When it comes to the most popular hair colors for spring, it’s hard to top chocolate brown hair. This classic medium brown hue instantly adds depth, warmth, and richness to any brunette base with its red and gold undertones. If you ask us, it’s the perfect shade for anyone looking to elevate their look while embodying the warm, vibrant energy of spring. This hair color is luxurious-looking, dimensional, and versatile. It can also be adjusted to flatter all skin tones, which means there’s a chocolate brown hair color out there for everyone.
To help you choose the best chocolate brown shade for your locks, we’ve rounded up 27 of our favorite chocolate brown hair color ideas. Keep scrolling to browse some of the latest trendy looks that have the potential to transform your tresses this spring.
For a classic take on this hair color, try dark chocolate brown hair. This rich chocolate brown color gives off a sophisticated, sultry vibe and works on a variety of hair textures and skin tones. To get the look, you can head to the salon or try an at-home chocolate brown hair dye, like the L’Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Universal Nudes in Natural Dark Brown. We recommend giving this shade a try if your hair is naturally light to medium brown hair.
If you want chocolate brown hair that’s bold and vibrant, try adding a pop of purple. To create this shade on brunette hair, reach for the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color in Purple, and apply it all over your hair. This temporary hair dye coats your strands with vivid color, without the need for bleaching. The formula washes out after just one shampoo, making it a great option for anyone looking to try out a daring new color this spring.
Give your hair color a refresh with cherry chocolate brown—a reddish-brown hue that adds instant warmth and depth to your tresses. The hint of red is subtle yet eye-catching, making it ideal if you want to stand out without completely overhauling your hair color this spring. You can create this shade on a natural brunette base at the salon or at home with the L’Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Chocolate Cherry.
Light chocolate brown is another classic chocolate brown hair color to consider. While most chocolate brown hues fall on the medium to dark side, this hair color keeps things light and bright. Best of all, this shade works well with almost all skin tones, and it’s generally easy to achieve. Simply color your strands with the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Crème Permanent Triple Protection Hair Color in Light Golden Brown for a radiant shade that’s perfect for spring.
Try out the “expensive brunette” trend by placing honey-colored highlights over chocolate brown hair. Honey highlights are a great way to add subtle warmth and richness to your mane while giving you a naturally radiant look. We recommend heading to the salon to really ace this look—your stylist can help recommend the best approach to highlight your natural features.
It’s hard to feel blue when your gorgeous, indigo-tinted hair is turning heads everywhere you go. Consider adding indigo lowlights after your chocolate brown hair dye for some seriously eye-catching dimension. One of our favorite products for creating this look is the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color in Indigo—apply it to selected strands of hair to help take your chocolate brown hair to the next level.
This dessert-inspired hair color is achieved by placing caramel ribbon highlights on top of rich chocolate brown hair. Ribbon highlights are a popular highlighting technique where hair dye is strategically woven throughout your strands for a ribbon-like effect. This hair color adds dimension and warmth to brunette locks—the perfect combination for spring.
For those looking to try something different this spring, try a chestnut ombré paired with chocolate brown strands. This gorgeous color adds a certain level of spice to chocolate brown hair while still being a versatile shade that works for both elegant and casual occasions.
Who says that rose gold is only reserved for your jewelry? Rose gold hair continues to be one of the biggest hair color trends, popping up all over social media and on runways. This hue is universally flattering and can be customized for anyone—including those with naturally dark locks. To give this look a try, ask your colorist to create subtle rose gold streaks on a dark chocolate brown base to get the perfect rose brown hair color.
Balayage is the gift that keeps on giving. This popular highlighting technique creates natural-looking, sun-kissed streaks that are low-maintenance and super-flattering. The combination of caramel highlights on top of chocolate brown hair results in a decadent, rich color that instantly elevates any brunette base. You can head to the salon for this one, or there are also DIY options, such as the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Balayage At-Home Highlighting Kit in Dark Blonde to Light Brown.
Not everyone wants to switch up their hair color every season, and that’s perfectly fine. One shade that works well year-round is the bronde ombré. This hair color combines blonde and brown tones to warm up your complexion. It’s also a great in-between option if you’re considering a blonde hair color but you’re not ready to fully commit just yet. With the bronde ombré, you can introduce a blonde hue to your mid-lengths and ends while preserving the rich dark chocolate color at your roots—the best of both worlds. Just remember to incorporate a purple shampoo into your haircare routine to help keep brassy tones at bay.
Cinnamon hair isn’t a new hair color trend by any means, but pairing it with a chocolate brown hair color takes things to new heights. In general, this hair color is best left to the pros. Your colorist can create the look by combining milky brown, cinnamon, and beige highlights on a chocolate brown base to create a multi-toned, dimensional hair color.
