Marie Claire Marie Claire
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Nice Talk
  • Style At Large
  • More
    • Politics
    • Career & Money
    • Health & Fitness
    • Power Play
    • Travel
    • Promo Codes
    • Food & Cocktails
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Sex & Love
  • Newsletter SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Marie Claire
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    Want to add more newsletters?

    Marie Claire Daily

    Delivered daily

    Marie Claire Daily

    Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Sent weekly on Saturday

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Once a week

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.

    Livingetc

    Once a week

    Livingetc

    Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.

    Homes & Gardens

    Delivered Daily

    Homes & Gardens

    The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Sézane's Next Act
    • Postpartum Texts
    • Anna Sawai
    • Pre-Fall Outfits
    1. Beauty
    2. Hair

    39 Stunning Brown Hair Color Ideas to Inspire Your Next Look

    Because not all brown hair is created equal.

    By The Editors
    Published 28 September 2020 In Buying Guides

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    brunette
    (Image credit: Getty)
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    How come blondes always get fun hair descriptors like "ashy" or "strawberry" or "bleach-blond"? It seems that brunettes always get the catch-all "brown" label, while other shade ranges get down to specifics. But no more! Knowing exactly the shade of brunette you want is completely necessary when you're looking to dye your locks. Having a reference pic is one of the most essential tenets before any dye job, and we want to make sure you're prepared. Chestnut and chocolate are not created equal, and if you're looking to get one but accidentally get the other, you might be sorely disappointed.

    Luckily, we're seeing a lot more celebs rocking the brunette look, which means we have a lot more cut-out options to bring to our favorite colorists. Whether you want a new all-over color, some highlights to liven your look, or are aiming for that super subtle undertone, these celeb looks have it all. From detailed highlights to ridiculously flattering balayages, these 39 very different, yet incredibly pretty, hair color ideas for brunettes will convince you that no brown shade is created equal. Here, your very own flipbook of gorgeous brown hair colors to peruse before you book your next salon visit.

    Marisa Tomei's Auburn Brown
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Marisa Tomei's Auburn Brown

    Mindy Kaling's Cool Light Brown Highlights
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Mindy Kaling's Cool Light Brown Highlights

    Keira Knightley's Golden Brown Undertones
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Keira Knightley's Golden Brown Undertones

    Solange Knowles' 1970s Noir Waves
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Solange Knowles' 1970s Noir Waves

    Amal Clooney's Lowlight Wavy Side Part
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Amal Clooney's Lowlight Wavy Side Part

    Ciara's Face-Framing Highlight
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Ciara's Face-Framing Highlight

    Kate Middleton's Dramatic Caramel Curls
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Kate Middleton's Dramatic Caramel Curls

    Jennifer Lopez's Honey Brown Highlights
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Jennifer Lopez's Honey Brown Highlights

    Dakota Johnson's Warm Brown Curtain Bangs
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Dakota Johnson's Warm Brown Curtain Bangs

    Kerry Washington's Dark Waves
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Kerry Washington's Dark Waves

    Alexa Demie's Jet-Black 'Do
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Alexa Demie's Jet-Black 'Do

    Tessa Thompson's Voluminous Curls
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Tessa Thompson's Voluminous Curls

    Vanessa Hudgens' Chocolate Locks
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Vanessa Hudgens' Chocolate Locks

    Alexa Chung's Mid-Brown Waves
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Alexa Chung's Mid-Brown Waves

    Emilia Clarke's Highlighted Look
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Emilia Clarke's Highlighted Look

    Camila Mendes' Polished Waves
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Camila Mendes' Polished Waves

    Natalie Portman's Caramel Highlights
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Natalie Portman's Caramel Highlights

    Shailene Woodley's Classic Brown Braids
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Shailene Woodley's Classic Brown Braids

    Bella Hadid's Slicked Look
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Bella Hadid's Slicked Look

    Gal Gadot's Coffee Tones
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Gal Gadot's Coffee Tones

    Lupita Nyong'o's Gorgeous Braids
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Lupita Nyong'o's Gorgeous Braids

    Lily Collins' Shiny Look
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Lily Collins' Shiny Look

    Zendaya's Warm Blow-Out
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Zendaya's Warm Blow-Out

