Beachy Highlights That Make Every Hair Color Look Perfectly Sunkissed

By Kaitlyn Yarborough
Pinterest/Johnny Ramirez

Come spring and summer, Southern ladies love a little glow. However, we’ve learned better since our days sitting in the sizzling sun, slathering on baby oil for perfectly bronzed legs and spritzing Sun-In for naturally lightened locks. We’re more interested in keeping wrinkles, sun spots, and (most importantly) skin cancer at bay than catching UVs for the sake of tawny skin and hair. Who says you needed to be fresh from your morning surf to get enviably kissed-by-the-sun tresses anyway? Beachy highlights have never been more attainable, thanks to balayage highlighting and skilled stylists. The goal: Sunny strokes of hair color that don’t look too perfect and hit those ultra-flattering spots around your face, towards your ends, and arbitrarily throughout the rest of your mane. It’s not just for blondes, either—brunettes can stick with warm shades not too far from their base color or go with sparse, piecier blonde highlights. No matter your hair color or tone, there are beach highlights made just for you. Famed salons, such as the Ramirez-Tran Salon, specialize in this natural, lived-in look; and we’re getting major hair color inspiration from their latest work and that of many others who are taking this spring and summer hair color trend to new heights.

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Dirty Blonde Bob

Instagram/@justinandersoncolor

This bob couldn’t look more beachy if it tried. Blended warm blondes are mixed throughout to create the overall look that will only get more glowing with every step in the sun.

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Caramel Pieces on Chestnut Brown

Pinterest/Johnny Ramirez

Go super subtle with these natural balayage highlights that look anything but straight from the salon. Tiny caramel pieces are weaved into a robust chestnut brown bob and look absolutely perfect for summer.

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Dirty Blonde Sombré

Instagram/@suetyrrellstylist

Create a cascading blonde effect on brown-blonde hair by placing strokes of blonde where the sun naturally lightens hair: around the face and on the ends, with random strokes throughout the middle section. The soft fading effect creates a flattering ombré look.

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Strawberry Bronde

Instagram/@justinandersoncolor

This blonde-brown shade favors the popular rose brown trend, but takes it a little lighter and adds a strawberry tint that’s simply perfect for sunny days this summer. The strawberry blonde ends look perfectly blended into the warmer base.

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Caramel-Honey Ends

Pinterest/Johnny Ramirez

Add some sun to dark chestnut brown with warm golden caramel color placed mainly on the ends, venturing higher in a few random spots to make it look natural. This rich wavy lob is a great way to go beachy on dark hair.

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Rose Brown Balayage

Instagram/@hairby_gabbs

The hottest new hair color for brunettes this year is unarguably stunning rose brown. It takes the rose gold trend and turns it into a rich, warmer shade that makes brown hair look almost metallic.

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Face-Framing Honey

Pinterest/Johnny Ramirez

Keep your roots—and most of your hair—its natural brown for the most minimal upkeep, and add in major face framing with blonde in a matching tone. In this case, a warm honey blonde complements a warm medium brown.

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Sandy Brown

Instagram/@prissiehippiebeautyshop

Soft blended blonde perfectly complements this rich warm brown, and we’re loving the bright pop of color it gives, especially around the face. If you want a sandier finish, start with a lighter brown base.

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Buttery Blonde on Caramel Curls

Pinterest/Johnny Ramirez

Nothing catches the light quite like sun-kissed spirals, and this curly angled lob focuses light buttery blonde close to the face with its light warm brown base.

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Cinnamon Blonde

Instagram/@belximenes

A warm cinnamon brown gets a sunny takeover with some golden and caramel piecey highlights close to the face. The dynamic look isn’t subtle, but definitely looks pecked by the sun.

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Honey Blonde Balayage

Pinterest/Anh Co Tran

This style integrates very similar warm honey shades throughout the hair for an all-over sun-kissed look.

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Apricot and Strawberry Blonde Balayage

Instagram/@nicovincistudio

Take your red hair to the beach 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!

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Platinum Blonde Balayage

Instagram/@salsalhair

A neutral dirty blonde base gets an Icelandic transformation with heavy ultra-light platinum around the face and towards the ends. If you have fair skin and neutral to cool blonde hair, this beachy look is for you.

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Dark Ashy Brown with Beige Face-Framing

Instagram/@stacie.dkwstyling

Keep the highlights looking laidback and beachy, despite being two very differing shades, by sticking with cool tones and using very sparse placement. Thin pieces frame the face, making it perfect for any season.

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Caramel Balayage

Instagram/@carlybellhair

Heavier balayage can still look beachy when it’s a rich, warm shade, such as this golden caramel. Since the base is a dark chestnut, the caramel helps achieve a sun-kissed look.

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Chestnut Curls with Strawberry Blonde Ends

Pinterest/Johnny Ramirez

Stick with warm shades to get a striking, yet livable look that will grow out flawlessly. These curls get an awesome fiery blonde kick on the ends and near the face for a glowing look.

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Cream Soda

Instagram/@sunniebrook

This trendy color marries neutral beige brown with warm blonde shades to create one of the most flattering, transitional colors for beach babes and city girls alike.

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Ash Blonde Ombré

Instagram/@salsalhair

An ashy bronde base gets an icy pop of blonde, giving a unique look for spring and summer for neutral to cool toned blondes. When the weather is heating up, take your locks a little cooler.

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Lived In Blunt Bob

Pinterest/Johnny Ramirez

This warm platinum short cut has bronde roots and a perfectly sandy middle section that makes the blonde ends look perfectly blended. The super light blonde works well on the blunt bob.

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