Tortoiseshell Hair Colors for Brighter Brunettes

Sweet Cola
Photo: @haleyvalentinehair

When your crown feels more lackluster than lustrous, it's time to head to the salon and refresh. From root beer to rose brown, this year's hair color trends for brunettes are taking dull brown strands from monotone to magnetic; and tortoiseshell hair color is leaving brunettes feeling shiny and new with its rich blend of warm shades. (And yes, it's inspired by your favorite tortoiseshell sunglasses.) Tortoiseshell hair mixes dark shades with touches of warm caramel, honey, and gold. Teetering a perfectly sun-kissed balance, this shade often starts with a chocolate brown base and uses techniques like balayage, babylights, ombré, and shadow rooting to create a seamless, low-maintenance finish. So why not liven those locks with a few strokes of honey here, a few ribbons of caramel there? Check out these tortoiseshell hair color inspirations before your next salon trip.

01 of 14

Caramel Ombré

Caramel Ombré
@mizzchoi

This melting of color feels fresh and light, even though the roots are almost a cool mocha shade. The subtle ombré covers all of the tortoiseshell hues: chocolate, chestnut, caramel, and gold. We love the way the warm blonde color works with the long, face-framing layers. There's no doubt they'll be catching the sun all season long.

02 of 14

Baby Balayage

Baby Balayage
@mizzchoi

Want to spice up your bob? A deep chocolate base color gets a welcome kick from baby balayage highlights in rich chestnuts and caramel. Piecey highlights and heavy face-framing help add texture and blend the color.

03 of 14

Honey Brown

Honey Brown
@maddiemelts

For those who just want a low-maintenance, not-too-noticeable change to their classic chocolate brown, these honey-tinged tresses will do the job. Ribbons of randomly placed honey balayage highlights add just the right amount of shine and reflection.

04 of 14

Blonde Tortoiseshell

Blonde Tortoiseshell
Pinterest/Anh Co Tran

Think of this tortoiseshell shade as its cool, beachy partner-in-crime that lets a dirty blonde or bronde base melt into a gorgeous caramel, honey, and golden finish. It's the perfect laid-back, lived-in, warm blonde look.

05 of 14

Toffee Touches

Toffee Touches
@johnnyramirez

Complement olive skin and brown eyes with rich strokes of toffee and caramel, focusing heavily around the face and on the ends. Using chestnut brown to melt the dark base into the sun-kissed touches is key to a low-maintenance, lived-in look.

06 of 14

Sweet Cola

Sweet Cola
@haleyvalentinehair

This syrupy brown injects some serious touches of liquid gold into a sweet layered hairstyle, and it even accents hints of reddish-brown chestnut near the cola brown roots. We're all for this shiny tortoiseshell blend.

07 of 14

Deep Mocha

Deep Mocha
@hairbyrachellenicole

Though tortoiseshell is full of warm shades of browns and caramels, nothing says deep brunettes can't get in on the action with some perfectly placed balayage. A black-brown base color gets warmth and lightness from chestnut, amber, caramel, and gold.

08 of 14

Amber Balayage

Amber Balayage
@juliahengel

This tortoiseshell blend works well for lighter brown or bronde hair. Rich honey and amber highlights enhance a light chocolate base. The super subtle balayage makes for easy upkeep and natural-looking results.

09 of 14

Sombré

Sombré
@lesleylouhoo

When hair color looks totally natural, you know you've done it right! This incredibly subtle soft ombré starts with a warm brunette base and melts into a robust covering of caramel. This blend will pop on olive or tan skin tones.

10 of 14

Tortoiseshell Ribbons

Tortoiseshell Ribbons
@hairbysaiphetkhosa

For this bold tortoiseshell look, blend a few different hair shades—such as golden blonde, rich caramels, toasty chestnuts, and darker brown—using ribbon highlights. This style adds a little extra honey blonde, making it summer-approved.

11 of 14

Golden Caramel

Golden Caramel
@hairbylexiiii

Talk about some summertime sunshine. Fall head over heels for the rich caramel-gold balayage that coats every inch of this chocolate brown mane, from midway down to the ends. You can't go wrong with this bright blend of color.

12 of 14

Bronze Sombré

Bronze Sombré
@salsalhair

We're swooning over the rich metallic finish of this bronzed tortoiseshell mane. Bronze is characterized as a shade of brown that emphasizes gold and red undertones. A little extra honey and gold around the face and ends make this color look naturally sun-kissed.

13 of 14

Heavy Caramel

Heavy Caramel
@mizzchoi

This warm caramel lands right in the middle of the essential chocolate and golden blonde shades, and it's perfect for those with fair skin who want to go lighter. Heavy face-framing and shadow rooting make it super flattering and low maintenance.

14 of 14

Chestnut Balayage

Soft Tortoiseshell
@bloom_beautybar

If you want the tortoiseshell look, but you're worried it will look too overdone or too bold, keep the look subtle and soft. This multi-dimensional chestnut brown uses rich ribbons of color to achieve the perfect blend.

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