61 Caramel Highlights on Light and Dark Brown Hair
Caramel highlights are sticking around.
Caramel highlights are warm-toned, golden highlights that can range from blonde to amber and even darker, chestnutty tones, depending on your tastes. Just like caramel syrup, this brightening hue is the perfect colour to try when you want to transition your hair from dark to light or vice versa.
This honeyed-brown can be achieved all-over, with highlights, ombre or even caramel balayage, which is one of the most sought-out looks around, mostly because it is universally flattering. And, with celebs like Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Alba and Beyoncé as fans, it’s
Want to try this look for yourself, but feeling a little indecisive about which hue to go for? Ahead, see our fave examples of caramel highlights on light and dark brown hair. There’s bound to be a look here you’ll want to try now or save for 2021.
Soft Caramel Balayage
Wait, this isn’t natural? This gorgeous, subtle balayage dye job will keep them guessing.
Rich Caramel Highlights
With these dazzling highlights, your dark mane will be given an instant, summery refresh.
Dark Brown Hair With Tawny Highlights
The addition of tawny highlights makes this espresso mane look even more eye-catching.
Editor’s tip: Remember to use a wash and care system specifically formulated for dyed hair. We’re currently fawning over the TRESemmé Colour Revitalise Shampoo and Conditioner, as it helps keep coloured hair healthy-looking, all while helping maintain your hue’s vibrancy.
Short and Sweet Caramel Accents
If you’ve got short hair, take a style cue from this beauty, who wears her wavy bob with trendy caramel blonde accents.
Caramel Blonde Balayage On Dark Brown Hair
Caramel is great for adding warmth to dark tones! If you haven’t got the confidence to pull off a full head of caramel, this gorgeous look is destined for you.
Warm Caramel Balayage
You might think your dark hair is too dark for highlights, but this warm shade is all the proof you need to know you can try it.
True Caramel Hair
If you’re still wondering what true caramel hair looks like, just take a look above to see how Eva Mendes pulls off this illuminating shade.
Long Caramel Hair
In this example, caramel teams perfectly with long, Rapunzel-worthy hair. Credit: @razzohaircare
Face-Framing Caramel for Brunettes
By strategically placing a few caramel tones around the face, you can instantly refresh your brown hair and brighten up your complexion. Credit: @suetyrrellstylist
Caramel Money Pieces
Anyone else tempted to try these caramel money pieces?
Caramel Babylights on Dark Brown Hair
In this example, Chrissy Teigen has subtly brightened up her dark brown hair with caramel babylights. We suspect she’s had them palm painted, as they look beautifully seamless.
Soft Highlights
These soft highlights are great for those who want to seamlessly blend caramel tones with their rich brunette manes. Credit: @ivanikolina
Toffee Balayage on Mid-Length Hair
This toffee balayage colour is perfect for enhancing waves and adding dimension to medium-length brown hair.
Golden Caramel Blonde
This is what happens when you take a classic caramel up a few notches! Keeping her base caramel, Josie Redmond moves her natural light brown hair closer to blonde with the addition of dazzling golden tones.
Light Brown Caramel Hair
In this example, this beauty’s light brown base is brightened up with some golden caramel tones. This colour is perfect for those who want to later transition to full blonde. Credit: @hairstylebyrosa
Caramel Blonde Ombre on Light Brown Hair
Who doesn’t want strands that always look sun-kissed? This warming colour combo is made for the summer. Credit: @erdemkirameraquaflorya
Caramel Blonde Highlights
Nothing brightens up a chocolate base quite like warm, caramel blonde highlights! Credit: @krystalizedhair
Dark Brown Hair with Caramel Blend
Want glowing skin? Take a cue from Karruenche Tran and keep your roots dark, then introduce a gorgeous blend of light and dark blonde caramel tones through your mid-lengths and ends.
Psst…Copying this tousled hairstyle will allow you to show off your new hue, in the best way possible.
Caramel Melt
The boldest way to upgrade natural brown hair is with a caramel colour melt, like Jennifer Lopez‘. This method makes your base colour looks like it is ‘melting’ into the other tones in your hair.
