HOW TO GET THE BEST LIGHT BRUNETTE HAIR

Tired of your dark brown locks but not willing to go blonde? Try going light brown instead! With such a wide range of gorgeous shades, light brown hair is one of the most flattering colors. And anyone can rock it!

Light brown is one of the easiest shades to maintain—especially if you go for a light brown ombre or balayage rather than an all-over color. Ready to go light? Here’s how to choose a light brown hair color and style that works for you.

Choosing the right shade of light brown hair color will have a lot to do with your natural undertones. Cooler, ashier shades look best with cool skin tones and eye colors. If you have natural pink or bluish undertones with cool blue, green, grey, or brown eyes, a cool ashy brown will complement your complexion beautifully. Warm golden and caramel brown hues, on the other hand, look best on those with olive or yellow undertones and warm hazel, brown, or green eyes.

When in doubt, head to the salon. A good colorist can help you choose the perfect shade of brown for you.
 

Ombre is a super trendy, low-maintenance look that looks amazing on both dark brunettes and light brown hair beauties. It’s achieved by lightening the bottom part of your hair to right around your jawline, creating a gradual fade from dark to light. A light brown ombre can be either very dramatic or more subtle.

Balayage is a gorgeous, subtle hair color technique that looks amazing on light brunette hair. Similar to ombre, balayage is very low-maintenance, since the color in this technique usually begins away from the roots. Unlike traditional highlights, balayage highlights are hand-painted onto the surface of the hair in vertical sweeps, giving your locks a natural-looking, sunkissed glow. For the best results, stick to a color that’s within two shades of your base color.

Just looking to add a little more dimension to your brunette locks? Adding in some light golden brown or caramel highlights can give your light brown hair more depth and movement. But because highlights follow a more structured pattern than balayage or ombre, they’ll need to be touched up often to prevent unflattering root grow-out.
 

Whether you have natural light brunette hair or you’ve gone for a shimmery golden balayage or dramatic ombre, it’s important to care for your dyed hair to ward off unflattering brassiness. Brown hair has natural warm red and orange undertones that can sometimes show through your color, making it appear a bit...lackluster.

Here are some of our top tips for keeping your light brunette hair fresh and vibrant.

1. Cancel out brassy tones with blue shampoo and conditioner. The blue pigment in blue shampoo and conditioner helps neutralize brassy orange and red tones that can turn up brown hair due to color fading, sun damage, and more. Keep your light brown balayage or ombre ‘do fresh and toned by washing and conditioning with our Blue Crush duo once or twice a week.


2. Use products specially formulated for brunettes. Products for dyed brunette hair can help brighten and deepen the tones in your light brown hair, giving it a gorgeous, illuminating dimension.


3. Protect your locks from harsh environmental factors. Too much time in the sun or the pool can bleach your color and cause brassiness to show through. Protect your light brown hair with a hat if you plan to spend the day in the sun, and use a clarifying shampoo after hopping out of the pool.


4. Avoid heat styling. Blow-drying, curling, and flat-ironing dry out your hair—a recipe for brassiness. Keep your light brunette hair shiny and healthy-looking by air-drying and styling with a styling spray instead of using hot tools. If you need to use a flat iron to achieve your favorite style, make sure to apply a heat-protecting spray first.


5. Deep condition frequently. Color-treated locks need lots of extra moisture. Use a hair mask for colored hair once a week to keep your light brown balayage, highlights, or ombre looking shiny, healthy-looking, and salon-fresh.