We’re absolutely loving this coffee-inspired color lately. The dark chocolate hue adds warmth and dimension to your strands for a look that can seamlessly transition from spring to summer. This cappuccino color is created by blending golden blonde, medium blonde, and dark brown shades.
Sometimes, you want to flaunt a shade that boasts a cool tone, and ashy chocolate brown hair fits the bill. While chocolate brown is traditionally a warm hair color, your colorist can help you find the right variation of this shade for a cooler-toned look. Or, if you prefer to try an at-home option, reach for the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Light Ash Brown.
If you don’t want to go too light, try a chocolate fondue hair color. This shade is on-trend and ultra-decadent—it gives you a deep, chocolatey base paired with medium brown highlights that add depth and movement. This hair color makes a great low-maintenance option for anyone who’s not excited about taking frequent trips to the salon.
You don’t have to worry about controlling your sweet tooth with this indulgent chocolate brown hair color. This look uses a chocolate brown hue that’s darker than your base color to add lowlights throughout your strands. The subtle, rich lowlights are perfect for creating depth, dimension, and serious shine. To create this look at home, pick up the L’Oréal Paris Colour Experte in Chocolate Éclair.
Maroon hair is chic, trendy, and pairs beautifully with chocolate brown hair. You can ask your colorist to use a maroon toner on top of brunette hair to get the look. Another flattering option is to try a face-framing money piece in a maroon shade. For an at-home option, we recommend the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color in Maroon—apply it all over or add a highlight or two around your face.
Dyeing your hair silver may be a bold move, but there’s a subtle way to incorporate this trend on warm chocolate brown hair. Ask your colorist to add a few streaks of this icy hue throughout your strands using a balayage technique. The contrast between cool-toned highlights and a warm chocolate base should create a unique effect that instantly elevates your springtime look. Pick up the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color Spray in Silver to try out this hair color temporarily with no commitment and no bleaching.
Dare to be dramatic with dark chocolate brown hair and teal-dipped ends. Unlike other colorful options we’ve mentioned, this color is a bit more on the vibrant side—making it ideal for a bold spring look. It blends blue and green tones for a mermaid-inspired effect that you’ll want to show off all spring and summer long. Best of all, it’s easy to get the look at home with the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color in Teal. All you need to do is apply the teal shade on your ends, following the instructions on the label, and you’re all set!
Glossy hair is the epitome of healthy-looking brunette hair. This spring, boost your hair’s gloss factor with an at-home hair gloss or glaze, like the L’Oréal Paris One Step In-Shower Toning Gloss in Rich Brunette. This toning gloss can be used in the shower to help correct brassy, faded hair color. The result? Chocolate brown hair with glassy shine and an ultra-luxurious feel.
The honey glaze sombré (“soft ombré”) is another hair color trend you may want to explore this spring. This look uses a honey hair color to create a subtle ombré on chocolate brown hair. It makes a great option if you’re looking for a confidence boost but you’re not much of a risk-taker when it comes to your hair. To get the look, we suggest trying the L'Oréal Paris Colorista Ombré Hair Bleach paired with a honey-colored hair toner.
If you love warm hair colors, let us introduce you to another favorite: chocolate brown hair with molten caramel highlights. This shade blends traditional highlights with balayage to give your mane a beautifully blended color. Take things a step further by combining this hair color with smudged roots to ensure a gorgeous transition in color.
Honey-dipped ends are an excellent way to brighten up your look this spring without highlighting your entire mane. Starting with a chocolate brown base, ask your colorist to paint your ends with a golden honey hue that best suits your hair texture and skin tone.
Warm espresso hair features a mix of rich colors that sit on the cusp of black and brown, making it one of the darker chocolate brown hair colors in this list. Try it out with the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color Color in Cool Darkest Brown or the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Crème Permanent Triple Protection Hair Color in Dark Ash Brown.
This spring hair color should be on your radar if you’re a fan of rich chocolate brown hair with plenty of movement and shine. Starting with dark chocolate brown as the base, add light brown and gold highlights, and blend seamlessly for a vibrant and warm look. This is another hair color that may be best suited for your colorist, as it requires a skilled hand.
Maple syrup is the inspiration behind this gorgeous hair color. A great option for those who love to experiment with darker shades, it features chestnut or mahogany balayage highlights on a dark chocolatey base. The result is a rich, dark brown shade with hints of amber.
We can’t get enough of pastel shades, and this pink hair color is no exception. It makes a great option for those who want to add a subtle touch of color to their strands for a playful vibe. Instantly take your chocolate brown locks to the next level by bleaching your ends and then coloring them with the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color in Pink. A colorist can be helpful for achieving the soft ombré effect where there’s a steady, gradual gradient between your natural color and the pink shade.
Next Up: 25 Dark Brown Hair Color Ideas We Can’t Get Enough Of
Photo Courtesy of L'Oréal Paris
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