Refresh your hairstyle with balayage that’s perfect on brown hair or any other dark shade.
01. Dark Chocolate Brown With Bronze Balayage
This style merges a rich, glossy cool‑toned brown base with delicate bronze balayage streaks, creating a luminous, metallic finish. The warm bronze tones catch the light beautifully, adding an almost molten glow to dark locks. It’s ideal for anyone who wants to preserve their deep brunette color while introducing subtle warmth and shine.
The bronze highlights are expertly placed to accentuate the natural fall of long hair, ensuring a seamless transition from cool root to luminous tips. This look maintains an effortlessly polished vibe that requires minimal upkeep—just the right touch of brightness to elevate everyday hair.
02. Honey Balayage
Crafted by stylists Marcel Henriquez and Leysa Carrillo, this honey balayage lifts rich brunette curls with paint‑like strokes of golden warmth. The result is a radiant, multi-dimensional look that looks naturally sun‑kissed. The highlights blend seamlessly into curly texture, catching the light as curls move.
This honey-infused variation enhances curls without overpowering them, preserving their bounce and definition. It’s a smart choice for those seeking softness and dimension, offering a polished yet effortless glow.
03. Copper Red With Rose Gold Balayage
This fiery balayage style begins with a warm copper-red base and transitions into soft rose-gold highlights, offering a beautiful metallic sheen to every curl. The color shifts from coppery warmth to delicate blush tones—perfect for bringing out the richness in red-toned brunettes. It’s bold, playful, and stands out without feeling artificial.
The rose-gold accents add softness and femininity, complementing the copper’s intensity rather than competing with it. This look is ideal for brunettes craving a daring color update that gleams in the summer sun and transitions gracefully into fall.
04. Chestnut Brown With Caramel Balayage
Lush chestnut brown paired with warm caramel balayage brings out a natural summer glow in darker hair. The caramel highlights are blended softly from mid-lengths to ends, creating a radiant halo effect that feels rich yet elegant. It’s a timeless look with a hint of sunlit charm.
The color placement enhances volume and texture, giving movement to any styling choice—straight, curled, or wavy. This style is perfect for brunettes wanting to brighten their locks in a lasting, low-maintenance way.
05. Auburn Brown With Caramel Balayage
This look combines a mid-tone auburn base with streaks of caramel and strawberry-blonde highlights, adding dimension to blunt bobs. The contrasting warm tones soften the silhouette and bring light to darker tresses. It’s a youthful, vibrant twist on traditional balayage.
The layering of colors creates visual movement even in shorter styles—in this case, a bob—with caramel highlights placed just so to catch facial contours. It’s an easy-to-wear update that feels stylish and refined.
06. Cool Brunette
This cool-toned brunette style steps away from the traditional warmth of brown hues, leaning into ashier, smoky undertones. The balayage is applied with a light hand, keeping the overall palette grounded in deep, earthy shades that feel modern and understated. It’s the perfect choice for those who want something chic and minimal yet still dimensional.
The ashy finish gives this look a contemporary edge, especially flattering on cooler skin tones. It also pairs beautifully with sleek, straight styles, emphasizing the tonal variations and creating a polished, editorial-worthy effect.
07. Chocolate Brown With Chestnut Balayage
A luxurious chocolate brown base sets the stage for warm chestnut balayage that begins mid-length and continues to the ends. This pairing adds depth and richness to dark hair, brightening it just enough without overwhelming the natural tone. The blend is subtle but impactful, offering warmth and glow with every movement.
This look is great for anyone wanting to add dimension while keeping things low-maintenance. The close tonal match between the base and highlights ensures seamless grow-out, making it ideal for those who prefer infrequent salon visits.
08. Bright Copper Red With Apricot And Strawberry Blonde Balayage
A bold copper base lays the foundation for vibrant apricot and strawberry blonde accents that shimmer through the curls. This fiery color story brings out a glowing energy that’s perfect for warm weather or making a dramatic style statement. The balayage softens the intensity by blending various tones together for a harmonious, multidimensional finish.
