31 Hottest Long Brown Hair Ideas for Women in 2023

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Cindy Marcus
Cindy Marcus Hairstylist, Editor-in-Chief

Brunette goddesses are always looking for a way to change their long brown hair without having to cut it. Here are some great ideas to keep your length, update your look, and maybe get out of your comfort zone of your everyday style.

So before your next hair appointment, check out these trendy photos of long brown hair ideas!

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#1: Bouncy Curly Hairstyle for Brown Hair

Amazing curls with warm brown tones create a beautiful and easy-to-maintain style.

Medium skin tones that have a warm undertone wear this color well. Hair that is naturally brown is an easy base to add soft ombre’ highlights that are kept a warm light brown to give that golden glow.

Thick and naturally curly hair makes it easy to achieve this style, but wavy or straight hair can have it too, just with a little more work! After hair is dry, curl small sections with a ½-inch curling iron. After all of the curls have cooled, scrunch to break them up a bit without changing the shape too much.

#2: Done-Undone Long Brown Hair

This light brown hair is described as done but undone hair.

If doing extensions, you need to consider the care and maintenance. For clip-in extensions, take your time when taking them out or it will rip your hair.

Extensions are life-changing and give girls the confidence to face the world, but you need to be careful! Avoid going into chlorinated water or even the ocean. You pay a lot of money for the hair so you need to keep it as healthy as possible so it will last.

#3: Glamorous Deep Brunette

If you’re looking for a color to warm up your brown hair, consider a rich color warm chocolate brunette. In fact, the color is versatile for all skin tones. The golden tones will add brightness to your facial features. When doing chocolate colors, my favorite trick is to do a glossing in addition to their service. It adds shine.

Golden Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights
Instagram @maxwellmathson

#4: Golden Brown Hair with Blonde Highlights

Three cheers for the warmth of golden brown hair with blonde highlights! Keeping the hair more natural-looking ensures longer-lasting color as you aren’t fighting unnatural tones. Long, beachy waves can be worn for multiple days by using dry shampoo in between washes.

#5: Mushroom Brown on Long Layered Haircut

As we head toward cooler weather, consider a mushroom brown on a long layered haircut. These earthy tones are great on darker hair hues. Make sure you give your hair a day or two between washes to preserve the mushroom tone. Finish hair with a big curling iron to achieve a waterfall of waves.

Lengthy Brown Shag
Instagram @ernestomeneses

#6: Lengthy Brown Shag

Rock a lengthy brown shag if you are looking for a style that is stylish yet versatile. The layers will add instant volume and texture to your hair. Talk to your stylist if you’re ready for an edgier look!

Long Ash Brown Hair
Instagram @annabelladesu

#7: Long Ash Brown Hair

Consider long ash brown hair if you’re wanting to add smokey tones to your brunette while keeping it natural-looking. The hues of warm and cool tones will leave you with a beautiful dimensional brunette. Try a gloss color to give your hair instant shine and luster!

#8: Chocolate Brown Layers

Opt for beautiful, shiny, and natural chocolate brown hair with long layers. Ladies love how shiny and healthy the hair appears with this shade. It’s low-maintenance, yet so elegant, too!

It’s great for any lifestyle and suitable for all hair types. If you love having long hair, long layers will add a little movement. We all love a little bounce in our hair.

To style this layered hair,  use a medium to large round brush. Smooth your root to the mid area, then add a little bend to the ends.

natural and romantic-looking cool brown hair
Instagram @nichole_tran

#9: Natural & Romantic-Looking Cool Brown Hair

A cool brown shade can make for a very soft, natural, and romantic look. It’s very flattering on most skin tones as it’s very soft and neutral.

#10: Rich Dark Chocolate Brown Hair

This color is described as a rich dark chocolate. It’s a dark brown color that isn’t too dark! It’s very hard to find a good dark brunette that doesn’t resemble a black.

A brown color always looks best when it’s fresh, so with that being said, take the initiative and invest in some good take-home hair products.

natural gloss on brown locks
Instagram @agence_salon

#11: Natural Gloss on Brown Locks

Long shiny brown hair should capture a woman’s vision while complimenting her features.

This subtle brunette has a very natural and dimensional look that will suit almost any skin tone. If you’re wondering if this color and style would suit you, ask your stylist what would best complement your features.

oak brown on long straight hair
Instagram @nakedeyebeauty

#12: Oak Brown on Long Straight Hair

An oak brown color on lengthy hair creates a natural look that complements a light skin color. The easiest way to be noticeable is to have super crazy colors and a total huge change from the previous look, but that wouldn’t meet the request of being natural. Bring your color down to a slightly lighter shade, and also do a hair treatment so that the hair will have a nice healthy shine to it. The treatment will also bring out the color and lightened up your whole face.

dark coffee brunette with honey caramel balayage hair
Instagram @hairbymickk

#13: Dark Coffee Brunette with Honey Caramel Balayage Hair

Achieve this brown hair color with a shade of dark coffee brunette with honey caramel balayage.

