Style Hair 24 Gorgeous Reasons Why Balayage Isn't Just for Blondes By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South.She earned a B.A. in Journalism at the University of Georgia. She hopes to inspire your travel bucket list with her features on road trips through Texas Hill Country, bourbon tours in Kentucky, and the best beach getaways on the Gulf Coast. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on March 14, 2018 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Instagram/@hkendallhair With the coming of spring and summer, we've been struck with a sudden thirst for sun-kissed hair. We're thinking the delicate sweeps and strokes of color that balayage highlights give any crown might be just what the doctor ordered. Whether warm chestnut brown with touches of caramel and honey or deep russet red with dashes of bright copper and apricot, the naturally blended and perfectly kissed-by-the-sun tresses courtesy of our beloved balayage make us swoon every time. We love the low maintenance way in which it grows out, giving you more precious time between touch-ups, and the abundance of options it offers for every shade of hair. Because balayage isn't just for blondes, ladies. Brunettes and redheads—and every other shade on the spectrum—can freshen up their locks with a little loving touch of color. When in doubt, let the hair color professionals help you find your perfect shade! 01 of 24 Dark Chocolate Brown with Bronze Balayage Instagram/@hkendallhair This deep cool brown gets a metallic tinge from bronze brown balayage, making the tresses look super shiny and rich. 02 of 24 Copper Red with Rose Gold Balayage Instagram/@hkendallhair This bold red gets a fun metallic tint from its bright coppery base and rose gold balayage that catches the light in every curl. 03 of 24 Chestnut Brown with Caramel Balayage Instagram/@hkendallhair This power duo never fails to make a statement with its blended warm tones and sun-kissed finish. 04 of 24 Auburn Brown with Caramel Balayage Instagram/@hkendallhair This medium red-tinted brown gets a little extra glow from caramel and strawberry balayage, giving some fresh color to a blunt bob. 05 of 24 Chocolate Brown with Chestnut Balayage Instagram/@nicovincistudio Keep things dark and subtle without staying monochromatic and flat! This chocolate brown gets a little light-catching color from warm chestnut balayage that focuses from midway down the mane to the ends. 06 of 24 Bright Copper Red with Apricot and Strawberry Blonde Balayage Instagram/@nicovincistudio Take your red hair to fiery new heights with bright and bold balayage in a slew of warm red shades, ranging from copper to strawberry blonde. We’re loving that tapered fringe too! 07 of 24 Tortoiseshell Balayage Instagram/@keya_luxecoiffeur Tortoiseshell hair color uses different warm-toned colors to achieve a blended look, such as chestnut, caramel, and golden blonde. The base is kept dark chocolate or chestnut brown, while lighter colors are beautifully swirled throughout. 08 of 24 Mocha Brown with Toffee Balayage Instagram/@keya_luxecoiffeur This eye-catching look works well for naturally deep cool-toned brunettes that want to make a big statement without too much upkeep. Bright golden toffee and caramel strokes are perfectly weaved into the locks for a rich finish. 09 of 24 Aubergine Red with Copper Balayage Instagram/@bestofbalayage This deep violet-red is affectionately called “sangria,” and we’re loving the rich reds all blended together in perfect harmony. 10 of 24 Face-Framing Blonde Instagram/@bestofbalayage Just because you have naturally brown hair doesn’t mean you can’t pretend to be just a little blonde, right? That’s where this utterly gorgeous face-framing look comes in. This head of hair is a deep chocolate brown, with brown eyes to match, but buttery blonde strokes around the face work some wonders. 11 of 24 Chocolate Brown with Rich Auburn Balayage @ramireztransalon If you already veer into the warm end of the hair spectrum, ramp up you natural chestnut brown with vibrant auburn that starts near the crown and coats the hair more thoroughly as it moves further down. 12 of 24 Rose Gold Balayage Instagram/@marie.michellerousseau This mocha base got a massive rose gold takeover, resulting in a subtle metallic glow that looks so fresh. 13 of 24 Neutral Brown with Beige Balayage Instagram/@lorealpro While most people teeter on the spectrum between cool tones or warm tones, ladies with naturally neutral hair should embrace and enhance it. A neutral light-medium brown can get a little refresher with beige blonde balayage that stays in the same place on the spectrum. 14 of 24 Cinnamon Brown with Golden Auburn Balayage Instagram/@lorealpro Deep reddish brown already looks incredibly rich, but adding major balayage in lighter shades with warm tones, such as golden reds or caramel, really freshens it up for spring and summer. 15 of 24 Deep Brown with Scarlet Balayage Instagram/@beautybyjoyce Keep everything cool-toned to make two very different shades work together in harmony. We love this blue-tinted red when pairing with a very dark base brown or black. 16 of 24 Cherry Cola Balayage Instagram/@lorealpro Different shades of sweet cola brown, from dark to golden brown, get a little extra red-tinted balayage to keep things interesting! This mane uses a violet shade, as well, but you can keep it strictly red for a safer bet. 17 of 24 Dark Ashy Brown with Chestnut Balayage Instagram/@nicovincistudio This deep mocha shade is cool and ashy, but gets warmth from chestnut balayage. The red-based shade creates the perfect balance with the gray-violet brown base. 18 of 24 Bronde Balayage Instagram/@bestofbalayage The caption on this Instagram inspiration dubbed this lovely rich color: candied pecans! And we’ve never felt so deliciously satisfied with describing balayage than when using those two sweet words. Warm brown is given major sunny vibes from golden balayage. 19 of 24 Rich Caramel Balayage Instagram/@ramireztransalon More often than not, a brunette can trust in rich, luscious caramel to give some major personality and a sun-kissed finish. This caramel-heavy head of hair makes a serious case for going for more pronounced balayage instead of subtle. 20 of 24 Cool Black with Chocolate Balayage Instagram/@beautybyjoyce This subtle look takes a cool-toned soft black and gives it some personality with brown balayage in an ombré style. It’ll help very dark brunettes achieve a softer finish. 21 of 24 Red Velvet with Copper Balayage Instagram/@lorealpro A rich deep red gets a little sun with bright coppery balayage, which adds even more vibrancy to the most fiery of hair shades! 22 of 24 Dark Ash Brown with Icy Beige Balayage Instagram/@ramireztransalon Create a subtle statement by injecting dark cool-toned brown with minimal icy beige blonde ombré for a cohesive, yet lightened-up look. 23 of 24 Light Ash Brown with Beige Balayage Instagram/@milehighbutterfly These microlights create a dynamic mushroom brown look with the neutral-to-cool light brown lightened up with a neutral beige shade. 24 of 24 Black with Ashy Gray Balayage Instagram/@nicovincistudio While ashy shades of all persuasions have been trending lately, this incredibly striking look transforms black hair with cool ashy gray balayage. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit