Looking for a natural-looking hair color to upgrade your look from drab to fab?
If you’re all about making a statement that oozes class and style, then honey caramel brown hair color is for you.
This trend is set to be huge this year, so we’ve gathered together ten of our favorite looks to help make sure you stay ahead of the curve.
We’ll provide plenty of styling inspiration – whether it’s bold colors or subtle highlights – plus tips on how best maintain this timeless hue
The undertones in this shade can range from reddish to golden blond and it’s an incredibly low maintenance choice compared to other highlights or ombres.
Here are 10 different ways you can rock this look this year: standout ideas with endless styling possibilities. Ready to hone in on a new hue? Let’s do this!
What shade is honey caramel hair color?
Honey caramel hair color is a warm, golden-brown shade inspired by the delicious sweetness of honey, and the rich, creamy tones of caramel.
This shade is a modern take on traditional caramel brown with golden honey tones woven throughout for a brighter, sunnier look.
It’s a stunning hue for adding a touch of warmth to light brown or blonde hair, or can be layered on top of darker bases for a more dramatic effect.
We love it because it’s so incredibly versatile – it works well on all skin tones, and can be customized to suit your natural coloring.
Whether you’re going for a subtle sun-kissed effect or a bold and dramatic transformation, honey caramel hair color is sure to make you feel like a queen!
10 Honey Caramel Brown Ideas
If you’re looking for a way to add some rich, sweet sophistication to your style, honey caramel brown is the perfect choice. Here are 10 ideas for easy ways you can rock this look:
#1. Honey Caramel Highlights
If you want to add little bit of honey caramel love to your hair, highlights are the way to go.
This will add a subtle pop of color without overwhelming your natural locks or going too light. Opt for thin highlights or babylights that are placed at the front of your hair to frame your face in a flattering way.
Vibe: Imagine the warmth of golden hour captured in your hair. It’s that perfect blend of sun-kissed and sultry, giving off major “I woke up like this” energy.
Suits: This shade is a dream for those with warm or neutral undertones. Whether you’re a natural brunette looking to add some dimension or a blonde wanting to go a bit deeper, honey caramel brown has got you covered.
Maintenance: Medium. To keep that luscious hue from fading, invest in a sulfate-free shampoo and a color-depositing conditioner. A gloss treatment every 6-8 weeks can also keep things vibrant.
Pro Tip: Opt for a balayage technique to achieve a natural, low-maintenance look. It grows out beautifully and adds that extra oomph without the constant salon visits.
#2. Warm Caramel Brown Hair
Caramel brown is the color for those who already have light locks.
The warm caramel brown will add depth and dimension to your hair without drastically changing your natural color. Plus, it’s a low-maintenance color that’s perfect for the busy gal on-the-go.
Vibe: Cozy and chic—like your favorite latte, but for your strands.
Suits: Made for light brunettes or darker blondes with warm or olive undertones.
Maintenance: Low. This one fades gracefully, and the depth it adds to lighter hair is super forgiving.
Pro Tip: Add a gloss treatment every couple months to keep the warmth rich and salon-fresh.
#3. Cinnamon Brown Hair
Cinnamon brown is a spicy addition for those who want to add a little bit of red to their locks.
The cinnamon brown color will add warmth and richness to your hair, so it’s best suited to those with warm skin tones.
Vibe: Bold with a spicy twist—subtle red undertones give it that “ooh, what’s different?” effect.
Suits: Gorgeous on warm complexions with golden or peachy undertones.
Maintenance: Medium to high. Reds fade faster, so keep a color-depositing mask on hand for a quick refresh.
Pro Tip: Go for a single-process color if you want major impact or soft lowlights if you’re easing into the spice life.
#4. Honey Caramel Balayage
Balayage is a low-maintenance hairstyle that’s still very on-trend.
The honey caramel balayage is more a subtle, natural-looking change thanks to painted-on highlights that are customized by your stylists or colorist just for you.
The honey caramel will add richness to your locks while the balayage technique will ensure it blends seamlessly into your hair.
Vibe: Effortless glam that says “I woke up like this…with great hair.”
Suits: All undertones, but especially stunning on those with warm or neutral skin.
