Found: 35 Prettiest Ways to Have Dark Hair with Blonde Highlights

Best dark hair with blonde highlights ↓ Jump to Photo Gallery
Cindy Marcus
Cindy Marcus Hairstylist, Editor-in-Chief

Dark hair with blonde highlights is a hair color combination that has lightened pieces or ribbons of hair, adding tons of depth and dimension as a result. Lots of methods can be done with highlights – frosting, chunking, full head, partial, traditional highlights, and the balayage which is a hand-painting technique that results in a natural-looking dye job!

Sun-kissed hints of blondes can transform your tresses into a fuller and livelier version, and this is very much achievable regardless of your skin color. What’s important to consider is how much you’re willing to put into the upkeep.

Using a balayage endows you soft, seamless highlights, making the grow-out easy to maintain while opting for a more distinct transition of hues that might need frequent touch-ups and salon visits. Hair masks and hydrating products are a must since lightening dark strands causes damage to your hair.

So before your next hair appointment, check out these popular photos of dark hair with blonde highlights.

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#1: Gorgeous Long Bronde Waves

These long bronde waves are ideal to brighten up dark hair with blonde highlights. If you’ve got a light to medium brown natural base, ask your colorist for balayage. Or, ask for babylights in shades of honey to caramel. This adds dimension and gives the illusion of sun-kissed locks without being drastic.

#2: Dark Hair with Blonde Highlights and Lots of Layers

Here’s a layered dark hair color with blonde highlights. If you’re looking to brighten up your dark hair, it helps to get dimensional blonde highlights. Ask for a balayage or foilyage depending on how light you want to go. Your stylist will suggest the proper technique. Keep an eye out for highlights playing ‘enemy’ on hair that is heavily layered. You want to make sure the highlights look balanced and blended.

Dark Short Brown Hairstyle with Blonde Highlights
Instagram @j.gordonhair

#3: Classic Dark Short Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights

Go with dark short brown hair with blonde highlights for a warm and graceful dimension. A pixie cut with layers gives your thin brown locks extra volume and lift at the roots. It also has an undercut to lessen the weight of thick tresses. This medium brown-blonde hair has a style that will suit women of all ages!

#4: Dark Brown Hair with Gorgeous Blonde Highlights

For a dimensional look, try dark brown hair with golden highlights. With pops of brightness from the golden blonde hue, the highlights don’t overtake your rich brunette base. For a dimensional color, make sure you don’t over highlight, dimension is created by painting lighter pieces along with darker pieces.

Yummy Honey Blonde Highlights on Dark Brown Hair
Instagram @sadieface

#5: Yummy Honey Blonde Highlights on Dark Brown Hair

Honey blonde highlights on dark brown hair are ideal if you want dimensional hair. Ribbons of honey hues with darker hair create a chic bronde hair color. The soft combination of warm browns and bright beige blondes can accentuate your cut. When choosing a hair color, it’s best to look for colors that are close to your natural hair color and texture, allowing much more ease with maintenance down the line. Adding in ribbons of blonde will help brighten your look without too much lightness.

dark short hair with strawberry blonde highlights
Instagram @jesshunt.hair

#6: Dark Short Hair with Strawberry Blonde Highlights

If you have darker short hair,  try brightening up with strawberry blonde highlights! The result that the combo achieves has an ultra-chic and feminine vibe. Your roots are darker which allows your blonde hues to pop even brighter, giving your hair more edge and dimension.

Deep chestnut hair with blonde accents
Instagram @hairbyaline

#7: Deep Chestnut Hair with Blonde Accents

A deep chestnut hair with blonde accents is a perfect hue if you’re desiring to add an extra layer of warmth to your overall look. The ribbons of blonde against the rich chestnut base will make a bold statement. It’s perfect for any skin tone.

#8: Curly Medium Brown Hair with Bright Blonde Highlights

Curly medium brown hair with blonde highlights enhances the look of your curl pattern and can add fullness to finer curls. The blonde highlighted hair will create a shadowing effect with the medium brown hues, enhancing the look of your curl pattern, and giving endless volume to your tresses.

#9: Low-Maintenance Beige Highlights on Dark Hair

Beige highlights on dark hair work best on levels 3-6 creating a soft blend in blonde tones that won’t look too light or grey. This low-maintenance hair color will allow you to only need a root touch-up every after 6 months.

