Golden Brown Hair Is Spring’s Prettiest Brunette Upgrade

Brown hair is getting a golden glow up this season. Recent statistics from Spate indicate that searches for golden brown hair are spiking. The golden warmth, subtle luminosity and rich base make it the perfect bridge between winter and spring. Ahead, we break down exactly what defines the shade—and how to get it.

Featured Experts

• Brendetta Ashley is a celebrity hairstylist and Schwarzkopf Professional Digital Artistic Ambassador
• Kadi Lee is a celebrity hairstylist
• Wendy Burns is a Henkel stylist for Schwarzkopf Keratin Color
• Gregory Patterson is a Sally Beauty styling and color expert

What Is the Golden Brown Hair Color?

“Golden brown hair is a timeless tone that feels effortless yet refined and polished. It’s a warm base with seamless dimension of honey, caramel and amber tones—the perfect blend of brunette and blonde,” says celebrity hairstylist Brendetta Ashley, who notes the key is that the warmth is controlled so it doesn’t read too warm or too ashy. Celebrity hairstylist Kadi Lee notes that part of the beauty of golden brown hair is that it can look fluid and sunlit while still retaining depth.

Hairstylist Wendy Burns says that, when done right, golden brown hair gives the appearance of being lit from behind by a candle. The warmth, dimension and richness are key, but the way light reflects off the hair is what often sets this shade apart, she adds. Color expert Gregory Patterson notes that it’s that baby bear fur color we’ve all become obsessed with. “It’s equal parts chocolate milk melted into a golden comb of honey. Swirl them together, and you have this medium-toned brown with lots of warm golden reflections,” says Patterson.

How to Get Golden Brown Hair

Lee recommends asking your colorist “for a golden chestnut brown—something warm, dimensional and reflective rather than flat or overly dark.” She recommends thinking “warmth layered with intention, dimension that feels seamless and shine that reads healthy and effortless. Focus on tone-on-tone highlights, keeping the shade variance to three shades at most.” She notes that if you’re covering gray, you should begin with a base that closely matches your natural color to maintain softness, longevity and an easier grow-out. “From there, you can build in subtle, delicate lowlights to create depth or opt for a warm gloss to enhance richness without over-processing the hair.”

Ashley suggests bringing photo examples and asking for a “golden brown that has dimension in it to reflect honey and caramel tones. You don’t want the result to be red or ashy; you want to go for a natural-looking dimension.” Patterson recommends using a permanent warm golden brown shade as the base “to lead the party, tend to any unwanted existing tones and cover gray. I would only apply this to the base and would brush it down with a detangling brush to diffuse the line and create an extended ‘root melt’ for a seamless color blend.” Then he would layer a golden brown demi-permanent shade all over the hair after the first color processes to add shine and deposit more golden color throughout. “This will help blend all of these tones together, creating a beautiful and harmonious color effect, and will help to refresh and deposit tone on the mid-lengths and ends of hair.”

Ashley likes to tone hair with a golden beige to maintain balance. She notes that Schwarzkopf Professional Igora Vibrance in 4 gives great results for golden brown hair “because its demi-permanent formula gently refines the tone while enhancing shine and preserving the natural depth of the base. With subtle adjustments, it’s a universally flattering color that can be customized for many different skin tones.” If you want to try creating the color at home, Burns recommends a combination of Schwarzkopf Keratin Color ($12) in Intense Cocoa, Berry Brown and Champagne Brown. Patterson suggests trying Wella Color Charm Permanent Liquid Hair Color ($10) or Demi-Permanent Cream Hair Color ($10).