10 Shades of Brown Hair: Cool Tones, Warm Tones and Everything In Between

Let’s be real for a second: We don’t think brunette hair gets half as much love as it deserves. So many people believe that there are just two notable shades of brown hair on the brown hair colour chart: light brown and dark brown. Truth is, there are endless shades that fall somewhere in between.

To convince you of the range of options in the brunette category, we picked out some of our favourite shades of brown hair for you to test out. From cool tones to warm tones and shades in between, we guarantee that you’ll fall head over heels in love with one of these brown tones:

 

10 Shades of brown hair

Light Ash Brown

woman with long tresses and a thick braid
Source: Adobe Stock

Dark brown hair colours can sometimes be too stark a contrast for women with paler skin. A light ash brown shade gives your hair more colour while still staying subtle enough to not drown out your skin tone. Ash brown shades have a slight grey tint to them and that means that those with fair complexions and lighter blue/green eyes can really pull off the look.

 

Espresso

woman with long loose curls
Source: Adobe Stock

This is definitely one of the darkest shades on the brown colour chart. This deep, heavy pigment of brown compliments people with olive and yellow complexions, and it’s a beautiful eye-catching shade.

To keep this colour striking and rich without having to revisit the hair salon again and again, try washing your locks with Dove Nutritive Solutions Colour Care Shampoo and Conditioner.

 

Nude Brown

woman with very long golden brown waves
Source: Adobe Stock

The nude trend has taken over the beauty industry, and this nude colour is definitely one of our top shades of brown hair to wear this year. Unlike ashy or bronzy brunettes, neutral brunettes sit somewhere in the middle of the hues, combining both warm and cool tones for a really natural-looking result. However, no two women will have the exact same nude colouring, so ask your stylist to tailor your colour to your style and achieve a balmy, almost untouched result.

 

Cocoa Brown Hair

woman with big curly natural hair
Source: Unsplash

We’re all drooling over this chocolate brown hair colour. This shade is one of our not-so-guilty pleasures for its dark neutral tone and vibrant colour. It blends warm and cool hues perfectly, creating a flowing concoction of sultry chocolate brown.

 

Bronde

woman with long bronde hair
Source: Adobe Stock

No, it’s not a typo. Bronde hair is one of the hottest shades of brown hair that’s trending across the globe and is made up of both brown and blonde tones to give your locks a permanently sun-kissed effect without being too red or warm. The result: a unique, captivating colour that will have jaws dropping and eyes popping.

 

Honey Brown Hair

woman with straight, honey blonde hair
Source: Adobe Stock

Turn up the heat with a honey shade. Ranging from true golden shades to rich toffee and caramel hues, adding in lighter blonde pieces of hair around the hairline will give an illuminating, face-flattering result.

 

Caramel Brown

woman wearing a wide brimmed hat, with long hair with caramel highlights
Source: Adobe Stock

Get inspired by one of our favourite coffee-coloured hues and opt for a medium brown base infused with caramel-coloured highlights. We love how these face-framing highlights brighten up your face.

After you style your new strands, add a dose of shine by spritzing your hair with Toni&Guy Finishing Shine Spray. This hairspray will add that extra shine to your fresh caramel colour.

 

Sunlit Brunette

woman with straight hair and small highlights
Source: Adobe Stock

Leave your base colour as-is and celebrate your natural hue with natural-looking highlights. This sun-kissed colour will serve as a contrast to your natural shade of brown hair and help you show off both your natural colour and striking highlights at the same time.

 

Red-Toned Brown Hair

woman with wavy brown hair with a red undertone
Source: Adobe Stock

Many brunettes have natural red highlights that are more noticeable in the sun. This red-toned shade of brown hair colour takes those natural highlights to the next level: consider dyeing your whole head of hair this striking shade of red-toned brown.

 

Brown Hair with Lightened Ends

woman with curly brown hair

Consider keeping your roots authentic and brightening just the ends to a lighter shade of brown.

 

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