38 Beautiful Balayage Hair Colors For Sun-Kissed Dark Hair

When the mood strikes for a hair refresh, even brunettes have a sudden thirst for bursts of lightened hair. We're thinking the delicate sweeps and strokes of color that balayage highlights give any crown might be just what is needed to feel revamped. 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.

Plus, the low-maintenance way in which it grows out gives you more precious time between touch-ups. Wherever your naturally dark hair color falls on the spectrum, you can freshen up your locks with a little loving touch of color. Here are 38 balayage hair color ideas that will look amazing on dark hair.

Related: 22 Stunning Brown Hair Colors To Try In 2024

Dark Chocolate Brown with Bronze Balayage

Add subtle depth and warmth to long dark locks. This deep cool brown gets a metallic tinge from bronze brown balayage, making the tresses look super shiny and rich.

Copper Red with Rose Gold Balayage

Take a new ‘do to a new level. This bold red gets a fun metallic tint from its bright coppery base and rose gold balayage that catches the light in every curl.

Chestnut Brown with Caramel Balayage

This power duo never fails to make a statement with its blended warm tones and sun-kissed finish. Sweeps of caramel add a summer glow to this deep chestnut base.

Auburn Brown with Caramel Balayage

This medium red-tinted brown gets a little extra glow from caramel and strawberry balayage, giving some fresh color to a blunt bob.

Chocolate Brown with Chestnut Balayage

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.

Bright Copper Red with Apricot and Strawberry Blonde Balayage

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.

Tortoiseshell Balayage

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.

Mocha Brown with Toffee Balayage

This eye-catching look works well for naturally deep cool-toned brunettes who want to make a big statement without too much upkeep. Bright golden toffee and caramel strokes are perfectly woven into the locks for a rich finish.

Aubergine Red with Copper Balayage

This deep violet-red should affectionately be called “sangria,” and we’re loving the rich reds all blended together in perfect harmony. Copper balayage adds eye-catching color and shine.

Face-Framing Blonde

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, but buttery blonde strokes around the face add a kissed-by-the-sun glow.

Chocolate Brown with Rich Auburn Balayage

If you already veer into the warm end of the hair spectrum, ramp up your natural chestnut brown with vibrant auburn that starts near the crown and coats the hair more thoroughly as it moves further down.

Rose Gold Balayage

Go lighter with this soft, sweet shade. This mocha base got a massive rose gold takeover, resulting in a subtle metallic glow that looks so fresh.

Neutral Brown with Beige Balayage

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.

Cinnamon Brown with Golden Auburn Balayage

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.

Deep Brown with Scarlet Balayage

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.

Cherry Cola Balayage

Different shades of sweet cola brown, from dark to golden brown, get a little extra red-tinted balayage to keep things interesting.

Dark Ashy Brown with Chestnut Balayage

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.

Bronde Balayage

The caption on this Instagram inspiration dubbed this lovely rich color "candied pecans!" And we’ve never felt so deliciously satisfied describing balayage than when using those two sweet words. Warm brown is given major sunny vibes from golden balayage.

Rich Caramel Balayage

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.

Cool Black with Chocolate Balayage

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.

Red Velvet with Copper Balayage

A rich deep red gets a little sun with bright coppery balayage, which adds even more vibrancy to the most fiery of hair shades.

Dark Ash Brown with Icy Beige Balayage

Create a subtle statement by injecting dark cool-toned brown with minimal icy beige blonde ombré for a cohesive, yet lightened-up look. We love how long, loose curls show off this color.

Light Ash Brown with Beige Balayage

These microlights create a dynamic mushroom-brown look. The neutral-to-cool light brown is lightened up with a neutral beige shade.

Black with Ashy Gray Balayage

While ashy shades of all persuasions have been trending lately, this incredibly striking look transforms black hair with cool ashy gray balayage.

Brown with Golden Balayage

Golden swirls add beachy vibes to a brown base. Light-catching color makes this shoulder-length lob stand out.

Mocha with Burgundy Balayage

This mocha brown and burgundy red combo gives off pumpkin spice vibes, perfect for a sun-kissed look or an autumn refresh. Ginger and strawberry blonde strokes add warmth and sass.

Cinnamon Balayage

Caramel and chestnut strokes give dark brown a kiss of color. Piecey streaks make this warm balayage stand out.

Money Piece Balayage

Add drama to dark hair with a hit of lighter color on the money piece that frames your face. Soften the effect with more subtle highlights throughout.

Golden Chestnut Balayage

From dark walnut roots to sun-kissed golden ends, this color goes from summer to fall with ease. This balayage gets a hint of red from chestnut lowlights.

Copper Balayage

Hair color specialist and salon owner Sue Tyrrell created this incredible feat, which melts from naturally dark brown to fiery copper strands.

Soft Brunette

This look by stylist Cherin Choi seamlessly blends subtle highlights with the client’s natural color for some barely-there color.

Overcast

Master colorist “Mimi” Camacho came up with this name that perfectly describes this cool gray color that beautifully complements naturally black hair.

Honey

This warm honey look, a collaboration between @marcelcurlsyouon and @leysahairandmakeup, adds so much shine and dimension to the client’s natural curls.

Warm Brunette with Cinnamon Spice

Hair colorist @slim_color showcases how you can add just a touch of cinnamon balayage without giving the entire head of hair a red cast with this beautiful result.

Chocolate Frappuccino

Hair color specialist and salon owner Sue Tyrrell created these beautiful ribbons of color on her client’s hair, which was transformed from a stark ombré look.

Cowboy Copper

This stunning hue from @charlieandcosalons is a masterclass in giving natural brunettes a warm, brunette-tinged copper all over.

Chocolate Caramel

Hair color specialist and salon owner Sue Tyrrell brought her client’s one-dimensional color back to life with balayage. “This client had her hair dyed a dark matte brown and wasn’t loving it elsewhere, so we decided on a chocolate rich caramel tone instead,” she wrote alongside the before-and-after photos.

Cool Brunette

Stylist Cherin Choi created this cool-toned brunette look that has ashy tones throughout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you do highlights and lowlights at the same time?

Yes, combining lowlights and highlights creates varying tones for balayaged brunette hair. This combination creates a natural, subtle change in hair color.

How do I choose what balayage brown hair color to ask for?

If you're unsure what balayage color your want, start with asking for balayage highlights in shades slightly lighter (one or two shades lighter) than your natural base color. The slight variation will enhance your hair color's natural hue by adding richness or brightening it, depending on your preferences.

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