Blondes have more f…uuhm, we’re not so sure anymore. A few years ago, we’d have probably agreed with that statement unequivocally. But with the advent of hot food- and beverage-inspired hair colors (think: pumpkin spice, cinnamon swirl) we’re pretty convinced brunettes are having just as much—if not more—fun.
Don’t believe us? Let us introduce you to caramel, a color that looks as good as it sounds. In highlights form, especially, it flatters dark hair like no one’s business.
Ahead, get a front-row seat to some of the sweetest, most delicious caramel highlights on brown hair inspiration yet. Natural brunettes, let the party begin!
Caramel Color and Brown Hair—A Match Made in Heaven
Let’s face it, brown hair is innately meh. Rarely does it look show-stopping without a pop of color here and a drizzle of highlights there.
Being that it’s a few shades lighter than natural brown color, caramel brightens up a brunette base with enviable ease all while lending it purposeful dimension. And since it’s naturally toasty and luminous, you’re bound to look (and feel) a whole lot warmer with this hue.
The best thing about this soft, buttery shade? It works wonderfully well with all skin types, whether you belong to the warmer or cooler color type.
And before you ask, yes, caramel hues go perfectly with both straight and curly hair. Straight hair showcases all the different hues involved, while curly hair blends together all the shades for a stunningly cohesive look. What a no-fail option!
Perhaps worth noting is the fact that caramel highlights on brown hair are best achieved via the oh-so-popular balayage technique. Colorists use free hand rather than foils, which creates a gradient finish and leaves your hair looking more natural and sun-kissed.
We’re already head over heels in love with this delightful combination, but just in case you need a little more convincing…
50 Tasty Ideas for Caramel Highlights On Brown Hair You’ll Go Crazy Over
Here are 50 gorgeous examples of brown hair with caramel highlights that are sure to instantly put a pep back in your step, the oomph back in your look.
1) Caramel Highlights for Naturally Wavy Brown Hair
An easy breezy way to wear caramel highlights. Just look at how naturally sun lit her hair looks courtesy of its wavy texture. JUUUICY!
2) Dark Brown Hair With Subtle Caramel Highlights
Barely-there highlights have that magic power to make dark brown hair look even more alluring and luxurious. Check out this mind-blowing summer-ready hair! Opt for full highlights—they are flaunting and easy to maintain!
3) Caramel Blonde Highlights
Enjoy the life of a blonde and stay true to your roots at the same time! This shortbread caramel tone suits loose curls or waves (sunbathing by the beach, anyone?).
4) Face-Framing Highlights for Dark Brown Hair
If you’ve toyed with the idea of going blonde, but aren’t quite ready for the commitment that the blonde arena requires, caramel face-framing highlights should be your best friend ASAP! They’ll instantly illuminate your face while allowing you to dip your toes into the blonde world oh-so-comfortably.
5) Ombre Highlights on Chocolate Base
Caramel ombre hair is such a flattering way for natural brunettes to experiment with lighter shades. The transition from dark roots to butterscotch strands is absolutely dreamy! To get the voluminous look, curl your hair with a large barrel curling iron and finish by teasing lightly.
6) Light Caramel Highlights on Dark Hair
A subtle, low-maintenance option that can still grab attention in a crowded room. This look especially pops in the fall when won in loose waves for an airy, sultry style.
7) Dimensional Highlights
Notice how elegantly the layers fall and show off the rich caramel highlights? If you have short hair, try rollers or a small curling barrel for an effortless wave.
8) Tawny Highlights
Brunettes craving a super unique look that arrests attention without coming off too strong should consider tawny highlights. A contemporary take on the more famous golden-brown color, tawny is a brownish-orange caramel hue that pairs superbly well with neutral undertones.
9) Caramel Brown Highlights
Caramel streaks on medium dark brown hair? Don’t mind if we do! Caramel brown highlights are on-trend for all hair types at the moment, but we’re particularly fond of the warmth-infusing hue when painted on wavy black hair. The effect is S-U-R-R-E-A-L!
10) Caramel Money Piece
This style is definitely on the money! For a sprinkle of soft lightness around the face, warm caramel highlights won’t disappoint whatsoever.
