If you’ve ever felt like your brown hair could use a little extra something, highlights might just be your new best friend. Whether you’re craving soft, natural dimension or bold, face-framing contrast, highlights can take your brunette locks to the next level.
The best part? There’s a highlight shade and technique for everyone—from warm caramel ribbons to cool ash tones, subtle balayage to high-impact foiling. The trick is choosing the right color, placement, and technique to complement your hair type and skin tone.
In this guide, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about getting highlights for brown hair—what shades work best, the different techniques to consider, and how to keep your color looking fresh and vibrant.
Benefits of Highlights for Brown Hair
Brown hair is already rich and beautiful, but adding highlights can take it to a whole new level.
Whether you want a subtle glow or bold contrast, highlights can enhance your natural color in ways that make your hair look fuller, shinier, and effortlessly dimensional.
- Instant Dimension & Depth – Highlights prevent brown hair from looking flat by adding lighter tones that create contrast and make your strands pop. Whether you choose warm caramel, soft honey, or cool ash tones, highlights give your hair multi-dimensional depth that catches the light beautifully.
- Natural Sun-Kissed Glow – Ever notice how the sun naturally lightens certain parts of your hair after a summer at the beach? Highlights mimic that effect (minus the UV damage)! With the right placement, you can achieve that effortlessly radiant, sun-kissed look all year long.
- More Movement & Texture – Lighter pieces break up darker tones, giving your hair the appearance of more movement. This is especially game-changing for straight or fine hair, as highlights create the illusion of fuller, more voluminous locks.
- Enhances Facial Features – Strategic placement of highlights (hello, face-framing money pieces!) can bring out your best features—brightening your complexion and making your eyes stand out.
- Low Commitment, High Impact – Unlike all-over color, highlights let you switch up your look without the major upkeep. Techniques like balayage grow out naturally, meaning fewer touch-ups and less maintenance.
No matter your vibe—soft and blended or bold and defined—highlights for brown hair are the ultimate way to level up your look with dimension, glow, and movement.
Choosing the Right Highlight Shades for Brown Hair
Not all highlights are created equal, and the right shade can make all the difference in bringing your brunette hair to life. Whether you want a warm, sunlit effect or cool, high-contrast dimension, the key is picking a tone that complements your skin tone and personal style.
Warm-Toned Highlights (Golden & Radiant)
If your skin has warm undertones, these highlight shades will enhance your natural glow:
- Caramel – A classic choice for brunettes, caramel highlights add warm, golden ribbons that create a soft, sun-kissed effect.
- Honey Blonde – Slightly brighter than caramel, honey highlights offer a golden, luminous look—perfect for those who want a noticeable lift without going too light.
- Bronze – A mix of brown and golden hues, bronze highlights add warmth and richness, making hair look naturally brightened.
Cool-Toned Highlights (Ashy & Sophisticated)
If your skin leans cool, cooler highlight shades will give your brown hair a fresh, modern contrast:
- Ash Blonde – In the right tone, cool-toned blonde highlights blend beautifully with dark brown hair, adding contrast without brassiness.
- Champagne – A muted, neutral blonde with a hint of shimmer, ideal for brunettes who want to lighten up while keeping a chic, cool-toned finish.
- Mushroom Brown – A trendy, earthy shade that mixes beige, ash, and taupe tones for a subtle, dimensional highlight.
Neutral & Universal Highlights (For Everyone)
If your skin tone is neutral (a mix of warm and cool undertones) or you just want a universally flattering highlight, try these versatile shades:
- Toffee – A balance between warm and cool tones, toffee highlights create a soft, natural blend that flatters almost all brunettes.
- Soft Beige Blonde – A neutral blonde that’s neither too warm nor too cool, ideal for adding lightness without overpowering your base color.
- Cinnamon or Auburn – For brunettes who love warmth but don’t want to go blonde, cinnamon and auburn highlights add a rich, reddish-brown glow.
No matter your style, highlights can be customized to match your vibe and bring out the best in your brown hair. The trick is finding the perfect balance between contrast, warmth, and your unique beauty.
Highlighting Techniques For Brown Hair
Choosing the right highlight shade is only half the magic—the technique used to apply those highlights is what really determines the final look.
Whether you want soft, blended color or bold, defined contrast, the right highlighting method can help you achieve exactly the style you’re going for. Here’s a breakdown of the most popular techniques for brunettes:
Balayage: Effortless, Lived-In Dimension
If you love that sun-kissed, low-maintenance look, balayage is your best friend. This hand-painted technique creates soft, natural-looking highlights that blend seamlessly into your base color.
- Best for: A natural, low-maintenance look with soft grow-out
- Upkeep: Minimal—balayage grows out beautifully with no harsh root line
Foiling: Classic & High-Impact Contrast
For more structured and defined highlights, foiling is the way to go. Foils help achieve brighter, more noticeable color by trapping heat and allowing the lightener to process more evenly. This method is ideal for brunettes who want bolder, brighter contrast.
