How To Find the Perfect Light Brown Hair Color for Your Skin Tone

If you’re thinking about switching up your hair color, light brown is one of the most flattering, versatile shades you can try. A light brown hair color strikes the perfect balance between soft and sophisticated: It’s light enough to brighten your features, but rich enough to add depth and dimension. Whether you're looking to soften dark roots, go lighter without committing to blonde, or simply want a change that feels fresh but not drastic, light brown can be an excellent option to consider.

That being said, light brown isn’t just one color: There are a multitude of hues in the light brown hair color family, from warm reddish browns to ashy brondes. The key to finding your most flattering match lies in understanding your skin’s undertone. Ahead, we’re breaking down exactly how to identify your undertone, sharing tips for selecting a light brown hair color that complements your complexion, and offering up a look at some of our favorite at-home hair dyes to kickstart your transformation.

Understanding Your Skin’s Undertone

Before diving into specific light brown shades, it’s important to get clear on your skin’s undertone. This subtle detail plays a significant role in how hair color appears against your complexion, and whether a shade complements your features or feels slightly off. Let’s break it down.

What are undertones?

Your undertone is the subtle hue beneath the surface of your skin that influences the overall “temperature” of your complexion.. While your visible skin tone can shift with sun exposure (for example, getting tanner in the summer or lighter in the winter), your undertone stays consistent year-round.

Undertones generally fall into three categories:

• Warm: Skin with golden, peach, or yellow hues.
  
• Cool: Skin with pink, red, or bluish tones.
  
• Neutral: A balance of both warm and cool tones.
  

How to identify your undertone

If you’re not sure whether you fall into the warm, cool, or neutral camp, here are three simple tests you can try to help narrow things down.

• Vein test: Take a look at the color of the veins on the inside of your wrist. If they appear greenish, you likely have warm undertones. A blue or purplish tint, meanwhile, is typically indicative of cool-toned skin. If you’re having trouble determining whether they look blue or green (or you see a mix of both shades), you likely have a neutral undertone.
  
• Jewelry test: Think about which color jewelry you typically gravitate to. Gold jewelry tends to flatter warm undertones, while silver looks better on cool undertones. If you can wear both easily, you're probably neutral.
  
• Sun reaction: Those with warm undertones typically tan easily, while cool-toned individuals are more likely to burn. Neutral undertones may do a bit of both.

Why undertones matter for hair color

You can (and should) always feel free to embrace whatever hair color you like. However, you’ll generally find that colors with undertones similar to your skin will be the most flattering. Pairing like with like helps create a natural, harmonious look, ensuring your chosen hair color complements (rather than clashes with) your skin tone. The same goes for makeup and even clothing—warmer hues are well-suited for those with warm skin, while cooler colors complement cool complexions best. If your undertones are neutral, you’re in luck—you can wear just about any color you like with ease.

Our Favorite Light Brown Hair Color Ideas for Each Skin Tone

Once you’ve identified your undertone, you can begin narrowing down which light brown hair colors might complement your skin best. To get you started, we’re sharing some of our favorite options for warm, cool, and neutral skin below.

For warm undertones

If your skin leans warm, you’ll typically find that golden or reddish brown hues flatter your skin nicely. A light golden brown hair color is an excellent option for those seeking a sun-kissed, beachy feel—the in-between hue feels bright and sunny without leaning into blonde territory. Plus, you can DIY the look pretty easily, provided you have the right hair dye kit on hand. We love the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Lightest Golden Brown.

If you’d like something a touch warmer, try a light reddish brown hair color, such as the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Creme Crème Permanent Triple Care Hair Color in Light Reddish Brown. This decadent hue is full of depth and dimension, and it works well for both fairer and deeper skin tones.

For cool undertones

A light ash brown hair color is a flattering and versatile choice for those with cooler skin. Like all ashy tones, ash brown lacks any overt golden or reddish undertones, instead boasting an almost silvery appearance. Shades like light mushroom brown, light chocolate brown, and even cool bronde all work well for cooler skin.

If you’re up for an at-home transformation, pick up a box of the L’Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Downtown Brown and get to work. This light brown hair color features prominent silver undertones, making for a dimensional ashy hue that pops against both light and deep cool-toned skin.

For neutral undertones

Those with neutral undertones will find that they can rock nearly any light brown hair color with ease. A soft, ashy bronde can make for a cool, stylish statement, while a warm-toned light copper brown hair color could be a fun way to experiment with red (without fully committing). However, if you’re on the hunt for a hue that looks totally natural, we recommend opting for a dimensional light brown shade with a mix of cool and warm tones. The L’Oréal Paris Excellence Creme Universal Nudes in Natural Light Brown fits the bill, and it provides rich, radiant, all-over color (even covering up to 100% of grays) without the use of ammonia.

