When applied to light brown hair, highlights can add brightness, depth, and dimension that totally change the way you look. It looks great on a variety of light brown hair tones and is a great way to update your hairstyle without committing to a full color change.
Numerous techniques are available to achieve either bold contrast or subtle highlights. From naturally sun-kissed strands to more defined, dramatic looks, each one offers a different finish. It all comes down to selecting the appropriate style for your hair type and preferences.
This post will discuss the best methods for highlighting light brown hair, provide before and after pictures, and offer hairstyle suggestions that will go well with your new highlights. You can accentuate your inherent beauty and give your regular appearance a new twist with the appropriate technique.
Before Photos | After Photos |
Natural light brown hair without highlights | Light brown hair with soft blonde highlights, adding dimension and brightness |
Simple straight cut or loose waves | Enhanced volume and texture with layered waves or soft curls |
Flat, even-toned hair | Hair with a sun-kissed, multi-tonal look |
Natural shades | Blended highlights for a natural yet striking contrast |
Is it worth doing highlighting on light brown hair
This type of coloring should be applied to all shades of this color of hair in order to give the strands more saturation and contrast. Such highlighting will transform and revitalize any length of hairstyle.
You can use this type of color change even on weak and thin curls because the coloring composition and technique are generally quite gentle and do not contain harsh chemical components.
For this kind of hair, there are a tonne of different highlighting techniques and dye shades for the individual hair strands. Personal preferences, the length of the haircut, the natural color of the hair, and physical characteristics, such as color type, all influence the decision.
The primary advantages of this process are:
- safe gentle color change, in which the main part of the curls remains intact;
- an impressive appearance as a result of such coloring;
- a variety of shades in which you can dye your curls – from natural to bright tones;
- many types of highlighting and techniques for such lightening;
- effective masking of gray hair and correction of dullness of curls;
- fixing the result for a long time;
- versatility – suitable for any shade of light brown hair and for a haircut of any length;
- adds volume, splendor and grooming.
Any damage or irritation to the skin heads, hair loss, or allergies to any of the ingredients in the products used are contraindications for the procedure.
Highlighting light brown hair depending on its length
The length of the curls is one factor that is frequently taken into consideration when selecting the color-changing technique. Professionals most frequently use the most effective coloring technique for each length, which is:
- for short curls. When highlighting short strands, either foil or a hairdressing cap is usually used. The ideal option for highlighting strands in this case is considered to be gradient ombre coloring or lightening the ends of the hair;
- for medium length. Medium length is colored either in an open way, without foil, or foil is used, but a cap is almost never used. The best way of highlighting here is to lighten a small number of strands, including curls framing the face: for example, Venetian or French type of coloring.
- for a long haircut. Almost any type of coloring goes well with long hair, from thin, almost invisible to bright color contrast. Venetian, Californian, gradient and clear wide highlighting methods will work here.
It is advised to leave a long, thick head of hair to a professional, as it may be challenging to significantly alter the color on your own in this situation.
Types of highlighting for light brown hair
Curls of any kind can be colored in a variety of ways using the many coloring methods and techniques that are currently available, from a natural look to a vibrant color. The methods themselves vary in terms of how difficult they are to execute, how long they take, how they apply the coloring agent, and, of course, how the outcome turns out.
Different kinds of highlighting
- classic. The classic method consists of lightening the curls along the entire length, mainly with one shade. For light brown hair, white bleaching is most often used. This type looks quite contrasting, refreshing the haircut and rejuvenating the face;
- Californian. A method that allows you to achieve a natural and natural effect of sun-bleached hair. The shades are shaded as much as possible, trying to create smooth transitions of tones. The colors used for dyeing with this method are mainly warm: caramel, wheat, honey;
- Venetian. Venetian lightening involves creating soft shades and giving the hair the effect of sun shine due to light dyeing. The roots of the hair are practically not affected, which makes the curls even more natural;
- balayage. A technique that includes a combination of several tones at once to achieve a natural color transition. The paint is applied with light movements from top to bottom. This method looks best on a dark shade of light brown curls;
- ombre. In this case, a gradient method is used for dyeing without affecting the roots. This way, a very effective and well-groomed look of the hair with a contrasting or soft transition of shades is achieved;
- light. A light type of highlighting changes the color by a couple of tones, making the strands lighter, against which the base color looks richer and brighter. This type of lightening is considered one of the safest and most gentle;
- large. With large-scale coloring, the curls are selected fairly wide and lightened along the entire length, due to which a contrast effect is created. This type is suitable for owners of curly or thick hair;
- rare. This type of highlighting uses a method of changing the color, usually this is lightening or bleaching, thin strands located at a considerable distance from each other. Due to this arrangement and the correctly selected shade, the effect is very natural;
- small. Small lightened areas give the hairstyle volume and splendor, which is ideal for owners of thin hair;
- frequent. Frequent lightening adds shine, gloss and luster to the curls. With this method, usually only the top layer of hair is dyed, and the tone of the paint should ideally match the natural color;
- wide. Wide highlighting is usually done using a cap or foil, curly strands, or if you want to add contrast and color to your hair;
- highlighting with thin strands. Carefully lightened thin strands transform the image and make the haircut more original. This method is suitable for straight curls of any length;
- highlighting the ends. Dyeing only the ends looks perfect on a short haircut, adding brightness and freshness to the image;
- superficial. The superficial method of highlighting consists of dyeing the upper strands to achieve the most smooth combination and fusion with the main natural color. The result of such work looks very impressive, especially on long curls.