Maintenance: Low. Balayage grows out softly and needs fewer touch-ups than traditional highlights.
Pro Tip: Blend in a few golden pieces around your hairline for that year-round beachy vibe.
#5. Sun-Kissed Caramel Brown Hair
This shade is full-on summer. The sun-kissed balayage highlights will give your hair a natural-looking glow. Blend with caramel blonde for a chilled bronde or sombre vibe.
Vibe: Beach babe energy in a bottle—think “just got back from vacation” all year long.
Suits: Best for blondes and light brunettes with warm skin tones.
Maintenance: Medium. A purple shampoo once a week keeps brass at bay and the glow going strong.
Pro Tip: Ask your colorist for a “sombre” blend—softer and more natural than classic ombre.
#6. Honey Caramel Ombre
Ombre is the two-toned style that just keeps on giving. Honey caramel brown ombre is an easy way to try out a new color without fully committing.
Start with Caramel brown at the roots and transition to caramel blonde at the ends of your strands for a classic ombre effect.
Vibe: Drama meets low effort—dark roots melt into sunlit ends like it’s no big deal.
Suits: Great for medium to dark brunettes who want to keep their roots natural but still switch it up.
Maintenance: Low. Just tone the ends occasionally and let the grow-out do its thing.
Pro Tip: If you’re nervous about bleach, go for a demi-permanent caramel gloss to test the waters first.
#7. Caramel Brown with Blonde Highlights
Keep your natural color as your base and add some depth and dimension with honey caramel brown highlights. This style will add warmth and shine to any length or texture of hair.
Vibe: High-gloss glam that still feels lived-in and effortless.
Suits: Fantastic on all hair types, especially brunettes with golden or olive skin tones.
Maintenance: Medium to high. Keep a toner handy and a deep conditioner in rotation to preserve that shine.
Pro Tip: Get money-piece highlights up front to brighten your whole face and fake a full glow-up.
#8. Dark Honey Caramel Brown Hair
Add some darker tones to your honey caramel brown hair for a modern and edgy look.
This style involves blending honey caramel brown with cool dark tones for a unique color combo. Go for this if you have dark hair like brunette, dark brown or black.
Vibe: Sophisticated edge meets warm glow—it’s caramel with a cool-girl twist.
Suits: Perfect for darker hair bases and medium to deep skin tones.
Maintenance: Medium. The contrast means you’ll need to tone every 4–6 weeks to stay golden, not muddy.
Pro Tip: Go for a root smudge to blend the transition and buy more time between touch-ups.
#9. Dark Chocolate with Caramel Highlights
If you’re already a dark brunette, a chocolate brown base with some caramel highlights is a great way to switch up your look without making too drastic of a change.
Your natural color can also the base, while warm honey and golden tones add dimension and texture.
Vibe: Luxe and dimensional—like velvet for your hair.
Suits: Brunettes who want to dip a toe into caramel without losing their depth. Ideal for cool to neutral undertones.
Maintenance: Low to medium. These highlights are low-key and easy to refresh with a toner.
Pro Tip: Add soft face-framing caramel lights for a bit of brightness without the commitment of a full head.
#10. Honey Caramel Brown Balayage
Add some playfulness to your hair with this style featuring long, wispy bangs and a honey caramel brown balayage. Wispy bangs combined with this lighter shade will give you a youthful and fresh hairstyle.
Vibe: Youthful, playful, and Instagram-ready. The combo of balayage and bangs is peak effortless-chic.
Suits: Universally flattering—this style adapts beautifully to almost any skin tone or hair type.
Maintenance: Medium. Bangs need trims, and balayage needs a refresh every couple months.
Pro Tip: Use a round brush when blow-drying bangs to keep them bouncy and match that soft, caramel swirl in the rest of your hair.
What hair color is caramel brown?
Caramel brown hair is the perfect balance of warm and cool tones, creating a stunning multi-dimensional look.
It’s a beautiful blend of golden and honey hues with lowlights of a darker, richer brown.
Right now it’s a versatile and trendy option for those who want a change to their hair without going too extreme.
Caramel brown hair can be worn straight or curly and looks great on any skin tone. With its effortless, natural look, it’s no wonder that caramel brown hair is all over Instagram right now.
What hair color is honey brown?
Honey brown is a creamy, caramel hue with golden undertones.
It’s not as dark or ashy as caramel brown can be so it’s a good choice for medium blondes who want to add a golden tone to their natural coloring.
Redheads, you can rock this shade too. It looks fantastic with warm skin tones that to it’s bronze-red hue.
What skin tone suits caramel brown hair?
The good news is that caramel brown hair can look beautiful on both warm and cool skin tones!
Warm skin tones can enhance the warmth of the caramel hues, while cool skin tones can create a beautiful contrast.
The key is choosing the right shade of caramel that complements your skin tone the most.
If you have warm skin tones – try honey caramel, bronze caramel or golden brown.
And if you have cool skin tones – try ash caramel, mocha caramel or cinnamon brown. Then you can decide on the perfect shade of balayage with bangs to match!
If you’re not sure what undertones you have, just check out handy checklist below!
If you have cool undertones:
- Your skin tone is pink or pale.
- You blush easily!
- Jewel and pastel colors are so your thing.
- The color yellow washes you out and does not look good on you.
- You have blue not green veins in your wrist.
- Pearls and silver jewellery look awesome on you.
If you have warm undertones:
- You have red or golden tones in your natural hair.
- Your skin tone is golden, tan or olive.
- You might have freckles.
- You have green not blue veins in your wrist.
- You suit bright or rich shades better.
- Gold jewellery looks awesome on you.
Will I need to lighten my hair to get honey caramel brown?
Whether or not you’ll need to lighten your hair with bleach all depends on your current hair color – your base color.
Generally, if your hair is darker than a medium brown, you may need to lighten it first in order to achieve this warm and golden hue.
However, if your hair is already a light brown or blonde, you may be able to skip the lightening step.
The best thing to do is to consult with a professional hairstylist to determine the best approach for your hair type and desired look. They’ll help you to work out the best p.of.a for you.
How long will honey caramel brown hair last?
Honey caramel brown is a relatively low maintenance color. That means it doesn’t take much upkeep to keep it looking fresh.
How long it will last depends on things like how fast your hair grows, your lifestyle, how often you wash your hair and you general hair care routine.
But with most light brown colors, you can expect it to last around 6-8 weeks before you’ll need to get your color refreshed.
How to care for honey caramel brown hair.
Keep your honey caramel brown hair on point by giving it the love and care it deserves ot help it last longer.
Start with the basics: use a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner that won’t strip your hair of its natural oils and color.
Keep your locks moisturized by applying hair oil or serum regularly from the mid-shaft to ends.
Avoid heat styling as much as possible, but if you have to use a hot tool, use a heat protectant spray or cream beforehand.
Avoid swimming in chlorinated pools and keep your hair protected from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Follow these tips, and your honey caramel brown hair will be the envy of all your friends!
Parting words
Honey caramel brown hair color is the ultimate choice to freshen up your look and make a statement.
With its endless styling possibilities, this timeless hue provides you with low-maintenance sophistication that puts everyday glamour within reach.
Whether you’re aiming for a bolder look or some delicate highlights, there are plenty of options to suite any style preference.
With the right care and maintenance, you can rock honey caramel brown hair today and feel fabulous tomorrow! So why wait? Jump on board this trend as soon as possible – it’s set to be huge this year!
Found your perfect shade? We’d love to see it! Tag us on Instagram @coloredhaircare or Facebook and share your hair color stories. Looking for more hair care tips? Check out How to Look After Colored Hair: 11 Expert Secrets For Long-Lasting Color.
Our Research & Review Process
To ensure our recommendations are as comprehensive and reliable as possible, we’ve undertaken an extensive research effort.
We cite scientific evidence and journals, collect real user reviews and gather impartial perspectives from hair stylists, users, and experts in the field.
Additionally, we conduct hands-on testing by using products and applying hair dyes not only on our own locks but also on real human hair extensions and hair pieces of different hair type, textures and lengths.
This rigorous approach allows us to provide you with insights into which products genuinely live up to their promises.
As always – please consult with a professional hair colorist or stylist for advice on how to color your own hair at home. It’s different for everyone!
