Mushroom Brown Hair: What It Is and How To Get The Look

When you think of trendy brunette hair colors, rich, warm tones like toasted pecan, amber, or golden chestnut brown probably come to mind. But lately, a cooler shade has been taking over: mushroom brown hair. This earthy, ash-toned brunette features soft gray or beige undertones for subtle dimension, making it incredibly wearable while adding a glossy, natural-looking finish to your strands.

If you’re considering a switch from dirty blonde or classic brunette, mushroom brown is a modern, low-key update worth trying. Ahead, get everything you need to know about the trend, explain how to get mushroom brown hair at home, and share our top tips and product picks to keep your color looking vibrant and healthy.

What Is Mushroom Brown Hair?

Mushroom brown hair is a brunette hair color inspired by the natural, earthy tones of mushrooms (hence the name). Classically, it’s a mid-toned brown with soft silver, gray, or beige undertones. While it may read as a classic brown at first glance, a closer look reveals the shade’s ashy undertones and subtle dimension.

While the shade can be tailored to suit different needs, most takes on mushroom brown hair share a few common features, including:

• A cool brunette base
• Balanced bronde color that’s neither distinctly light nor dark
• A high-shine, multi-dimensional finish
• Relatively low-maintenance grow-out period

Is mushroom brown cool or warm?

While mushroom brown hair colors typically lean cool, there are plenty of ways to customize the look. Pairing neutral highlights and lowlights with a cool base, for example, yields a slightly more balanced color that can flatter warm and cool complexions equally well. Likewise, the shade can be made darker or lighter to complement your skin tone (lighter variations on the shade are often referred to as mushroom bronde or mushroom blonde).

Is mushroom brown the same as ash brown?

Mushroom brown hair and ash brown hair are similar, but not exactly the same. Mushroom brown hair typically incorporates a mix of lighter and darker tones for depth and dimension. Classic ash brown, meanwhile, tends to be a more uniform, cool-toned brown shade (and it can be light, medium, or ultra-dark in tone).

Who Does Mushroom Brown Hair Look Good On?

Mushroom brown hair is incredibly versatile and can complement nearly any complexion. The key, as with most hair colors, is choosing the right variation for your undertones.

Classic mushroom brown leans cool, with ashy brown tones and hints of gray or silver. This version has a soft, slightly matte finish and tends to flatter cooler undertones beautifully. For those with warmer undertones, a more tailored approach works best. Neutral brunette shades with beige or taupe tones offer a balanced mix of warm and cool, while still maintaining that signature mushroom effect.

Here’s a quick breakdown to guide your choice:

• Cool skin: Ashy, gray-leaning mushroom browns with silvery tones
• Warm skin: Neutral taupe or beige-leaning browns

Your starting color also plays a role in how your final shade will turn out. Brunettes can typically achieve a mid-toned or dark mushroom brown hair color without much (if any) pre-lightening. Natural blondes, on the other hand, may find that a lighter mushroom brown hair color—something more in the bronde family—feels more flattering than a deeper brunette. And if you’re working with gray hair, mushroom brown is an especially strong choice—its cool, multi-dimensional finish helps blend grays in a way that looks soft and natural.

How To Get Mushroom Brown Hair at Home

Mushroom brown is a distinctly dimensional shade, typically created by starting with a cool- or neutral-toned base and then layering subtle highlights and lowlights throughout to build soft, natural-looking depth. If you’re new to at-home coloring, this kind of multi-step process is often best left to a professional. A seasoned colorist can tailor the shade to your skin tone, undertones, and preferences, while also using techniques that help minimize the risk of overprocessing or unnecessary damage.

If you’re heading to the salon for your transformation, here’s what to ask for:

• A cool-toned ash brown base
• Soft highlights and lowlights for dimension
• Beige, taupe, or gray-based toner for that signature mushroom effect

Bringing inspiration photos to your appointment can also help your stylist better understand the exact result you’re going for, whether that’s a classic ashy mushroom brown hair color or a softer, more balanced variation of the shade.