The dark pieces and lighter pieces really contrast and complement each other. It’s low-maintenance if you’re already a brunette. The roots are kept dark and the colors added are blended in so that there will not be a line where the color grows out.

If you’re already a brunette, you can get lighter caramel brown pieces painted in fairly easily. If your hair is lighter and you want to go darker at the roots, as well as have added dimension, it depends on what kind of maintenance you’re willing to take on.

A permanent dark color over lighter hair will be higher maintenance and usually more expensive. Many ladies opt for a semi-permanent color so that their dark fades only a little by the time it grows out. This means they don’t have to come in as often and they don’t spend as much.

#14: Sun-Kissed & Tousled Brown Hair

This brown hair is a natural, sun-kissed balayage hair color that is styled with tousled, loose curls.

Warm brown balayage hair color ideas are perfect for a woman who wants something low-maintenance.

Balayage highlights never have a harsh line like traditional foils when growing out, especially an ombré style. It’s the perfect look for any busy woman who can’t make it to the salon every four to eight weeks. It’s also a great option for a brunette wanting to brighten up their hair without compromising integrity. Only a few levels of lift are needed to achieve the look.

Ombré and balayage hair color styles are trending right now. Throw in a braid and it’s the perfect boho look!

#15: Warm Toasty Brown Balayage for Long Wavy Hair

A brown balayage with a gorgeous warm tone goes great with several types of skin tones.

You can make it darker for an easier transition and lighter to go with the seasons. You can also take it lighter or darker to help to go with each person’s skin tone.

Long brown hairstyles like this are perfect if you want a low-maintenance look!

The low-key look of a balayage trend helps the outgrowth look natural and gives you a low-maintenance color that has you visiting the salon as much or as little as you want.

long chestnut brown
Instagram @hairbymickk

#16: Long Chestnut Brown

This is a chestnut brunette brown hair color. This long brown hairstyle is for women who want to enhance their own natural brunette color. The front is highlighted along the hairline to give that impact money piece!”

#17: Lived-In Dimensional Brown Hair

Opt for beautiful, fresh, lived-in, dimensional brown beach waves. The best thing about this long brown hair is the color melt with the balayage.

This look is for women that want to go darker but not solid. Color melted hair can feel very fresh without going too dark.

Skin tones that are a little cooler versus warm would be best for this shade. Beach waves, with the correct products, can be achieved on fine or coarse hair for anyone who loves the lived-in look. This look fits the lifestyle of ladies who don’t wash their hair every day and can throw in a little dry shampoo/texture spray in and will be good to go for a few days!

#18: Effortless Fall Ombre Brown Hair

Go for an extremely effortless fall ombré brown hair idea by Giovanna Rita, a colorist from Astoria, NY.

“I recommend this look to most women. I always suggest going a few shades lighter than their natural color so it gives them brown sun-kissed hair,” Rita mentions.

The best part about a long brown look is that it’s really for almost anyone with any hair color. It’s beyond low-maintenance since you only need to come into the salon at least twice a year. You can wear it year-round, it’s easy to take care of, and it looks great with almost any long hairstyle.

#19: Toasted Chestnut Long Brown Hair

Opt for a rich chocolate brown base with a chestnut-colored balayage.

To maintain this color, use hair care products for color such as the Redken’s Color Extend line. Before heat styling, use a heat protector like Redken’s Medium Control Thermal Holding Spray to keep the color from fading.

Such brunette locks are for women with long hair who don’t want to be at the salon every four to six weeks. It’s natural-looking even after a year of not getting the color touched up!

#20: Long Chestnut Waves with Highlights

Try a foil balayage painted on dark brown locks using Kevin Murphy Color. This idea is from hair artist Chris Brooke of Dulles, VA.

From the Kevin Murphy styling line, Brooke used Body.Builder that’s applied wet before the blowout.

Brooke continues, “I then used Anti.Gravity before curling each section vertically at the midshaft only. I also sprayed the hair lightly in three sections lightly with Shimmer/Shine, then ran my fingers and hands through.”

For at-home care, a Kevin Murphy Hydrate Wash and Rinse is a perfect product to use.

#21: Dark Chocolate Brown Hair Color

Dark brown-chocolate color gives a dramatic look but adds in incredible shine with a subtle balayage.

Light to medium skin tones with a soft cool undertone look best in this chocolate brown hue. And for you ladies with lots of thick hair, ask your stylist for internal layering to remove bulk!

