These Celeb Hair Colors Will Give You Major Brunette Envy
Some people get excited by decorating and different paint chip colors. Personally, I'm more of a celeb hair color inspo kinda girl. And boy, do brunette stars deliver. Whether you’re looking to spice up brown strands or give brunette life a try for the first time, get hair-spiration from these 36 celebs who've embraced their dark side.
There’s a reason so many celebs gravitate towards a more subtle ombre style: It creates more dimension and body than hair that’s all one tone. “Dimension is always a better choice,” explains colorist Florido Basallo, Clairol Color Partner. “Depending on what your complexion can handle, keep the roots richer and a little deeper than the ends." Gemma Chan proves that even the slightest difference between roots and ends can create a chic, yet understated contrast.
For medium to dark brunettes like Bella Hadid who aren't into highlights, opt for an all-over color that’s neutral or slightly warmer than your natural hue—like a hazelnut. “It adds a bit of warmth to brighten up around your face without being red or too warm,” furthers Stephanie Brown, master colorist at IGK Soho.
Becoming Mrs. Nick Jonas may have been a preteen dream of yours, but now that you're an adult, Priyanka Chopra’s lush head of hair is every bit as enviable. “The cinnamon dimensional tones through her ends are just enough to complement her skin tone while also adding softness and movement to her deep brunette color,” says Odete DaSilva, creative director at Artistex Salon and Spa.
“The super-beige hue of the highlights extend from root to ends,” explains Paul Cucinello, celebrity stylist and founder of Cucinello Studio NYC. “The reason why these ‘traditional’ (i.e., not ombre) highlights work so well is because they are only about a shade or two lighter than her cool, light brown base.”
It’s hard to keep up with Kim Kardashian West’s ever-changing looks, but when it comes to her mane, she always goes back to a rich brown. “It has all the descriptors you want in a color: rich, warm, luxe, and healthy,” says Giovanni Vaccaro, Glamsquad's artistic director. “I love how glassy hair looks with this tone, which works with all lengths and skin tones.”
Love your natural color, but want to up the drama? Make strands pop with understated highlights. “It’s nice because you get the feeling of being dark and natural with a little dimension,” says Anthony Holguin, a stylist at Nine Zero One Salon. “Lea Michele’s color is a great example," he says. "Her color is good for someone whose hair is light and wants a subtle change.”
Use the fall foliage as inspiration and embrace a warm reddish brown. “It's perfect for anyone who wants to go a little bolder, but doesn’t want to be extreme,” says celebrity colorist, Rita Hazan. “I love chestnut because anyone can rock this color, because it really does look good on every skin undertone."
“If your skin is more on the peachy side, you could go cooler and ashier,” says Basallo. Just look at how fresh and flirty Victoria Secret’s Angel Barbara Palvin is after leaning into lighter brown locks.
“If you’re looking to cover your highlights from the summer, this tone could work well for you,” explains Vaccaro since a month after your color appointment, you’ll see your highlights start to come through. Trying adding waves to add an extra beachy vibe.
The oldest Willis sister turned heads with her dark lob. “She has a strong jaw line that her previous blonde long hair only expanded and emphasized," explains DaSilva of why her color change was for the better. "Whereas the new deep, midnight brown minimizes her jaw, giving her a soft classic look. Plus, the richness of the color adds depth and complements her skin tone. The simplicity is beautiful.”
Sunlit brown is exactly what it sounds like—slightly lighter ombré that adds some beachy vibes to your hair color. “This doesn’t mean it’s drastic to the point where it doesn’t look natural, but it’s definitely lighter than what we’ve been seeing,” explains Brown. Gisele Bundchen is a perfect example of how you can go lighter without looking unnatural.
“Caramel tones are perfect for anyone looking to transition their hair from dark to light, or vice versa,” explains Hazan. “What I love about caramel hair is that there are many different variations of caramel that you can work with.”
“Her rich chocolate brown is full of depth, which allows her eyes to pop,” says DaSilva of why Kunis’ thick, beautiful mane is a stand-out.
Keep the summer vibes going well into fall with honey brown ends. “A little honey and a little leftover sun tan goes well together for this fall trend,” advises Vaccaro. “If you have medium to dark skin, this tone is perfect for you.”
While you may never be royalty, you can have Kate Middleton’s lustrous hair color. The Duchess’s delicate warm, light-catching highlights deserve a literal crown.
“Olivia has light to medium skin, which works well for this tone," says Vaccaro. "She has the perfect hair length for this color."
“I would describe dirty brunette as a darker version of dirty blonde,” says Brown. Think: A mane with sandy tones, a hint of golden highlights, and an ashy neutral base color such as Chrissy Teigen’s. “It’s very beachy and natural,” she continues. “The highlights or ombré are one to two levels lighter without looking too heavy on the hair.”
