlights to light brown or dark blonde too.
@cee_squard
Want to stay at the center of attention in any situation? Honey blonde ribbons on your natural hair color can help you with that! Keep your roots dark to save yourself from dyeing your locks every month. Also, curl your locks to make the lighter strands even more noticeable.
@douglasgarciaoficial
There are so many different types and shades of highlights that suit any complexion and appear gorgeous both on straight and wavy hair. Besides, once you have such a rich hair color, you can style your hair within minutes without expensive hair styling products or appliances.
@alianecandidowt
The mix of caramel brown hair and golden highlights is a key to achieving the trendy ‘it-girl’ look. These hues perfectly complement tanned skin and contrast light blue or gray eyes. The face-framing sparkling strands spice up facial features and emphasize the wavy hair texture.
@glorified.hair
This is how pretty long brown hair can get. Add some variation to your brunette locks with cool golden brown and soft blonde foilyage. Ideal for pairing with jumbo waves where you’ll see the varied hues throughout your beautiful curls!
@styledbycarolyn
A solid hair color went to the background compared to balayage, so if you want to achieve a trendy and catchy hairstyle, pay attention to subtle or chunky highlights! Paired with wavy locks, this mix of hues looks very dimensional; plus, honey and ginger blonde shades perfectly match warm skin tones.
@neto__valentim
Not quite the same as ombre, this color melting technique adds blonde streaks at varied parts of the shaft and the result is random, artistic, and much more natural than a full head of highlights. This color will grow out beautifully so you can ditch the maintenance.
@kellyglassbeauty
Adding platinum blonde highlights to a dark brown base is a great way to brighten up your look or test how you will look like wearing blonde hair. Mix up your color with varied honey shades in the front paired with caramel in the back and reap all the benefits of highlights without the allover commitment.
@mikaatbhc
Blonde highlights are great not only for dark brown hair; they really look gorgeous with lighter brown tones, resulting in a youthful and romantic look.
@hairstylist.madison
This stylish color transitions from golden and pale neutral blonde to darker tones creating a stunning and well-blended look. Although any hair type can wear highlights, a blended hue like this works best on straight or wavy hair where you’ll see the dimension.
@cristen_smith
Get this beach-ready hair color by adding soft caramel balayage highlights mid-shaft on long hair. When painted using the artful balayage freehand technique, these natural highlights look as if you’ve been kissed by the sun.
@haleyvalentinehair
Keep your chocolate brown rich at the top and opt for blonde ends instead. This mix of balayage highlights adds lots of impact with little commitment. Come fall, you can richen your color all over and say goodbye to your highlights if desired.
@kristen.lumiere
Red and strawberry blonde tones look stunning on brown locks. Just don’t try to mimic the look from the 90s with chunky red and blonde lines; go for more natural tones and blending techniques.
@hairstylist.madison
Amp up your haircut with a blonde hue that’s equally chic. These golden highlights are painted using the artsy balayage technique. It can define lines of a haircut so be sure to ask your stylist to make your cut pop with unique placement.
@styled_by_carolynn
Implementing darker and lighter highlights in your short brown hair is the best way to make it cuter and more touchable. With this coloring technique, you can lighten your hair without damaging its structure. As a result, your locks are brighter and softer while remaining healthy.
@richiemiao
The perfect answer to indecisiveness? Ombre and balayage combo! This hand-painted brunette works beautifully on a medium length cut and instantly adds texture and movement to any style. Bedhead has never looked better.
@mane_ivy
Striving to get a new hairstyle but are not ready for a full blonde change? How about this light brown with champagne blonde highlights masterpiece? Even though this gorgeous styling seems to be not that easy to be repeated, you can create the same stunning loook at home using a curling iron and a fixing spray.
@colorbymaddie
Warmth and elegancy – this is how we can describe this flattering hairstyle. The soft waves bring extra volume and dimension, thus emphasizing the texture of highlighted locks. Pin this style for inspiration and show it to your hairstylist to get the same magnetizing hairstyle.
