If you’re a brunette, you may feel the urge to add a touch of brightness to your locks as the summer sun beckons; whether it's subtle highlights or a sun-kissed balayage, or an all over lift, lightening your hair can breathe new life into your look.



In this guide, we'll explore various techniques for achieving summer-ready hair for brunettes, including lightening techniques, toning tips and brass-banishing hair care.

Let’s start with the techniques your stylist may use to add dimension to your brunette hair with touches of blonde, caramel, honey – whatever hues suit your hair colour and skin tone.

Whether you’re a deep and rich brunette, warm or light and sandy, you can still start adding touches of dye to your hair to give that natural sun-kissed look, or old-money style - like you’ve spent the summer in Italy drinking Aperol Spritz.

Balayage – this hand-painted technique creates soft, natural-looking highlights that mimic the way the sun naturally lightens hair. Balayage allows for a seamless blend between your natural brunette base and the lighter tones. This also grows out naturally with less need for touch ups, so it’s perfect for our low maintenance girlies.

Highlights – traditional foil highlights offer precision and control, allowing stylists to strategically place lighter strands throughout your hair. Opt for finely woven highlights for a sun-kissed effect, or thicker sections for a bolder look.

Babylights – for brunettes seeking a subtle, delicate lightening effect, babylights are the way to go. These ultra-fine highlights mimic the natural variations in hair colour, creating dimension without overpowering your base shade. These are particularly good for lightening up the hairline around the face, also known as face framing, which is the ideal way to achieve the sun-kissed look.

To prevent brassiness and maintain the desired tone of your lightened hair, a toner is a crucial step in the lightening process. As a brunette, opt for a toner with violet or blue undertones to neutralise any unwanted warmth.

But what toners are available to you, how do they work and what are the differences?

Probably the most known toner is purple or violet toner. This is used a lot on blonde hair and is ideal for cancelling out yellow or brassy tones even in lightened brunette hair.

Blue toner is great for counteracting orange or red undertones, especially in darker brunettes helping to give a deep and cool finish.

Dye and toner together are key to achieving specific tones and shades in your hair. Here’s how they work:

When hair is lightened, it goes through stages of warmth. For brunettes, this warmth can manifest as orange, yellow, or even red tones, depending on the underlying pigments in the hair. Toning products contain pigments that are opposite on the colour wheel to these warm tones. For example, violet or blue pigments are used to counteract yellow and orange tones respectively.

When applied to the hair, these pigments neutralise the unwanted warmth, leaving behind a more balanced and desirable tone.

Toning products can also help to adjust the overall colour of the hair. Depending on the desired result, toners can be used to enhance certain tones or create a specific shade. For instance, a violet toner can help achieve cooler, ashier tones, while a blue toner can create a more neutral or cool-toned blonde. Also, toning can help maintain the desired colour balance and keep hair looking fresh between salon visits, where hair can gradually shift and fade after being exposed to sun and stylish products.

Not only that, toning can help to seal the colour and add shine to the hair. An essential powerhouse in dying hair.

Investing in the right hair care products is crucial for preserving your lightened brunette locks and keeping brassiness at bay. Look for products specifically formulated for colour-treated hair, with ingredients that nourish and protect.

Our favourite is Matrix Total Results Brass Off Shampoo and Conditioner. This duo is specially designed to neutralise brassy tones in brunette hair, leaving locks looking luscious and refreshed.

Others on the market include, Redken Color Extend Brownlights Shampoo and Conditioner; formulated with blue pigment, these products also help to tone and neutralise warmth in dark brunette hair, while nourishing strands with moisture.

For brunettes who prefer to steer clear of warm, red tones in their lightened hair, communication with your stylist is key. Ask for cooler-toned highlights or balayage, focusing on shades like ash blonde or cool beige – and then a blue toner to help finish the look.

With the right techniques, toning products, and hair care routine, brunettes can achieve stunning lightened locks that are perfect for summer. Whether you opt for balayage, highlights, or babylights, don't forget to maintain your colour with salon-quality products and regular touch-ups to keep your hair looking fresh and vibrant all season long.

If you’d prefer to transition from brunette to blonde, you need to start working on it earlier in the year in order to be blonde in time for summer. Your stylist will work with you to slowly and safely achieve your desired look without damaging your hair. Find out how to go blonder for summer with our helpful guide.