Sandy brown hair is a light brown hair color that’s a mix of brown and blonde. Another inspirational version of bronde, this cool and neutral brown hue, is blowing up into this year’s top color charts!
Just remember to speak with your hair colorist or stylist about maintenance! Hairstylist Mel Jaramillo of Toronto, Canada, says, “Your color will fade and leave your hair brassy. Refresh your color every 6-8 weeks with a toner to keep it lasting longer.”
Jaramillo recommends L’Oreal Professional products that are color-safe and moisturizing. She tells us this product is your best weapon against damaged, dull, and discolored hair.
Before your next hair color appointment, check out these trendy photos of sandy brown hair color ideas!
#1: Dark Sandy Brown Long Hair
Try a dark sandy brown hair color because it’s the perfect transition between bright summer blondes and warm brunettes. Women with already dark hair are the perfect candidates to try a sandy hair color because it’s a more natural and lived-in look that does not require much maintenance. When talking with your hairstylist, determine how much of your natural color you want to keep. This can change how bold or subtle the color will be.
#2: Light Brown with Subtle Blonde Highlights
Consider a light brown hair color with subtle blonde highlights. If you’re after a natural color shift, I suggest adding baby lights all over your hair. Begin with a few highlights, known as babylights, to create the effect of naturally sun-kissed strands. For a nice blend, tone your hair with a sandy blonde finish to complement a medium brown shade.
#3 Sandy Medium Brown Hair Color for Curly Hair
A sandy medium brown hair color for curly hair gives you a hint of light with brown depth at the base. It’s the hue for women with previously highlighted hair and hair on a natural level 5/6. It’s also a hue you could choose if you want to add highlights to your hair or tone your color down a bit. Consider using a deep conditioning mask once a week to keep moisture locked in.
#4: Sandy Burgundy Brown to Black Ombre
Sandy burgundy brown to black ombre hair is a classic trend with a little spice. The hints of reddish shade are what give dark tresses personality. The ombre gives locks a bit of brightness but in an edgier way.
#5: Light Sandy Brown
A light sandy brown is a beautiful neutral tone with beige hues. Perfect for brunettes and blondes, a sandy brown is great on almost any hair type.
#6: Sandy Brown Blonde Hair
Sandy brown blonde hair is a subtle way to make a bold statement! Rich, dark roots blend beautifully into soft, sun-kissed ends. Beachy waves set off the brightness of the highlights against dark shadows, but wearing this hair hue straight is a great option. Notice the lighter pieces framing the face for extra color pop!
#7: Sandy Beige Brown with Dark Roots
Sandy beige brown with dark roots complements women with a naturally dark base and warmer skin tones. Keeping the base dark will help this color pop by contrasting it with the lighter ends. It’s what differentiates it from the traditional highlights. Consider how many visits to the salon it would take to achieve this hue. Having a thorough consultation about options and expectations with your stylist is key.
#8: Sandy Brown Babylights
Sandy brown babylights give a subtle hint of color to your tresses. It is a good option for women who prefer to keep it low-maintenance. It’s also a good choice for women getting their hair colored for the first time. Babylights diffuse the line of demarcation, so the grow-out is seamless and looks natural. Ask your hairstylist to color your hair closer to your natural hair hue for a luxe, subtle finish.
#9 Sandy Brown Natural Color
This natural sandy brown hair color offers a soft, neutral tone that’s perfect for those looking for a subtle change. The long, gently curled strands add volume and movement, making it an excellent choice for women with medium to thick hair. This hue is ideal for lighter skin tones and provides a sophisticated yet effortless look. However, be mindful that sandy tones can sometimes become brassy, so consider using a purple shampoo to maintain the cool undertones.
#10: Sandy Brown with Caramel Highlights
A sandy brown with caramel highlights creates warm tones and depth to the hair. Caramel highlights are ideal for women with naturally darker hair, as they pull more warmth into the hair. It’s also perfect for women looking for less of an ashy, cool tone. Caramel highlights combined with a sandy brown create a seamless grow-out.
#11: Sandy Reddish Brown for Black Skin Tones
Featuring a gorgeous shade of sandy reddish brown for black hair! The color adds enough shine that fits your skin tone. For an illusion of extra depth, keep your straight hair no longer than the shoulders and add side bangs. Use hair glosses to richen the sandy brown hues and highlight your eye color.
#12: Sandy Dark Brown for Dark Hair
A sandy dark brown hair color and flowy waves are a perfect match.
#13: Sandy Caramel Brown with Subtle Blonde Highlights
Flaunt your long hair with a sun-kissed tone by opting for this sandy caramel brown shade. The blonde highlights create a dimensional effect, which goes well with classy curls.
#14: Sandy Honey Brown Highlights
Your long, thick hair deserves a sun-kissed glow, and that’s what this trend can offer you! Sandy honey brown highlights add a pop of warmth to your look. Soft dimensions and waves complement each other well, too.
