Style Hair 38 Balayage Colors For Sun-Kissed Dark Hair 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 January 5, 2024 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Instagram/@suetyrrellstylist When the mood strikes for a hair refresh, we have a sudden thirst for sun-kissed hair. We're thinking the delicate sweeps and strokes of color that balayage highlights give any crown might be just what the doctor ordered. 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. We love the low-maintenance way in which it grows out, giving you more precious time between touch-ups, and the abundance of options it offers for every shade of hair. Because balayage isn't just for blondes, ladies. Wherever your naturally dark hair color falls on the spectrum, you can freshen up your locks with a little loving touch of color. When in doubt, let the hair color professionals help you find your perfect shade! Here are some balayage colors that dark-haired clients can have fun with. 01 of 38 Dark Chocolate Brown with Bronze Balayage Instagram/@hkendallhair 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. 02 of 38 Copper Red with Rose Gold Balayage Instagram/@hkendallhair 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. 03 of 38 Chestnut Brown with Caramel Balayage Instagram/@hkendallhair 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. 04 of 38 Auburn Brown with Caramel Balayage Instagram/@hkendallhair This medium red-tinted brown gets a little extra glow from caramel and strawberry balayage, giving some fresh color to a blunt bob. 05 of 38 Chocolate Brown with Chestnut Balayage Instagram/@nicovincistudio 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. 06 of 38 Bright Copper Red with Apricot and Strawberry Blonde Balayage Instagram/@nicovincistudio 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. We’re loving that tapered fringe too! 07 of 38 Tortoiseshell Balayage Instagram/@keya_luxecoiffeur 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. 08 of 38 Mocha Brown with Toffee Balayage Instagram/@keya_luxecoiffeur 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. 09 of 38 Aubergine Red with Copper Balayage Instagram/@bestofbalayage This deep violet-red is affectionately called “sangria,” and we’re loving the rich reds all blended together in perfect harmony. Copper balayage adds eye-catching color and shine. 10 of 38 Face-Framing Blonde Instagram/@bestofbalayage 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. 11 of 38 Chocolate Brown with Rich Auburn Balayage @ramireztransalon 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. 12 of 38 Rose Gold Balayage Instagram/@marie.michellerousseau 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. 13 of 38 Neutral Brown with Beige Balayage Instagram/@lorealpro 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. 14 of 38 Cinnamon Brown with Golden Auburn Balayage Instagram/@lorealpro 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. 15 of 38 Deep Brown with Scarlet Balayage Instagram/@beautybyjoyce 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. 16 of 38 Cherry Cola Balayage Instagram/@lorealpro Different shades of sweet cola brown, from dark to golden brown, get a little extra red-tinted balayage to keep things interesting! This mane uses a violet shade, as well, but you can keep it strictly red for a safer bet. 17 of 38 Dark Ashy Brown with Chestnut Balayage Instagram/@nicovincistudio 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. 18 of 38 Bronde Balayage Instagram/@bestofbalayage 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. 19 of 38 Rich Caramel Balayage Instagram/@ramireztransalon 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. 20 of 38 Cool Black with Chocolate Balayage Instagram/@beautybyjoyce 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. 21 of 38 Red Velvet with Copper Balayage Instagram/@lorealpro A rich deep red gets a little sun with bright coppery balayage, which adds even more vibrancy to the most fiery of hair shades! 22 of 38 Dark Ash Brown with Icy Beige Balayage Instagram/@ramireztransalon 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. 23 of 38 Light Ash Brown with Beige Balayage Instagram/@milehighbutterfly These microlights create a dynamic mushroom-brown look. The neutral-to-cool light brown is lightened up with a neutral beige shade. 24 of 38 Black with Ashy Gray Balayage Instagram/@nicovincistudio While ashy shades of all persuasions have been trending lately, this incredibly striking look transforms black hair with cool ashy gray balayage. 25 of 38 Brown with Golden Balayage @johnnyramirez Golden swirls add beachy vibes to a brown base. Light-catching color makes this shoulder-length lob stand out. 26 of 38 Mocha with Burgundy Balayage @hairbykatierose 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. 27 of 38 Cinnamon Balayage Instagram/@makeupbyfrances Caramel and chestnut strokes give dark brown a kiss of color. Piecey streaks make this warm balayage stand out. 28 of 38 Money Piece Balayage @hair_bykate 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. 29 of 38 Golden Chestnut Balayage Instagram/@daymakerschair 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. 30 of 38 Copper Balayage Instagram/@suetyrrellstylist Hair color specialist and salon owner Sue Tyrrell created this incredible feat, which melts from naturally dark brown to fiery copper strands. 31 of 38 Soft Brunette Instagram/@mizzchoi This look by stylist Cherin Choi seamlessly blends subtle highlights with the client’s natural color for some barely-there color. 32 of 38 Overcast Instagram/@colormemimi Master colorist “Mimi” Camacho came up with this name that perfectly describes this cool gray color that beautifully complements naturally black hair. 33 of 38 Honey Instagram/@marcelcurlsyouon and @leysahairandmakeup This warm honey look, a collaboration between @marcelcurlsyouon and @leysahairandmakeup, adds so much shine and dimension to the client’s natural curls. 34 of 38 Warm Brunette with Cinnamon Spice Instagram/@slim_color 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. 35 of 38 Chocolate Frappuccino Instagram/@suetyrrellstylist 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. 36 of 38 Cowboy Copper Instagram/@charlieandcosalons This stunning hue from @charlieandcosalons is a masterclass in giving natural brunettes a warm, brunette-tinged copper all over. 37 of 38 Chocolate Caramel Instagram/@suetyrrellstylist 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. 38 of 38 Cool Brunette Instagram/@mizzchoi Stylist Cherin Choi created this cool-toned brunette look that has ashy tones throughout. 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