Light brown hair with blonde highlights combines a light brunette base and foiled or hand-painted blonde hue accents. The shade provides a golden, bronde tone (brown + blonde) with exceptional depth and brightness.
Frances Canola, a salon owner, and stylist in Brea, CA, gave me some of her greatest advice for picking the right color.
Key Things to Know First
- Always consult an expert and ask if your hair color goal is achievable or what tones they recommend based on your skin complexion.
- Never shift your existing base too far away from your natural. Aim for no more than 1 to 2 shades lighter than your natural hair.
- Hair type and texture play a big part. The stylist can give you alternative options that fit your hair characteristics.
- Remember to also inquire about the maintenance.
- Incorporate color-safe or moisturizing shampoos and hair masks into your regimen to preserve hair integrity and color vibrancy. Avoid using too much purple shampoo.
Are you thinking of a hair color change? Find some of the most exquisite images of light brown hair with blonde highlights here!
#1: Natural Light Brown with Blonde Highlights with Lowlights
This soft blonde balayage has added highlights. They were created using Schwarzkopf Blondme in a traditional foil technique. I sectioned the hair off her part line with diagonal foils back. This light brown hair with highlights is a pretty low-maintenance style. Because the natural color was left at the base, the grow-out will be easier.
#2: Light Brown Graduated Bob with Highlights
Add depth to your light brown graduated bob with bold highlights on top. The blonde highlights sit well on the natural brown shade, strikingly contrasting. Your hair colorist should adjust the color based on the gradient of your haircut to ensure the colors blend well. Boost this color by finishing it with a shine spray.
#3: Light Brown Balayage with Highlights
A light brown balayage with highlights is a versatile hair color choice that adds depth and dimension to the hair. This style uses a unique highlight method, keeping the hair color darker at the base and lighter, not at the ends. Make sure your stylist includes a highlight feature close to your face for smooth, gradual growth.
#4: Stunning Long Golden Blonde + Brown Hair
If you love two-toned and dimensional hair, try a stunning long golden blonde color paired with brown hair color. One of the best ways to achieve this is by asking your stylist to give you a balayage. A balayage gives the illusion of naturally blended, sun-kissed hair because it’s hand-painted instead of using foils. Try to leave some sections of your hair darker underneath/on the bottom, as this will give your hair color the depth and dimension you seek.
#5: Light Brown with Blonde Balayage Highlights
Try blonde balayage highlights if you are considering coloring your light brown hair. Give your stylist a few color inspiration photos so they have a good idea of what you want the end goal to be. Ask for a dimensional root and solid ends for a gorgeous style.
#6: Blonde and Light Brown Balayage
Look oh-so natural and sun-kissed with a blonde and light brown balayage. The balayage technique is great for a soft grow-out and easy maintenance. With a soft feathered root, touch-ups are done only a few times a year, so less time at the salon. With this light brown blonde hair, you get to wear tones of dimension and depth that will look good all year round.
#7: Blonde Medium Bob Hairstyle + Brown Balayage
Breathe life to a medium bob with a light brown balayage and blonde ends. That pairing is exceptional! A style like this requires little effort, depending on the hair’s natural texture. Adding soft waves for movement is necessary if the tresses are fine and straight.
This is the perfect low-maintenance honey brown balayage. It was created by balayage specialist Zoe Ribley of Woodstock, GA.
“The honey and golden tones complement her natural hair color very well,” says Ribley. “This cut is a short blunt bob, styled with effortless beach waves to give off the perfect vibe!”
Balayage is perfect for women wanting a low-maintenance hairstyle! Women usually come back to see their stylist anywhere from 3 months to a year. When wanting the blunt short cut, be prepared to style your hair more often. Light brown short hair can tend to become more maintenance depending on the hair type you have.
#8: Light Brown Highlights on Blonde Hair
Light brown highlights on blonde hair color are the best way to create a perfectly blended bronde hue while adding dimensions to the tresses. Consider adding in lowlights if you want more contrast with your hair color or a slightly darker look overall. Lowlights will also showcase the lighter parts of your hair to make the hue pop even more.
#9: Light Brown Pixie with Subtle Highlights for Older Women
Light brown pixie with subtle highlights for older women is a great hairstyle that adds soft dimension and texture. Ask your hairdresser for a soft pixie and light brown baby lights to get this look.