Light Brown Hair Color Ideas to Inspire Your Next Look

If you’re looking for light brown hair color ideas, the good news is there’s no shortage of stunning options. Ahead, we’re sharing a look at some of our favorite options, from soft golden brown hues to warm coppery blends.

Classic light brown

A classic light brown hue is neither warm nor cool, but somewhere in between. Sometimes referred to as a light chocolate brown hair color for its rich, decadent feel, this versatile hue flatters just about everybody. It’s also easy to achieve with the right at-home hair dye. Give it a try for yourself with the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Light Brown.

Honey caramel light brown

A honey caramel light brown hair color, admittedly, sounds like a mouthful. But we promise—this dimensional shade is sweet as can be. The unique shade combines the richness of caramel with the soft glow of honey, creating a warm, sunlit effect that is perfect for those with warmer skin tones.

Light golden brown

​​Light golden brown is a soft, summery hue that reflects light and adds a luminous quality to the hair. The sun-kissed shade is perfect for those who want to go a bit lighter with their hair color but aren’t ready (or willing) to commit to all-over blonde.

Light copper brown

Copper brown has been trending for some time now, and we don’t anticipate that changing anytime soon. This unique hue blends vibrant copper with neutral light brown for a surprisingly wearable take on a red hair color. If you’re up for DIYing it, you can get a similar look with the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Light Amber Brown.

Iced latte brown

This ashy, almost icy light brown hair color features a cool-toned brown base brightened up by icy blonde highlights. It’s bright without being too bold, and it works beautifully for those with cool-toned skin.

Light brown with blonde balayage

If you’re having trouble deciding between light brown and blonde, know that you don’t need to pick. You can embrace both with balayage highlights. This technique involves hand-painting highlights onto specific sections of the hair, creating a dimensional hue that requires far less maintenance than traditional highlights.

Rooted light brown

With rooted light brown, the roots are intentionally kept slightly darker than the rest of the hair. This creates a flattering, lived-in feel and allows natural brunettes to extend the time between root touch-ups. We call that a win-win.

Tips for Choosing and Maintaining Your Ideal Light Brown Hair Color

Once you’ve found your perfect shade, keeping it looking fresh comes down to smart prep and thoughtful maintenance. These tips will help you protect your color, extend its vibrancy, and minimize unnecessary damage.

Test before you commit

Before diving into a full color change, consider trying a temporary dye or conducting a strand test. This gives you a sense of how the shade looks in different lighting and can help you ensure it complements your skin tone without having to make a lasting commitment.

Update your haircare routine

Any time you dye your hair, it’s a good idea to switch to products designed for color-treated hair to help protect your hue and minimize premature fading. We love the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Conditioner. The citric acid-powered duo helps strengthen damaged, color-treated hair, leaving your mane feeling soft, smooth, and hydrated. If your hair feels especially brittle after coloring, consider pre-treating your mane with the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Bond Strengthening Pre-Shampoo Treatment, which helps reinforce weak, damaged strands from the inside out.

Limit heat styling

Frequent use of hot tools can cause your hair color to fade faster, and we’re guessing that’s the last thing you want after a successful hair transformation. To help protect your new hue, keep heat styling to a minimum and use a heat protectant when you do blow dry, curl, or straighten your hair. If you need a recommendation, we love the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Bond Repair Hair Oil-in-Serum, which strengthens, adds shine, and protects against temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Touch up your color as needed

How often you’ll need to refresh your light brown hair color depends on the type of dye you use, your natural hair color, and your overall routine. Semi-permanent formulas may fade within a few weeks, while permanent dye can last longer but will still lose a bit of vibrancy with time. To keep your color looking fresh, we recommend penciling in time for a touch-up once every eight weeks or so.

FAQs About Light Brown Hair Colors

What is the most flattering light brown hair color?

The most flattering light brown hair color depends primarily on your skin tone and undertone. In general, ash browns flatter cool undertones, while golden and caramel tones suit warm skin. Neutral hues like mocha and light chocolate brown work well across the board.

Is light brown hair easy to maintain?

Light brown hair is relatively low-maintenance, especially compared to blonde. That said, it still requires special care to maintain its vibrancy. Use color-safe haircare products, minimize heat styling, and touch up your color every eight weeks or so to keep it looking fresh.

Can you go light brown without bleach?

Whether or not you can go light brown without bleach depends on your current hair color and the dye you’ve chosen. If you have blonde hair, you can easily dye your hair light brown without bleach. Those with darker hair will typically need to either pre-lighten their strands or use a hair dye that lightens the hair as it colors.

Next Up: 10 Honey Brown Hair Color Ideas for 2025

Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris