If you’re looking to switch up your hair color but can’t imagine parting with your dark brown hair, we have just the hue for you: the dirty brunette hair trend. Colorists have already dubbed dirty brunette one of the hottest colors of the year and once you see this golden take on the classic shade, you’ll understand why.
What is the dirty brunette hair trend?
Dirty brunette is essentially the opposite of dirty blonde hair. Instead of having a blonde shade expertly blended with brunette lowlights, dirty brunette hair consists of a brunette base topped with warm golden highlights. This shade allows you to have all of the depth brown hues are known for combined with the warmth of blonde shades—without the high maintenance upkeep.
Much like dirty blonde hair, the point of dirty brunette hair is to have a natural-looking hue that appears warm and dimensional but is a breeze to care for and grow out. To create this shade, your colorist will simply paint golden blonde highlights over your brunette locks for a result that is still distinctly brunette.
How do you care for dirty brunette hair?
Even though dirty brunette hair is a fairly low maintenance hue, you’ll still need to make some changes to your hair care routine.
First, we recommend swapping out your regular shampoo and conditioner for a system formulated to protect your color. We suggest the Redken Color Extend Brownlight System. The color depositing shampoo and conditioner help to neutralize warmth and get rid of brass in brown hair with highlights or balayage.
Next, we suggest incorporating a nourishing deep conditioner into your weekly hair care routine. Even though blonde is not your final hue, your colorist will likely have to use bleach to create your golden highlights. It’s important to note that bleach will always damage your hair, but a hair care professional can help minimize the look and feel of the damage. We recommend Matrix Total Results Miracle Creator Multi-Tasking Hair Mask. This single-use formula intensely nourishes, revitalizes, and strengthens hair in just 60 seconds.
The beauty of low-maintenance hair colors is that you’re not expected to head back to the salon as often for touch-ups, but that doesn’t mean you can completely abandon your salon schedule. Instead of heading to the salon every six to eight weeks for root touch-ups, you may be able to stretch out your appointment every 12 to 16 weeks. Your stylist will come up with the optimal schedule to keep your locks in tip-top shape.
Color Extend Brownlights Shampoo
An essential color-depositing blue shampoo to tone and neutralize brassy orange tones in highlighted, balayaged, or natural brown hair.
Color Extend Brownlights Conditioner
An essential color-depositing blue conditioner to help tone and get rid of brassiness in highlighted, balayaged, and natural brown hair.
Total Results Miracle Creator Nourishing Strengthening Mask
A nourishing, strengthening hair mask that delivers instant results.
How does dirty brunette hair look best?
The best thing about dirty brunette hair is that it’s meant to enhance your natural color, which means you don’t have to make any changes to the haircut you know and love to absolutely slay this shade. If you’re looking to be a bit more daring with your haircut than you are with your hair color, however, we recommend a shag cut.
Dirty Brunette Hair Ideas To Try Now
Good hair day by @cristenkelso.
Dirty Brunette
This classic take on the dirty brunette trend is the perfect way to lighten up your dark brown hair for summer.
Good hair day by @constancerobbins.
Subtle Dirty Brunette
If you’re not truly ready to commit to a lighter hue, ask your colorist to add a few subtle pops of gold throughout your mane. It’ll be just enough color to upgrade your strands without completely changing your hue.
Good hair day by @adina_pignatare.
Dirty Brunette Ribbon Highlights
If you’re looking for a more dramatic take on dirty brunette hair, opt for ribbon highlights. These chunky highlights are the 2019 version of the streaky highlights you were obsessed with as a kid.
Good hair day by @paintedhair.
Dirty Brunette Golden Chocolate Highlights
You don’t have to go totally blonde to take advantage of the dirty brunette trend. If you want to keep your hue a bit darker, ask your colorist to paint on chocolate brown lowlights with slightly golden ends. This color gives you all of the definition with way less bleach.
Good hair day by @suetyrrellstylist.
Dirty Auburn Brunette
Looking to add even more dimension to your dirty brunette locks? Ask for pops of auburn throughout your dark brown hair for a warm hue perfect for the beach.
Good hair day by @haircolorkilla.
Dirty Brunette Curls
Just in case you thought you couldn’t pull off dirty brunette hair on curls, we’re here to prove you wrong. The golden streaks on your dark brown hair really help your curls stand out!
Good hair day by @kendallthemasterstylist.
Dirty Brunette Pixie
You don’t have to have long hair to try dirty brunette hair. A few strokes of gold is just enough to make your pixie pop.
Good hair day by @hairby_gloria.
Dirty Ash Brunette
Classic dirty brunette hair is all about warm, golden color, but opt for dirty ash brunette if you’re looking to slay a cooler hue.
Good hair day by @luxe_blond_stilist.
Ombre Dirty Brunette
If you want to make your dirty brunette hue even easier to maintain, opt for ombre dirty brunette. By focusing your golden highlights on your mid-lengths and ends, you won’t have to worry about unsightly overgrown roots.
Good hair day by @colorbymattrez.
Dirty Brunette Midlights
The Midlight technique coined by Redken artist Matt Rez is one of the best ways to achieve natural-looking hair color. We love the way the Midlight technique seamlessly blends the golden highlights into the dark brown base.
Good hair day by @mustafaavci.
Magenta Dirty Brunette
Dirty brunette hair is typically golden blonde highlights on a dark brown base, but who says your hair color has to be typical? Once you’re done slaying blonde highlights, ask your colorist to paint your hair various shades of pink and purple for a colorful take on this trend.
Good hair day by @hairmeroar.
Dirty Coffee And Cream Brunette
If you have really dark hair, you don’t have to only rely on blonde highlights to give your mane some much-needed dimension. Ask your colorist for a mix of blonde and light brown highlights for a final hue that looks like a swirl of milk and coffee.
Whatever you decide, we want to see your warm color! Use the hashtag #hairdotcom to tag us in your posts.
Interested in having a professional give you flawless dirty brunette hair? Use our salon locator
to book an appointment with a stylist near you.
Color Extend Brownlights Shampoo
An essential color-depositing blue shampoo to tone and neutralize brassy orange tones in highlighted, balayaged, or natural brown hair.
Color Extend Brownlights Conditioner
An essential color-depositing blue conditioner to help tone and get rid of brassiness in highlighted, balayaged, and natural brown hair.
