How to Choose the Perfect Brunette Hair Color For You

Whether you already have dark hair and are looking to change up your shade or if you have light hair and you want to go darker, there are a multitude of brown hair colors that will suit you. 

Read on to find the best brunette shade for your skin tone and how to care for your brown hair and keep it rich and shiny. 

Brunette hair color techniques

Brunette hair gives you the opportunity to experiment with gorgeous, multidimensional color. You can use highlights and lowlights to create a color that perfectly matches your complexion and style. 

You can use balayage, where tones a few shades lighter than the base are swept through the hair for a blended, natural finish. This helps to add a warm glow to the hair. It’s different from traditional highlights, which are usually chunkier, although will still be blended through the hair.  

You can also opt for ombre hair, where the hair color will graduate from the roots to tips, usually starting darker and moving lighter. This can be a great choice if you’re looking for a color that’s more low maintenance – if you already have darker hair, it will be more forgiving when your roots start to grow back in. 

The best brown hair color for your skin tone

Warm skin tones

You can identify if you have warm undertones in your skin by checking the veins in the underside of your wrist. If they look a greenish color, you have a warm skin tone. 

Those with warm undertones in the skin will look gorgeous with cool toned brunette shades, to act as a contrast. Dark chocolate, ashy mushroom brown, and even a dark auburn will look gorgeous with warm skin tones. Cooler-toned caramel highlights with a brunette base can help to enhance the warmth in your complexion. 

Cool skin tones

If you have cool undertones in your skin, your veins will look more blue or purple. You can contrast the cool tones in your complexion with a warm brunette shade for your hair. 

A rich warm chocolate brown will look beautiful with cooler skin tones, whether you have fair, medium, or dark skin. A brunette base with golden honey highlights can help to balance out your overall look. Amber shades and warm red will also help to enhance cooler complexions. 

Neutral skin tones

If the veins on your wrist look to be a mixture of blue, purple and green, you have a neutral skin tone. Most brunette shades will look fabulous on those with a neutral complexion. 

You could choose a sleek espresso brown or a warmer golden brown balayage. Bronde hair – a mixture of blonde and brunette – can help to neutralise any redness. A chestnut brown is a fantastic base color for you to experiment with caramel or ashy highlights. 

How to care for your brunette hair

Dyed brunette hair looks its best when the color is vibrant and the hair shiny. Brunette hair will automatically reflect the light but over time the color can fade and look dull. You can keep your brunette hair glossy between salon visits with a brown hair glaze. This will enhance the intensity of your brunette shade and also nourish hair, leaving it silky and smooth. 

You should also look to use shampoo and conditioner specially designed for use on dyed brunette hair. This will keep your brunette shade rich and help to extend the life of the color. You should avoid harsh shampoos that might strip away the color, leaving it dull or allowing your natural color to come through.