Chocolate brown hair is a brunette hair color that resembles shades of chocolate candy. Lovely, smooth, rich, and delicious chocolate. Who doesn’t love chocolate?
When it comes to hair ideas, if you’re a brunette lady, then you have an array of shades to choose from like milk chocolate, dark chocolate, cocoa, spicy chocolate, or even raspberry-tinted chocolate.
What You Should Know When Choosing Chocolate Brown Hair:
- Choosing a Shade: The more shine you want, the darker you should go as darker hair naturally reflect more light. If you are older than 50, you may consider choosing a lighter chocolate with some brighter tones. The lighter your hair, the less noticeable your skin imperfections are.
- Maintenance Level: Medium to easy. If you have a naturally dark hair color, then chocolate will be easier to maintain its color.
- Average Cost: The cost for getting your hair colored chocolate brown by a professional hair colorist ranges from $70 to $200, depending upon how it’s done and where you live. Getting a single process permanent color is cheaper. If you add an ombre, highlights or balayage, it will cost more. If you have lighter hair, then it may require more processing time or trips to get the perfect chocolate hue. All of which will cost more.
- Best Skin Tones: Medium to dark skin tones such as olive, and brown are best.
- Best Natural Base Color: The best natural hair colors for chocolate brown locks are dark brown and dark blonde. It’s easier to slightly lighten or darken your natural shade to bring it to a chocolate tint.
- Similar Shades: Mahogany, chestnut, caramel brown, light brown
- Best Products: The best products to maintain chocolate brown and keep it from fading are: sulfate-free shampoo, toning drops, sulfate-free cleanser and chocolate conditioning color.
Before your hair appointment, check out photos of the best chocolate brown hair colors.
#1: Tousled Chocolate Hair with Blonde Highlights
This shade of chocolate brunette with blonde highlights has pops of blonde but features a dark side. Use a good shampoo and conditioner; the exact kind depends on your hair type. I love R+Co’s Aircraft Mousse. Put it in your hair after it has been curled! It gives you that perfect volume but isn’t sticky and crunchy.
#2: Rich Chocolate Hazelnut
A rich chocolate hazelnut color on mid-length wavy hair is a great way to add dimension and texture to your look. It’s important to remember that this color is best achieved using a medium to dark brown base. Then gradually lightening the ends of the hair with a warm, reddish-brown hue. This is one of the most low-maintenance colors and requires touch-ups every twelve weeks or so.
#3: Soft Chocolate Brown with Honey Highlights
A chocolate brown hairstyle with honey highlights is soft and casual. I love using the open-air balayage technique to create a gentle dimension. This is the perfect chocolate brown hair dye if you’re a woman who is on the go, on a budget, or both. There is almost no need for retouches and it should only take ten balayage slants to create. Use a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner. Sulfates strip your hair color and agitate the ends causing split ends.
#4: Long-Length Chocolate Waves
If you want an easy color for brunette hair, then a balayage for longer styles works well. Ask for complementary tones and a balanced application for it to look even. Think warm chocolates and spiced mocha. Style your hair with Ubuntu wrapping sections around a tong. Then comb with a wide tooth comb. This style is very easy to maintain.
#5: Wavy Light Chocolate Balayage
If you’re looking for a modern classic that will never go out of style then this hairstyle is it. Beautiful bouncy waves give movement and texture. And a contrasting caramel and light brunette balayage give ribbons of color. Soft, versatile, and low-maintenance.
#6: Dark Base with Chocolate Warm Tones
If you want the best of brunette hair, mix a dark raven base with ribbons of a lighter tone. Think hot chocolate to give a subtle contrast. This gives definition and depth. It will look fantastic on wavy hair showing off the different tones. I highly recommend using a color-safe shampoo and a shine-enhancing conditioner. Both will keep your hair looking fresh and glossy.
#7: Dark Bronze on Chocolate Hair
Enhance your brunette locks with woven dark bronze pieces. This gives the appearance of depth, making hair look thicker. And it creates an interesting contrast to your color. Going for woven pieces means the color can be custom to you, adding as much or little as needed. Bronze is a beautiful tone. It’s not blonde and too light, and not brunette, too dark.
