35 Ways to Rock Blonde Highlights on Brown Hair

Whether you already have brown hair or are looking to make the switch to brunette, highlights are a great way to spice things up. Want a subtle or dramatic finish? There is plenty of color inspiration out there. We did some research and asked our stylist friends to share the coolest shades to try now. From bronde hairstyles to honey hues, here are 35 ways to wear blonde highlights on brown hair.

• Jennifer Korab is a celebrity hairstylist and owner of Renaissance Salon in New Jersey. She has over a decade of experience working in commercial, runway and editorial spaces. She is certified in all coloring techniques, haircutting and hand-tied extensions.
• George Papnikolas is a Los Angeles-based hair colorist and brand ambassador for Matrix. He previously worked on editorial shoots for Allure, InStyle and People Magazine. His clients include Madonna, Hailey Bieber, Nicole Scherzinger and Kim Kardashian.
• Sharon Dorram is a celebrity colorist and owner of Sharon Dorram Color at Sally Hershberger Salon with over three decades of experience in the field. She is also a color director and brand ambassador for Virtue. Her previous clients include Barbara Streisand, Kate Hudson, Meg Ryan and Priyanka Chopra.
• Adina Pignatare is a hair color specialist and ambassador for L’Oréal Professionnel. She specializes in balayage, foil and vivid services at the Designer's Edge Salon in Massachusetts.
• Guy Tang is a hair educator and creator of Mydentity, a haircare brand that offers styling products and color dyes to licensed professionals. He’s based in California and is known for his YouTube channel ‘GuyTangHair’ where he posts fitness, beauty and lifestyle videos.
• Abby Haliti is a balayage expert and founder of Abby Haliti Color Studio. She’s based in New York City and is known for her European hair color technique. Her clients include Olivia Palermo, Sigourney Weaver and Rita Ora.
• Eric Lopez is a top designer stylist at Katherine Jon Salon in New York. He has over four decades of experience in the industry. He specializes in hair treatments such as relaxers, permanent waving and dimensional color formulations. He also does men’s barbering and styling.

• Prep your hair. “You want to make sure your hair is in good condition for blonde highlights. If your hair feels dry or damaged, use a moisturizing hair mask a week or two before the appointment,” says Haliti. 
• Schedule a consultation. “A stylist will be able to provide you with advice and guidance about which color to get and where to place your highlights based on your skin tone and face shape,” says Tang. “Highlight placement can completely change how your face looks so you want to make sure they’re in the best location to enhance your features.”
• Bring visual examples. Find images of people who match your hair type and/or face shape, so you and your stylist can get a better sense of your desired outcome.. (Luckily, we have a few examples on this list to get you started.)

Congrats, you just booked your appointment! Now, check out these four tips to prepare you for your new highlights.

• Find the right shade for you. “The right hair color will depend on your skin tone, eye color and personal style,” says Haliti. If you have fair skin, consider cool-toned shades like ash or platinum blonde. On the flip side, those with tan or darker skin tones should try warm-toned shades like honey or caramel highlights. 
• Try out a new color technique. There are plenty of color ideas on this list (i.e., bronde, balayage, babylights, etc.) that you can try out for the first time. Have fun, just make sure to communicate with your stylist along the way. 
• Get ready to implement a nourishing haircare routine. All the experts agree that your haircare routine is very important to maintaining the health of your hair, especially after getting highlights. They recommend using a shampoo and conditioner for color-treated hair to protect the vibrancy of your color and strengthen strands between appointments. 
• Avoid using too much heat. “Don’t wash your hair with hot water, turn down the heat on your styling tools and try to stay out of the sun in order to get the most of your hair color,” says Tang. 

As Korab previously told us, this shade adds golden tones throughout a brunette base to give it shine and dimension. A stylist will often apply a gloss treatment, which adds shine and softness to your brown hue.

As Lopez previously explained, “This hair color is a caramel brunette mixed with milky blonde. It seamlessly blends balayage and baby highlights together and works best on naturally brown hair." To maintain this color, the stylist suggests using a hydrating shampoo and conditioner for shinier locks.

“Winter gold” centers around a natural brown base with specks of gold sprinkled throughout the hair. The trendy shade brings warmth and softness to your strands by highlighting key areas like the crown, ends and a few face-framing pieces.

For those looking for a subtle change, “milk latte” is a top contender on our list. This color technique applies lowlights to a dark blonde base for an updated version of our beloved bronde.  To create Lo Bosworth’s color, ask your stylist to apply a gloss treatment after dying your hair  to brighten things up.

Babylights add fine highlights throughout your hair to create a more natural look. To get a similar look to Jessica Biel’s color, a stylist will focus on lightening the ends and the front strands to brighten things up around your face. 

Nothing screams the ‘90s quite like chunky highlights. These statement strands provide dimension and a major contrast to your darker locks. To recreate J.Lo’s look, a colorist will apply bleach and foil on large portions of hair.

From Olivia Munn to Shay Mitchell, brunettes have been rocking darker highlights lately. According to Tang, a mixture of bright and pearl blonde is used for the highlights, before a brown glaze is applied to the rest of the hair. At home, Tang suggests misting a shine spray on the mid-lengths  to ends for extra shine.

Whether you’re returning back to your brunette roots (like Sofia Richie) or simply want to brighten your hair a bit, bronze highlights are the way to go.

Are Blonde Highlights a Good Option for Brown Hair?

100 percent. “If an individual wants  to add dimension, and brighten up their brown hair, then absolutely! Blonde highlights on brown hair is a popular choice because they offer a subtle, natural look when done properly,” says Haliti.

What Are the Benefits of Getting Blonde Highlights on Brown Hair? 

According to our experts, there are four main benefits of getting blonde highlights on brown hair. For starters, highlights can add dimension and depth to your natural hue. And depending on the shade and placement of your highlights, they can also create a sun-kissed appearance. Lastly, they’re a low-maintenance option that won’t make regrowth too noticeable.

Can I Dye My Brown Hair Blonde Without Bleach? 

If you’re looking to go lighter, bleaching your hair is unavoidable. However, our experts say there’s a way to limit how much bleach is applied. “If you want to go lighter, your colorist can recommend options that minimize how much  bleach is used. Techniques like balayage can reduce the amount of bleach used, while still creating a stunning, sun-kissed look,” says Haliti. 

What Colors Should You Avoid with Brown Hair?

“Brown hair has the benefit of being right in the middle of the color spectrum, so there are very few colors you should avoid. Pick colors that are the  opposite of your skin tone for more contrast. Another rule of thumb is to stay within four shades of your base color,” says Tang.