That said, it is possible to achieve a luminous mushroom brown at home, especially if you’re already in the brunette family. The key is choosing the right hair color kit for your starting point and desired result. In most cases, a soft ash or neutral brown works best—anything too warm can throw off the balance and take away from that muted, earthy finish. If you’re not sure which at-home color to reach for, don’t worry—we’ll break down some of our favorite mushroom brown hair dyes shortly.

6 Mushroom Brown Hair Color Ideas To Try

There are many mushroom varieties to take inspiration from, but if you need help choosing, these flattering mushroom brown shades are a great place to start.

1. Portobello mushroom

The portobello mushroom is one of the most famous (and delicious) edible fungi out there. They also provide the perfect inspiration for an eye-catching mushroom brown hair color. To get the look, ask your colorist for a cool, ashy brown base with subtle gray undertones. Or, if you’re up for a DIY transformation, get the look with a light mushroom brown hair dye, such as the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Light Ash Brown.

2. Smoky mushroom ombré

Take a grayish mushroom brown hair color and add a bit of smokiness at the ends, and you get a muted ash brown ombré. This blended look is especially flattering on those with cool-toned, fair skin, since it boasts distinctive silver undertones throughout. Ombré requires a careful approach to achieve a seamless gradient effect, so we recommend leaving this look to the pros. To get the look, ask your stylist to create a seamless transition from a deeper ash brown color at the roots to a lighter silver brown at the ends (and feel free to add in some subtle face-framing highlights for extra dimension).

3. Shiitake mushroom brown

This soft, understated take on mushroom brown is inspired by the natural tones of shiitake mushrooms. It leans more neutral than cool, blending an ashy brunette base with light brown babylights for subtle, natural-looking dimension. The result is an effortless brunette shade with just a hint of coolness—enough to add depth without overpowering warmth. If you’re comfortable with your coloring abilities, you can get the look for yourself—no salon visit needed—with the L’Oréal Paris Feria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Downtown Brown. The salon-inspired formula is custom-blended by L’Oréal master colorists and provides rich, radiant color—with built-in highlights—from root to tip.

4. Frosted mushroom brown

The frosted mushroom is a fresh, trend-forward take on mushroom brown that blends a cool, neutral base with bright blonde highlights for a lighter, more luminous finish. The contrast between the deeper base and airy pieces adds noticeable dimension and gives the overall look a soft, sunlit effect.

This shade is best left to the pros, as it relies on a balayage technique to strategically place and blend the highlights for a seamless, natural transition. A colorist can also customize the tone of the highlights, keeping them cooler for an icy effect or softening them with slightly warmer undertones to better complement your skin.

5. Porcini mushroom brown

Porcini mushroom brown is a deeper, richer take on the classic mushroom brown, embracing the warm, earthy tones of its namesake fungi. In the salon, it’s typically created by layering slightly warmer brown or soft copper highlights over a deep ash brown base to build depth and dimension. If you want to DIY the look, reach for a rich neutral brown hair dye. We recommend the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Crème Triple Care Permanent Hair Color in Mocha Ash Brown (FYI: This easy-to-use at-home color kit is an excellent pick for those looking to cover grays).

6. Mushroom bronde hair

Mushroom bronde is ideal for dark blondes who want to add depth and richness to their hair color. It’s also a great pick for brunettes seeking a touch of brightness without going full-on blonde. This trending hair color blends the cool, ashy tones of mushroom brown with natural-looking blonde highlights to create a blended, dimensional look. To get the look, ask your stylist for a cool-toned color between dark blonde and light brown, or take the DIY approach with the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Crème Triple Care Permanent Hair Color in Light Ash Brown.

How To Care For Mushroom Brown Hair

Color-treated hair requires plenty of special care to look and feel its best. Read on for some tips and product recommendations to help you maintain your mushroom brown hue.

Use a color-safe shampoo and conditioner

Every good haircare routine for color-treated hair begins with a color-safe shampoo and conditioner. For mushroom brown hair, we recommend trying the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Bond Repair+ Shampoo and the coordinating L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Bond Repair+ Conditioner. This reparative duo cleanses, hydrates, and penetrates inside the hair cortex to help rebuild weak hair bonds. It’s ideal for bleached or color-treated hair with split ends or breakage.

Combat brassy, dull color with a purple shampng>

At-home toning products, like purple shampoos, are a great way to help banish brassy yellow tones and maintain that cool, ashy mushroom brown look. We love alternating our go-to shampoo with a color-safe purple shampoo, like the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Purple Shampoo. Use this toning formula once a week for visibly brighter color and moisturized strands after just one wash.

Editor’s note: If your hair takes on an orange tint, rather than a yellowish cast, try a blue shampoo instead—these pigmented formulas are specifically designed to help combat brassy orange tones in brunette hair.

Turn down the water temperature

When washing your hair, it may be a good idea to use lukewarm water. Taking long showers with piping hot water can strip moisture from your strands, potentially leading to weak, dry hair. You can also try rinsing with cool water to help seal the hair cuticles after washing.

Try a glossing treatment

Hair glossing is often associated with salon treatments, but if your color is looking dull or faded, you can achieve a similar shine-boosting effect at home. A glossing shampoo and conditioner duo can help refresh your tone and enhance vibrancy between salon visits, leaving hair looking smoother, glossier, and more polished. For a glass hair effect, lather up with the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic + Gloss Shine-Boosting Shampoo. It’s formulated with glycolic acid and helps remove impurities while laminating the hair cuticle for instantly shinier-looking strands. After shampooing, work the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic + Gloss Shine-Boosting Conditioner throughout your mid-lengths and ends before rinsing. You can also apply the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Glycolic + Gloss High Shine Leave-In Serum to damp strands before styling for an added boost of eye-catching shine.

Always use heat protectant

Heat protection is essential when you have color-treated hair, since hot tools can quickly fade tone and weaken the hair’s structure over time. If you plan on heat styling your hair, be sure to prep your strands well with a quality heat protectant. We’re fond of the L’Oréal Paris EverPure 21-in-1 Leave-In Conditioner, which hydrates, smooths, tames frizz, and boosts shine, all while protecting against temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternatively, try the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Bond Repair+ Oil-in-Serum, which shields against high temperatures while helping to strengthen fragile hair from the inside out.

Deep condition weekly

Prioritizing moisture is a must when you have color-treated hair, especially with dimensional shades like mushroom brown that rely on tone and shine to really stand out. To help keep your hair looking its best, consider adding a deep conditioning mask to your weekly routine. We recommend the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Shine Protect Ultra Care Conditioner, which is designed specifically for color-treated hair. It’s infused with vitamin E and a UV filter and helps extend the life of your color while boosting shine and protecting against damage. For the best results, we recommend letting it sit in your hair for a few minutes before rinsing out (with lukewarm water, of course).

What’s The Best Way To Style Mushroom Brown Hair?

After you’ve dyed your strands, you’ll likely want to show off your gorgeous new mane. Mushroom brown hair can look great with any hairstyle or length, but really shines when paired with waves, texture, and soft movement. Some of the most flattering styles for showing off the multidimensional color include:

• Loose waves: Help show off dimension and emphasize highlights and lowlights
• Layered cuts: Great for showcasing movement and depth
• Curtain bangs: Ideal for framing the face and highlighting your hue’s natural color variation

Try embracing your natural texture with heat-free, protective hairstyles like braids, loose updos, or heatless curls—these styles help preserve color while still bringing out the depth of the shade. For added volume and lightweight texture, a volumizing mousse like the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle BOOST IT Volume Inject Mousse is a great option for building soft, long-lasting body without heaviness.

Alternatively, prep your hair with a heat protectant and use a wide-barrel curling iron to create loose waves, alternating directions for an effortless, lived–in feel. After styling, lightly mist your tresses with the L’Oréal Paris Elnett Extra Strong Hold Hairspray to keep your style intact without a crunchy, stiff, or sticky feel. And if styling your hair isn’t in the cards, rest assured that mushroom brown hair looks as great thrown into an artful messy bun as it does worn in long, loose waves.

Next Up: How To Use Permanent Hair Dye For Touching Up Roots

Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris