Light caramel brown is a beautiful, warm hair color that flatters a variety of skin tones. It’s a versatile shade that can vary from golden to ashy, making it a great choice for brunettes looking to warm up their look or add subtle highlights. Keep reading to learn all about light caramel brown hair!
What Makes Light Caramel Brown Hair Unique
Light caramel brown hair is characterized by its soft, subtle warmth. It’s lighter than traditional caramel brown, which can pull quite orange at times. The “light” in light caramel brown refers to the brown base being mixed with lots of warm golden blonde highlights.
This gives light caramel brown dimension and movement without being brassy or overpowering. It works well on natural brunettes who want to gradually lighten up their hair color. The golden tones interact beautifully with darker brown hues to create glossy depth and shine.
Light Caramel Brown Hair Color Chart
| Level | Undertone | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Level 6 | Warm golden | Medium golden brown with buttery blonde highlights throughout |
| Level 7 | Warm golden | Light golden brown with wheat blonde highlights |
| Level 8 | Beige | Medium beige brown with subtle neutral blonde highlights |
As you can see from the chart, light caramel brown can take on warm golden tones at darker levels or shift more neutral in the level 8 range. This variety allows for customization based on your skin tone and personal preference.
How Light Caramel Brown Flatters Different Skin Tones
One reason light caramel brown is so versatile is that it complements a wide range of skin tones. Here’s a breakdown of how it pairs with different complexions:
Fair Skin
On fair skin with pink or neutral undertones, light caramel brown reads as a flattering neutral blonde. The subtle warmth adds dimension without looking brassy. Level 8 beige brown is a great match for fair complexions.
Light Skin
Those with light skin that tans easily can wear light caramel brown beautifully. The warm golden tones bring out the glow in light olive and peach complexions. Aim for light caramel brown in levels 6-7.
Medium Skin
Medium skin with golden undertones looks radiant with light caramel brown. The warm earthen tones complement and intensify medium tan and olive skin tones. Level 6 golden brown is ideal for medium complexions.
Dark Skin
Women with rich dark skin look gorgeous with golden light caramel brown shades. The contrast between the hair and skin color creates a striking pop. Level 6-7 with warm golden undertones is perfect for darker skin.
How to Get Light Caramel Brown Hair
Now that you’re excited about light caramel brown, let’s discuss how to achieve this color for your hair. Here are some tips:
Start with a Base Color
The starting base is important for the tone of your light caramel brown. If you currently have medium to dark brown hair, ask your colorist to lighten your base to a level 6-8 brown before adding highlights. This ensures the highlights blend seamlessly instead of looking brassy.
Add Lots of Highlights
Once the base is lightened, your colorist will weave in fine highlights throughout your hair. The highlights should cover 50-70% of your hair to create a soft, blended look. Have the highlights concentrated around your face for maximum dimension.
Customize the Highlight Tone
You can adjust the tone of the highlights to best suit your complexion. Golden wheat and buttery blonde tones work beautifully for light caramel brown. If your skin is fair, opt for beige blonde highlights instead to keep the color soft and natural-looking.
Tone to Perfection
After lightening and highlighting, your colorist will tone your hair to cancel out any unwanted brassiness. Light caramel brown hair looks its best with a rich, conditioned shine. Invest in a color-safe shampoo and use a weekly conditioning mask.
Schedule Regular Touch-Ups
To keep your light caramel brown hair looking salon-fresh, plan to visit your colorist for a quick gloss or toner every 4-6 weeks. This refreshes the highlights and enhances shine between full appointments.
Light Caramel Brown Hair Inspiration
Need some inspiration before your light caramel brown hair transformation? Here are a few stunning examples of this hair color done right:
Golden Brown with Blonde
|
This light golden brown base with butter blonde highlights is gorgeous on medium to tan skin tones. It provides lots of warmth while still looking natural. |
Neutral Brown with Soft Babylights
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This is an example of light caramel brown for fair skin. The neutral brown roots melt into buttery babylights seamlessly. It’s understated yet still dimensional. |
Light Golden Brown with Blonde Face-Framing
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Concentrating warm blonde highlights around the face brightens up this light golden brown base color perfectly. |
Caring for Light Caramel Brown Hair
Light caramel brown hair requires some maintenance to keep it looking salon-fresh between appointments. Here are some tips for caring for this hair color at home:
Use Sulfate-Free Products
Sulfate shampoos can cause color to fade more rapidly. Invest in a high-quality sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner designed for color-treated hair.
Shampoo Less Often
Washing light caramel brown hair too frequently can cause the highlights to look brassy as the toner fades. Limit shampooing to 2-3 times per week if possible.
Rinse with Cool Water
Hot water opens the cuticle, allowing color molecules to escape. Rinsing with lukewarm or cool water after shampooing helps lock in color.
Apply Weekly Conditioning Mask
Deep condition once a week with a hydrating hair mask. This nourishes hair and keeps highlighted strands from getting dry.
Use Heat Protection
Heat styling can cause light caramel brown highlights to fade and look brassy. Always apply a heat protectant before using hot tools.
Touch Up Roots Promptly
Grow-out is inevitable, but you can minimize regrowth banding by having your roots touched up every 4-6 weeks.
How to Transition from Light Caramel Brown
Over time, you may wish to switch up your light caramel brown for a new hair color. Here are tips for seamlessly transitioning away from this shade:
Gradually Go Darker
If you want to go darker, have your colorist lowlight your hair over 2-3 appointments. This minimizes damage from overlapping lightened and darkened hair.
Strip Color Before Bleaching
To go lighter, use a color remover to strip the light caramel brown before bleaching. Bleaching directly over dyed hair can cause extreme dryness and breakage.
Tone Down Brassiness
If your new color comes out too brassy, use a toner or clarifying treatment to neutralize unwanted warm tones left over from light caramel brown.
Give Hair a Break
Before committing to a drastically different shade, consider giving your hair a break from coloring for a few weeks. This allows the hair to recover and reset before applying more chemicals.
Find the Right Colorist
To get the best results, visit an experienced hair colorist for your light caramel brown hair makeover. Ask to see examples of their work with dimensional brunette highlighting. A knowledgeable colorist will know how to perfectly customize this color for your skin tone and hair type.
Light caramel brown hair is a gorgeous choice for adding soft warmth and dimension to brunette locks. With proper application and maintenance, it can keep your hair looking salon-fresh for weeks. Ready to make the honey-kissed change? Book a consultation with a colorist to get started!