If you’ve got brown hair and you’re thinking about switching things up, highlights are the move. They can give you a serious dimension without a full-on color commitment. Whether your vibe is subtle and sun-kissed or bright and high-contrast, there’s a look out there that’ll hit just right.
We’ve rounded up the freshest, most eye-catching highlights on brown hair ideas that are turning heads this year.
Best Highlights on Brown Hair
Here at Artists and Architects Salon, we helped many people select the best highlight on brown hair, and here are our favorites.
Face-Framing Blonde Money Pieces
These bright blonde streaks light up your face instantly. High contrast against brown hair, but still wearable. It’s bold without going full platinum.
Caramel Ribbon Highlights
Soft caramel ribbons woven through brown hair add depth and movement. It looks expensive without trying too hard.
Ash Blonde Balayage
Cool, smoky blonde tones blended from mid-lengths to ends. Low-maintenance but high impact, especially on medium to dark brown bases.
Chocolate and Honey Melt
Warm honey tones melting into chocolate brown. It’s rich, dimensional, and flatters warm undertones beautifully.
Sun-Kissed Babylights
Ultra-fine highlights that mimic natural sun exposure. Perfect for a subtle lift that keeps your brown base intact.
Chestnut Highlights on Dark Brown Hair
Slightly reddish, slightly golden. Chestnut adds warmth and vibrancy to deep brown without going too light.
Bold Copper Highlights
This fiery copper pops against brown hair. If you want a punchy, fashion-forward look, this one delivers.
Rose Gold Highlights
A soft, pink-gold shimmer layered into brunette hair. It’s playful, modern, and perfect if you want something different but not over-the-top.
Mocha Highlights
Cool-toned and creamy, mocha highlights add subtle dimension. Great for brunettes who want polish without dramatic contrast.
Platinum Highlights on Brown Hair
This is a high-drama, high-contrast look. Platinum pieces against brown give edge and serious style points.
Golden Blonde Highlights
Classic and glowing. These golden tones warm up brown hair and add that sunkissed, beachy feel year-round.
Mahogany Red Highlights
Deep red with brown undertones. Mahogany gives just enough color to stand out, but still feels grounded.
Vanilla Cream Highlights
Light, buttery blonde highlights that lift brown hair in a soft, creamy way. Think luxe, not loud.
Cinnamon Highlights
Spicy and warm, cinnamon tones give brown hair a seasonal twist. Works great with waves or curls for extra texture.
Espresso Highlights on Black-Brown Hair
Slightly lighter than black, these subtle espresso tones add richness without obvious contrast. Sleek and sophisticated.
Best Highlight Color for Brown Hair
Brown hair comes in different shades, which makes some highlight colors look better than others. Here’s how we look at things:
Cool Brown Hair
If your brown leans ashy or has a cooler tone, go for highlight shades that match that chill.
Best picks:
- Ash blonde balayage
- Platinum highlights
- Mocha highlights
Warm Brown Hair
If your hair has golden, reddish, or coppery tones, warm highlights will blend better and look more natural.
Best picks:
- Caramel ribbon highlights
- Honey and chocolate melt
- Cinnamon or chestnut highlights
Want something louder? Try copper highlights. Subtle? Go for sun-kissed babylights.
Neutral Brown Hair
Lucky you! You can wear both warm and cool shades.
Best picks:
- Golden blonde highlights
- Vanilla cream highlights
- Rose gold highlights
Guide for Blonde Highlights on Brown Hair
Blonde highlights work amazing on brown hair. However different techniques will give you different looks. It’s also important to consider hair length.
Here’s what you need to know:
Highlight Techniques (Foils, Balayage, and Babylights)
Foils will be great if you want sharp and noticeable highlights. You can also expect a more defined contrast.
Balayage, one of the most popular techniques, gives you a more relaxed and blended look. It works great for hairstyles that give sun-kissed vibes.
Babylights are the most delicate of the three. These ultra-fine highlights mimic how the sun naturally lightens hair. This technique can give you a subtle shimmer that looks like you just came back from a beach vacation.
Short Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
On short hair, placement matters more than anything. You don’t have a lot of length to work with, so bold face-framing pieces or a scattered foil highlight works the best.
Medium-Length Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
Mid-length hair offers a lot of flexibility. Balayage works especially well here because there’s enough length for a gradual transition from brown to blonde.
You can go subtle with beige or golden tones for a soft gradient, or dial it up with brighter blonde panels for more contrast.
Long Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
Long hair is ideal for blending multiple tones. Sun-kissed looks with vanilla cream or golden blonde tones feel soft and romantic, while icy platinum highlights or bold money pieces will create a bolder and trendier style.
Tips for Caramel Highlights on Brown Hair
If you have warm undertones, caramel highlights are always an outstanding option.
The warm caramel tones will seamlessly blend with your base. This will give your hair a sunlit effect.
Most importantly, you can pull out caramel highlights with all kinds of brown shades.
How to Keep Them from Turning Brassy
Caramel tones can go brassy if you don’t take care of them.
Heat styling, sun exposure, and hard water all contribute to unwanted orange or yellow tones.
Luckily, it doesn’t take much to prevent this. Sulfate-free shampoo and a blue or purple toning treatment once a week will get the job done.
Also, don’t skip the gloss. A color-refreshing gloss every 6 to 8 weeks keeps the tone warm and rich, not dull or faded.
Natural Highlights for Dark Brown Hair
If you’ve got dark brown hair and want a change without going all in, natural highlights are the perfect low-key move.
Some of the best shades for a natural effect include mocha, auburn, and soft copper. Mocha keeps things cool and creamy. Auburn brings in a warm, reddish tone that looks especially good in the sun. Soft copper is a great in-between. Warm, slightly golden, but still grounded.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re going for something bold like platinum or copper, or keeping it low-key with mocha or babylights, highlights on brown hair are the easiest way to upgrade your look in 2025. From warm caramel tones to cool ash blondes, the right color and placement can transform your hair without a full-on dye job.
