Style Hair 18 Gorgeous Ways To Add Lowlights To Brown Hair Didn't you hear? Highlights are so last season. By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on February 28, 2024 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: @chrisgreenehair Every year, summer has a way of triggering a color crisis for brunettes. Go brighter, it beckons. How about a few touches of golden blonde here—a few strokes of bright caramel there? We can't argue: Brunettes rock warmed-up shades like nobody's business. But as our tans fade and temperatures drop, we're ready to go back to our roots—sort of—while keeping every bit of the dimension and richness of summer color. What's the easiest way to embrace your dark side? Look to brunette lowlights. Unlike highlights, which are usually at least two shades lighter than your natural color, lowlights take things in the opposite direction, going at least two shades darker. Colorists will often incorporate both highlights and lowlights to create a multi-dimensional look, but if you let lowlights go solo, your natural color becomes the highlight. These streaks can be done free-hand, as with the balayage method, or more traditionally, with foils. The key is selecting a shade specific to you. Find your match among these 18 brunette looks with gorgeous lowlights. 01 of 18 Cool Brunette @kristin_ess These Joanna Gaines-esque waves are calling our name. Flowy locks look flawless with a combination of dark ash brown and cool brown-black. Simply stunning! 02 of 18 Lowlights and Highlights Instagram/@melaniehess_ Stylist Melanie Hess combined warm lowlights with cool highlights to create this stunning share that's anything but boring. 03 of 18 Warm Brown Medley @johnnyramirez Colorist Johnny Ramirez executes multi-dimensional color beautifully with classic autumn shades: deep brown, medium brown, and warm honey. If you're a middle-of-the-road chocolate brown, request mocha lowlights to temper the honey highlights. 04 of 18 Mushroom Brown Lowlights Instagram/@charlieandcosalons Cool mushroom brown lowlights create effortless dimension when combined with an ashy brown tone. 05 of 18 Dark Brown Lowlights @hirohair Deep brown lowlights contrast with red highlights to create just a little bit of texture for this sleek bob hairstyle. 06 of 18 Gradient Lowlighting @lacyredway This is a clash we can get behind. Cool dark brown and warm chestnut meet halfway, and somehow look better for it. 07 of 18 Lowlighted Shag @mizzchoi How can you make a modern shag even cooler? Add cool-toned dark mocha lowlights. Tousled styling will flaunt your enviable dimension. 08 of 18 Hazelnut Blending @johnnyramirez Keep the old and usher in the new. Blend existing hazelnut or caramel balayage with dark brown lowlights for a layered look that'll transition seasons seamlessly. 09 of 18 Darkest Mocha @stephengarrison If your Starbucks order involves anything espresso, you'll appreciate the intensity of these mocha lowlights. Think moody monotone is a touch too dark? Break things up with a few subtle babylights around the face. 10 of 18 Chocolate Brown @chrisgreenehair Dimensional and warm, this mane begs for bonfires and cozy hay rides. Resist the urge to add caramel highlights, and instead, let your natural chocolate base shine with dark brown lowlights. 11 of 18 Shadow Rooting @mizzchoi Who knew drawing attention to dark roots could be a worthy goal? Colorist Cherin Choi pulls it off, complementing dark brown locks with even darker roots. To fight fading and add shine, she added clear gloss from midpoint to tips. 12 of 18 Blended Bob @riawna Blend dark with darker to imitate this gorgeous bang-laden bob by hairstylist Riawna Capri. The cool-toned take on cacao hair color looks striking against all skin tones. 13 of 18 Espresso Lowlighting @stephengarrison If your base is chocolate or chestnut, weave in dark espresso strands to create richness without too much contrast. Low-key waves flaunt the twists and turns of your color. 14 of 18 Ashy Lowlights @lacyredway Lean into those cooler hues. Autumn is all about earth tones, and mushroom brown mingled with dark ash brown lowlights falls firmly into that category. 15 of 18 Smoky Brown Lowlights @gulevich.vladimir Whether you are graying gracefully or opted to fast-forward the clock with an ashy gray color, brown-black lowlights will blend beautifully into your smoky strands. The end result is both elegant and impervious to trends. 16 of 18 Subtle Lowlighting @mizzchoi It's okay if your friends can't figure out why you look different. These barely-there lowlights darken chocolate brown by a smidge, building in just enough dimension to keep your color from looking flat. 17 of 18 Dimensional Bob @christinesilvermancolor With chocolate tips and dark brown lowlights, this bob pairs rich color with a no-fuss cut. Translation: You can wear it to parent-teacher night and then a fancy dinner, no problem. 18 of 18 Dark Caramel Lowlights @laurenburke901 Let those summer caramel highlights go, sister. If you went lighter for spring and summer, ask for dark chocolate lowlights to shift your aesthetic toward autumn. Frequently Asked Questions Can you do highlights and lowlights at the same time? Yes, combining lowlights and highlights creates varying tones for caramel-colored hair. This combination creates a natural, subtle change in hair color. Do lowlights make hair look thicker? Adding lowlights—and highlights—to brown hair can help it appear thicker when strategically placed throughout. Dyeing your hair can damage the strands, which might have an unintended effect on fragile hair. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit