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25 Dark Brown Hair Color Ideas That Prove Brunette Isn’t Boring

 

People may say that blondes have more fun, but brunettes and redheads know that’s not true: When it comes to low-maintenance but luxurious hues, dark brown hair color reigns supreme.

“Dark brown hair color is timeless; it has the capacity to be subtle yet extraordinary,” Jay Wesley Olson, colorist and R+Color collective member, tells Glamour. “Whether it be rich warm mocha or a cool balanced smoke show, a dark brunette is a show stopper.”

It also suits a wide range of skin tones, says Chase Kusero, cofounder of IGK Hair Care. “From fair to deep. It’s perfect for anyone looking to add depth and dimension to their hair,” he says, noting that there are countless reasons to love the shade.

“Dark brown hair is flattering and suits most occasions and styles, and it’s low-maintenance,” Kusero continues. “It blends well with darker natural roots, making it easy to grow out or touch up, and enhances shine.” That doesn’t sound too bad, does it? Ahead, see everything you need to know about embracing the dark side (of hair).

What is dark brown hair color?

“Dark brown hair is a timeless, versatile shade that suits a wide range of clients,” says Jennifer Korab, celebrity hairstylist, colorist, educator, and founder of Renaissance Salon & Spa in New Jersey. “It can complement various skin tones, with warm undertones thriving in rich chocolate or chestnut hues, while cooler undertones look stunning with ashier espresso or deep brown shades.”

And it has a whole lot of beauty benefits, adds Olson. “These shades, in the right tone, can illuminate every bit of the natural beauty,” he says. “Pairing these shades with skin tone and eye color creating the total package.”

Who is a good candidate for dark brown hair color?

According to Lorena M. Valdes, a colorist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, when it comes to maintenance, dark brown hair color is ideal for someone with naturally dark hair. “As far as natural medium to blonde hair, if your eye color and skin tone complement, it can look beautiful,” she says. “Just note that this will require touch-ups every four to six weeks.”

Olsen says the same. “I believe the perfect candidate for a dark brown tone is someone who already has natural depth,” he says. “I love to take a natural brunette deeper for winter, taking the tone a couple levels darker and adding tones to capture the beauty of the skin. During summer, a bit of subtle contrast but still remaining at or around the natural level keeps the hair darker but still allows versatility with seasonal looks.”

How to find the best dark brown hair color for your skin tone

“You can find the best shade for your skin tone by looking at your natural features. If you have warmth in your skin, you’re most likely to look best with some gold or copper in your dark brunette,” says Olsen. “If your skin tone is on the cooler side, you will most likely want to go in the direction of a balanced ash.”

However, he says, there are exceptions to these rules. “At times, skin tone can also be neutral to which they are able to try both sides, warm and cool, to see what they feel best in,” he explains.

Don’t know your undertones? “Compare warm tones to cool tones,” Valdes says. “Also noting the wardrobe color palette you gravitate toward can be helpful to determine how much warmth you want in your hair.” One quick trick is to see how you feel in the color orange, since it’s always warm. If you like it, you likely lean warm, and if you don’t, probably cool.

How to maintain dark brown hair color

While there are countless benefits to dark brown hair color, there is one catch. “All brunettes fade warm, whether they start warm or not,” says Shvonne Perkins, master colorist and lead educator at Madison Reed. “As your dark brown begins to fade, you will begin to see reddish or orange undertones, a result of underlying pigment showing through.”

A great way to keep that from happening is to continually deposit micro-doses of cool tone in the form of a color-depositing conditioner like Color Therapy Mask in the shade Caffe, Perkins continues. “You can also use a demi-or semi-permanent shade to keep the shade rich and balanced.”

Also be sure to use color-protecting shampoos and heat protectant: Our pros love R+Co Bleu’s Essential Shampoo and Condition, Pureology Strength Cure, and Madison Reed Color Protecting Shampoo. “IGK’s Good Behavior Spirulina Protein Smoothing Spray is great for enhancing shine and protecting color from heat-styling damage,” Kusero says.

Now that you’re an expert in all things dark brown hair color, it’s time for the fun part: Inspiration! Ahead, see 25 gorgeous dark hair color ideas to influence your next dye job, and get ready to screenshot and show your colorist.

Espresso Brunette

One of Kusero’s favorite dark brown hair colors? Espresso brown. “It’s a nearly black shade with cool undertones, perfect for creating a sleek, high-fashion look like Kaia Gerber’s,” he says. “The depth of color reflects light beautifully, giving hair a glossy, healthy appearance.”

Charcoal Brown

“Color companies such as Redken are creating colors like Brown Smoke and Cool Ebony due to popular demand,” says Lauren Mildice, a colorist at Chicago’s Maxine Salon. And it’s not hard to see why: They look great and are low-maintenance. “Charcoal brown is a comfortable in-between color,” she explains, suggesting you ask for cool dark brown that is darker than a Brown Smoke but lighter than a Cool Ebony to get the look yourself.

Mocha Caramel

Kusero is also especially fond of a mocha brown brunette with caramel highlights or balayage. “It’s a dark brown base with warm caramel highlights for a sun-kissed, dimensional look,” he says. Celebrities love the look, too: Ashley Park, Jessica Alba, and Hailey Bieber are all known to wear the style.

Dark Neutral

For a dark brown hair color with hints of warmth, Perkins recommends what she calls dark neutral, as seen on Lily Gladstone. “A great example of a dark brunette is ColorWonder Demi-Permanent Hair Color in the shade Espresso Yourself,” she suggests.

Vibrant Chestnut Brunette

“Vibrant chestnut is a vibrant brunette shade with subtle undertones ranging from copper red to golden hues,” says Renée Valerie, director of R+Color Education and R+Color Collective member. “While it is technically a brown, it stands out for its warmth and richness, making it distinctly different from more neutral traditional brunettes.” Sarah Hyland has been sporting one of our favorite takes on the vibrant hue.

Auburn Brunette

If you have naturally dark hair but want to try red—but at the same time, little to no time (or patience) for extensive upkeep—you might want to consider auburn brunette.

“Auburn brunette is a deep rich auburn that can easily be achieved by glossing over lighter brunette hair,” Christine Bellemare, cofounder, owner, and lead stylist at Maven A Collect in Boston, tells Glamour. “It also fades very well and is like an instant complexion upgrade, adding warmth and richness to your look.”

Espresso Martini

Kusero points to beautiful chocolate brunette with lots of shine—which he calls espresso martini—as a prime brunette shade as well. To get the look, Kuserro recommends IGK Permanent Color Kits is Hot Chestnut or Bold Brown; it’s a “beautiful chocolate shade. I would top it off with IGK Color Depositing Mask in the shade Electric Bronze."

Smoky Brown

“A smoky, natural brunette is a great option for brunettes looking to cool down their tone,” says Madison Reed master colorist Shvonne Perkins, pointing to Jenna Ortega’s color as a prime example. “It’s a brunette that’s warmed up past the stage of a little bit golden; it has hints of copper and mahogany, a mix of violet and red.” Because this shade keeps redness to a minimum, be sure to ask your colorist for a brunette that leans “as ash as possible” for your brunette level.

Nearly Black

If you’re really feeling bold, you might want to consider a soft black like Katy Perry’s. “To the untrained eye this looks black, but your colorist will likely see a balanced ultra-dark brown," says Ryan Dickie, a colorist at IGK Salon Miami. “Ask your colorist to keep the gloss at or near a level 2 with a brown to tan background, avoiding a blue background. Blue-based blacks tend to appear too saturated for this look.”

Chocolate Brown

“Chocolate brown is a rich, warm dark brown,” says Kusero. “It’s ideal for adding dimension with subtle highlights.” Some celebrities known to wear the shade include Shay Mitchell and Kendall Jenner.

Brunette Contrast

Feeling bored with your brown hair? Gregory Patterson, celebrity stylist and DIY expert for Sally Beauty, suggests dabbling in brunette contrast this season. “The key is to have a play of high and low contrast of deep shades of brown,” he says, pointing to Hailey Bieber as a perfect example of the look.

Cappuccino Chestnut

“Chestnut tones suit a wide range of people but are especially flattering on those with warm or neutral undertones in their skin,” says Kusero. “It’s an excellent option for brunettes looking to add richness and dimension to their hair.” One such example? This gorgeous shade of cappuccino chestnut brown.

Rich Brunette

“Rich brunette is a hair color trend we are seeing,” says Korab. “It’s great to add dimension or depth to richen up brunettes. This hair color trend looks great on most skin tones, and will never go out of style. It’s a great color to try if you already have brunette hair and just want to enhance it.”

