15 Stunning Brown Hair With Highlights Ideas to Try This Year

Brown hair is classic, but sometimes it needs a refresh. If you’re not ready to go full blonde or red, highlights offer the perfect compromise. They enhance what you already have, adding dimension and warmth while keeping your brunette identity intact. From soft caramel tones to striking blonde accents, highlights can reshape your whole look with just a few strokes of color. We’ve rounded up fifteen stunning looks that prove brown hair with highlights can be anything but boring. Get ready to find a style that turns heads and matches your vibe.

What Color Highlight Is Best for Brown Hair?

The best highlight color for brown hair totally depends on your base shade and the vibe you’re going for. For warm brown hair, caramel, honey, and golden highlights add gorgeous dimension and that sun-kissed glow. They blend seamlessly and look super natural.

If your brown hair leans cool or ashy, try cool-toned highlights like champagne, beige, or even subtle platinum ribbons for a more modern, dimensional look.

Want something bolder? Copper and auburn highlights add warmth and serious depth to darker browns, while blonde balayage creates stunning contrast on any brown base.

The safest bet? Stay within two to three shades of your natural color for a natural-looking result. But honestly, brown hair is incredibly versatile, so don’t be afraid to experiment. Your colorist can help you find the perfect shade that complements your skin tone and personal style.

Caramel Balayage for Warm, Sun-Kissed Dimension

When you’re craving warmth without committing to a full color change, caramel balayage delivers that effortless, sun-kissed glow. This hand-painted technique blends lighter tones seamlessly into your base color, creating natural-looking dimension that grows out beautifully. The caramel shades work especially well on medium to dark brown hair.

Your colorist will focus highlights around your face and ends for maximum impact. This placement brightens your complexion while keeping roots intentionally darker. The gradient effect mimics how sun naturally lightens hair over time.

Maintain your caramel balayage with Olaplex No. 4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo to prevent brassiness. “The key is placing warmer caramel tones where light naturally hits,” explains celebrity colorist Tracey Cunningham. Schedule glossing treatments every six weeks to keep those warm tones vibrant and dimensional.

Also read: 15 Blonde Balayage Highlights for Medium

Honey Blonde Money Pieces for Face-Framing Brightness

Two strategically placed ribbons of honey blonde can transform your entire look without overwhelming your natural base. Money pieces frame your face along the front hairline, creating instant dimension that catches light beautifully. You’ll want these highlights painted from root to end for maximum impact.

The technique works especially well if you have warm-toned brown hair. Request a honey blonde shade that’s 2-3 levels lighter than your base color. This creates contrast without appearing too stark or unnatural against your complexion.

“Money pieces give you that ‘just back from vacation’ glow year-round,” explains colorist Maria Chen of Studio West. Maintain brightness with Olaplex No.4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo weekly. The style requires minimal upkeep since growth appears intentional rather than overgrown.

Subtle Bronde Highlights for a Natural Blend

Ask your stylist for balayage placement that concentrates lighter pieces around your face and temples. The bronde approach works beautifully on medium to dark brown bases. We can’t get enough of how it catches natural light throughout the day.

Maintain your subtle blend with Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, which prevents brassiness between salon visits. Schedule toning appointments every eight weeks. Your highlights will gradually soften, requiring minimal upkeep compared to traditional foiling methods.

Chunky Blonde Streaks for Bold Contrast

If you’re craving drama, chunky blonde streaks deliver instant edge to your brown hair. These bold pieces frame your face beautifully while creating serious dimension throughout your style.

Ask your colorist for two-inch sections of blonde. They’ll place them strategically around your face and crown. The contrast between dark and light creates movement that’s impossible to ignore.

Try Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo to keep those blonde pieces vibrant. Purple toning treatments prevent brassiness between salon visits.

“Chunky highlights work best on medium to dark brown bases,” explains colorist Jennifer Mills. “The stark contrast makes them pop.”

Space your streaks unevenly for a modern look. You’ll need touch-ups every eight to ten weeks as your roots grow out.

Rich Copper Ribbons for Auburn Warmth

While blonde creates cool-toned drama, copper ribbons bring sun-kissed warmth that transforms brown hair into liquid amber. These auburn-leaning highlights work beautifully on medium to dark brown bases, creating dimensional depth without harsh contrast.

You’ll want to ask your colorist for strategically placed ribbons around your face and through mid-lengths. The technique mimics natural sun exposure, placing brighter copper tones where light naturally hits. Try Redken’s Shades EQ in 07CB for glossy, fade-resistant results.

“Copper ribbons should be two to three shades lighter than your base,” explains colorist Maria Chen. “This creates movement without overwhelming your natural color.”

Maintain vibrancy with sulfate-free shampoo and weekly toning masks. We can’t get enough of how these warm highlights catch light throughout the day.

