25 Fall Highlights For Brown Hair That Brighten Without Bleaching It All

Okay, “can I get some highlights” is one of the most common requests I hear from brown hair clients, and it’s honestly the wrong question. The right question is which technique, because placement changes everything about how the final result looks and how much upkeep it needs.

These are the 25 highlight approaches I use most on brown hair this season, grouped by technique. If you haven’t settled on your base brown yet, start with fall brown hair first.

Save the technique that matches how much maintenance you’re actually willing to do.

Face-Framing Highlights

Also called a money piece, this is the lowest-commitment highlight option, just a few brightened pieces around the face.

[IMAGE 1] Face-framing highlights, brown fall hair · Alt: fall highlights for brown hair face framing · Pin title: “The Lowest Maintenance Highlight For Brown Hair”

[IMAGE 2] Money piece, brown hair fall

[IMAGE 3] Face-framing balayage, fall brown

[IMAGE 4] Subtle face highlights, brown fall hair

[IMAGE 5] Bright face piece, brown hair fall

Balayage Highlights

Hand-painted, sun-kissed, and low maintenance as it grows out, balayage is my most requested full highlight technique.

[IMAGE 6] Balayage highlights, brown fall hair

[IMAGE 7] Sun-kissed balayage, brown hair fall

[IMAGE 8] Full balayage, fall brown hair

[IMAGE 9] Natural balayage, brown fall highlights

[IMAGE 10] Soft balayage, fall brown hair

Foilyage Highlights

A hybrid between balayage and traditional foils, foilyage gives brighter results with the same soft grow-out.

[IMAGE 11] Foilyage highlights, brown fall hair

[IMAGE 12] Bright foilyage, brown hair fall

[IMAGE 13] Dimensional foilyage, fall brown

[IMAGE 14] Foilyage highlights, long brown hair fall

[IMAGE 15] Warm foilyage, fall brown hair

Baby Lights

Extremely fine, extremely subtle, baby lights add brightness without ever reading as “highlighted” at all.

[IMAGE 16] Baby lights, brown fall hair

[IMAGE 17] Fine baby lights, brown hair fall

[IMAGE 18] Subtle baby lights, fall brown hair

[IMAGE 19] Natural baby lights, brown fall

[IMAGE 20] Soft baby lights, fall brown hair

Chunky Highlights

The boldest option on this list, chunky highlights are having a real revival, and they make the biggest visual statement.

[IMAGE 21] Chunky highlights, brown fall hair

[IMAGE 22] Bold chunky highlights, brown hair fall

[IMAGE 23] Streaky highlights, fall brown hair

[IMAGE 24] Statement highlights, brown fall

[IMAGE 25] Dramatic chunky highlights, fall brown

Want More Fall Color Ideas?

This is one technique out of our full Fall Hair roundup, covering colors, cuts, and trends for the whole season. Go there next for the complete picture.