“There something so chic about being glossy and dark,” says Holguin. Emma Roberts' drastic change from blonde to brunette shows how a color change can transform strands. “This color is good for someone who needs a shiny, healthy boost.”
Your complexion isn’t the only thing that can be radiant—your hair can be, too. “Honey is an ideal shade for anyone who doesn’t want to be too platinum or dark, but longs for the perfect sunbaked medium,” says Hazan.
“It’s just so refreshing to see natural hair textures and colors take center stage,” says Cucinello. “I love how her color just fades out on the ends as if she spent a good amount of time in the sun—it’s not an ombre, it’s a subtle gradation."
“This color is great for those who don’t mind pulling a bit red or warm,” says Vaccaro. “I love seeing this color more on fair skin since the color plays perfectly with light eyes as well.”
“Joan’s hair is naturally a dark brunette, which looks gorgeous with her skin tone, but she’s given her hair dimension and warmth with highlights throughout,” says celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons.
Forget Becky, it’s Bey with the good hair. “This tone is great for ladies with long hair and little layers,” says Vaccaro. “Those lighter face framing pieces are stunning.”
“When someone is needing change, I love doing this color,” explains Holguin. “There’s something very seductive and mysterious about a super-dark brunette.” A one-dimensional hue like this works with both short and long hair—just look at how Demi Lovato rocks it. “It’s definitely for an edgy cool girl who likes to be different than all other brunettes."
“It’s a great example of when a hair color really enhances your eye color and skin tone—I love how rich this color is and how it make her eyes look so intense,” says Cucinello.
“What’s not to drool over?” says Cucinello. “The way the color starts out a bit richer at the roots and then bleeds into a rich, warm, golden amber on the ends.” Cucinello adds that this classic “surfer girl crop” is super easy to wear because it’s simple, sexy and very confident.
“For someone with olive tones like Shay, dark hair is definitely trending right now,” says Fitzsimons. “Darker hair colors often don’t show dimension well, especially in photos, so the key is to add some layered highlights and lowlights (as you can see from Shay’s photo, this can very subtle).”
“What I love about Ashley’s color, which is great for anyone with olive tones to their skin, is the honey highlights that give the color dimension,” says Fitzsimons.
“Gal Gadot has naturally fair skin that is fairly neutral, so this dark shade looks lovely with her complexion,” says Fitzsimons. “She has a range of subtle warm and cool tones in her hair, so it doesn’t wash her out.”
“With her porcelain skin and large eyes, this hair color plays up the rosiness in Anne’s cheeks,” says Hazan. “It really gives her a natural vibe.”
This new take on the classic brunette tone levels up the color just a little.
It provides “the illusion of natural color, which is created by playing off of the natural tone and adding some dimensional enhancements," says Michelle Schindler, stylist and founder of Seven & Satin Salon. The hair, in turn, will look more "sun kissed and "lived in," she says.
If you aren't fully ready to go dark, test it out by adding some golden tones.
"It will richen the color and add more depth,” says Schindler, who adds that it can be created by doing a full head of babylights, using your existing color placement, or just by adding a money piece and golden tones to the ends of your hair.
Going fully red is scary—not to mention a big commitment—I get it. But you can try out the warmer red tones by going with this shade, which is perfect for fall anyway.
"It’s a more toned-down version of the coppery trend,” says Irinel De Leon, hairstylist and global ambassador for Dyson.
This color has a bit of everything: some red, a little golden, but overall, a brunette feel, making it a fun transitional color for the colder months.
"I would recommend getting an all over color and adding a gloss to maintain a shiny neutral brown," says Lorena M. Valdes, Colorist at Maxine Salon in Chicago.
Think you've heard of everything, have you? I hate to break it to you, but...one of this upcoming fall's hottest hair colors is named after a mushroom.
This hair color is composed of an ashy base with cooler tones applied on top of it, says Katerina Proko, master stylist and co-owner of Arisa Salon. “This year a mushroom brown is what all natural brunettes should be asking for, if you are looking to spice things up,” she adds. It can be applied through balayage, babylights, or traditional highlights.
"A beautiful auburn color with a copper cast has been here for the summer and will continue to be one of the most desired through the fall," says Valdes. You can get his hair color with all over color, highlights, or balaygage—decide on the method based on the style and vibrancy you want.
These Celeb Hair Colors Will Give You Major Brunette Envy
Some people get excited by decorating and different paint chip colors. Personally, I'm more of a celeb hair color inspo kinda girl. And boy, do brunette stars deliver. Whether you’re looking to spice up brown strands or give brunette life a try for the first time, get hair-spiration from these 36 celebs who've embraced their dark side.
Who says blondes have more fun? Check out these gorgeous hair color ideas for brunettes, whether you naturally have brown hair or want to try it out.
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