Sunset Brown Hair Is the Prettiest Twist on Brunette
Tired of maintaining highlights but looking for a way to spruce up your hair color this summer? Then consider sunset brown, a warm shade that’ll grow out softly and doesn’t take multiple treatments to achieve.
This auburn-ish tone is like brown sugar, but for hair: a happy medium between dark and light with just a hint of rosy glow. The key? Making things warmer, not brighter. As Rex Jimieson, colorist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, tells us, “Not everyone needs highlights or contrast. Go extra healthy with a warm brown demi-permanent.”
Jimieson says clients starting with darker hair should go up “about one and a half levels to get that natural warm tone.” He explains that embracing the warmth is not only super pretty, but takes less upkeep than ashy shades in the summer sun.
That’s right: no bleaching, no intense layering—just an overall shade that will pick up the light and make you look amazing. Jimieson advises that, if you like the color and want to keep it, you should “plan to touch up about every six weeks. But don’t fear: Your line of grow-out will be soft, as we are talking demi-permanent color.”
If you’re already making an appointment at the salon, then jot down Jimieson’s recommendation for what to ask your colorist for: “A muted warm brown demi-permanent color, no more than one and a half shades lighter than your real hair color. Often using a natural tone without any ash in it will reveal enough of your warm underlying pigment. So if the term ‘warm’ scares you, start with just a reduction in the use of ash tone.” Could not be simpler.
The overall effect is lighter and less dramatic than a dark shade, like iced espresso hair—but so much easier to maintain than even a subtle blonde look, like coconut candy hair. No more mixing highlights and lowlights; this is one shade to rule them all. Sunset brown!