Dark Chocolate Brown

“You can’t talk brunettes without mentioning the iconic Kim Kardashian,” says Dickie. “To achieve her signature dark chocolate brunette, ask your colorist for a neutral dark brown, typically around a level 4. As a pro tip, I usually gloss twice; typically in my second formula, I add a significant amount of clear gloss to add ultrashine and preventing premature fading.”

Deep Auburn

“Auburn chocolate is is a beautiful deep auburn that pops in the sun,” Valdes says. “To get the look, make an appointment for an allover color. For maintenance, it will need a root touch-up every four to six weeks, and when needed, a gloss to freshen up the mids and ends.”

Deep Chestnut

Kusero also loves the deep chestnut shade. “It’s a rich, dark tone with red undertones, as seen on Priyanka Chopra Jonas," he says. Especially since, despite how luxe it looks, it's actually low-maintenance compared to cooler tones. “That's because it blends seamlessly with brown bases,” he explains.

Glossy Brunette

You can never go wrong with a gorgeous glossy brunette—especially not this winter. “Glossy chocolate brown offers a deep luxurious tone that enhances natural beauty and flatters a variety of skin tones,” says Korab. “To achieve this color, ask your stylist for an intense glossy shade with multidimensional tones that enhance richness and shine. Specify that you want a warm reflective brown without any brassy or red undertones.”

Chocolate Mousse

Valdes also loves chocolate mousse, which she defines as a rich brown with warm undertones.

“This is a timeless color that offers warmth and depth. It’s versatile, making it suitable for a wide range of skin tones,” adds Kusero. “Although a chocolate brown is often best for someone with warm undertones, it can be customized to suit cool undertones as well. A great way to achieve this look is by using the IGK Color Depositing Mask in Brown Bella, which allows you to transition from a lighter brown to a rich brown.”

Deep Golden Brunette

For a deep golden brunette like Meghan Markle’s, Dickie recommends first achieving the level, or darkness, and then glossing twice. “The second time, I focus more on the tone,” he explains. “In this case, I would add a second gloss of a pure warm tone over the top of the dark hair. Believe it or not, yellow and orange kicker can be your best friend in this case. My secret formula is usually a top gloss of Redken Shades EQ Crystal Clear with just a few capfuls of orange or yellow kicker.”

Vintage Brown

And of course, you can’t beat a classic: Low-maintenance, natural, and undone brunettes are still very much in vogue. “By placing subtle ribbons of walnut and nutmeg underneath and through the length, we stay true to the brunette world with color that appears organic,” says Mildice.

Expensive Brunette

Almost every expert we interviewed pointed to expensive brunette as one of the most popular dark hair color trends to consider. The key to keeping it looking expensive? At-home maintenance.

“Make sure to do your color masks in the shower,” says Patterson. “I highly recommend the Freewill Color Seal Glossing Rinse and love Wella Color Fresh Masks, like Chocolate Touch, to maintain and breathe some new life into color-treated hair.”

Brownie Batter

Brownie-batter brunette is always a great choice due to its show-stopping dimension—as well as how low-maintenance it is despite looking so luxe. “This hair color trend has soft blonde money piece and a few highlights around the face,” says Korab, who coined the shade name. “It can also have some softer blonde pieces throughout the hair while still maintaining mostly the rich brunette look.”

Natural Brown

Love your natural hair color? Perfect timing: “More natural color is still in, meaning people are avoiding overprocessing,” says Jaclyn Curti, hair colorist and extensions specialist at Eva Scrivo Salon in New York. “Think Olivia Rodrigo’s rich chocolate brown with subtle amber brown highlights toward the bottom.” This look also works well for ashy brown colors.

Dark Chestnut

“This luminous and reflective shade is a natural brown color with hints of caramel and golden undertones and loads of rich shine,” says Perkins. To get the look, Perkins advises, be specific about wanting a burnished, golden chestnut brunette without it becoming red. “The tones you want to add to your brunette are mahogany, golden, and copper mixes—not literal red tones.” Think Laura Harrier’s glossy shade.

Copper Brown

Another brown-red hybrid? Deep copper brunette. “Last fall we saw coppers on a rise like never before, and while I don’t see them going away anytime soon, I am noticing different ways we are keeping them on trend,” Mildice says. “One of those is a deep shade of brown and red-tinted copper."

Enter bropper, a brunette and copper-color mix. “Both colors have been trending the last few years, so why not just combine the two?"