Golden Babylights for Soft, All-Over Glow

Babylights deliver the most natural-looking dimension you’ll find in any highlighting technique. These ultra-fine golden streaks mimic the sun-kissed hair you had as a child, creating an all-over glow that’s barely there yet completely transformative. Your colorist will paint whisper-thin highlights throughout your brown base, focusing on face-framing pieces and surface layers.

The golden tones work beautifully with warm and neutral brown shades. They’ll add luminosity without harsh lines or obvious grow-out. Request Redken Shades EQ in Golden Honey for a glossy finish between touch-ups.

“Babylights require precision and patience, but the seamless result is worth every minute,” notes colorist Marie Chen.

Space appointments eight to twelve weeks apart. The subtle nature means maintenance stays manageable, and your brown hair keeps its depth while gaining radiance.

Ash Blonde Highlights for Cool-Toned Brunettes

When your natural coloring leans cool—think pink undertones in your skin and veins that appear blue rather than green—ash blonde highlights become your secret weapon for sophisticated dimension. These silvery, almost-gray tones neutralize any brassy warmth in brown hair, creating a polished, editorial finish that complements your complexion perfectly.

Ask your colorist for babylights or balayage in shades like “smoky blonde” or “mushroom ash.” The technique matters here: fine, delicate strands look more natural than chunky pieces. We can’t get enough of how these highlights catch light without looking yellow or orange.

Maintain the cool tones with purple-tinted shampoo weekly. Matrix So Silver works brilliantly for brunettes, preventing that dreaded brassiness between salon visits while keeping your ash highlights crisp and intentional.

Chocolate and Caramel Swirls for Depth

For brunettes craving warmth and richness, chocolate and caramel highlights create dimension that looks utterly sun-kissed and natural. This technique layers deeper chocolate tones with lighter caramel ribbons throughout your base color. The contrast adds incredible depth without harsh lines.

Your colorist will paint swirls rather than straight streaks. This mimics how sun naturally lightens hair in varying patterns. Ask for hand-painted balayage to achieve this soft, blended effect.

“The chocolate-caramel combination works beautifully because the tones complement each other while creating movement,” explains celebrity colorist Maria Gonzalez.

Maintain this look with Redken Color Extend Brownlights shampoo, which neutralizes brassiness. The swirled placement means less frequent touch-ups—typically every three to four months. You’ll get that coveted multidimensional brunette glow year-round.

Platinum Face-Framing Highlights for Edgy Drama

Bold brunettes who want maximum impact should look toward platinum face-framing highlights. This technique places icy blonde pieces around your hairline, creating instant dimension and drawing attention to your features. The stark contrast works beautifully on dark brown bases, especially when your colorist uses Wella Blondor with Olaplex for protection.

You’ll need a toner like Redken Shades EQ in Pearl to maintain that cool, silvery finish. Apply it every four weeks to prevent brassiness. Celebrity colorist Marie Chen notes, “Platinum face-framers require commitment, but they’re incredibly versatile for styling.”

Style these highlights with beachy waves using a 1.25-inch curling iron. The texture showcases the color placement perfectly. We can’t get enough of how this look shifts from professional to edgy depending on your styling approach.

Butterscotch Lowlights and Highlights Combo

Warm up your brown base by mixing in butterscotch lowlights and highlights for a dimensional autumn-inspired look. This technique adds depth and brightness simultaneously, creating natural-looking dimension that mimics sun-kissed hair. Ask your colorist to paint ribbons of butterscotch throughout your mid-lengths and ends.

The lowlights should sit one shade darker than your base color. Place highlights two shades lighter for maximum contrast. This creates a multidimensional effect that catches light beautifully.

“Butterscotch tones complement warm and neutral brown bases perfectly,” explains celebrity colorist Marie Chen. “The combination prevents hair from looking flat or one-dimensional.”

Maintain your color with Redken Color Extend Magnetics shampoo to preserve those rich tones. Style with a 1.25-inch curling iron to showcase the dimensional blend.

Cinnamon Spice Highlights for Subtle Red Tones

Cinnamon spice highlights bring subtle red undertones to brown hair without committing to a full auburn transformation. These warm ribbons of color work beautifully on medium to dark brown bases, catching light with gentle copper reflections that feel natural and lived-in.

Ask your colorist for hand-painted balayage techniques to create soft, dimensional placement. The cinnamon tones should blend seamlessly with your base, avoiding harsh lines or obvious striping that can look artificial.

Redken’s Color Extend Brownlights shampoo helps maintain these warm tones between salon visits. We can’t get enough of how these highlights add depth without overwhelming your natural color.

Style with a medium-barrel curling iron to showcase the dimensional movement. The subtle red undertones photograph beautifully, creating rich variation that elevates basic brown hair into something genuinely eye-catching.

Champagne Blonde Highlights for Light Brunettes

When you’re working with light brown hair, champagne blonde highlights create the perfect soft-focus effect that brightens without going full platinum. This technique uses beige-toned blonde shades that complement your natural base instead of fighting against it.

Your stylist will paint these highlights through your mid-lengths and ends for maximum dimension. The result looks incredibly natural, almost like you spent summer at the beach. We can’t get enough of how these tones catch the light.

Ask for Redken Shades EQ in Champagne to maintain your color between appointments. The babylights technique works particularly well here, creating ultra-fine ribbons of brightness throughout your hair. This approach prevents harsh lines while adding sophisticated depth that photographs beautifully in any lighting.

Toffee-Toned Ribbons for Medium Brown Hair

Medium brown hair gets its most flattering dimension when you add toffee-toned ribbons that work with your natural depth instead of overpowering it. These warm, buttery highlights sit just one or two shades lighter than your base color. They create subtle movement without dramatic contrast.

Ask your colorist for face-framing pieces that blend seamlessly into your mid-lengths and ends. The ribbons should be strategically placed where light naturally hits your hair—around your temples, crown, and along your part line.

“Toffee tones complement medium brown beautifully because they share the same warm undertones,” explains celebrity colorist Maria Hernandez. “Think caramel with golden notes.”

Maintain your color with Redken Color Extend Brownlights Shampoo. This prevents brassiness while enhancing your brown’s richness. We can’t get enough of this lived-in, low-maintenance look.

Mocha and Cream Highlights for Latte-Inspired Color

For coffee lovers seeking their perfect shade, mocha and cream highlights deliver that coveted latte-inspired complexity. This technique blends rich chocolate browns with soft beige tones throughout your base color. The result mimics the swirled layers you’d find in your favorite café drink.

Ask your colorist for balayage placement focusing on mid-lengths and ends. This creates natural dimension without harsh lines. The mocha tones add depth while cream highlights brighten your face.

“Think of it as painting with warm and cool neutrals,” explains colorist Maria Chen. “You’re creating movement through strategic color placement.”

Maintain this look with Redken Color Extend Brownlights shampoo. It prevents brassiness while preserving those delicate cream tones. We can’t get enough of how this combination photographs in natural light.

Peekaboo Highlights in Rose Gold or Burgundy

Hidden beneath your top layers, peekaboo highlights create that element of surprise every time you move. Rose gold tones bring warmth to darker brown bases, creating a subtle glow that’s absolutely gorgeous when revealed. Burgundy peekaboos offer more drama for those who want edge without full commitment.

The placement matters here. Your colorist should focus on underlayers near your nape and around your face. This strategic positioning means you’ll see flashes of color when styling your hair up or adding movement with curls.

We can’t get enough of how versatile this technique is. You can hide the color for professional settings or show it off on weekends. Consider using Redken’s Color Extend Magnetics to maintain vibrancy between appointments, especially since these fashion shades fade faster than traditional highlights.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Often Should I Touch up My Brown Hair With Highlights?

You’ll need to touch up your brown hair with highlights every 8-12 weeks, depending on how fast your hair grows and how noticeable you want the regrowth to be. Regular maintenance keeps your highlights looking fresh and vibrant.

Will Highlights Damage My Naturally Brown Hair?

Highlights can damage your brown hair if done improperly, but they’re generally safe when you work with a skilled stylist. You’ll minimize damage by using quality products, maintaining proper conditioning treatments, and spacing out your touch-ups appropriately.

How Much Do Brown Hair Highlights Typically Cost at a Salon?

You’ll typically pay between $60 to $250 for brown hair highlights at a salon. The final cost depends on your hair’s length, thickness, the technique used, your stylist’s experience, and your salon’s location.

Can I Apply Highlights to Brown Hair at Home Safely?

You can safely apply highlights to brown hair at home, but it’s tricky. You’ll need proper products, tools, and technique. If you’re inexperienced with bleach or color, consider consulting a professional to avoid damage.

How Do I Maintain Highlight Color Between Salon Appointments?

You’ll maintain your highlight color by using purple shampoo weekly, washing with cool water, applying deep conditioning treatments regularly, limiting heat styling, and protecting your hair from sun exposure with UV-protectant products or hats.

Conclusion

Now you’ve got 15 fresh ways to transform your brown hair with highlights. Choose the technique that matches your lifestyle and maintenance commitment. Book a consultation with a colorist who specializes in dimensional brunette work. They’ll customize the placement and tone to complement your natural base. Remember to invest in color-safe shampoo and heat protectant. Your highlighted hair deserves proper care between salon visits for long-lasting vibrancy.