If you want to know how to get warm brown hair check out this guide! Also find out shades of light brown, dark brown or caramel brown with warm undertones that suit you best.
Brunette hair is back in fashion! Yes, you’ve heard that right. Brown hair with warm undertones might be very common but it’s all the rage right now.
For the longest time, women were toning their brunette hair to the much-desired “ash” brown look. Or they bleached their hair to get blonde highlights but warm undertones are becoming much more desirable right now.
If you have dyed brown hair or naturally brunette hair and want to enhance the warm undertones in your hair, check out this article.
What Is Warm Brown Hair?
If you’re wondering what exactly is warm brown hair then let me explain. Your hair color isn’t just one single shade of brown. There are several different undertones like copper, red and orange that form the base of your hair color.
Some hair have a lot of these undertones and so they make your hair color appear “warmer”. But basically what warmer means is that the brown hair has a reddish undertone.
Also, these base undertones are the reason why your hair looks orangish or “brassy” when you bleach it. As the lightener removes the top layer of brown hair color but the undertones remain.
How To Get Warm Brown Hair
A lot of people choose to remove these warm undertones from brunette hair using a blue shampoo (blue cancels out red tones) but if you want to enhance these colors instead, here’s what you should do.
Dye Your Hair A Warmer Shade Of Brown
If you have blonde hair or a natural cool undertone to your brown hair, the only thing you can do to get warmer shades of brunette hair is to dye them that color.
The most common warmer brown hair colors include chocolate brown, mahogany, caramel brown, and golden brown.
If you want a more brighter, warm color, you can even go for shades like auburn in which the red undertones are more prominent.
Don’t get worried about damaging your hair with dye as going from a cooler to a warmer shade rarely requires the use of bleach or peroxide.
So it’s actually safer to go from blonde to brunette or from ash brown to warm brown than the other way around.
Get Highlights That Bring Out Your Base Color
Don’t want to color your hair a completely different shade? Not to worry. You can still get warm brown hair by adding global highlights.
If you have a lighter base, then you probably don’t even have to bleach your hair first. But it’s best to consult with your hairstylist about this.
Highlights are generally a few shades darker than your base hair color and done to brighten your hair. But if you choose the right shade of highlights you can actually create a warm, sun-kissed look on brown hair.
I suggest adding highlights that are no more than 2-3 shades lighter than your brunette hair. And even then opt for “warmer” colors like golden, honey, or caramel than platinum or ash.
These will enhance your brown hair and bring warmth to your existing hair color.
Note: This trick only works if you have naturally brown hair or have dyed your hair brunette. If you have a blonde base or natural hair color, you will need to dye it a shade of brown first.
Add Some Red Babylights To Your Hair
The easiest way to add warmth to brown hair is to add shades of red to it. You can try copper for a brighter look or a darker red instead if you prefer something more subtle.
Also, it can be a good idea to ask your hairdresser for “babylights” instead of highlights.
Babylights are thinner than highlights and give your hair a naturally, sun-kissed look.
So with some copper or auburn babylights on brown hair, your locks will look naturally warmer.
How To Maintain Your Warm Brown Hair Color
Whether you’re dyeing your hair a warmer color or getting highlights or babylights, you need to maintain the color to keep your brown hair look bright and warm.
Use a gentle shampoo to prevent dye fading
The first thing you need to do to maintain your warm brown hair color (or any colored hair for that matter!) is to invest in a mild, color-protecting shampoo.
These shampoos are mostly sulfate-free. You see sulfates are a type of surfactants that remove dirt and grease from hair. But sodium laureth sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate are very harsh and strip hair’s natural oils and hair dye from strands as well.
A good color-protecting shampoo also contains UV filters that protect hair color from fading due to sun’s UV radiation.
Try a gloss treatment to keep hair color fresh
If you find the warmer undertones in your hair color fading, you should try out a hair gloss treatment. It’s not very popular but according to me it’s one of the best ways to add shine and to extend the color of your hair.
These treatments are tinted and replenish the lost dye pigments in your hair.
Also most of these gloss treatments double as deep conditioning masks. One of my favorite hair gloss treatments is the dpHue Gloss+ treatment. You can select the copper or medium brown shades to keep your brown hair warmer.
Moisturize hair often using deep conditioning masks
We all know that coloring your hair often can lead to hair damage but what a lot of people don’t know is that if you have dry, damaged hair it can actually lead to your hair color fading.
Dry damaged hair often has open cuticles and this can lead to dye pigments leaching from hair.
So if you want to maintain your warm brown hair and extend its life, use a deep conditioning hair mask.
These moisturize your hair from the inside out and seal the hair cuticles and smoothen them. This will not only keep your hair dye look fresh for a long time but also keep your hair soft and healthy.
Limit your use of heat styling tools
A lot of people don’t know this but heat is a major factor in fading your hair color.
The heat from tools like hair straighteners, curling irons, or even blow dryers can lead to a process called oxidation that dissolves hair dye pigments, causing hair color to fade.
So if you want your newly warmed brown hair to look fresh as the first day you’ve dyed it, reduce the use of heat styling tools.