- Best for: A dramatic, high-contrast look
- Upkeep: Moderate—requires regular touch-ups to maintain brightness
Babylights: Ultra-Fine & Natural
Babylights are super fine, delicate highlights that mimic the natural, soft lightening effect seen in children’s hair. These tiny, subtle streaks create a glowy, dimensional look that is barely noticeable but makes a big difference in adding depth.
- Best for: Soft, subtle brightness with no chunky streaks
- Upkeep: Low—blends seamlessly with your natural hair as it grows
Ombre & Sombré: Gradient Perfection
If you want an edgy yet sophisticated look, ombre and sombré are perfect for transitioning your brown hair into a lighter, gradient effect.
Ombre delivers a high-contrast shift from dark roots to lighter ends, making a striking statement. Sombré offers a softer, more gradual blend for a natural, sun-kissed effect.
- Best for: Brunettes who love bold, trendy styles
- Upkeep: Low—grows out naturally with minimal touch-ups
Face-Framing Highlights (aka Money Pieces)
If you’re not ready to commit to a full head of highlights, face-framing highlights are the perfect way to brighten your features while keeping most of your hair its natural color.
This trend (often called “money piece” highlights) is all about adding a pop of lightness around the face for a fresh, youthful glow.
- Best for: A quick, impactful color refresh
- Upkeep: Minimal—only needs a refresh every few months
No matter which method you choose, highlights for brown hair are completely customizable to your vibe. Whether you’re looking for soft, sunlit strands or bold, high-contrast color, there’s a perfect technique to bring your brunette locks to life!
How to Maintain Highlights for Brown Hair
You’ve got your gorgeous highlights—now let’s keep them looking fresh and vibrant for as long as possible. Maintaining highlighted brown hair is all about protecting your color, preventing brassiness, and keeping your strands healthy and hydrated.
Here’s how to make sure your highlights stay salon-fresh:
1. Use a Color-Safe Shampoo
Regular shampoos can strip color and leave your highlights looking dull. Instead, opt for a color-safe shampoo to gently cleanse your hair while preserving the richness of your highlights.
Pro tip: If your highlights have warm tones (caramel, honey, bronze), use a color-depositing shampoo once a week to keep them vibrant. If you have cooler highlights (ash blonde, champagne), try a purple shampoo to prevent brassiness.
2. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Lightening your hair can dry it out, so keeping it moisturized is key. Deep conditioning treatments and hair masks once a week help replenish moisture and keep your highlights glossy.
Best products: Look for masks with ingredients like argan oil, keratin, or shea butter to nourish and strengthen your strands.
3. Avoid Overwashing
Washing your hair too often can cause color fade and strip away natural oils that keep your highlights looking fresh. Try to wash only 2-3 times a week and use a dry shampoo in between to keep your hair feeling clean without overwashing.
4. Protect Against Heat Damage
Blow dryers, curling irons, and flat irons can dull your highlights over time. Always use a heat protectant spray before styling to shield your hair from heat damage and prevent color fading.
Pro tip: Try air drying your hair when possible to extend the life of your highlights.
5. Get Regular Glosses or Toners
Highlights can sometimes fade or turn brassy over time, especially if you spend a lot of time in the sun or use heat styling tools frequently. A toning gloss or glaze every 6-8 weeks can help refresh your highlights and bring back their vibrancy.
6. Protect Your Hair from the Sun & Chlorine
UV rays and chlorine can be major culprits in fading and dulling your highlights. If you’re spending time outside or swimming, wear a hat or use a UV-protectant spray to shield your hair from damage.
Pro tip: Before swimming, wet your hair with clean water and apply a leave-in conditioner—this helps prevent chlorine from soaking into your strands.
7. Schedule Regular Touch-Ups
While some highlight techniques (like balayage) grow out beautifully, others may require root touch-ups or toning sessions to keep them looking their best. Talk to your stylist about a maintenance schedule that works for your hair and lifestyle.
With the right care, your highlights will stay bright, healthy, and beautifully blended—so you can keep that fresh-out-of-the-salon glow for weeks to come!
Ready to Elevate Your Brunette with Stunning Highlights?
Highlights for brown hair are anything but one-size-fits-all. Whether you’re craving soft, sun-kissed dimension or bold, high-contrast color, the right shade and technique can transform your look in the best way possible.
The key? Finding the perfect balance of tone, placement, and upkeep to match your hair type and personal style.
At Studio 312 Salon, our expert stylists are here to help you create customized, gorgeous highlights that enhance your natural beauty. Not sure which shade or technique is right for you? We’ll guide you every step of the way—because your hair deserves nothing less than the best.
Book your appointment today and let’s make your highlight dreams a reality!