How can you lighten dark brown hair?

Although there are natural ways to lighten your hair , in order to avoid damage and any unwanted surprises, you may want to ditch the DIY solution. "There are so many factors when choosing the right shade and type of color technology that it's really recommended to see a professional to get the best result," says Papanikolas.

How long does it take to go from blonde to brunette?

It will vary depending on your starting color and desired color, as well as the texture of your hair. The greater the difference in colors and the more curly or dry your hair is, the longer it will take. This can range anywhere from two to five hours.

What color highlights look good on light brown hair?

Light brown hair is incredibly versatile, meaning, there is a wide variety of highlights to choose from. Blonde, caramel, and beige highlights are popular choices, but consider your undertone before you decide to go warmer or cooler. Also, consider trying a lowlight to add dimension.

25 Light Brown Hair Colors That Are Super Low-Maintenance

We fully believe that light brown hair is magic—it complements anyone and everyone. No matter your hair type, texture, eye color, or skin tone, light brown hair is destined to look good. It's a universally flattering hair color and one that's perfect for displaying summery highlights. It also requires little to no maintenance (especially compared to other popular hair color trends—like copper or peach). While it's never been a hair color that's gone out of style, its effortless upkeep and versatility are why we think it's trendy right now.

Whether it's Beyoncé's golden brown bob or Lily Collins's sand-hued tresses, celebrities are inspiring us to go lighter with our locks. "The most flattering shades tend to be within two shades of your natural color," says colorist George Papanikolas. We spoke to Papanikolas and hairstylist Larisa Love for more light brown hair ideas.

Meet the Expert

• George Papanikolas is a celebrity stylist and colorist for MATRIX, a professional hair product line.

• Larisa Love is a hairstylist and brand ambassador for Joico. A graduate of Marinello Beauty School, Love has spent a decade in the industry.

Light Brown

Choosing a Shade: "If you have olive skin or a darker complexion, a cool-toned brunette would be most suitable. If you have a more pale complexion, a warm-toned brunette will complement you best," says Love.
Maintenance Level: Low to medium. "Being a brunette is easier than being any other color because you don’t need to lift exponentially, and brunettes fade slower," Love tells us.
Goes Great With: All skin tones
Similar Shades: Illuminated brown, bronde, ash brown
Price: Can start at $200. According to Love, "Price at the salon varies on your hair texture, length, and history. The first appointment in the salon will probably be the most expensive to get you to the perfect shade of brunette you’ve been dreaming of."

Below, check out 25 variations of light brown hair.

01 of 25

Honey Brown

Starting with her raven roots and melding into a honey brown bob, Beyoncé's undulating texture add some flair to her already chic look. To get the perfect waves on short hair, try the T3 Single Pass Curling Iron ($150).

02 of 25

Light Brown Ombré

Though Brit beauty Alexa Chung has gone darker with her hair, we're still not over this perfect light brown color. Her dark-to-light brown ombré is subtle but showcases a bit of her signature edge.

03 of 25

Neutral Brown

Jessical Biel wavy light brown hair with headband — Paul Archuleta / FilmMagic / Getty Images

Jessica Biel's long, glossy waves are California beach girl meets Hollywood starlet. "Light brown can complement any skin tone, but the underlining pigment is what’s important," Love says. "Skin tone is a key factor in choosing the right shade of brunette."

04 of 25

Auburn

Marie Claire's Image Makers Awards 2018 - Red Carpet - Issa Rae — Getty Images for Marie Claire / Getty Images

We adore Issa Rae's natural brown shade worn in this slicked-back style with loose curls. Her auburn color is shiny, vibrant, and rich without any obvious highlights, balayage, or roots. What a perfect example of "less is more."

05 of 25

Light Brown With Blonde Highlights

Priyanka Chopra '70s feathered hair — @priyankachopra / Instagram

Priyanka Chopra is giving us serious '70s vibes and we're all for it. Feathered hair is back and Chopra's iteration favors blonde highlights that add dimension and brighten her complexion.

06 of 25

Gradient Brown

Emily Blunt light brown hair updo — Frazer Harrison / WireImage / Getty Images

Emily Blunt is known to oscillate between light and dark tresses, but this gradient brown number has us rooting for team brunette. Loose, face-framing tendrils add softness to this style while copper eyeshadow pairs perfectly with her baby blues.

07 of 25

Caramel Brown

Joan Smalls long, light brown hair — @joansmalls / Instagram

It's always exciting to check in on model Joan Smalls because you truly never know what hair color she'll be trying next. While she's prone to versatility, Smalls most often rocks dark brown hair, so the addition of caramel streaks, seen here, is a fun statement.

08 of 25

Warm-Toned Light Brown

Ashley Park long light brown hair — @ashleyparklady / Instagram

Ashley Park proves that light brown hair is glamorous. By wearing her tresses long and with a slight wave, she takes them from ordinary to extraordinary. For similar texture and undulating definition, try spritzing Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray from mid-lengths to ends.

09 of 25

Tiger Eye

We can't decide what we like more: Ciara's soft feathery fringe or her tiger eye hair color with multidimensional hues. "Dark hair that is going lighter always pulls warm, so unless you want a coppery-brown, it's important to use an ash tone to balance out and neutralize the unwanted orange tones," says Papanikolas.

Preserve color by washing hair less frequently and waiting a full 72 hours after a color treatment before shampooing and conditioning.

10 of 25

Light Brown Sombré

Chrissy Teigen has been a pioneer of the light-brown hair trend, and it's easy to see why. We love how the soft, sweeping waves in her long bob perfectly shape around her glowing skin.

11 of 25

Mushroom Brown

2019 FGI Night Of Stars Gala — WireImage / Getty Images

Laverne Cox's cool-toned take on light brown has us swearing off shades with "honey" in the name for the foreseeable future. Her sleek, wet-look bob seriously elevates the color.

12 of 25

Brown Balayage

Natalie Portman- Brown Hair — Getty Images

Natalie Portman is one of Hollywood's most consistent supporters of light brown hair. In this Oscar-worthy look, she adds dimension to her chic bob with brown balayage. Maintenance-wise, this color requires minimal upkeep.

13 of 25

Bronde

Gisele Bündchen is always seen with hair that's dyed varying shades of "bronde," or a brown/blonde hybrid color. Here, it's more brown than blonde, but her soft and subtle highlights could make you do a double-take.

14 of 25

Illuminated Brown

Sofia Vergara long, glossy brown hair — Tibrina Hobson / Getty Images

Every photo taken of Sofia Vergara looks like it could be used for a luxury shampoo ad. Her long brown locks with subtle highlights are the picture of hair health. To get her next-level shine, invest in some hair oil.

15 of 25

Bronde Highlights

We can't get over Nina Agdal's super soft blonde highlights. They meld into the rest of her brown hair so perfectly. To keep color in tip-top shape, at-home care is essential. Love's product picks? Joico Defy Damage Shampoo and Conditioner ($37) and K-PAK Color Therapy Luster Lock Spray ($9).

16 of 25

Cedar Brown

Kim Kardashian long, straight light brown hair — @chrisappleton1 / Instagram

When it comes to her hair, it's no secret that Kim Kardashian likes to experiment with different colors and styles. But here, she wears her long cedar brown tresses straight for a classic look. It's simple, yet statement-making.

17 of 25

Golden Brown

While Cara Delevingne is known for her blonde hair and dark, thick eyebrows, we are loving this light-brown hair moment. The golden brown hue radiates warmth making her effortless waves just that more beachy.

18 of 25

Chestnut Brown

Gemma Chan is pictured here sporting a long, brunette shade with nearly black roots and much lighter brown ends. The subtle color melt creates depth and looks especially great with a slight wave.

19 of 25

Sandy Brown

Lily Collins glossy light brown hair with face-framing bangs — @lilyjcollins / Instagram

We're always in awe of Lily Collins, but this face-framing cut in a gorgeous pale brown color leaves us especially mesmerized. As for that red lip? So Emily in Paris.

20 of 25

Hazel

Sandy Brown Crop — Paul Archuleta / FilmMagic / Getty Images

Whether she's rocking long hair or this curly crop, Tyra Banks's hair is always fierce. The combination of golden-flecked highlights and blown-out curls add dimension and interest to this understated cut—not to mention, the color seems to match perfectly with her hazel eyes.

21 of 25

Tawny Brown

Maggie Q long wavy light brown hair — @dereksyuen / Instagram

Maggie Q's mane is basically a master class in achieving illuminating light brown color. Tawny highlights emit a sunkissed feel while long layers add some texture to this sleek style.

22 of 25

Cafe Au Lait

Lucy Hale textured lob — @bridgetbragerhair / Instagram

Lucy Hale's bendy waves are visually effortless. And since the light brown shade is not too far off from her natural hair color, maintenance is a breeze. In fact, dark grown-out roots feel intentional and only add to this look's casual-cool vibe.

23 of 25

Burnt Sienna

Meagan Good light brown braid with dreads and undercut — Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Meagan Good's golden, reddish-brown highlights are chic, which help to counterbalance an eclectic hairstyle (undercut-meets-locs-meets-curls-meets braid). Honestly, there's a lot going on, but we love all of it.

24 of 25

Soft Brown

Jessica Alba light brown blowout — Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images

Jessica Alba, to us, is basically the poster child for light brown hair. She's been rocking the color for years, and it always looks fresh, light, and youthful. Here, her soft brown and caramel tones beautifully complement her skin's olive undertones.

25 of 25

Bronzed Brown

Miranda Kerr's light brown hair looks best when styled in a wavy, textured lob. The key to this look is volume, which Kerr has at the roots of her hair. Try using Ouai Volume Spray ($26) for a similar boost.

FAQ

How can you lighten dark brown hair?

Although there are natural ways to lighten your hair, in order to avoid damage and any unwanted surprises, you may want to ditch the DIY solution. "There are so many factors when choosing the right shade and type of color technology that it's really recommended to see a professional to get the best result," says Papanikolas.
How long does it take to go from blonde to brunette?

It will vary depending on your starting color and desired color, as well as the texture of your hair. The greater the difference in colors and the more curly or dry your hair is, the longer it will take. This can range anywhere from two to five hours.
What color highlights look good on light brown hair?

Light brown hair is incredibly versatile, meaning, there is a wide variety of highlights to choose from. Blonde, caramel, and beige highlights are popular choices, but consider your undertone before you decide to go warmer or cooler. Also, consider trying a lowlight to add dimension.