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05.13.2025
7 Brunette Balayage Hair Color Ideas & Formulas
Balayage isn’t just for blondes. It may be the dreamiest technique for adding sun-kissed ribbons, but brunette balayage proves that freehand lightening can go as bright, bold, or brown as you like. While some use the balayage technique to take locks lighter, the biggest bonus of balayage hair is the way it lends dimension and depth to all hair colors. That’s why we’re celebrating some of the most covetable brunette balayage looks—from light caramel balayage on dark brown hair to dark brown highlights woven through a black base. Are you ready to get inspired?
What is Balayage?
In French, balayage means “to sweep,” which is fitting given the painterly way color is swept through sections of hair. Eschewing the patterned approach of traditional highlights, balayage involves applying lightener in a bespoke fashion to the face-framing layers, mid-lengths, and ends of the hair. The finished effect is entirely unique to every salon guest — natural, multi-dimensional, and ultra-flattering, no matter how subtle or bold you go. Typically, it’s done without foils, though they can be added if you’re looking for a higher level of lift through isolation. This foil-enhanced method is known in the industry as foilyage.
HOW TO CREATE BRUNETTE BALAYAGE
When it comes to sweeping balayage on brown hair, a lightener is always needed to ensure those lighter ribbons truly shine. Keep these rules in mind for every color transformation:
1. Lighten with Blondor
When adding highlights, try a lightener designed for freehand painting, like Blondor Freelights. It features an adhesive mass, which ensures it goes exactly where you want it to go and stays there. You could also try mixing it with our bond-strengthening system, WellaPlex, which will keep the internal hair bonds strong throughout the lightening process.
2. Tone to Perfection
Once you’ve reached the desired level of lift—typically two or three shades lighter for a more natural finish—it’s time to tone your client’s highlights to achieve their perfect look. Try a permanent color like Koleston Perfect, mixed with Welloxon Perfect Pastel 1.9% (6 vol.) in a 1:2 ratio, for a pure-pigment, high-shine finish. Or, if your guest prefers a lower-commitment option with a soft, dimensional result, reach for a demi-permanent color like Color Touch or Shinefinity.
3. Condition and Care
Post-color care is just as important as the lightener and toner you apply, so make sure your client is equipped with products that support and enhance their new hue. ColorMotion+ Color Protection Shampoo is the foundation of a strong routine, infused with antioxidants to help protect against shade-fading free radicals. Follow with ColorMotion+ Conditioner to pamper strands to their shiniest best. #PROTIP: Recommend the ColorMotion+ Structure+ Mask for intensive at-home restructuring between salon visits. Formulated specifically for colored hair, this mask strengthens the hair structure while enhancing shine and long-lasting manageability. It also features a built-in bond-structuring agent from WellaPlex.
BRUNETTE BALAYAGE IDEAS
1. Light Brown Balayage
Image Credit: @tombadgerhair
Light brown hair and blonde balayage are a match made in haircolor heaven, creating a sun-kissed, post-vacation effect that’s making us long for the summer months. Tom Badger nailed it by using Blondor for a little foilyage, followed by a Shinefinity shadow root of 06/0 + Shinefinity Activator, blending into 09/36 + 010/6 + Shinefinity Activator.
2. Dark Brown Balayage
Image Credit: @angietriana.hair
This look is the perfect example of dark brown balayage, featuring ribbons that have been lightened just a touch brighter than the base color. Lighten with Blondor Multi Blonde + Welloxon Perfect Developer 6% (20 volume), root shadow with Color Touch 5/0 + 3/0 + Color Touch Emulsion 1.9% (6 vol.), and tone with Color Touch 8/71 + Color Touch Emulsion 1.9% (6 volume).
3. Caramel Balayage on Dark Brown Hair
Image Credit: @kai_sohn
For brunette clients who crave caramel blonde hair without the commitment of all-over lightening, adding caramel balayage provides the creamiest, dreamiest compromise. These warm blonde highlights were treated to a hair glossing treatment with Koleston Perfect 7/31 and Welloxon Perfect Pastel Developer 1.9% (6 volume), resulting in next-level shine and zero brassy tones.
4. Brown Balayage on Black Hair
Image Credit: @xobeautybynicole
If you’re creating very dark brown, almost-black hair, the last thing you want is a flat, matte black. That’s where a scattering of brown balayage really comes into its own. Case in point? This multi-dimensional creation, which features a base of Koleston Perfect 4/0 + 3/0 + Welloxon Perfect Developer 6% (20 volume) and ribbons of Blondor Freelights, toned with Color Touch.
5. Chocolate Brown Balayage
Image Credit: @dacciuntaglio.parrucchieri
Chocolate brown hair is just as gorgeous as it sounds. This look takes brunette locks richer with highlights—or in this case, balayage—to reveal a rich range of dimensional tones. Blondor and Color Touch worked as the perfect pair to create this flawless color melt.
6. Ash Brown Balayage
Image Credit: @leothehairalchemist
If you’re as obsessed with ash brown hair as we are, you’ll love this balayage take, featuring equal parts of Color Touch 9/97, 9/16, and 7/73. Perfect for any season, this cool-toned hue is crisp, modern, and effortlessly chic. Pair it with loose, tousled waves to let every nuance of color shine.
7. Rose Brown Balayage
Image Credit: @kathapfrang
While blondes can experiment with rose gold hair, brunettes can enhance their tone with rose brown; a trend that sees pink tones, blended with deep hues for a raspberry chocolate effect. Balayage is the ideal technique for this trend, as demonstrated by Katharina Pfrang who hand painted Blondor Freelights through mid-lengths and ends. Then colored the roots using Color Touch 7/75 + Color Touch Emulsion 1.9% (6 volume) before adding ribbons of Color Fresh Create Hyper Coral + Infinite Orange + Tomorrow Clear with Color Touch 6/45 + Color Touch Emulsion 1.9% (6 volume) for a bold color melt.
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