With summer just around the corner, it’s time for brunettes everywhere to start thinking about fun, new hair colors to embrace the sunny season.
While highlights and balayage have been popular for years, there are so many gorgeous hair color trends happening now that will inspire brunettes to go for a bold, vibrant look.
Idea 1: Chocolate Brown
One of the most classic and universally flattering shades for brunettes is a rich, chocolate brown.
This deep, dark brown has dimension and richness that flatters all skin tones.
For brunettes looking to enhance their natural color with a subtle boost, ask your colorist for an all-over chocolate brown shade with warm undertones.
This will create lots of depth and dimension, while still looking natural.
To bump up the chocolate shade, add in some lighter caramel brown babylights around the face.
This will frame your features beautifully.
Focus the babylights on the hairline, crown, and ends to get a “sun-kissed” look.
For even more contrast, you can also weave in some cool-toned ash brown baby lights.
This will make the warm chocolate brown really stand out.
For a touch of edge, add some darker lowlights underneath and at the nape of the neck.
This adds shape and intensifies the chocolate color.
Rose gold reflects would also pair nicely with this rich brown and add a touch of shimmer.
Idea 2: Bronde
One of the hottest hair color trends this summer is “bronde” – a sunny mix of brown and blonde shades that mimics a golden bronze tone.
This look is perfect for brunettes seeking a summery hair transformation that isn’t too drastic.
By keeping a brown base and weaving in creamy beige and buttery blonde highlights throughout, a bronde hair color creates dimension while still looking natural.
When asking for a bronde color, request lots of baby lights to create seamless blending between the brown and blonde shades.
Focus lighter pieces around the face to warm up your complexion.
Beige blonde babylights would look beautiful woven through the mid-lengths and ends as well.
For added brightness, also consider doing a partial highlight technique just on the top layers of hair, leaving more depth at the bottom.
To keep your bronde hair looking sun-kissed and natural, ask your colorist to incorporate different tones of beige, caramel, and pale golden blonde when painting the highlights.
This variation will mimic the way hair lightens naturally in the sun.
To enhance the bronze effect, a clear gloss can also be applied over the finished color to add shiny, reflective dimension.
This multi-tonal bronde is ideal for the brunette who wants to dip her toes into blonder shades for summer but keep things relatively low-maintenance.
The brown base means your roots will blend in seamlessly as your color grows out.
And you can always amp up the brightness with more blonding for a beach vacation or summer event!
Idea 3: Maple Caramel
Warmer than traditional beige blondes, maple caramel hair color is perfect for brunettes seeking a sweet, golden brown shade for summer.
This hue combines creamy caramel and maple tones to achieve a bright yet natural looking finish on brown hair.
Ask your colorist for lots of buttery ribbon highlights in shades like pale maple sugar, golden honey, and light caramel.
Focus the maple caramel highlights on the mid-lengths and ends of the hair to create a soft, blended look with movement.
Keeping the roots and base color slightly deeper will maintain an understated, lived-in feel.
Adding lighter pieces framing the face will also let the maple caramel shades pop while brightening your complexion.
For dimension, incorporate different sizes of babylights, from micro-fine to broader ribbons.
You can also alternate between cool and warm undertones – a mix of beige and gold – for added depth.
To enhance the shimmery caramel effect, consider adding a clear gloss or glaze after coloring for multi-dimensional shine.
The great thing about maple caramel highlights on brown hair is that it manages to look lively and summery while still keeping a polished, work-appropriate aesthetic.
This natural but radiant shade works on light, medium and darker brunette bases equally well.
As it grows out, the maple caramel will melt seamlessly into your natural brunette color for easy maintenance.
Idea 4: Bronze Goddess
Embrace your inner bronze goddess this summer by spicing up your brown locks with rich, shimmering copper and gold highlights.
This stunning hair color instantly brightens up an all-over brunette base while adding a metallic, multi-dimensional effect that catches the light beautifully.
To achieve a bronzed goddess look, ask your colorist for fine highlights in shades like penny copper, amber gold, and touches of ginger throughout the mid-lengths and ends.
Keeping the roots and base dark will ground the look while the coppery highlights add summery brightness.
Focus lighter copper pieces around the face and crown to frame your features in a radiant halo.
For lush dimension, incorporate different copper shades ranging from darker russet to brighter apricot.
Mixing in some lighter beige and gold accents will also enhance the metallic finish.
The more variation of warm copper tones, the more dynamic the finished bronze goddess color will be.
This sizzling hair color is perfect for a beach vacation or summer event when you want to turn heads with stunning, sun-kissed strands.
The contrast between the dark brown base and warm copper highlights makes the metallic tones really stand out.
Just be sure to use a color-protecting shampoo to keep the glossy copper shine intact.
As it grows out, the darker roots will help ground the look while the copper pieces transition to a lived-in ombre effect.
For brunettes seeking an eye-catching mane with lots of depth and personality, bronze goddess is a gorgeous summer hair color choice.
Idea 5: Chestnut Red
For brunettes who want to spice up their look with rich, warm red tones for summer, a chestnut red hair color is gorgeous.
This hue adds just a touch of vibrant crimson to a chocolate brown base to create major dimension and shine.
The effect is natural yet statement-making – ideal for the brunette who wants to experiment with reds but keep it relatively low-key.
Ask your colorist for chestnut red highlights focused on the mid-lengths and ends of the hair.
Keeping the roots and base dark prevents the look from feeling too bold or unnatural.
The lighter chestnut red pieces not only add brightness and vibrancy, but also enhance the dimensionality of the overall color.
For soft, blended dimension, incorporate fine copper penny and cinnamon babylights throughout the mid-lengths and ends as well.
You can also add lighter and darker variations of chestnut red to create lots of texture and depth.
Focusing lighter pieces around the face will let the chestnut shades shine while framing your complexion in a radiant halo.
This dynamic yet wearable red-brown hair color works beautifully on light, medium and dark brunette bases.
The cool-toned chestnut tones will especially make brown eyes pop.
Just be sure to use a color-protecting shampoo and conditioner to lock in the glossy red hues.
Whether you’re seeking a temporary color boost for summer or want to test drive life as a redhead, chestnut red highlights on brown hair is a fail-safe option.
Idea 6: Creamy Beige
For brunettes who want to gradually lighten their hair color with a soft, natural-looking highlight, a creamy beige blonde is the perfect summer choice.
This multi-tonal shade combines warm and cool beiges in buttery, silvery hues to brighten brown hair gently and seamlessly.
To achieve a creamy beige color, ask your stylist for fine babylights throughout the lengths of the hair, keeping the roots darker.
Focus the highlights around the face to frame your features in a bright yet delicate halo.
Avoid any harsh lines of demarcation by making sure the beige pieces blend seamlessly into the brown base.
For light brunettes, incorporate ribbons of icy beige and platinum interspersed with warmer vanilla cream and sand beige accents.
This creates lots of subtle dimension while still looking understated.
For darker brunettes, mix in more golden wheat and biscuit beige pieces to warm up the effect.
No matter your base color, keep the beige highlights concentrated on the mid-lengths and ends to create an easy, lived-in ombre result.
You can always add more lightness around the face and crown as needed for brighter framing.
The great thing about creamy beige highlights is that they give hair the illusion of natural lightening from the sun.
This multi-tonal beige is perfect for brunettes seeking low-maintenance summer color with a bright yet polished finish.
Idea 7: Sandy Blonde
Brunettes who want to go a touch lighter for summer but still keep a neutral, natural-looking color should consider sandy blonde highlights.
This sun-kissed shade has an understated beige-golden tone that warms up brown hair gently without being brassy.
Ask your colorist for fine, seamlessly blended babylights in shades of beige, sand and pale gold – the more variation the better.
Keeping the roots and base darker prevents the sandy blonde highlights from looking overly bright or unnatural.
Focus lighter pieces around the face to illuminate your complexion with a summery halo effect.
For deeper brunettes, incorporate more opaque sandy pieces around the crown and mid-lengths to help lighten and add dimension.
On lighter brunettes, use more sheer sandy ribbons all throughout to get an airy, delicate highlight.
Adding some face-framing baby lights in creamy pale blonde helps brighten your complexion without going overboard.