#8: Chocolate Light Brown Balayage
A light brown balayage with chocolate tones is a nice way to liven up your color. And, it’s not too high maintenance. Ask for a sweeping soft color to create a seamless feel. It will also grow out less harshly and feel more sunkissed.
#9: Brunette with Dark Caramel Highlights
Any type of skin tone can work a highlighted look. It’s all about working with your natural color and skin tone. People that have mid-brown hair should think about toffee hues to create a soft diffused look. Keeping it soft and subtle without being too highly contrasted.
#10: Rich Chocolate Bob
If you’re looking for brunette hues that create some warmth, then I would suggest this. You will need to keep away from dark colors. Think more rich glossy mid-browns in a chocolate shade that will give a glow of reddish gold. All hair lengths suit this classic take on brown chocolate hair.
#11: Warm Chocolate Blonde Highlights on Dark Hair
A warm chocolate blonde highlight on dark hair gives all the sun-kissed vibes of a brunette’s life. It’s lighter than your natural shade by a couple of levels. This keeps your hair shiny. This is a great transition that looks red and brownish but still keeps it subtle. Finish your style with a ribbon wrap curl. Grab your wide tooth comb and rake through for a beachy wave.
#12: Cool-Toned Chocolate Brunette Hair Color
If you like glossy brunette tones but want to keep away from warm hues, ask your stylist for a cool color. Think dark coco, and ask for no gold, red, or copper undertones. These are what gets reflected when light shines on your hair. Generally, these cooler tones grow better as they are closer to your hair’s natural pigment.
#13: Long Chocolate Brunette with Sombre
An ombré is a great way to jazz up long dark hair. You don’t have to have very light or even blonde to create ribbons of different colors. Caramel and chocolate tones work well together. They give the dark/light effect in a subtle barely-there way.
#14: Natural Balayage on Voluminous Brunette Hair
A milk chocolate balayage for long hair works from dark into a smooth transition fudge tone. It’s not only flattering but so high-end and luxurious. It gives your hair a glossy finish that looks well-nourished and full of life. Keep this up at home with quality cleansers. I’d recommend a treatment every few weeks.
#15: Brunette Hair with Subtle Sun-Kissed Highlights
Add a sun-kissed highlight for a subtle lighter effect. You don’t want to go blonde on dark hair as this creates too much of a contrast. Ask for toffee or fudge tones to give a gentle subtle take. Think of how your hair naturally looks at the end of summer. Equally, if you would like a more noticeable look, keep to the warmer blonde colors like a caramel hue.
#16: Soft Warm Dark Brown Hair
Nothing looks classier than a soft warm brunette color. If you like deep chocolate fudge hues, let your stylist know you want to steer away from flat natural colors. They won’t give you the richness you want. Remember to keep your hair in great condition by trimming regularly. Use the recommended home care to make the most of your color.
#17: Chocolate Lob Hair with Soft Waves
A chocolate lob with soft waves is one of many hair color ideas for brunettes. If you are a brunette and want some dimension and brightness, this would be a great look for your hair! If you’re used to having highlighted or dimensional hair, you know how hard it is to go to a solid color. This is a great way to change your color while still keeping the dimension!
#18: Long Brunette Hair with Subtle Highlights
Glossy subtle chocolate brown with highlights and layers are so on trend. One of the best ways to achieve this is to have tones that complement each other rather than clash. Ask for a rich chocolate base with woven toffee pieces. Long layers give movement and interest to the color. Style with a tong and brush out to create beautiful waves.
#19: Chunky Layers on Rich Brown Hair
Rich chocolate tones look beautiful as darker hair reflects light. This gives your hair a healthy glossy shine. Add longer layers to your hair to give movement and body. But ask for them lower down if you want to wear your hair wavy as you don’t want to lose too much weight from your length.
#20: Melted Chocolate Balayage Hair
Boost your dark hair with a subtle toffee balayage. Hair with warm tones looks more radiant and healthy as the light is reflected. Adding a second color that compliments give an expensive high-end feel. It adds depth to your hair, stopping it from looking too one color.