#10: Medium Brown Hair with Lighter Blonde Streaks
Medium brown hair with lighter blonde streaks can create a beautiful seamless blend of colors. Color placement like this is good for medium to long hair lengths to show off the vibrancy of the hair color. For maintenance, you’re looking at visiting the salon every 3 months. Adding some lightness around the ends with a gloss every 7 weeks would do wonders for your hair.
#11: Thin Blonde Balayage Highlights for Mocha Hair
These thin blonde balayage highlights on mocha brown base hair bring a chic dimension. The result is eye-catching and looks elegant with voluminous waves. This mocha brown balayage makes a low-maintenance hair color that everyone will love.
#12: Long Brown Hair with Beige Highlights
Go for long brown hair with beige highlights for some depth and dimension. This hair trend is ideal for toning down an old blonde hue. Streaks of beige are more prominent if styled with voluminous waves.
#13: Light Brown Hair Color with Face-Framing Blonde Balayage Highlights
Light brown hair color with blonde balayage highlights are perfect for fine locks. Fine hair types suit the softness of the hue. This trend offers face-framing blonde highlights to add brightness around the face and make any eye color pop. The seamless, flawless-looking finish is achievable with proper lowlight placements.
#14: Creamy Blonde Hair
Creamy blonde hair suits gorgeous women with lighter and warm skin tones. The hue appears even richer if the hair is thick and styled with soft waves. For this blonde shade, it is using less heat when styling is better to keep its healthy-looking edge.
#15: Blonde Ombre Highlights for Light Brown Hair
These blonde ombre highlights for light brown hair are beautiful and cute and suit ladies with a light skin tone. The hair color idea will surely add a wow factor to a lady’s appearance. It works best on a longer haircut, too. The darker shade from the roots to the crown area makes the blonde hue at the ends pop even brighter.
#16: Bronde Highlights for Women with Light Brown Hair
These are the perfect bronde highlights for women with light brown hair! Fused colors also create neutral tones that work best on neutral skin complexions. To achieve versatility, keep the hair longer to look great with either a wavy or a sleek style.
#17: Toffee Brown Hair
This medium-length toffee brown hair features a soft highlight that blends the natural tone with a soft beige blonde. It was created by hairstylist Dena of Carrickfergus, ANT.
“Toffee brown hair color ideas will last 2-3 months with a good after-care routine,” says Dena. “Use sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner at home. The natural tone of the toffee brown is sure to bring out your complexion and enhance your beauty.”
#18: Light Brown Lob with Cool-Toned Blonde Ends
Here’s a light brown lob with cool-toned blonde ends. The warmth of the dark roots makes the color of the ends pop even brighter. This long bob looks sensational and can give a haircut a fresher, more modern payoff.
#19: Bright Blonde Hair Highlights on Dark Brown Hair
These bright blonde hair highlights give a natural-looking shine to dark brown hair. With waves on a layered cut, a magnificent dimension comes out. Blonde highlights emit a cooler tone with the warm brunette tone.
#20: Golden Blonde Hair with Golden Highlights
This golden blonde hair flatters women with olive or warm skin complexions! The color offers a richer tone and thick density, making the locks appear healthy. Use a purple shampoo and conditioner to keep the golden highlights gloss, but do what is necessary.
#21: Blonde Highlights on Light Brunette Hair
These blonde highlights on light brunette hair are not the usual striking blonde color, yet the variation suits this brunette color amazingly!
#22: Caramel Highlights on Light Caramel Brown Hair
This light brunette hair with blonde highlights is stunning! The soft waves make this look even more special. What’s great about this brown hair with caramel highlights is its modern-looking dimension.
#23: Light Honey Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
These light honey brown hair with blonde highlights are a pure hair transformation anyone can certainly pull off.
#24: Gorgeous Ash Blonde Highlights on Light Brown Hair
This is what (hair) dreams are made of! Twisted streaks pulled at the back make for the perfect partner for this light brown hair with ash-blonde highlights.
#25: Light Chestnut Brown Base with Platinum Blonde Highlights
Christmas came early with this light chestnut brown hair dye job! Winter platinum highlights made this all better.
#26: Light Ash Brown Hair with Soft Blonde Highlights
A new trend is in town! Light ash brown hair with blonde highlights seems to be stealing the spotlight: effortlessly good-looking, highlights, waves, and all.