No matter your base color, keep the perimeter of your hair deeper for a soft, blended ombre effect that mimics natural lightening from the sun.
Sandy blonde highlights on brown hair give you all the brightening and lightening you want for summer without the high-maintenance commitment of being a full blonde.
Touch up the blonde pieces as needed for vacation or weekends.
Otherwise, let the sandy highlights gradually transition back to brunette for fall.
Idea 8: Espresso with Cream
If you’re looking to enhance your dark brunette base with lighter brown and beige accents, try an “espresso with cream” hair color.
This rich combination adds lots of depth and dimension to dark hair.
Ask your colorist for fine beige blonde highlights woven throughout the mid-lengths to ends to lighten up the overall look.
Focus lighter pieces around the face and crown to brighten your complexion and accentuate your features.
Keep the roots, base, and perimeter of the hair darker for contrast.
The espresso with cream look is all about getting the perfect balance of light and dark shades.
For lush dimension, incorporate ribbons of light caramel, icy blonde, and pale sand beige throughout the lengths.
Varying the placement and sizes of the highlights creates movement and texture.
You can also alternate cool and warm undertones for added complexity.
Mixing in neutral medium beige brown pieces will help seamlessly blend the light and dark shades together.
Avoid any harsh lines of demarcation for the most natural look.
This chic espresso and cream hair color works beautifully on natural brunettes who want to liven up their dark hair for summer.
The beige highlights create the illusion of sun-kissed lightening while still maintaining an understated, refined finish.
As your color grows out, the deeper roots will blend seamlessly into the brunette base.
Idea 9: Smoky Silver
If you’re looking to edge up your brunette strands with an eye-catching metallic effect, try smoky silver highlights.
This cool-toned look weaves shimmering silver pieces throughout brown hair for an edgy yet elegant finish.
It’s ideal for bold brunettes seeking unconventional color.
To get this sultry style, ask your colorist for fine babylights in shades of platinum, ash and steel gray.
Focus the silver pieces on the outer layers and underneath sections of the hair to get an ombre effect.
Keep roots and base color darker for contrast against the icy highlights.
Incorporating different shades of gray will create lots of dimension.
Mix in some opaque charcoal chunks around the crown and sides for bold streaks of color amid the silver ribbons.
You can also add silvery white babylights around the face to illuminate your complexion with an otherworldly glow.
When done with a light hand, the smoky silver highlights will reflect light for a shimmery multi-dimensional effect.
For extra brilliance, finish with a violet gloss to tone down brassiness and enhance the metallic sheen.
Just avoid overlightening the hair, which can cause damage.
Smoky silver is perfect for brunettes seeking an unconventional color that plays up brown eyes and darker complexions.
When kept to fine highlights on the lower layers, this look manages to be edgy and striking while remaining low maintenance and relatively subtle.
Idea 10: Vacay Highlights
Got a tropical getaway coming up this summer?
Give your brown hair a quick sun-kissed refresh with “vacay highlights” for that just-off-the-beach look.
These freehand painted highlights liven up your ends with carefree streaks of buttery blonde.
The key to vacation highlights is blending – no harsh grow-out lines.
Ask your colorist to hand paint shattered strokes of pale blonde from mid-shaft down, concentrated heavily on the ends.
This mimics the natural lightening effect of ocean water and sun exposure.
Focus the brighter pieces around your face for that coveted “sunkissed” framing.
The shatter pattern will lightly graze some strands while leaving others untouched, creating ultra-natural dimension.
Warm goldenrod, buttery beige, and bright wheat blonde are perfect vacay highlight shades.
You can go as subtle or dramatic as you want with the amount of lightened ends.
For a quick boost, stick to very fine strokes concentrated on the bottom few inches.
If you’ll be on a tropical getaway, you can lighten mid-lengths to ends more heavily for a true just-off-the-beach look.
The shattered stroke placement means some strands get several passes of bleach while others remain untouched.
This avoids damage from overprocessing.
The contrast of lighter and darker pieces gives incredible texture and dimension.
Just beware of banding or stripes as your vacation highlights grow out.
To smooth regrowth, ask your colorist to incorporate lighter babylights throughout the rest of your hair at your follow-up appointment.