#10: Bold Brunette-to-Blonde Hair Ombre

Going for a brunette-to-blonde hair ombre is a safer way to try blonde, with your brighter blonde pieces on the ends while leaving you with dimension on top. To combat brassiness, you will want to use Oligo pro-Blue or purple shampoo in between salon visits.

Dark golden brown hair with soft caramel highlights
Instagram @hairmeroar

#11: Dark Golden Brown Hair with Soft Caramel Highlights

A dark golden brown hair with caramel highlights for a stunning dimensional look. Staying within a few levels of color between your base and your highlights creates a beautiful soft more natural look.  Make sure the hair doesn’t over lift, you need some warmth to create a beautiful caramel and it saves your hair some stress too.

dark brown hair with natural face-framing highlights
Instagram @romeufelipe

#12: Dark Brown Hair with Natural Face-Framing Highlights

Dark brown hair with natural face-framing highlights will be eye-catching for you. The warm blonde front pieces offer brightness and if matched with waves, they add softness to your face structure. Opt for this hair color if you want a subtle way to accentuate your haircut.

Easy blonde balayage highlights on darker hair
Instagram @nataliarok

#13: Easy Blonde Balayage Highlights on Darker Hair

With splashes of beach blonde balayage highlights on your darker hair can bring out glorious dimension. Emphasize the light blonde streaks,  with big curls on your long hair length.

#14: Sophisticated Long Dark Bronde Hair

Long dark bronde hair will give you a sophisticated look. This dark-rooted hair has a fine dimension that works out well with soft yet fuller-looking waves. With combined blonde and brown hair hues like this, the grow-out process won’t be a concern. And, don’t forget about its length, which gives it versatility.

Smokey dark ash brown bob with blonde highlights
Instagram @hairfairymandy

#15: Smokey Dark Ash Brown Bob with Blonde Highlights

Try a dark ash brown bob with blonde highlights for a stylish, modern edge. Lighter strands are mostly at the front to brighten up your face. This highlighted ash brown hair features dark roots for easy-to-manage grow outs. For added dimension, add waves for a chic, amped-up style.

Dark Chocolate Brown Hair Color with Golden Caramel Blonde Highlights
Instagram @ashplowman

#16: Dark Chocolate Brown Hair Color with Golden Caramel Blonde Highlights

A dark chocolate brown hair color with blonde streaks really goes well if you have tanned skin tones. Golden caramel blonde highlights on your brown hair will look sweet and sunny at the same time.

Wavy Black Hair with Cool Blonde Highlights
Instagram @its_ashley.h

#17: Wavy Black Hair with Cool Blonde Highlights

Black hair with blonde highlights instantly works wonders when combined. By adding platinum highlights and leaving a dark root you will create stunning dimension. Loose waves make a chic option to make sure your balayage blonde ends are emphasized.

#18: Gorgeous Blonde Highlights for Dark Hair

Blonde highlights on dark hair which will blend very well with lowlights. This look will give you added glow and flawless dimension! Waves on your long tresses ensure movement and a more textured finish.

Dynamic Platinum Blonde Highlights on Darker Hair
Instagram @alydavishair

#19: Dynamic Platinum Blonde Highlights on Darker Hair

With dual contrasting tones of platinum blonde highlights on dark hair you can mimic depth and make your hair appear more weighted. The waves and length add more dynamics to this design.

#20: Layered Dark Hair with Sun-Kissed Blonde Highlights

By adding tanned blonde highlights with your dark hair means getting that beach look without the fuss of harsh sunlight!

Trendy Pink and Blonde Highlights on Dark Hair
Instagram @hairbykotay

#21: Trendy Pink and Blonde Highlights on Dark Hair

Trying multi-tones of blonde, pink, purple, lilac, and black will look like artwork on your tresses. You can also add long waves for maximum punk rock vibes.

Dark Hair with Blonde Highlights and Burgundy Streaks
Instagram @adyalonzo07

#22: Dark Hair with Blonde Highlights and Burgundy Streaks

If you’re a brunette with a mid-length haircut, you can have some fun with light and dark accents! A reddish dark hue with blonde pieces will light up your whole ‘do, making it look super trendy.

Dark Brown Base with Red and Copper Blonde Highlights
Instagram @jessgodlove

#23: Dark Brown Base with Red and Copper Blonde Highlights

Going for mahogany red with copper blonde highlights will create a steamy hairstyle! Make your pinkish undertones pop with these shades.