Also, you should try air drying your hair instead of blow drying hair. If it is necessary to use a blow dryer to save time, then I really suggest using it on a low-heat setting or with a diffuser.
Warm Brown Hair Color Ideas
Wondering what hair color to choose to get the ideal “warm” brown shade? Here are some of my favorite brunette hair color ideas that give you warmer undertones in your hair.
Light Brown Hair With Warm Undertones
Medium Warm Brown Hair
Golden Brown Hair
Dark Brown Hair With Warm Undertones
How to get warm brown hair with highlights: A step by step guide
To achieve warm brown hair with highlights, you can follow this step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Choose the Right Shade of Warm Brown
Select a warm brown hair color that complements your skin tone and desired look. Consider shades like chestnut, caramel, or golden brown. It’s a good idea to consult with a professional hair colorist to help you choose the most flattering shade for your complexion.
Step 2: Gather the Necessary Supplies
Make sure you have all the supplies you need, including the hair color dye in your chosen warm brown shade, developer (if required), highlighting kit (if you plan to do the highlights yourself), gloves, a color brush or applicator, clips to section your hair, and a bowl for mixing the color.
Step 3: Prep Your Hair
Wash your hair a day or two before coloring. Avoid using any styling products or oils on your hair before the application. This helps the color adhere better to your hair.
Step 4: Section Your Hair
Divide your hair into sections using clips. Start by parting your hair down the middle, then section off the hair on the sides and crown. This will make it easier to apply the hair color and highlights evenly.
Step 5: Apply the Base Color
Follow the instructions on the hair color dye kit to mix the color and developer, if needed. Apply the warm brown hair color to your hair, starting from the roots and working your way to the ends. Use the color brush or applicator to ensure even distribution. Make sure to saturate each section thoroughly for consistent results.
Step 6: Process the Hair Color
Follow the recommended processing time specified on the hair color dye kit. This will allow the color to develop and penetrate your hair. Keep in mind that processing times can vary depending on the brand and the desired result.
Step 7: Prepare and Apply the Highlights
If you’re adding highlights, mix the highlighting product according to the instructions provided in the highlighting kit. Select thin strands or sections of hair where you want the highlights to be and apply the highlighting product to those sections. Use foils or wraps to separate the highlighted sections from the rest of your hair.
Step 8: Process the Highlights
Allow the highlighting product to process for the recommended time specified in the highlighting kit instructions. This is usually shorter than the processing time for the base color. Keep a close eye on the color development to avoid over-lightening or damaging your hair.
Step 9: Rinse and Condition
After the processing time is complete for both the base color and highlights, rinse your hair thoroughly with lukewarm water until the water runs clear. Apply the provided conditioner or a deep conditioner to nourish and moisturize your hair. Leave the conditioner on for the recommended time before rinsing it out.
Step 10: Style and Maintain
Once your hair is rinsed and conditioned, style it as desired. You can blow-dry, curl, or straighten your hair to achieve your desired look. To maintain the warm brown hair color and highlights, use color-safe and moisturizing hair care products. Limit exposure to excessive heat and protect your hair from the sun to prevent color fading.
If you’re unsure about the coloring process or want more intricate highlights, it’s best to seek the assistance of a professional hair colorist who can help you achieve your desired warm brown hair with highlights.
FAQs on How To Get Warm Brown Hair
What color is warm brown hair?
When someone says they have a “warmer” brown hair color, they usually mean that their hair contains undertones of red, copper, and orange. So naturally warm brown hair includes shades like mahogany, auburn brown hair, golden brown hair, and even chocolate brown hair.
How to get warm tones out of brown hair?
Okay, so not everyone likes having warm brown hair. So if you want to get rid of the warm undertones in your tresses, you should try a blue shampoo. Blue is opposite to orange on the color wheel, so using a blue shampoo or blue hair toner helps remove red, copper and orange tones from hair.
How do you turn ash brown into warm brown?
It might be easier to get ash brown hair from warm brown hair then the other way around. If you use a hair toner or blue shampoo then it immediately cancels out orange-red tones from warm hair leaving it ashy. However, if you want to turn ash brown hair into warm brown the only way is to dye it a warmer tone.
Final Thoughts On How To Get Warm Brown Hair
If your hair is naturally a shade of mahogany, dark brown, auburn, or coppery-brown, then your brown hair has a warm undertone.
In most cases, if you have warm brown hair then you might also have a warmer undertone of skin as well.
But if you have neutral or cool-toned hair then you can get warmer brunette hair by following the tips above.
The easiest way is to dye your hair a warmer brunette shade.
But if you want something that looks more natural, you should try getting highlights or babylights that enhance the warmth of your brown hair.
However, just remember to maintain your hair color by using a sulfate-free, color-depositing shampoo.
Why You Should Trust Haireveryday?
The author of this article, Leah Marie Priest has a degree in Cosmetology with years of experience in dealing with hair care, scalp care, and hairstyling. As someone who extensively deals with all kinds of hair textures, products, styling methods and more, hair Leah Marie knows what kind of products and procedures suit each hair type and person. We have also tested these hair products and processes ourselves to provide you an unbiased review about every product. Each of our articles are also reviewed by a team of medical professionals so that you get the most accurate and expert-reviewed information.
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To Summarize