The face-framing placement of the lighter hues helps illuminate the skin, while the playful combination of reds and blondes adds a fresh, youthful feel. It’s a high-impact look that’s as fiery as it is wearable.
09. Tortoiseshell Balayage
Inspired by the rich tones of tortoiseshell, this look features a mix of chestnut, caramel, and golden blonde hues swirled into a deep chocolate or dark chestnut base. The result is a warm, seamless blend that mimics the natural variegation of tortoiseshell patterns, offering complexity and sophistication.
This technique works beautifully on long or layered hair, as the multidimensional highlights add movement and shine. It’s the perfect choice for brunettes who want to keep things rich and elegant while adding just the right touch of brightness.
10. Mocha Brown With Toffee Balayage
Mocha brown hair gets a vibrant upgrade with strokes of toffee and golden caramel woven delicately throughout. These highlights add a radiant warmth and lift to the deep base, giving it a luxurious, glossy finish. It’s a striking look that remains soft and approachable.
This style works well for brunettes with cooler undertones who want a bit of golden warmth without going blonde. The combination of mocha and toffee creates a delicious color contrast that flatters most complexions and enhances natural texture.
11. Aubergine Red With Copper Balayage
A deep aubergine or sangria-like base is enhanced with fiery copper balayage, making this look a beautiful celebration of rich red tones. The contrast between the cool purple-red and the warm copper creates a bold yet balanced appearance that glows under light.
It’s a captivating color choice for brunettes and redheads alike, especially those who want something unconventional yet elegant. The balayage provides subtle luminosity and movement, ideal for layered cuts and curly textures.
12. Face-Framing Blonde
This balayage approach adds buttery blonde strokes just around the face, offering a bright, sunlit lift to deep chocolate brown hair. The contrast between the dark base and golden front sections draws attention to facial features and adds instant dimension.
It’s a smart option for those wanting to test out blonde without fully committing. The placement makes it flattering and youthful, while still keeping the rest of the hair rooted in rich brunette shades for a natural blend.
13. Chocolate Brown With Rich Auburn Balayage
Vibrant auburn balayage brings a fiery glow to a natural chestnut or chocolate brown base, beginning at the crown and intensifying toward the ends. This gradual gradient effect gives hair a luminous, dimensional appearance that feels full and healthy.
It’s an ideal way to experiment with red tones while keeping the foundation warm and familiar. The result is a head of hair that shines with richness, depth, and seasonal flair—perfect for autumn and winter transitions.
14. Rose Gold Balayage
A soft mocha base is given a dreamy transformation with an all-over sweep of rose gold balayage. This shimmering metallic tone adds a playful glow without overpowering the natural brunette underneath. It’s subtle, feminine, and refreshingly different.
The delicate pinkish hues work particularly well on wavy or curly hair, reflecting light at every curve. This is a great option for brunettes looking to add a modern twist to their color without veering into traditional blonde territory.
15. Neutral Brown With Beige Balayage
For those with a naturally neutral brown base, adding beige blonde balayage brings a refined, effortless elegance. The tones stay close to the original hair color, which helps the balayage blend flawlessly and grow out gracefully.
The result is a soft, sunlit effect that brightens the overall look without drastic contrast. This is perfect for anyone who wants an understated enhancement that works with their natural tones rather than against them.
16. Cinnamon Brown With Golden Auburn Balayage
Cinnamon brown hair already carries a rich, spicy warmth, but when paired with golden auburn balayage, it takes on a new level of brilliance. The lighter streaks bring a glowing, radiant effect that feels especially vibrant in natural light, giving hair a sunlit, almost fiery allure.
This combination is ideal for brunettes who want a touch of drama without sacrificing natural harmony. The balayage introduces brightness and movement, especially in waves or curls, making it a standout style for spring and summer months.
17. Deep Brown With Scarlet Balayage
This color combo brings a bold yet balanced contrast—deep espresso brown is beautifully lit up with flashes of cool-toned scarlet. The scarlet balayage gives depth and dimension to the darker base without looking too stark or artificial.
What makes this look especially striking is how the red undertones appear to shimmer through the layers. It’s a great way to play with color for those who want something edgy and unique, yet still wearable for everyday life.
18. Cherry Cola Balayage
This playful, sweet-toned balayage brings together all the warm richness of a cherry cola soda. It starts with a dark brown base and adds touches of mahogany, soft red, and golden brown hues, creating a delicious multi-tone effect that glows from within.
Cherry cola balayage is perfect for brunettes who want to add interest and personality to their hair without going overly light. The layered colors work beautifully with natural curls or voluminous blowouts, adding extra shine and flair.
19. Dark Ashy Brown With Chestnut Balayage
Cool-toned dark brown meets the inviting warmth of chestnut in this elegant balayage. The ash brown base keeps the look grounded and contemporary, while the chestnut strands provide the necessary lift and movement without disrupting the cool undertone.
This balanced contrast works especially well for people with neutral or cooler skin tones. It’s sophisticated, soft, and dimensional—perfect for someone looking to refresh their brunette without diving into bold, trendy color territory.
20. Balayaged Blonde Curls
Even brunette curls can get a sun-kissed glow with the right blonde balayage placement. Here, lighter strands are skillfully added to frame the face and cascade through curls, creating a bouncy, beachy look that feels effortless and radiant.
This style proves that blonde balayage isn’t just for straight hair—on textured or curly hair, the highlights enhance the shape and definition of each curl. The result is fresh, voluminous, and perfect for summertime styling.
21. Bronde Balayage
The perfect in-between shade, “bronde” blends brunette and blonde tones for a soft, golden effect. The look here is inspired by warm, sweet things—dubbed “candied pecans” by stylists—with golden balayage melting into a brown base for a rich, glowing finish.
Bronde balayage is ideal for brunettes who want to lighten up but still retain warmth and depth. It works on all hair types and lengths, giving a natural, sunkissed appearance that’s both luxurious and laid-back.
22. Rich Caramel Balayage
Few things complement brunette hair better than rich caramel tones. This balayage leans heavily into the golden spectrum, with pronounced streaks of caramel painted throughout to add volume, warmth, and undeniable vibrance.
Caramel balayage is a classic for a reason—it adds life to dark hair without going too light or high-contrast. The pronounced placement in this version makes a statement while still feeling timeless and wearable.
23. Cool Black With Chocolate Balayage
Cool-toned black hair gets a silky, dimensional upgrade with subtle chocolate balayage. Instead of dramatic contrast, this look keeps things smooth and understated, softening the edges of jet-black strands with rich brown undertones.
This is a great choice for anyone with naturally black or very dark hair who wants a softer, more natural-looking enhancement. The ombré effect also adds movement and interest without looking overdone.
24. Red Velvet With Copper Balayage
Red velvet hair is already a showstopper, but when paired with shimmering copper balayage, it becomes truly magnetic. The copper highlights add brightness and texture, catching the light in the most flattering ways and making the color pop even more.
This look is particularly striking on long or layered hair, where the dimension from the balayage can really be appreciated. It’s fiery, elegant, and unapologetically bold—perfect for someone with a strong personal style.
25. Dark Ash Brown With Icy Beige Balayage
For a softer, cooler take on balayage, this look combines a deep ash brown base with wispy strokes of icy beige. The cool beige lightens the overall appearance without disrupting the natural undertones, creating a subtle, almost smoky gradient.
This balayage style is sleek and modern, ideal for fans of neutral or minimalist aesthetics. The icy finish lends itself beautifully to straight styles or long, loose waves, offering a polished and contemporary feel.