Light brown hair owners look great with colored or white hair dyes, which range in shade from one to five or six. The outcome will be more unique and captivating the more dyes that are used.
Current shades
The range of colors in the color palette lets you select the ideal tone that will either blend in seamlessly with your natural hair color or stand out as a striking accent piece. The decision is made with consideration for the curls’ color and condition in addition to personal preferences.
Emphasizing hues and tones:
- gray. A gray tone will add spectacularity to a short light-colored haircut. At the same time, the strands should be quite thin and frequent;
- gray. You can hide the beginning of gray hair by carefully dyeing several curls in a gray shade. Thanks to this method, the hair will acquire a very stylish look, and the shade of gray hair itself will look quite interesting and unusual;
- ash. Light-blond hair and a cold color type of appearance are perfectly complemented by partial ash coloring. The result will give the curls gloss and visually add volume;
- black. Contrasting highlighting with black is usually practiced on dark blond hair, and the curls are tried to be dyed with the designation of a clear border of the transition of tones. Most often, the width of the strands with this method does not exceed 1 centimeter;
- caramel. The most popular shade, which allows you to achieve the effect of sun-bleached hair or sun glare playing in the strands. This option is suitable for almost all owners of light brown hair, except for those cases when you need to disguise gray hair;
- white. White coloring is most often used in classic highlighting when highlighting curls along their entire length. The width of the lightened strands can be from 1-2 to 4-5 cm;
- platinum. Fashionable platinum lightening gives hair shine and emphasizes the beauty of the natural hair tone. This shade looks best on fair-haired girls.
These hues aid in producing a soft contrast or naturalistic coloring effect, which adds volume and splendor to the hairstyle.
Colored highlighting
Young, fearless girls who like to try new things and give their images a vivid, distinctive, and unforgettable look are better suited for color dying.
Shades of highlights with multiple colors:
- violet. Purple coloring adds mystery and depth when applied to dark curls, while light hair gets a very bright and colorful accent;
- red. Light brown hair with a reddish tint will perfectly suit coloring in a rich red color, transforming any hairstyle;
Scarlet. A thick head of dark curls will be adorned in a red tone, creating an amazing and captivating image.
Both the trendy ombre technique and partial, thin, or wide coloring can be used to achieve color solutions. The gradient method works particularly well for adding a purple tone to yarn.
Light brown hair highlights can give a natural look more vibrancy and dynamic by adding depth and dimension. Before and after pictures demonstrate how brightening hair with the right technique can result in a modern, fresh style. This can be accomplished in a number of ways, from foils to balayage, each offering a distinctive finish. Furthermore, some hairstyles—such as sleek straight styles, layered cuts, or loose waves—can accentuate the highlights even more, making them really pop.
Highlighting in 2 colors
A relatively recent technique for creating the illusion of combining two shades is two-color coloring. This process changes the hair and adds thickness in addition to brightness.
Primary forms of two-tone highlighting include:
- pink. In this type, as a rule, the roots are dyed in a dark or light tone, depending on the base color of the curls, and the ends are dyed in a soft pink shade. In this case, the masters try to achieve a smooth transition of these two colors into each other;
- blue. Blue coloring is suitable for owners of a dark shade of light brown curls. When carrying out this method, both the ombre method and the alternation of light and blue strands in a checkerboard pattern can be used.
Since the coloring technique calls for fairly focused and quick work, it is advised that such coloring be done by a skilled expert.
Hairstyles suitable for highlighted light brown hair
Since highlighting is a mild and generally versatile technique for lightening or darkening hair, you can use it to change the color of your hair in almost any way.
The most popular styles of hairdos that complement highlighting are:
- haircuts that allow highlighting. Short pixie, elegant bob and elongated cascade hairstyles will be transformed and refreshed with the help of light highlighting of strands near the face;
- with bangs. Long classic haircuts, as well as short asymmetrical models and stylish bob are perfect for lightening with highlighting;
- bob. All types of bob are in perfect harmony with any type of coloring, including color.
Long hairstyles without bangs will complement the sun’s fading and shimmering effect, while more contrasting and vibrant options look great on short haircuts and bobs.
Light brown hair highlights are a great way to add dimension and depth, giving the natural color a modern, fashionable look. The before and after pictures unmistakably demonstrate how the right highlights can improve the overall appearance by giving hair a natural sheen without appearing overly dramatic.
After highlighting, selecting the ideal hairstyle can really bring the color’s beauty to life. Light brown hair that has been highlighted looks great with loose curls, layered cuts, and soft waves because they highlight the contrast between the lighter strands and the base hair while also providing movement.
It’s simple to discover a technique that works for you because there are so many to choose from, including foil highlights and balayage. There is a great choice out there for everyone, whether you’re looking for delicate highlights or something more striking.