#24: Subtle Ash Blonde Highlights on Dark Brown Hair

Try these subtle ash blonde highlights to bring out a natural look! They appear as though the sun hit your dusky hair in all the right places!

#25: Sassy Blonde and Red Highlights for Brunettes

Spruce up your brown hair by adding some blonde and red colors. Dark hair with blonde and red highlights is pushing fashion to its limits!

Unique Dark Burgundy Hair with Blonde Highlights
Instagram @jlucywoods

#26: Unique Dark Burgundy Hair with Blonde Highlights

For a truly captivating look, try this simple mix of blonde and burgundy.

Cool Silver Blonde Highlights on Very Dark Hair
Instagram @ririhair

#27: Cool Silver Blonde Highlights on Very Dark Hair

Going for silver blonde highlights on your very dark hair can create a steel balayage color melt.  Metallic hair colors are not easily attainable, especially cooler-toned shades like this steel/grey color. If a grayish color is medium or dark, you still need to be a very light blonde underneath. This will allow you to achieve this blonde with toner. If your hair has been compromised or if you have a complicated hair history, you may want to avoid this color. These blonde highlights are not you if you are looking for low-maintenance color.

Vibrant Dark Purple Hair with Blonde Highlights
Instagram @katiegct

#28: Vibrant Dark Purple Hair with Blonde Highlights

Try an asymmetrical, hidden undercut bob on dark purple hair with blonde highlights for deceptively low-maintenance. As with any vivid, you can expect the purple to start to fade out after a few weeks but the dark to blonde ombré effect will stay fresh for a while. You will need to touch up every 6 to 8 weeks. This look is best for women with a dark natural hair color, and straight hair texture for optimal results and wearability.  You will also want to use protective shampoo like the Moroccanoil Color Complete and for the best color retention shampoo sparingly with cool water.

#29: Medium-Length Dark Red Hair with Bold Blonde Streaks

A sleek angled bob with bold red hair color and blonde highlights accentuates your skin tone while the chunky blonde adds some fun and dimension. If you have straight or even slightly wavy hair this can be a wash-and-go style with just a little serum.”

Dimensional Dark Brown Hair with Dark Blonde Highlights
Instagram @cris_cobucci

#30: Dimensional Dark Brown Hair with Dark Blonde Highlights

Brighten up your dark brown hair with dark blonde highlights for chic, darker dimension. This hair color will be low-maintenance for you.  Style this brown-blonde gradient hair with waves to achieve that perfect contrast of your light and dark hues.

#31: Thin Blonde Highlights for Brown Hair

Thin blonde highlights look amazing on brown hair. The loveliest thing about this is the dimension the balayage creates. This color can be very versatile and worn by all face shapes and hair shades. Going for a medium-length cut is more aesthetically pleasing to the eye with the size of the flower braid.

Dark Brown Hair with Light Blonde Highlights
Instagram @the_colunga

#32: Dark Brown Hair with Light Blonde Highlights

Try spicing up your dark brown hairwith light blonde highlights Going for a “foiliage” with a shadow root will have a smoother grow-out period. You will see all the different dimensions in your hair with curls and leaving some of your previously highlighted hair out to add even more dimension. You can have curly or straight hair and totally rock this look!

Brown Hair with Caramel Blonde Highlights and Lowlights
Instagram @mane_ivy

#33: Brown Hair with Caramel Blonde Highlights and Lowlights

Caramel blonde highlights and lowlights work wondrous together, bringing out a soft-looking, three-dimensional color, ideal if you are a brunette. Maintain depth at the base to make the lighter pieces pop. To achieve this bronde hair color you want to ask for a brunette to warm blonde caramel balayage. Styling it with waves can accentuate the tones better.

#34: Chunky Blonde Highlights for Brunette Hair

Chunky blonde highlights are making a comeback, and will look incredible as ever on your tresses! Reinforce the dimension of your hair color by styling the locks with waves. These chunky blonde highlights are a bold fall color. Go for a chocolate brown base color, a red-brown low light, and caramel-toned highlights.

#35: Darker Blonde Lowlights on Straight Dark Blonde Hair

If you have natural blonde hair, blend with some honey-toned lowlights. You can blend your previous color by adding a honey lowlight. It’s bright but still natural-looking, great for you if you are a traditional blonde looking for subtle depth and dimension.  With long layers and subtle face-framing you can maintain length but still have a little finesse and movement!


Posted In: Blonde Highlights Hair Colors Hair Highlights