If you have dark roots and want to lighten your locks for summer, caramel highlights for brown hair offer a beautiful finish without overbearing brightness.
Please make the most of your natural hue and embrace its breezy, beachy aesthetic with hand-placed sandy balayage that gives off casual beach vibes.
Chestnut
Warm brown with reddish tones is ideal for brunettes who want a change. With a mahogany base that almost borders the cinnamon hue, chestnut highlights lighten it without looking dyed or too dark; baby lights give this look its golden shimmer at the ends and can provide added golden shimmer around their fortunes.
This balayage technique works great as an eye-catching yet low-maintenance highlight option – ask your colorist to place thin strands of lighter shade around your face and part for effortless elegance all season long!
Try this chestnut brown shade with light blonde highlights and ashy roots for a practical yet subtle highlight – it looks lovely and brightens summer! Additionally, its long-term hold-up through fall and winter thanks to ashy roots – and for even longer-lasting shine, use the Matrix Keep Me Vivid Leave-In for even greater longevity.
Cool Blonde
Cool blonde hues such as this are attractive for brunettes seeking an easy, low-maintenance way to add color. Using the balayage technique, lighter tones blend naturally with darker tones for a beautiful result, whether your locks are straight, wavy, or curly.
Warm up a brunette base with strawberry blonde highlights for that stylish, “it girl” style. Accentuating your eyes, face-framing strands of the lighter shade will bring your look together and draw all eyes towards you.
Choose a richer blonde shade, several tones lighter than your brown base, creating a striking contrast that suits any complexion and eye color. Additionally, this hue is excellent for medium-complexioned individuals looking to lighten their locks without going full blonde.
Golden
Instead of bleaching your entire mane, opt for a warm golden brown hue that’s only one or two tones lighter than your natural color. This look lightens hair in an eye-catching beachy way while being “easily maintainable,” according to Matrix brand ambassador and R Co Collective Member George Papanikolas.
For an elevated summery blonde look, ask your stylist to add ribbon lights to your natural brown locks for a beachy hue that adds dimension and makes you feel like you just returned from vacation. This subdued hue adds a subtle dimension while giving off that vacation feeling!
Consider choosing a cool brunette shade with copper or gold undertones for an ashy, cool blonde look that won’t become brassy under direct sunlight. This neutral tone adds dimension without adding heat – the ideal summer highlight option for darker brunettes! Wella Passionista and colorist Kai Sohn recommend toning shampoo and conditioner products to maintain a cool hue without brassiness in direct sunlight.
Honey Brown
Brown hair with honey highlights is an excellent way to add subtle highlights without going all-out blonde. This warm hue works beautifully in hair styles like straight or wavy locks. Additionally, it looks stunning when styled as a bob haircut.
If you want an easy, low-maintenance technique, ask your stylist to use balayage on your honey-brown hair. This coloring technique creates natural-looking color transitions and lifts easily if you decide you need lighter hues.
To keep your new highlights looking vibrant and healthy, take care to avoid sulfates and heat styling frequently, and choose products specially formulated to protect colored strands – we like L’Oreal Paris’s hair Colour Protectant as its ingredients keep strands hydrated during the coloring process – plus it includes a built-in conditioner which helps extend its life!