#21: Long Chocolate Hair with Bouncy Waves
If you have long brunette hair and want to give it some oomph, ask for longer layers to create volume and texture. Add a color that is rich in chocolate tones to complement perfectly. It’s a sure way to give a luxurious look to your hair. I recommend styling your hair with a tong allowing it to cool. Then brush out to create beautiful waves.
#22: Dimensional Warm Chocolate Brown Highlights
Try a natural look with balayage warm chocolate brown highlights to add dimension and warmth to your hair. It’s easily adaptable from a warm to cool tone depending on your hair and your stylist’s desired outcome. For maintenance, I recommend you use the blue shampoo by Oligo once or twice a week to preserve this tone. These dark chocolate highlights on brown hair are perfect if you want a low-maintenance style with a high-end look. It’s ideal if you have a warmer skin tone and straight hair or wavy hair.
#23: Textured Mid-Length Beachy Brunette
A textured brunette is definitely trending now, but it will always be a classic. The mid-length cut can be worn sleek and straight or waved for a more beachy, relaxed look. If you have trouble with a curling iron, try to use a curling wand and wrap your hair around, leaving your ends out and straight. Avoid using too high of heat on your hair and always use a heat protector.
#24: Gorgeous Chocolate Curls
These chocolate curls are the perfect look if you want to darken up your blonde. You must use good maintenance products, especially going from a blonde. I suggest sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner to keep your color locked in!
#25: Healthy Brunette Rounded Bob
Have your locks look beautiful and healthy with a brunette-rounded bob. Cutting off your dead ends will be helpful in making your strands look healthier and thicker. A beautiful chocolate brown hue will give your hair the illusion of extreme shine. Warm tones reflect light, so your strands will glow in the sunlight for pretty locks.
#26: Pretty Light Chocolate on Mid-Length Hair
A stunning light chocolate brown color looks best on medium-length hair. If you want to bring out your eyes and give some warmth and glow to your hair, try a level 5-6 warm chocolate color. Avoid ashy tones if your complexion is warm, as it may make your skin look pale, green, or yellow. It helps to add some baby lights for a little light reflection in your hair that appears to be kissed by the sun.
#27: Stunning Chocolate Curls
Try stunning chocolate curls if you have kinky, curly hair. Remember to find a curly hair specialist to achieve your desired results. Avoid razor cutting your hair. This cut is perfect for fine hair. However, it can work on thick hair as well.
#28: Long Chocolate Brown Hair with a Middle Part
Try long chocolate brown hair styled with a middle part and beach waves. The advantages of having a natural color are you can add a few highlights for some brightness. And, chocolate colored hair is low maintenance. One of the best ways to wear this look is by adding big curls with a large barrel curling iron. Finish the style with a straightener and straighten your ends a few inches in length.
#29: Classic & Rich Cocoa Hair Color
A chocolate hue is a classic brunette with a twist. The color is a warm, rich, multi-dimensional take on the classic chocolate brown hair that we all know and love. Using the natural hair color as a shadow root is the perfect way to blend all of the colors seamlessly while keeping the grow-out process very low maintenance. This long haircut is paired with long invisible layers and slight face-framing pieces to add subtle movement and enhance your color, making your hair appear thicker.
#30: Caramel Highlights on Lived-In Dark Brown Hair
Opt for caramel highlights on very dark chocolate brown hair. Small amounts of color pop against this dark canvas, adding both dimension and life to your hair. A chocolate brown color is great if you prefer low maintenance in your color or if you’re a brunette that wants to slowly transition into the lighter side without the breakage in one shot. As your color grows out, you can come in every 12 to 16 weeks for a quick glaze to freshen up your chocolate brown hair with caramel highlights.
#31: Dark Cherry Chocolate Brown Hair with Beach Waves
Deliciously blended dark chocolate cherry hair with beach waves makes this look stand out on tan skin tones for a lovelier glow!