True Caramel Brown
This deliciously rich caramel hue is just what you need to make your brown hair feel new again. Credit: @glenhew
Caramel Brown Ombre
This lovely shade is full of shimmering tones that will boost your brown hair and make it stand out.
Chocolate Brown Hair with Caramel Highlights
You can’t go wrong with caramel! It instantly revives dark brunette strands and takes your look to a whole new stylish level. Credit: @jessicascotthair
Sultry Caramel Hair
Gisele Bündchen’s strategically placed caramel highlights run down the sides of her supermodel waves, perfectly framing her face and drawing attention to her facial features. If you want the same effect, you know what to do…
Toffee Tones on Dark Hair
What’s not to love about Paris Jackson‘s toffee brown hair with caramel highlights? Teaming the shade with glamorous, side-swept curls give this caramel hair colour extra retro charm.
’90s Hair
Iconic ’90s supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Laetitia Casta made caramel highlights part of their signature look, so it’s no surprise that modern-day models are doing the same.
Take Behati Prinsloo for example, she gives her dark brown hair a ’90s makeover with these soft, sun-kissed caramel highlights.
Gorgeous Caramel on Brown Hair
Sofia Vergara’s milk chocolate curls seriously stand out because of the addition of subtle honey caramel tones. To steal her look, make sure you have a curling wand at hand.
Honey and Caramel Waves
Can’t decide between going light or dark? This bronde colour is the ultimate compromise. We also can’t get over those beachy waves! Credit: @thecolorconnoisseur
Caramel Gloss
Bob With Chunky Pieces
Dimensional Caramel
To warm up your curls, ask your stylist to work with your natural brown, incorporating light and dark caramel brown shades to add brightness and dimension.
Sweet Blonde Coils
A mix of gold and brown tones will give you the perfect caramel blonde hue.
Sandy Hair
Jessica Biel’s soft, sandy hue is a great hue to layer over a medium brown base.
Lived-In Hair
The best thing about caramel highlights? They grow out gracefully, and Jessica Alba’s lived-in mane is a serious case in point.
Caramel Streaks on Dark Brown Hair
This skin-flattering colour combo is destined for those of you with really dark brown hair. The gold-fleck caramel streaks in it give Jasmine Tookes’ medium-length mane an endless summery feel.
Dark Hair with Soft Caramel Pieces
After an eye-catching look? This cool and contrasting mix of dark hair and caramel tones are exactly what you need to achieve your hair goals. Credit: @daniellelouisette
Copper and Caramel Tones
Chestnut-Caramel Waves
Beachy Highlights
On the topic of summer, this beauty proves that caramel hair is the secret to beach babe-worthy hair. Whether you’re hitting the beach or not, you’ll need a good sea salt spray to mimic these tousled waves. Credit: @camilamonrrone
Sexy Caramel Balayage
We like this hair colour like we like our coffee: simple, dark and sweetened up some caramel syrup. Who else is pinning this look? Credit: @brittsully
Goldrush
This warmed-up golden mane is more about bringing a stylish dimension to chocolate tresses. By copying this highlight pattern, you won’t need to worry about the colour being too high maintenance. Credit: @chrisgreenehair
Blended Caramel Macchiato
Ashy Tones
Golden Ponytail
As if we need another reason to love this colour combo. Whether it’s a half-up, half-down updo or a ponytail with hair slides, your caramel hair colour will make any hairstyle look interesting. Credit: @sincerelyjules
Cute Babylights
Looking for a simple way to give your mane an uplifting change? Then hand-painted caramel babylights are a great way to switch up your hair while maintaining your base colour. These fine caramel highlights add warmth and depth to darker tones and look natural. Credit: @hairartistrybm
Face-Framing Highlights
The placement of highlights can have more of an effect than you might think. If you have a long face, add highlights around your hairline to frame and accentuate your facial features, just like this lovely lady.