Or simply chop a few inches off the ends to embrace your natural brunette again.
Idea 11: Biscuit Lowlights
For brunettes seeking the illusion of fuller, thicker hair, try incorporating biscuit brown lowlights underneath your base color.
This technique adds depth and shadow for the look of added volume.
Focus the lowlights on the underneath layers and perimeter of the hair to create dimension and shape.
Keeping the surface layers lighter prevents the look from feeling too heavy.
The biscuit brown lowlights should start mid-shaft and graduate darker towards the ends for a soft blended effect.
Choosing a biscuit brown that is 1-2 shades darker than your natural brunette is ideal.
This subtle variation creates natural-looking depth and definition.
Incorporate fine slices of lowlights rather than a full dye to prevent an overly processed or opaque result.
You can also alternate cool ash brown and warmer biscuit brown lowlights for added dimension.
Placing some lighter pieces around the crown helps lift the overall look.
When done with a delicate hand, biscuit brown lowlights give the illusion of thicker, fuller brunette hair.
The shadows and contrast make limp strands appear more voluminous.
This technique is perfect for fine or thinning hair that lacks natural density.
Boost the effect even more with long layers cut throughout your hairstyle to remove weight.
This allows the biscuit brown lowlights to peek through and create the appearance of lush depth and body
Idea 12: Red Velvet
If you’re looking to spice up your brunette tresses with rich, vibrant red hues for summer, ask your colorist for a “red velvet” hair makeover.
This stunning shade transforms brown hair with tones of crimson, burgundy and wine.
It’s ideal for brunettes seeking a bold yet elegant color change.
To achieve the red velvet look, focus ruby and wine-stained red highlights on the mid-lengths and ends while keeping roots darker.
This ombre effect lets you rock fiery red tones without the high-maintenance commitment of an all-over color change.
Incorporate ribbons of crimson, burgundy, garnet, and violet-red to create lots of dimension.
Varying the placement and concentration of the red highlights will give the finished result more movement and complexity.
You can also add a few lighter cherry red babylights around the face and crown for brighter, bolder accents.
Avoid using intensive all-over red dye to prevent damage to the hair – fine highlights are the way to go.
Finish off your new red velvet hair with a clear red-enhancing gloss.
This helps boost the vibrancy while adding major shine.
Just be sure to use a color-protecting shampoo and limit heat styling to keep the bold red hues from fading too quickly.
Whether you’re a natural light, medium or dark brunette, red velvet highlights are sure to give your tresses a show-stopping upgrade this summer.
Embrace your inner vixen with this sexy, head-turning hair color idea that works for all skin tones.
Idea 13: Brunette Ombre
The brunette ombre – a graduated fade from dark brown roots to lighter brown ends – has been a popular highlight technique for years.
But this summer, give the iconic look a fresh update by incorporating richer neutral and beige tones.
Ask your colorist for a rich chocolate or espresso brown base that gradually melts into softer milk chocolate, beige and cream highlights on the ends.
This modern take on brunette ombre has more nuanced, neutral tones for an ultra-flattering, dimensional effect on brown hair.
Keeping the roots and base dark not only looks natural, but makes the brunette ombre low maintenance.
Focus most of the lightening on the very ends for a subtle sun-kissed effect.
Add lighter ribbons of cream and beige blonde throughout the mid-lengths for a seamless fade.
Incorporate multiple brown and beige tones for added complexity.
You can also weave in a few brighter honey and caramel blonde face-framing highlights around the hairline and crown to illuminate your complexion.
This updated take on brunette ombre flatters all skin tones with its rich, neutral tones.
The chocolate brown and beige blonde shades blend together beautifully.
As your color grows out, the roots melt naturally into the graduated ends.
By playing with different brown and blonde shades, you can customize your brunette ombre to be as soft or dramatic as desired.
It’s perfect for brunettes seeking low-maintenance color and a sunkissed summer glow.
With warmer weather approaching, this is the perfect time for brunettes to embrace their inner siren and go for a lighter, brighter hair color.
So next time you hit the salon, try stepping outside your comfort zone with a fun summer hair makeover.
Your new vibrant tresses are sure to turn heads at every beach trip, barbecue and tropical getaway!