#32: Blended Dark to Golden Brown Ombre
A dark to golden brown ombre is perfect if you want to warm up your natural hair color and add some blonde through the ends. Use a golden chocolate brown hue to give a rich brown color through the top and blend it into a golden ombre hair color.
This color is great if you’re a woman wanting to add more depth to your hair, but still, have a sun-kissed look through the ends. It’s great for you if you’ve previously colored your hair to gradually start getting lighter. The chocolate brown ombré is low maintenance so this color is perfect for the busy working woman who can’t make it into the salon every 6 weeks.
#33: Impressive Mauve Red Brown
A subtle way of creating an impressive look is to put together a chocolate brown base with a mauve undertone. A chic and low-maintenance easy style for any type of haircut and length. With that in mind, ask your stylist to color melt a rich red-violet into the chocolate brown shade to give extra depth and dimension. I love the way the red violets really pop out under various lighting. To maintain the bright red tones, rinse using cool water. This color is a perfect fit for you if you love that extra burst of color while having a neutral tone balance.
#34: Sweet Dark Chocolate Brown With Mahogany Red Hair
Ideal for olive skin, mahogany red gives that impression of a funky but unique persona. Excellent when fused with a shade of chocolate brown and an edgy mid-length cut! This reddish-brown with accents of bold red is pretty high maintenance, so try to not shampoo as often, and use a color-safe shampoo and temperate water. Always come in between root touch-ups for a gloss to refresh your chocolate red hair!
#35: Rich Deep Chocolate Brown Red
For brunettes who want to add spice to their hair, melting your deep chocolate brown hair with deep red highlights can make your hair look dimensional and modern. This chocolate-covered strawberry color is a bolder twist on natural hair that has very rich and warm underlying tones. With red being the largest color molecule, you are going to have to take special care to prevent fading, as well as to keep up with regular glazes to re-vamp your color when needed.
#36: Vibrant Chocolate Brown with Red Undertones
Let your personality out by daring these red undertones on your chocolate brown mane! Ultimately impressive on any hair length and texture! This blood orange shade is a full head of highlights that is vibrant, wearable, and visible at all times without being overwhelming. The rich chocolate brown color, on the other hand, offers balance and depth.
Ask your stylist tons of questions. It’s important to remember that all artificial colors change over time based on lifestyle. Spending a lot of time in the sun, taking hot showers, working out regularly, using heat tools, or even spending time in hot tubs or saunas all have an impact on how fast the color fades.
#37: Yummy Chocolate Brown Hair With Toffee Highlights
Opt for a rich, warm chocolate brown hair with toffee highlights around your face. Then, ask your hairdresser to cut your hair into a long bob. To achieve this color, ask for Igora Royal for a dark base color. Then paint the highlights using Paul Mitchell’s dual-purpose lightener. This is a great hair color if you have warm skin tone. Balayage highlights make this very low-maintenance because there is no harsh line of regrowth.
#38: Sexy & Low-Maintenance Dark Brunette Balayage
Go for a balayage done on a dark brunette base color that has a soft transition of the tones and the gorgeous pops of dimension in the chocolate brunette hair color. The beauty of balayage is that it can be customized for all hair textures, colors, and lengths. It’s ideal if you want a low-maintenance look that doesn’t require frequent trips to retouch the dark roots.
To create balayage brown hair color ideas like this, ask your hair colorist about using clay-based lighteners like Trionics K.O. Blonde Clay Lightener. It gives a perfect consistency and blend for hand-painted looks, and it doesn’t swell, bleed or dry out like traditional powder bleach would.
#39: Transitional Sun-Kissed Chocolate Brown with Auburn Highlights
These auburn highlights have an appearance of an all-over lighter color without the look or the regrowth of a one-dimensional color. It’s also transitional. As your hair grows out, it will look as though it was kissed by the sun in the summertime. Chocolate brown strands mixed with auburn shades are perfect for summertime fun.
#40: Subtle Dark Hair Molten Chocolate Brown Balayage
A subtle and natural chocolate brown balayage features a light that reflects off of the painted pieces to add pop and dimension. It’s the perfect color for a girl looking for a natural look that will last, and it’s perfect if you don’t want to be in the salon every four weeks, too. The light pieces will eliminate the appearance of flat single-toned color, and bring brightness to your face.
A sulfate-free shampoo is definitely recommended to maintain the richness of your hair color and prevent it from fading. Additionally, a light oil such as Unite Oil will help create smoothness and shine while styling, as well as protect your hair from heat styling.
#41: Softly Blended Rich Chocolate Brown and Bold Caramel
Try a bold yet softly blended combination of rich chocolate brown and caramel. Caramel highlights on dark hair are for you if you love brown hair and you look best with dark color right around your skin. The depth and dimension this color brings allow for many different complexions to wear it. However, these specific tones are best suited for a cool skin tone to a medium tone. To create this look, ask your stylist to use Schwartzkopf Royal color on the roots, then paint on Schwartzkopf Viviance for the dark brown lowlights, and balayaged with Schwartzkopf Blonde Me lightener. To maintain this look, touch up the roots and tone the ends for the next one to two sessions. In the 3rd session, incorporate more balayage around your face, part and hairline.
#42: Sleek Shoulder-Length Chocolate Brown Hair
Consider a chocolate brunette with a dark brunette color base. This color works best if you who want a low-maintenance, classic, and effortless look. This can be maintained within the same time frame as a six-to-eight week haircut.
#43: Easy-Maintenance Cocoa Milk Brunette
Opt for a rich chocolate brunette with caramel hair painting, with most of the lightness focused on the ends of your hair. The balayage technique on brunettes creates movement in the hair. This look would be best if you need a low-maintenance color and cannot come into the salon every four to six weeks for root touch-ups. The rich tones in this milk chocolate hair color will look if you have a warm skin tone.
#44: Healthy-Looking Rich Mocha Brown
A chocolate brown tone looks rich and healthy with a light and refreshing touch. Ask your stylist to use a natural brown color mixed with dark chocolate hair color in deep 5. This hair color will look nice if you have hazel, light green, light blue, or brown eyes. It will also go well with a complexion that is yellow-beige, golden-brown, peach or ivory, or skin that tans easily.
#45: Two-Toned Chocolaty Brunette Locks
Talk about luscious! This dual-toned chocolate brown tint is a serious cause of hair envy. The color is rich, warm, and vibrant. Inconspicuous yet daring for that sexier look.
#46: Beautiful Cinnamon Chocolate Brown Layers
Consider a beautiful cinnamon chocolate brown color enhanced with a v-layered cut. The best thing about this look is how both the dimension in the color and the visual interest in the cut combine to create a beautiful style with little effort.
#47: Powerful Light Brown to Warm Caramel Ombre
Choose a subtle but powerful chocolate to golden brown hair dye transformation. It works to best to maintain your brunette features while changing your whole look. I love more natural and blended looks because it’s a big change and a totally different set of locks, but still keeps true to the natural undertones of brunettes. Whether it’s an icy cool ash brown, warm golden bronde, or spicy-sweet caramel, there is a final result for everyone to love!
To maintain the look at home, use sulfate-free and color-safe shampoo and conditioner. Lately, I am loving the Living Proof Restore line! If the lady has extra coarse, curly, or dry hair, I recommend using a masque every two to three weeks to maintain health and shine.
#48: Must-Have Dark Brunette to Chestnut Ombre Hair
The dark chocolate brown base with warm caramel and chestnut-toned balayage is a must-have if you’re looking for depth and dimension. Use the Keune Tinta Color Care shampoo and conditioner. This will extend the life of women with the warm colors we have achieved while keeping the health of your hair intact. This balayage would look best on women with naturally dark brown hair and medium-beige skin tones to complement the warm colors of this look. I have created this color on both long and haircuts for shorter hair.”
#49: Natural Brown Color with Hazelnut Highlights
Go for a chocolate brown balayage if you have virgin level 3 hair. I love how soft the blend is and how the highlights shine through the hair. The grow-out will be especially nice because there is no harsh contrast between the natural dark cocoa brown hair color. This specific look is great for brunettes that have virgin hair and that are levels 5 to 2, deep brown to black hair. Any woman who is a natural brunette will look good with this rich brown hair color, and skin tone doesn’t matter in this case.
