The Most Stunning Brown Hair Colors To Try in 2021
Brunettes, take note—because it’s an exciting year to be you. Between warm tones like cinnamon, chestnut, and caramel and cool ones like ash, cacao, and burgundy, brown hair color opens up a world of possibilities that feels anything but boring. It's the ultimate base color that can go in a million different directions, starting with something as simple as a few strokes of balayage.
From season to season, this hair shade makes it easy to revamp and revitalize your mane. Feeling dull? Hit the refresh button with touches of honey and caramel. Feeling bold? Make your mark with moody mocha or earthy ash. Whatever you do, don’t sleep on these fresh and fabulous brown hair color ideas to try this year.
Chocolate Ombré
This color combo doesn’t quit. Melting a dark mocha base into bronzed chocolate ends, this ombré look is made for those who want to embrace their dark locks for the cooler months, but don’t want monotone color.
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Sparkling Mocha
Stay on the dark side, featuring the subtlest of baby balayage highlights. The blunt long cut makes it even more stylish.
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Melted Caramel Ombré
You can’t go wrong with caramel. It instantly revives brunette strands and transitions from season to season seamlessly.
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Hazelnut Balayage
We’ll take our mocha with a few shots of hazelnut, please. Stylist Nikki Lee added the perfect amount of light to a deep base.
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Ginger Brown
If you naturally find warm tones appealing, try taking warm brown to the next level by adding a gingery red tint to your base color.
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Ash Brown
This cool-toned color goes almost mushroom brown. Sticking with only cool to neutral brown and blonde shades is the ultimate key to getting the earthy tint on this angled lob by stylist Carolynn Judd.
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Cold Brew Brown
These locks look like our iced coffee after we pour in a splash of almond milk and watch it slowly melt its way down. The deliciously rich ombré finish is just what we ordered.
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Soft Chestnut
Wait, this isn’t natural? Colorist Cherin Choi took dark brown hair and transformed it into a warm chestnut shade that looks absolutely made for her happy client.
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Bright Bronde
Nothing says summertime like a deep brunette with golden rays of sunshine. It’s melted together to make the look gloriously easy to grow out.
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Cacao Brown
Tip-toeing the line between brown and black, this cacao shade is a dark brunette’s dream. It adds the perfect amount of depth and richness to already-dark locks.
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Tortoiseshell Balayage
A mix of chocolate, caramel, honey, and golden blonde, this brown hair color is as multi-dimensional as it gets.
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Balayaged Money Piece
If you would prefer to keep your natural color or go all-over dark brown at the salon, you can still add a touch of bright color by highlighting the pieces of hair that frame your face on each side. It's the most flattering spot for hair color.
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Golden Brunette
Bring the sunlight to you with a head full of golden blonde babylights that give fresh life to classic brown hair.
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Contrasting Babylights
Liven up ultra-dark espresso locks with ashy babylights. It’s low maintenance yet high return (on style), which is exactly what we need during busy months.
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Rose Quartz Brunette
Take a walk on the wild side in 2021—because what's there to lose? Make sure you ask for color that is easily transitional to avoid constant touch-ups.
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Honey Balayage
Nothing brightens up a chocolate base like warm blonde balayage. It’s perfectly piecey and enviously sun-kissed, courtesy colorist Stephen Garrison.
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Smoky Brunette
Talk about a total smoke show. This color melt blends dark cacao with smoky ash tones, and that’s just about as cool as it gets.
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Warm Bronde
It’s the Switzerland of hair color: Neutral, but always making a good impression. Take your summer blonde into fall by blending warm brown and honey shades.
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Tawny Touches
Don’t forget about tawny brown. The warm caramel-esque color deserves a little love and makes this bob even more razor-sharp chic.
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Cinnamon Brown
It’s spicy, alright. This cinnamon brown makes any brunette look warmed-up and cooler-than-cool in an instant.
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Cherry Cola Balayage
With hints of honey-caramel brown and deep burgundy red, this doesn't make you choose between all the beautiful color options.
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Burgundy Brown
When you’re a brunette on the outside, but a redhead in your soul, this rich burgundy by colorist Chris Greene will meet you halfway.