Oftentimes, brown shades tend to go unnoticed when you’re thinking about ways you can switch up your hair color. And yes, while bold reds and rainbow roots have made a name for themselves as total trends in 2017, we’re here to remind you that brown hair doesn’t have to be boring! With the right addition of highlights and lowlights, you can add movement to any brown hue. So, if rocking a natural-looking ‘do is right up your alley, keep reading to find out how to amp up a brunette mane. Whether your hair is naturally brown or you want to dye it, we’ve got tips for adding movement to dark brown hair as well as caring for your color.
How to Add Movement to Dark Brown Hair
Point blank: As far as how to add movement to dark brown hairgoes, it really all comes down to highlights and lowlights. The whole point of highlights is to mimic the way the sun would naturally lighten your hair, whereas lowlights are all about creating depth and dimension. Together, these two coloring techniques can help add major movement to transform your look. To get the best result, ask your colorist to paint on balayage highlights. They’re low-maintenance since color doesn’t reach your roots, so you won’t have to go in for frequent touchups. Keep in mind that adding highlights requires bleaching—and the darker your starting color, the longer the process may take to reach your desired level of highlights.
When you head to the salon, make sure to bring a picture with you of what you want your new ‘do to look like, as well as a picture that you want to steer completely clear of. Since hair color can be very particular, it’s a good idea to talk with your colorist beforehand about your expectations in order to avoid any disappointment during the big reveal. When selecting your inspo, keep in mind that the trick to creating a natural-looking dark mane full of movement is to stick within two to three shades of your natural color for both highlights and lowlights.
How to Take Care of Your Dark Brown Tresses
Once you’ve colored your mane, it’s a good idea to switch up your hair care routine. After all, color-treated hair requires special care—and you want to keep your strands looking and feeling as good as possible, right? To help you pamper your pretty new ‘do like it deserves, below we share two tips to help you care for your dark brown hair.
1. Use products formulated for color-treated hair. Like all color-treated hair, it’s a good idea to swap out your regular products for ones that are formulated for color-treated hair. Try the system of L’Oréal Paris Hair Expert Color Vibrancy Intensive Shampoo, L’Oréal Paris Hair Expert Color Vibrancy Intensive Conditioner, and L’Oréal Paris Hair Expert Color Vibrancy Intensive Ultra Recovery Mask. While you’re at it, turn down the dial in the shower—super-high temps can strip your hair of essential oils, so wash off in lukewarm water instead.
2. Cut down on heat styling. Getting ready for work without the use of your blow-dryer, curling wand, or flat iron might seem close to impossible, but you can still style your strands sans heat! It’s a good idea to take a break from heat styling from time to time. To add volume to your mane, work an egg-sized dollop of the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle AIR DRY IT Ruffled Body Mousse into wet hair. To create beachy waves, spritz the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairsyle AIR DRY IT Wave Swept Spray onto towel-dried strands. And for some perfectly undone texture, apply a dime-size amount of the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle AIR DRY IT Undone Style Cream into wet hair. You see, you can still look super-stylish, even without the use of heat tools!