11) Blonde and Caramel Highlights
Have long hair and are itching to experiment with something a little outside of your comfort zone? A mix of trendy blonde and caramel highlights may be worth trying! You’ll land a stunningly dimensional look that’s full of body and flair; long stares incoming (the good kind, of course).
12) Dark Caramel Highlights on Dark Hair
Fancy the idea of adding caramel tones on black base color? Brown and caramel highlights can instantly add shine and movement to your strands, especially when styled with beach waves.
13) Caramel Honey Highlights on Black Hair
Even the darkest shades of brunette hair look absolutely beautiful with strategically placed warm honey highlights. The texture here further adds to the dimension.
14) Soft Caramel Highlights
Take your midi or long hair to the brighter side by incorporating strands of softly toned caramel. This will bring more texture and dimension to your natural brown hue, thus adding extra volume to it—visually, at least.
15) Caramel Ash Blonde Balayage
We can’t get enough of looks featuring an all-over ashy shade, and this delightful ash blonde and caramel combination is no exception. It’s the perfect low-maintenance alternative for brunettes who’d rather do with near-zero salon visits.
16) Shimmery Tangerine Highlights
Want to play with color and show off your medium to long dark brown locks? Tangerine highlights will get the job done. This stunning caramel shade looks especially saucy when light hits your strands.
17) Rose Gold and Caramel Highlights
Rose gold is a color we come back to every single year—and can you blame us? When worn on dark red hair, this warm pinkish hue with golden tones screams endless glamor! Pair it up with caramel highlights to take the chic effect a few notches higher. And oh, it compliments cool undertones to a T.
18) Light Brown Hair With Highlights
Take your light brown mane to new heights with a perfect blend of honey and caramel blonde highlights.
19) Subtle Balayage In Caramel
Soft, carefully-placed highlights are the epitome of chic, effortless-looking hair, and who doesn’t want that? SUBSCRIBED!
20) Natural-Looking Caramel Highlights
Can’t resist a warm hair color? Say hi to another favorite: dark brown hair with blended caramel. This low-maintenance style has contrast and depth yet manages to maintain such a sweet natural allure. Women with medium-colored skin can start celebrating already!
21) Amber Highlights on Dark Hair
Who wouldn’t want warmth, dimension, and a million dollars’ worth of flair balled into one style? Count us in, please!
22) Caramel Highlights on Dark Brown Curly Hair
Do you have a rich dark brown curly mane? Look no further than caramel highlights if you want to bring bounce and fullness to your curls. Your beautiful base is just waiting to be brought to life with a few popping caramel and chocolate strands!
23) Dark Mane With Caramel Babylights
Did we mention we love spicing up wavy brunette hair with highlights? Caramel babylights are no exception to this! They’ll create a warm, distinctive dimension throughout your mane, all while making your hairdo twice as catchy.
24) Chocolate Brown Hair With Caramel Highlights
There’s nothing we love more than warm, chocolate cake—except maybe a hair color that’s equally as rich and delectable as the tantalizing dessert. Ask your hair colorist for caramel highlights over a chocolate brown base to satisfy your craving for sweets while giving your strands softness and dimension.
25) Dark Hair With Caramel Lowlights
Let there be light! If your dark mane won’t be practically illuminating after being infused with this lovely mix of highlights, we owe you a refund (seriously). And the best part: you can show off your shiny, healthy-looking hair with literally any style, from a quick ponytail to loose waves.
26) Short Brown Bob Caramel Highlights
The sheen, texture, and tones of her short hair with highlights are, quite simply, stunning.
27) Long Brown Hair With Caramel Highlights
These waist-length strands undoubtedly make an impression, but they could pull in even more attention if drizzled with strategically placed caramel pieces. To make the tips and ends more detailed, bring out more long layers.
28) Caramel Color and Golden Blonde Highlights on Light Brown Hair
Add a burst of vibrant dimension to your mane via caramel golden highlights. Cut your hair no shorter than mid-length so the loveliness of these tones doesn’t go to waste.
29) Caramel Balayage Highlights
Just look at these mesmerizing balayage highlights that give depth to the base color and create a sophisticated hair color solution that you won’t see on every other girl. Go for loose curls to really elevate the mane’s glamorous allure.
30) Cinnamon Blonde Hair With Caramel Hues
We love the way caramel strands pop against a cinnamon blonde base. It’s giving a well-thought-out color job. A dimensional balayage and copper color melt are all it takes to land this gossip-worthy look.
31) Lived-In Caramel Balayage
Your color should bring attention to the texture of your hair without competing with it. The soft caramel tones and tousled beach waves make for a harmonious couple.
32) Sun-kissed Caramel Highlights on Brown Hair
We adore the silky and natural-looking brown balayage look here. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
33) Caramel Brown Highlights and Dark Roots
Perfect for those keen to avoid constant root touch-ups, as well as those who want to go light but not too drastic.
34) Caramel Blonde Highlights for Tan Skin
Against darker complexions, caramel blonde highlights are striking and modern.
35) Delectable Caramel Bronde Highlights
A fusion between blonde and brown hair, this style is as naturally sun-kissed as it gets. LOOK AT THAT GLAZE!
36) Soft Caramel Balayage for Dark Hair
For those who want to keep touch-ups at a minimum, soft caramel waves are a great way to do so. Not fully sold on this style? How about the fact that it shines brighter-than-bright when light hits it?
37) Loose Ringlets with Caramel Balayage
We think this combo is outright fun, sophisticated, and perfect for a night out—and we have a feeling you’ll be a big fan.
38) Creamy Caramel Highlights on Black Hair
Creamy highlights happen to be a huge hair color craze at the moment. And when it comes to adding them to a brunette base, it’s not hard to see why. The warm, silky rich overall look is reminiscent of some of our favorite chocolate cakes filled with delicious caramel icing.
39) Long Blended Caramel Locks
Now this is what perfection looks like! Long hair is ideal for showcasing how beautifully caramel highlights blend with your natural color.
40) Golden Caramel Tones on Mid-Length Hair
If you’re game for adding a lustrous, understated look to your hair, these sweet caramel waves are a fantastic way to do so. And, no, that length is anything but awkward—it just needs a bit of color and loose waves, and you’ll be giving Hollywood celebrities a run for their money in no time!
41) Medium Brown Hair With Caramel Highlights
Yet another way to accumulate warmth in your hair for the frosty days—this time, through a wavy medium hairstyle that’s bound to do justice to every last one of your strands. If you want a super low-maintenance style, keep the caramel tones on the darker side to reduce the rate of fading.
42) Golden Brown Highlights
Yes, this still counts as a caramel shade, and we are going ga-ga over it!
43) Glossy Caramel Highlights
Here are the number of times we’ve failed to obsess over this gooey, glitzy, utterly gorgeous look…zero, nada, zilch!
44) Muted Classic Caramel Highlights
It might not be as bright and showy as the other caramel shades on this lineup, but it’s just as (if not more) glamorous. There’s just something so understatedly beautiful and sophisticated about a mane that keeps its color “behind the curtains.”
45) Brown Hair Caramel Balayage
Get into the caramel hair bandwagon with this dimensional balayage with va-va-voom waves. The intricate layering of those shades paves the way for them to be shown off in 3D. Hands-down an eye candy!
46) Deep Auburn Hair With Caramel Streaks
Recreate the color of autumn leaves on your hair, because why not?
47) Copper and Caramel Highlights
We can all agree that the beauty of this mane cannot be taken in fully at first glance. It’s both feisty and flirty, a rare combo that’s sure to draw in admirers for a little longer than usual. Caramel hair inspirations don’t get more intoxicatingly gorgeous than this.
48) Toffee Caramel Frontal Highlights
Fair skin girls, this one’s for you! This style lifts your complexion to the high heavens and will grow out very softly with minimal upkeep (can someone say yay).
49) Black, Dark Chocolate and Caramel Balayage
Get fluid, flawless-looking hair with not one, but three of the finest hues the caramel brown world can offer. The balayage technique ties it all together nicely.
50) Short Hair Caramel Highlights
Contrary to popular belief, short hair actually has a lot of wriggle room when it comes to playing with color. Just look at these super-charming caramel strands and tell us we’re wrong.