#27: Caramel & Blonde Highlights on Lighter Brown Hair with Dark Roots
Caramel blonde highlights on light brown shoulder-length hair are a head-turner. What adds the bow on top of this caramel light brown hair with blonde highlights is the waves that enhance the dimension.
#28: Brown Hairstyle with Blonde Highlights and Lowlights
A brown hairstyle with blonde highlights and lowlights is a dimensional blonde. It was created by hairstylist Nikki Pierce of Athens, GR.
Pierce explains, “You get the brightness of a blonde, but the lowlights add enough darkness for depth. Plus, the lowlights give the illusion of volume within the brown hair coloring.”
A brown and blonde color is low-maintenance. Meet with your stylist every 6-8 weeks to freshen up the highlights and lowlights. Use a purple toning shampoo between salon visits to keep your blonde looking bright.
“Rotate in a color-safe shampoo when you aren’t using the purple shampoo,” she adds. “This will keep your toner and lowlights from fading. Shampoo & conditioner are the most important products to protect your hair color. Think of it as insurance for your hair.”
#29: Light Auburn Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights for Long Hair
These are blonde highlights on light brown, auburn hair, creating a dimensional balayage. They were created by stylist and salon owner Grace Clayton of Western Australia.
“I worked with the client’s natural warmth, and I love how it blends from a softer highlight near the root to a brighter, thicker piece of blonde through the ends,” says Clayton. “Creating a heavier face frame, but keeping it natural near the root, means low maintenance!”
#30: Curly Light Brown with Dark Blonde Highlights
This is a dark blonde with dimensional highlights on long, naturally curly hair. This guest has an amazing head of thick, naturally curly hair that has begun to turn grey. She isn’t ready for the commitment of permanent color and has some old grown-out color that has faded and turned brassy.
We gave her gentle and subtle highlights to blend the lightness of the ends with the top. We then gave her a semi-permanent color gloss to blend the grey coming in and finally added on a couple of toners to get her hair to a more neutral and less warm/brassy color!
#31: Honey Blonde Highlights on Light Golden Brown Hair
This dimensional honey blonde balayage radiates summer with a warm glow that will brighten your look.
The best part is that she looks super bright overall but still has a lot of dimensions spread throughout. She isn’t just solid blonde but has a more sun-kissed and natural look.
More often than not, I give golden blondes to women who are about 50% gray and want to blend the silver into their natural base color. The warmer tones give a more youthful glow to the hair. Honey blonde highlights are also lower maintenance compared to super ashy blondes. This is good for women who don’t want to come in often to re-tone their hair or for women with well water and other harsh mineral-filled shower water.
Related: See more honey blonde hair colors.
#32: Light Brown with Chunky Light Blonde Highlights
For light brown hair with chunky blonde highlights, hairstylist Katie Broyles of Canton, GA, did a freehand balayage highlighting technique.
“Women interested in these light blonde highlights on brown locks should decide if they’re comfortable with having some natural root showing or wanting more of classic highlight to the scalp,” says Broyles.
#33: Light Red-Brown Hair with Subtle Blonde Highlights
A light red-brown hair with blonde is a lived-in color. I love that when doing a balayage highlight, you can go months, and the color still looks amazing without the regrowth lines of a traditional foil highlight. I always suggest playing off their natural colors for women looking for low-maintenance colors. Keep your root color the same or close to it, and add pops of brightness around the face or ends.
#34: Strawberry Blonde Highlights on Sandy Brown Hair
Splashes of strawberry blonde highlights on sandy brown locks create a chic dimension. This gives hair inspiration to any woman with a natural brown shade. The blended colors of strawberry blonde and sandy brown give a flirty vibe that suits a wavy hairstyle.
#35: Balayage Blonde Highlights on Light Chocolate Brown Hair
A rich dimensional lived-in balayage blonde highlights on light brown hair was created by hairstylist Channing Bergey of Fort Worth, TX.
“My favorite thing about it is the richness of the lows against the bright blonde pieces,” says Bergey. “If you no longer want dark hair, this is a great color.”
Bergey says this color is ideal for women with light chocolate brown hair, medium brown hair, or a dark chocolate brown base. “It’s super low-maintenance. It’s also best for women who like to curl their hair because it makes the dimensions pop.”
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