Whether you're already brunette and want to try a different shade or you're transitioning from another colour, consult our brown shades hair colour chart for inspiration.
Does a brown hair colour chart still apply to me if I'm interested in brunette colours?
In keeping with our Parisian origins, 'brunette' (or the rarely used male form 'brunet') is the French word for brown and is a widely used term to refer to brown hair colour shades. Given this fact, a brown hair colour chart can absolutely be used to guide choosing a brunette shade!
Why is a brown hair colour chart useful?
When it comes to brown hair colours, there are far more than you might think, which is why a brown hair colour chart can be a useful way of comparing the subtle differences between shades. A chart also allows you to have a more informed conversation with your professional stylist during a consultation.
Breaking down the brown shades hair colour chart
When choosing a new brunette shade, people often use generic terms like light, medium or dark brown when describing their desired look. These terms generally refer to the 'level' of the base colour, which you can learn more about in our article 'What do the numbers in hair colour mean?', and what we refer to as 'browns' usually fall between levels 2 and 5. Let's take a look at some examples.
Light brown hair colour chart
Medium brown hair colour chart
Dark and darkest brown hair colour chart
Using the brown hair colour shades chart to match your skin tone
Imagine you're having a colouring service performed. Your hair has been freshly dried and gently styled, it feels soft and healthy. You wanted to surprise yourself so you keep your eyes closed the entire time. When you finally open them to take in a look in the mirror, you look... strangely washed out and pale, or perhaps your skin has taken on a hue like a bad fake tan.
L'Oréal Professionnel stylists undergo specific training to ensure this is avoided by using knowledge of your underlying tone in combination with a brown hair colour shades chart to avoid tonal mismatch.
Armed with this information, choose a hair shade with a tone that's not the polar opposite of your skin tone. If you're blessed with a golden, tanned complexion, mahogany and red-tinged hues may suit you well. Similarly, ashy brunette colours will suit cool skin undertones well.
Examples of shades of brown hair colour for your skin tone
Read on for some examples from the shades of brown hair colour chart, which ranges from light brown to darkest brown.
Warm skin tones
Melted caramel
Honey brown
Crisp Copper
Cool skin tones
Iced coffee
Light ash brown
Dark auburn
Using the shades of brown colour chart to update your look
Do you want to update your look with the season, but aren't ready for a complete change of colour? Give your brown hair a seasonal boost with the most flattering hair colour techniques.
Bronzing is one of the professionals' most popular techniques come autumn and winter, where subtle coppery sections are blended seamlessly into the hair. The face looks instantly more radiant, catching the light with every movement.
For the warmer months, brunettes can let their hair down and inject some summer fun into their locks using the French Browns hair colour collection by Majirel. Still ultra-subtle, they can be used to add light brown babylights, create a refreshing cool ash shade, or as part of a summery balayage.
Which L'Oréal Professionnel hair colour ranges can be matched to the brown hair colour chart?
Now that you've got an idea of the exact brunette you're aiming for, choose from our range of professional permanent and semi-permanent colour options. Our revolutionary ammonia free iNOA permanent colour range takes away concerns about damaging hair, leaving it beautifully soft with strong colour payoff.
The Majirel range features the French Browns series for another permanent colour option, or if you're already have brunette locks and want to enhance, personalise or refresh your shade, consider the Dia range to impart a healthy conditioning gloss.
To ensure you're making the best colour and product choices for your hair, find a salon near you and have a chat with a friendly professional colourist today. With everything you've learned from this article, you can even talk the talk by referring to specific brunette shades on brown hair colour chart.
Maintaining your dream brunette shade
After all that hard work, make sure you keep your newfound brunette shade as beautiful and radiant as possible with the Metal Detox Protocol. Because water contains microscopic metal particles that negatively affect colouring services and dull or change the tone of your hair, we've designed this innovative hair care range to remove and provide ongoing protection against this issue. The Metal Detox products are essential for colour treated hair pre and post service, consisting of both in-salon and take-home steps.
To ensure you're making the best colouring choices for your hair or to learn more about the Metal Detox range, find a salon near you and have a chat with a friendly professional colourist today. With everything you've learned from this article, you can even talk the talk by referring to specific brunette shades on brown hair colour chart.