26 Best Brown Balayage Hair Colours to Inspire Your Next Look
Brown balayage is a colouring technique that creates a natural-looking hair colour on brown hair. It combines blondes, caramels, chocolates, light brown, coffee tones and mahogany tones, which are hand-painted to create a subtle style all over brunette hair. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t experiment with brown balayage if you have other hair colours!
Love the idea of working balayage on brown hair? Step forward to our carefully-curated hair gallery, which proves that this trend works on just about everyone. We’ve combed the web to bring you our favourite looks – from the runways to Instagram – to help you feel inspired.
Coco Balayage on Dark Hair
A quick way to make naturally dark hair look interesting? By going just a shade or two lighter than your current hue to get this stunning result. Credit: @sincerely__melissa
Cinnamon Swirl Brunette Balayage
The cinnamon blonde tones in this hue are a refreshing change from the usual gold and browns. Credit: @sincerely__melissa
Editor’s tip: We suggest using the VO5 Smoothly Does It Tame & Shine Spray, as this will not only give your hair an ultra-glossy finish, but it won’t weigh your hair down either (bonus!).
Sun-kissed Balayage on Dark Brown Hair
You can’t really go wrong with sunny blonde tones, especially if you have really dark hair. Credit: @behindchair_com
Brown Balayage on Long Bob Haircut
We’re especially into this long bob haircut with lighter tones woven into it. What about you?Credit: @thekathair
Golden Balayage on Light Brown Hair
The reason why golden blonde balayage is great for brunette hair? It does a wonderful job of framing and brightening your face.Credit: @kalicolourshair
Balayage on Dark Brown Hair
This is a great example of how to work barely-there brown balayage on natural black hair. Just remember to keep your roots and face-framing tresses dark, and work the richness and warmth of your chosen hues close to your face, as this will help to compliment Afro-Caribbean skin tones.
Caramel Balayage on Dark Brown Hair
Don’t be fooled into thinking brown balayage is boring because it is anything but. Dark-haired babes can have to much fun with this trend and end up rocking multi-dimensional hair. We especially love this look that combines soft caramels with brunette balayage – isn’t it just dreamy?! Credit: @denizprocksch
Auburn Balayage on Brown Hair
Brunette babes can have some fun with their colour! We love these Autumnal hues, that work amazingly well on dark hair. Combine different shades of red and auburn with brown balayage to create a warm, lit-from-within finish. Credit: @carlybellhair
Balayage Brown to Red
Want something a little more daring? Nothing can beat a few well-placed red highlights, paired with hints of brown and ultra-dark roots.
This look screams drama and it will give your mane a whole new lease of life, leaving a lasting impression on all who gaze upon it! Bold beauty lovers, this is one for you. Credit: @rhianon_711
Brown Blonde Balayage
For soft, sultry tresses, pair brunette balayage with a fringe to help frame your face and emphasise the different shades in your hair. Opt for feathered bangs with your brown balayage, like this Instagrammer, and you’ll have a look that is fresh, flirty and fun. Credit: @jillian_r
Chocolate Brown Balayage
Keep things on the dark side and go for a look that embraces your natural shade. If you’ve got very dark tresses, caramel, chocolate and cocoa balayage highlights will look stunning when applied from the mid-lengths down to the ends of your hair. Credit: @mrhairartistry
Classic Brown Balayage
Think soft, barely-there colour for your most natural look yet! The ends combine varying shades of browns, with just a tiny hint of blonde, for that extra depth. This will ensure that your colour never looks flat, working with your natural base tones to enhance every strand! Credit: @courneygus_hair
Subtle Balayage on Brown Hair
For a real sun-kissed look, keep the colour transition super soft. The roots of your hair should be kept uncoloured, while caramel and brown highlights make it look as if you’ve spent your days on a tropical beach. For a more sleek finish, simply blowdry or straighten your hair smooth perfection. Credit: @hairbyrhie
Editor’s tip: Whatever brunette balayage colour you choose, ensure that you make the most of it with a tailored wash and care system.
We suggest trying the TRESemmé Colour Revitalise Vibrance Protection Shampoo and Conditioner, which will gently cleanse your strands and help to keep your hue looking its best!
Brown and Pink Balayage
Think soft pinks, rose golds, a touch of blonde and, of course, brunette balayage highlights to complete the look. Lighter shades applied from the mid-length will give your hair the serious ‘wow’ factor we all crave! Credit: @n.ingramluck
Balayage on Dark Brown Hair
If you want to stay true to your natural colour, but add richness and vibrancy, go for brown balayage with shades of coffee and dark cocoa. No one will suspect you’ve been to the salon and yet you’ll have an utterly stunning look! Credit: @robertgardner
Glossy Brown Balayage
The best thing about brunette balayage is how glossy and healthy-looking it can make your hair appear! Chat with your stylist about shades that will work with your natural colour, to give you a brilliant high-shine finish. Credit: @ana.rinsesalon
Rose Gold Balayage on Brown Hair
We’re loving this rose gold-inspired look that has been created by mixing browns, caramels and toffee blonde shades. It’s sweet, it’s feminine and it’s got our names written all over it. Credit: @colorbyashley
Brown Balayage on Long Hair
The hand-painted effect of brunette balayage gives darker hair a dose of vibrancy. Chunkier flashes of colour work together with thinner highlights, giving your hair a beautiful, glamorous edge. We simply love, love, love it! Credit: @alissonacostaoficial_
Caramel Balayage on Brown Hair
Take a leaf out of this Instagrammer’s book and keep your brown balayage au natural. It’s a practical and low-maintenance hair colour choice, which is probably why it has become the colour of choice for many fashion and lifestyle bloggers. Credit: @lydiaemillen
Warm Brown Balayage
Thought balayage was only suitable for straight or wavy hair types? Then consider this your colouring wake-up call, naturalistas, because brown balayage is an incredible way to up your mane game this season!
To subtly and effortlessly add definition to your curls, choose brown balayage highlights that are just a few shades lighter than your natural hue. Whether you have a TWA or an ultra-bold ‘fro, you’ll make your curls pop. Credit: @alluringblandishmen
Light Brown Balayage
Why not try working warm brown hues to highlight the layers and textures of a choppy long bob? Taken from the runway, this fab ‘do nails two hair trends at once: beautiful brown balayage and a practical mid-length lob. Sign us up!
Brown to Blonde Balayage
If perfectly executed, brown balayage can also improve the look of your braided hairstyles. Take the above style, for example, we love how it highlights and upgrades this simple side braid, making the weaving motion all the more captivating. Credit: @kennaleeann_hairstylist
Beautiful Balayage Brown Hair
Want another reason to love the balayage hair colouring technique? Then know that you can personalise your look to suit your skin tone and face shape (yes, hair contouring is a thing!).
Work with your stylist to figure out the best shades and placement for your complexion, and you’ll soon have a look that flatters your face and suits you to a T.
Balayage Brown on Black Hair
Worried that brown balayage won’t work on Asian hair? Don’t fear: the key to rocking this trend is to keep your brown tones within the caramel colour spectrum.
Because these soft hues are still within the warm colour range, it flatters medium, yellow-based or tanned skin tones without looking harsh or brassy. Credit: @hairbytawnee
Chocolate Brown Balayage Highlights
If you’re still on the fence about brown balayage and black hair, this look is sure to tip your vote in favour of ‘yes’. Work the lighter colour further down the hair length, and it will help to slim and enhance all the right features in your face. Credit: @brandilou88
Copper Brown Hair Balayage
Don’t go thinking that balayage is a seasonal colour transition, either, as it works as a year-round look! Blending caramel tones with your brown balayage will make for a seamless colour combination that works come rain or shine – meaning you’ll be just as ready for the beach as you are for pumpkin carving. Credit: @jessicaannebach