Curly Pompadour for Dark Brown Hair with Red Highlights

#22 Curly Pompadour for Dark Brown Hair with Red Highlights

Adding a bright red highlight (or extension) is a great way to brighten up your beautiful long dark brown hair without getting too crazy!

This long dark hair makes a great style for an evening out with your friends or special event. If you’re not ready to commit to the color pop, grab a clip-in extension, tease hair at the root, and clip it in!

#23: Dark Chocolate Hair with Caramel Highlights

Milk chocolate brown with flicks of caramel ombre’ at the tips is a great way to soften your dark mane. Adding tight waves brings this color to another level of fun!

This dark brown hair with caramel highlights is a great transition color for a brunette who is starting her journey towards blonde!  At each appointment, have your stylist add more highlights to your hair and bring them closer up towards the scalp for a slower more healthy way to lighten dark hair.

#24: Deep Golden Brown

Take your long tresses to another level with this warm and rich golden brown! It has the most subtle highlights that look as if the sun made them.

Light skin tones that look great in warm oranges, reds, and burgundy wear this color fabulously, while hair that is medium in texture and has natural waves will help to hold this wavy style best.

To get these soft wavy curls on your long dark brown hair, curl it in two-inch sections with a 1-inch iron or wand. Let the curls cool completely, then softly brush through them. Use your fingers to gently arrange the waves and softly pin the sides back. Finish with your favorite hairspray.

#25: Voluminous Brown Hair with Mahogany Accents

Rich, dark brown hair with a soft glow of mahogany paired with amazing volume and texture will turn all the heads in any room you enter!

Light to medium skin tones with a cool undertone look great paired with this rich brown, while hair that is long and wavy or curly will help to achieve this voluminous style.

sophisticated wavy style for brown hair with highlights
Instagram @yukistylist

#26: Sophisticated Wavy Style for Brown Hair with Highlights

Timeless brunette beauty with subtle highlights of lighter brown and brown meet to create a look that is both sophisticated and fun!

Light to medium skin tones look best in this rich hue. Locks that have a medium to light brown color are a great starting point to achieving this shade. When adding the soft red and lighter brown highlights to this color, don’t go overboard! This is one of those times that less is more.

#27: Dark Brown Hair with Face-Framing Contrasting Highlights

Radiant dark brown hair paired with a contrasting blonde face-framing highlights create texture and fun!

Medium to darker skin tones that look nice in warmer colors can wear this dark brown hair with highlights very well. Hair that is medium to thick and has a soft wave or curl to it will help to achieve this curly style.

#28: Long Dark Brunette Hair Color

Rich golden brown hue is beautiful if paired with full voluminous waves!  The best part is they’re easy to achieve!

Any skin tone can pull off this beautiful shade of brunette on long hair! Hair that is naturally thick and wavy or curly makes it easy to get this style.

Keeping long, colored hair hydrated is key to making it last. Make sure to use a deep conditioner once a week like Pravana’s NEVO 60 sec deep treatment. In only 60 secs, it gives you soft, shiny, longer-lasting color for your long hair.

#29: Long Natural Brunette Hair with Curtain Bangs

Sweet waves, a natural-looking brunette brown color, and a longer curtain fringe bring the girl-next-door look to another level! The best part is that this look is easy to maintain and will always get you noticed.

Light skin tones that have a warm undertone wear this nature-inspired brunette well. Hair that is in good condition, medium in texture, and naturally straight will make achieving this look easy.

long brunette brown hair with waves
Instagram @giboazhair

#30: Brunette Brown Hair with Waves

Long brown waves, rich color, and bold makeup make this look extremely striking. The trick to these gorgeous waves? Only curl the middle of the hair, then slide the ends through your curling iron!  Easy and beautiful.

Light to fair skin tones with a cool undertone pair nicely with this soft brunette, while hair that is medium in texture and naturally straight is the perfect palette to create these waves.

Hair not quite reaching these lengths? Ask your stylist about custom colored extensions to match your color. Explore the possibility of clip-ins so you can choose when to wear them and take them out!

soft mocha brown mane
Instagram @tesseghair

#31: Soft Mocha Brown Mane

Soft and sleek, this mocha brown hair has both! Tone on tone highlights varying within two levels of light and darkness create a beautiful palette.

Light to medium skin tones that look great in blues, violets, and dark reds wear this color great, while hair that is naturally or colored a medium brown will be able to achieve the tone-on-tone brown highlights easily.

Keeping hair healthy and trimmed will make this straight and sleek style easy to attain. Stop in the salon every 6-8 weeks for a trim to keep your ends nice and use a deep conditioner weekly to maintain moisture.

Long-haired brunette women have limitless options. Step out of your box and try a new style, a new color, or both!


Posted In: Hair Colors Long Hair