@eduarda_emerich
The right dyeing job doesn’t only bring more color and texture to the hair but also can illuminate the face and emphasize the facial features, just like this gorgeous highlighted style. It is a major departure from a natural shade, even though dark brown roots keep the style low maintenance. Be sure, your new hairstyle won’t pass unnoticed!
@kainandecanine
It’s impossible to keep your eyes off these stunning highlighted locks, but you will be even more impressed if we tell you it is also very low-maintenance. Pick the shade that will contrast your natural base, curl your strands and fix them with the spray – and you are ready to go!
@marcosviannahair
Looking for hair color ideas that will be easy to achieve on brunette hair? Even though this style is quite simple, it looks very flattering and sophisticated. Chunky highlights that start on the crown and melt into textured pieces on the bottom add a lot of movement to the feathered locks.
@andersonacouto
This hairdo is all about warmth and femininity. The stunning light brown and caramel balayage radiates shine and accentuates the layers, drawing all attention to the bouncy curls. Put lighter blonde shades toward the ends to highlight the beautiful hair texture.
@norivalsilva_
Want to add some bright accents to your long hair? Here’s a trendy style to consider. A brown layered haircut makes your long strands more voluminous, while subtle highlights give your hue extra dimension. Besides, honey-colored highlights are a good match for a paler complexion, as they can bring warmth to the face.
@_hairbypaula
Selecting a suitable color of highlights can be a quite challenging task, but if you take into consideration your skin tone, you will easily come up with the right shade. For example, if you have a fair complexion like the girl in the photo, a dark brown base with sandy highlights is what the doctor ordered!
@hairbymickk
Medium layered haircut styled with a deep side part looks tempting on its own, but if you accentuate it with strawberry blonde highlights, your hair will look super trendy and eye-catching!
@gustavomigli
Sandy and honey tones look magnificent on dark brown hair. The main advantage of this style is that it is quite universal, which is why you can wear it casually and on special occasions. Definitely worth your attention!
@thassiodutra
For some women, chunky ribbons or balayage is a big step towards changing the natural hair color. Thankfully, there is a less drastic way to spice up your hue – thin and subtle highlights. This is how you can give your brown hair a more stylish and dimensional look to turn everyone’s heads!
@hairbyangelaalberici
If you want to add chunky contrasting money pieces to your dark brown hair, platinum highlights can be an excellent solution! Looks trendy and sassy, exactly what you need for an upcoming party!
@chrisweberhair
Ombre hair makes wearing roots an acceptable alternative to costly hair coloring appointments. Brown and blonde hair color paired with a textured cut that offers lots of movement and wave rocks bed head in the best way.
@raylorojohair
You can create a bold hairstyle highlighting only front pieces of your natural brown hair. Change the parting or braid your colored long bangs and have a brand new look every day.
@brit_bellasalonandboutique
Can highlights get any sweeter than this caramel vanilla cream look? Take your naturally light brown hair to new levels with this dimensional color that perfectly combines warm and cool hues for a natural and wearable tone that will flatter most complexions.
@texasbalayage
Get that California glow. As classic as summer blonde can get, this beach blonde balayage is the perfect way to lighten brown locks so they’ll transition into fall with ease. Hold onto that Indian summer a little longer with this sunny style.
@salon_58
If you want a head-turning color combination, try a mix of highlights and lowlights for a stunning look that has the best of both worlds. When in doubt, caramel highlights are a safe bet for all brunettes.
@sadieface
Say goodbye to boring brown and lighten up your tresses with beige highlights for a universally flattering take on blonde.
@aaashleee
If you consider dyeing your natural black hair, brown and blonde highlights might be the most flattering option. Blonde hues accent the structure of the curls, adding lots of definition to coily hair.
@haircolorkilla
Check out those roots with the darkest of all the hues. An ombre application is a great way to try out blonde without lightening your crown. Such coloring works best if you have the length to play with varied colors.
@aaashleee
Blonde highlights look great on both curly and relaxed natural hair. For a flattering hairstyle, pair black hair with warm blonde and light brown hues.
@dereqc
Feeling inspired by our selection and want to try trendy colors risk-free? Use our Hair Color Changer App before visiting your stylist.
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