Her dark brown hair with caramel highlights is given a fresh update with the addition of blonder pieces at the front. Credit: @__the_colour_code__
Editor’s tip: Keep your hair in its best condition by using a deep conditioning hair mask at least once a week. Tackling dryness as well as helping your colour stay bright and fresh, we suggest using the Love Beauty And Planet Blooming Strength & Shine 2 Minute Magic Masque.
With Amazonian Muru Muru Butter and rose absolute, this miracle masque will help moisturise your coloured hair and also leave it with a healthy-looking gleam.
Warm Caramel Ribbons
Wondering if a caramel hair colour will suit your skin tone? Getting ribbons of warm caramel highlights done throughout your mane is an ideal way for those with mid-tan complexions to try this flattering shade. Credit: @prissyhippiebeautyshop
Fresh Highlights and Balayage
Balayage hair is just like traditional highlights, except they start further down from the roots and are less uniform than classic highlights. Instead, your stylist will place the colour from approximately a quarter or mid-way down the hair shaft, depending on your desired finish.
This colour technique helps to achieve brown hair with caramel highlights in a more low-maintenance way, as regrowth is less of an issue. Credit: @trichologybyma
Read more: Hold off on that salon appointment, grown-out roots are officially trending
Subtle Undertones
New to colouring your hair or just prefer a more understated style? With caramel brown hair at the tips, this soft and subtle colour shows that sometimes you don’t need to go wild with the colour to make a big difference.
Hidden Caramel Tips on Brunette Curls
How fantastic does this light dip-dye look on curly hair? Pretty amazing we think. This warm brown hue has only slightly been lightened at the very tips, giving a natural sun-kissed effect that seriously freshens up this curly ‘do. Credit: @emmachenartistry
Pecan Pie
Everything about this sweet look is goals!
Caramel Blonde Highlights on Curly Hair
This look injects some life into dark chocolate brown curls, thanks to the touch of caramel blonde highlights at the ends. Credit: @romeufelipe
Light Brown Hair with Caramel Tones
Looking for a way to add a little more pizzazz to straight hair? Caramel highlights will do just the trick, taking your colour from flat to fab without you even needing to style it. Credit: @remakemxl
Editor’s tip: Give your coloured tresses a major dose of TLC with the TRESemmé Colour Shineplex Serum, which is designed to provide frizz control and leave your mane feeling soft and looking super shiny.
Red to Caramel Colour Melt
The shier sister of ombre, colour melting is a softer take on the graduated colour look. Cutting out any harsh lines so that one colour flows seamlessly into the other, it gives the hair a “melted” effect. Credit: @loco1805
Light Ash
Ashy tones are still massively in right now and this lighter ash caramel variation is all you need to work the two trends together. Credit: @julianoasmar
Deep Highlights
This rich hue is great for the brunette who loves their colour but wants to give it a new lease of life. As you can see here, curling your hair will help to bring out the different tones running through the lengths. Credit: @beautyfied_by_josie
Autumn Blends
Thinking of going a bit darker as we head into A/W? This blend of rust and golden caramel highlights creates an earthy, autumnal feel that’s perfect for transitioning through the seasons in style. Credit: @pk_hair
Piecey Caramel Highlights
You’ve got the blunt cut bob everyone’s talking about, but now what? If you still want a way to fake volume, try getting piece-y caramel highlights done throughout your hair, like this. Credit: @salsalhair
Caramel Swirl
Who doesn’t want their hair to look good enough to eat? This multi-dimensional hue magically blurs the line between brunette and caramel! Credit: @jessicascotthair_salon
Glossy Brown and Caramel Hair
A stunning example of glossy caramel highlights on dark brown hair. Credit: @vanessakoeb
Editor’s tip: Want your hue to always look glossy? Just set it with the VO5 Tame & Shine Spray!
Tawny Highlights on Dark Brown Hair
These tawny balayage tones work together to bring soft, caramel hues to naturally dark hair. Credit: @jessicascotthair_salon
Brush-lights
That’s right, you can achieve this easy caramel look with a paddle brush! This technique is perfect for those who want natural-looking results. Credit: @hairbymendez