#50: Effortless Ash Chocolate Brown
An ash chocolate brown has a beautiful dimension and looks effortless. These colors are great if you’re a woman with darker hair color and you want to add a little dimension. It’s also great if you want to stretch out your time between salon visits.
To style like this chocolate ash brown hair, prep your hair with Redken’s Pillow Proof Express Dry Primer, and the Diamond Oil. Blowdry nice and smooth, then curl 1-inch sections, leaving the ends out. Spray in between sections with Redken’s Pillow Proof Two Day Extender and finish with Redken’s Wind Blown Spray.
#51: Fabulous Light Chocolate Brown Bob
A light chocolate brown hair color on a short bob looks best on medium/neutral skin tones and will look amazing with a chocolate hair color.
#52: Melting Medium Chocolate Cappuccino
A low-maintenance yet glamorous medium chocolate brown hair color melt has dark roots that blend effortlessly into the golden blonde hair color. Perfect if you’re looking to keep your hair highly contrasted. I recommend this medium brown color and hairstyle to women that are a fan of low-maintenance hairstyles.
#53: Beautiful Sun-Kissed Chocolate Brown
A natural, sun-kissed chocolate brown is warm without the red. It has a lot of depth and hints of sunkissed highlights to really make your hair color pop instead of being a drab brown. It’s suitable for all hair types and compliments almost any skin tone because it’s neutral and not too dark.
#54: Creamy Chocolate Balayage Highlights
Hand-painted chocolate brown balayage highlights are the best for a low-maintenance look! Balayage is the perfect style for you if you can’t or don’t like to be in the salon as often or if you want to add something to your hair without having to come to the salon very often!
#55: Solid Dark Chocolate Hair Color
Go for a soft beige/chocolate balayage. It’s low-maintenance, but at the same time can easily be built upon for a lighter, more dimensional look. To maintain the chocolate color, go in for a toner/gloss every six to eight weeks. This color is great if you’re tired of having solid dark hair and want to spice it up a little bit without being overwhelmed.
#56: Brown and Vibrant Copper Highlights
Try getting tousled long hair with surface layers and hand-painted highlights to create the right amount of dimension and texture to your hair. It’s perfect for women who love the dimensional copper look but don’t have the time to return to the salon regularly. By painting highlights through the mids and ends, you can achieve the brightness you want, making it natural and simple each time you visit the salon.
#57: Dimensional Brown to Caramel Beige Blonde Hair
This is a great choice if you have rich brunette hair and want a little dimension to your hair. If you’re not afraid of warm tones, ask your stylist to paint a dimensional caramel beige balayage. It suits most brunettes who want longevity to their balayage without a super harsh contrast of color.
#58: Cute Sunkissed With Dark Lowlights
These are natural sunkissed chocolate brown tresses. The lightness around your face is as if you were out in the sun all summer, and the sun did it. This dark chocolate color is ideal for fine to medium hair textures that are a natural level 5-7. Use Goldwell Oxy and 30 vol for the highlights, as well as Olaplex. To add depth, add super dark chocolate lowlights with Colorance Cover Plus level 5, then gloss with Redken Shades eq.
#59: Golden Natural Balayage on Layered Mid-Length Hair
A chocolate color with a layered mid-length haircut that’s texturized will show the natural texture and movement of your hair. Consider a little balayage just to brighten up your face with golden natural tones to bring out your skin tone and eyes.
#60: Delightful Chocolate Brown Hair with Highlights
Chocolate hair with highlights is sweet, creamy, and oh-so delightful! Rich chocolate brunette colors with caramel accents are simply flawless.
#61: Solid & Silky Chocolate Brown with Bangs
Solid chocolate brown with bangs is a must for a simple, natural-looking style. Notice the ends are quite blunt with little texture. This brings the focus up to eye level where piecey bangs hit just below the brow. It’s a beautiful cut for medium to thick hair that can be washed every 2-3 days, using dry shampoo between washes.