    Emily Ratajkowski's Girl-Next-Door Locks
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Emily Ratajkowski's Girl-Next-Door Locks

    Shay Mitchell's Easy Dark Bun
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Shay Mitchell's Easy Dark Bun

    Jourdan Dunn's Long Curls
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Jourdan Dunn's Long Curls

    Keira Knightley's Sunkissed Brown Updo
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Keira Knightley's Sunkissed Brown Updo

    Selena Gomez's Ombre Look
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Selena Gomez's Ombre Look

    Ashley Graham's Chocolate Waves
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Ashley Graham's Chocolate Waves

    Rihanna's Jet-Black Look
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Rihanna's Jet-Black Look

    Alicia Vikander's Chestnut Locks
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Alicia Vikander's Chestnut Locks

    Lana Condor's Inky Side Part
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Lana Condor's Inky Side Part

    Gayle King's Warm Waves
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Gayle King's Warm Waves

    Rooney Mara's Sophisticated Bun
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Rooney Mara's Sophisticated Bun

    Emma Watson's Highlighted Updo
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Emma Watson's Highlighted Updo

    Kate Beckinsale's Hazelnut Waves
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Kate Beckinsale's Hazelnut Waves

    Ali Wong's Mahogany 'Do
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Ali Wong's Mahogany 'Do

    Zoë Kravitz's Jet-Black Chop
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Zoë Kravitz's Jet-Black Chop

    Demi Lovato's Tumbling Curls
    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Demi Lovato's Tumbling Curls

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
    The Editors

    Marie Claire is committed to celebrating the richness and scope of women's lives. We're known for our award-winning features, thoughtful essays and op-eds, deep commitment to sustainable fashion, and buzzy interviews and reviews. Reaching millions of women every month, MarieClaire.com is an internationally recognized destination for celebrity news, fashion trends, beauty recommendations, and renowned investigative packages.

    Read more
    a fall-toned background with an image of the same girl before and after an espresso brunette hair transformation
    Hair Espresso Brunette Is the Most Low-Maintenance Hair Color Trend for Fall All the richness of autumn, with just enough lingering summer glow.
    By Siena Gagliano
    hair color
    Hair The Top Hair Colors For Fall 2026 Are Lazy In The Best Way Possible Low-maintenance and high-shine? Sign me up.
    By Annie Blay-Tetty
     
     
    Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, bella hadid, jennifer lopez, and rihanna showing off her honey blonde hair.
    Hair This Season, I'm Ditching My Golden Highlights for This Low-Key, Cozy Blonde Color It's subtle and easy to maintain.
    By Sophia Vilensky
    a pink background with three women with bleached blonde hair
    Hair The Celebrity Stylist Secret to Bleaching Your Hair—Without Destroying It In the Process Because platinum blonde looks good on everyone.
    By Bianca Rodriguez
     
     
    Latest in Hair
    ocean water background with two girls with beach waves on top next to hair styling products for fine hair
    Hair Think Beach Waves Won't Last On Fine Hair? I Found the Fool-Proof Routine
    Princess Kate sitting in a car wearing a white blouse and brown hat
    Royals Princess Kate’s Summer Hair Switch-Up Has Become a Balmoral Tradition
     
     
    samantha holender next to the tangle teezer brush
    Hair I Never Thought a $23 Brush for Fine Hair Would Be the Trick to Stopping Breakage
    A woman with curly hair in the middle of a collage that features pictures of various women getting ready.
    Hair Tracee Ellis Ross’s ‘70s “Porn Hair” Is Made Possible by This Very Specific Hot Tool
     
     
    Latest in Buying guide
    two side by side campaign images: one model wearing a zebra print skirt, another model wearing sunglasses and a black leather jacket
    Fall fashion The Chicest Things You Can Buy for Fall for Under $350
    collage of Nikki Ogunnaike's favorite fall trends for 2026
    Fashion 4 Fall Trends I’m Trying—All Under $350
     
     
    orange foam background with two girls with clear skin next to face washes
    Skincare The Right Face Wash Can Change Everything—Here Are the 9 Worth Using
    collage of Lauren Tappan in Austria
    Fashion What I Packed for a Weekend in Austria as a Fashion Editor
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Marie Claire
    RSS
    • About us
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Advertise Online
    • Newsletter
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • Careers
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.