#15: Sandy Mousy Brown
A sandy mousy brown color added texture to a shoulder-length bob. It’s even done via balayage to lighten and frame your face.
#16: Sandy Chocolate Brown
A sandy chocolate brown hair color is easy to manage and doesn’t require much of a touch-up. Wavy, dark hair will also grow out so effortlessly with this shade.
#17: Sandy Mahogany Brown
The waves in this sandy mahogany brown hair create a movement that appears effortless. Choosing a length beyond the shoulders is also clever—not too short or long.
#18: Sandy Espresso Brown with Hair Extensions
A dimensional blonde is a craze here to stay, but you can have it with a bit of a twist. Try to wear this shade of sandy espresso brown with bold confidence. The cool tone of the blonde hue is striking and frames the face. With or without hair extensions, the result of having long and wavy locks in this color is fulfilling.
#19: Sandy Brunette Hair
The best sandy brunette hair looks and feels warm and is natural-looking on long waves.
#20: Sandy Ash Brown Hair
Since ashy-toned hair is currently trending, it’s time for you to flaunt this sandy ash brown hair color. Loose waves on mid-length hair are perfect for highlighting lighter streaks.
#21: Sandy Bronde Balayage with Wavy Ends
Give your long, wavy tresses the right pop of blonde and brown with teasylights and a shadow root. Both shades balance out one another, creating this ravishing sandy bronde balayage.
#22: Sandy Golden Brown
A sandy golden brown hair color pops with darker streaks to create a warmer undertone to your mid-length blonde. The seamless blend of sandy brown shades is a statement piece that will do best on glamorous waves.
#23: Sandy Chestnut Brown
The soft sandy chestnut brown and the gorgeous waves on long strands work wonders with a half updo. Such dark hair with highlights may make your features pop and create a stunning contrast.
#24: Sandy Copper Brown
Try a sandy copper brown balayage combined with a color melt and sun-kissed dimension with soft waves.
#25: Sandy Auburn Brown Balayage
A sandy auburn brown balayage allows women to wear it without worrying about regrowth lines, and the sandy brown tone has a rich autumnal warmth. The gorgeous hair coloring job in this image was created by senior stylist Cas Roycroft of Hamilton, NZ.
Roycroft loves this hair coloring and styling combo – big bounce waves make a balayage color stand out by showing the color’s depth, highlights, and placement.
When asked about creating sandy brown hairstyles, she explained, “Usually, I bring the color higher around the face and drop it down towards the back. I also place the color more heavily on the ends around the section above the crown and the front while scattering the color through the underneath section under the crown. This creates a color contouring (or a shadow) behind the ears and around the neck while brightening up around the face and shoulders.”
#26: Light Sandy Brown Hair
Consider this light sandy brown hair if you want to transition from light to dark. It was created by salon owner and hair colorist Joseline Vargas of Pasadena, CA.
“This was a great transition for this particular model in the picture,” notes Vargas. “Her hair was light blonde growing out, and she wanted to return to her natural color slowly.”
Vargas felt this sandy brown hair dye would be a great medium to her previous light blonde and natural brown color. She adds, “For the low-maintenance feel, you’ll need to touch up their hair every 4-6 weeks.”
#27: Sandy Warm Brown
A sandy warm brown grants you sultry and brighter locks and gives them a new life! You’ll love it when you need a break from having dark brown hair.
“This is a warm brunette balayage,” says hairstylist Lindsay Amarel of West Jordan, UT. “My favorite thing about it is how the sandy brown tones blend so nicely together.”
Amarel says most women would be good candidates for this sandy brown hue as long as they’re willing to care for their hair with a professional product.
#28: Sandy Mushroom Brown
If you have naturally blonde hair, ask your colorist for this mushroom sandy brown hair color idea to avoid a sandy blonde hair color. It was colored by balayage specialist Vanessa Calder of Victorville, CA. “This formula is a dark blonde or light brown with neutral undertones,” she notes.
“My favorite part about this is that we took this beauty back to her natural hair color while still adding dimension and shine to the hair,” explains Calder.
The best thing about this hair color is that a sandy blonde can be customized to most women’s skin tones. If you prefer warm tones, it can be a little more golden, and if you prefer ash, it can be smokey.
#29: Sandy Mocha Brown
Do you have naturally brunette hair and thinking about adding highlights? A sandy mocha brown hue can give you what you want and more! The balayage finish will carry out a dimension on your long, wavy locks.
Hair colorist and salon owner Shay Freese of New Mexico says, “This technique features a natural, seamless blend. We wanted a sandy brown shade with a sun-kissed touch. I performed a teasy light lived-in color technique using Alfaparf 9 high lift lightener. We then glossed with 6nw+9v+9gi equal parts using Redken shades, then processed for 7 mins.”
This sandy brown hairstyle is for a low-maintenance woman who wants a sun-kissed tint. Freese recommends a touch-up within 10-12 weeks, maintaining an at-home routine of Alfaparf’s nutrition mask once a week and Kevin Murphy’s blonde angel purple shampoo.