23 Dark Hair with Highlights For 2026

You adore how dark hair with highlights looks online, but in real life, the results can be dangerous, with lackluster color, orange tones, Or highlights that hardly.

You want to seem younger and fresher, but you don’t want to hurt yourself, feel bad, or be disappointed by another salon.

In this article, I will show you 23 amazing Dark Hair With Highlights ideas for women you can try right away in 2026.

What Hair Highlights Look Younger?

When highlights make your face brighter, not just the ends, they look younger. Soft, warm colors like caramel or honey that frame your face make your skin look fresh.

Don’t use drab ash or brassy orange; they both make you look older quickly.

To keep the color bright and not tired, be sure to refill the toner on time and keep the contrast gentle and blended.

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Does Dark Brown Hair Look Good With Blonde Highlights?

Yes, but only if the blonde is picked and put in the appropriate area. When you mix soft blonde with dark brown.

The hair seems brighter and more dimensional, not harsh. If you go too light or too stripey, it will quickly seem old and brassy.

Dark brown hair with blonde highlights looks new, current, and attractive if you maintain the blonde blended, warm, and largely around the face.

Soft Layered Waves

Fresh softness changes everything here the long layers fall in clean waves with cool ash-brown highlights that move naturally through the mid-lengths and ends.

This design looks best on round, oval, and heart-shaped faces because the parts that frame the face make the cheeks look slimmer while maintaining the length long.

To get this look again, ask your stylist for long, blended layers with gentle balayage and dark roots to add depth.

Face-Frame Layers

Light hits the front first with this one the soft caramel pieces around the face lift the whole look without touching the roots. 

This is excellent if your hair is heavy around your cheeks or jaw and you want fast brightness without getting complete highlights.

Request long curtain-style facial layers with blended caramel balayage that stays dark at the top. 

Ash Balayage

Cool tones steal the spotlight here the ash highlights melt through the mid-lengths and ends without lifting the roots too light. 

If you want a modern, clean look without any brass, this style is perfect, especially on dark brown hair.

Tell your hairdresser you want cool-toned balayage with delicate blending and little contrast.

Cool Brunette Waves

Soft contrast does the heavy lifting here the cool-toned brunette highlights sit cleanly through the waves and keep the base rich and deep. 

If you want dimension that looks polished for work but still soft for everyday use, this is the best way to get it.

If you want cool balayage on dark brown hair with long, blended waves, ask for it. To keep the color bright, not drab, use a medium curling wand.

Warm Brunette Blend

Soft warmth makes this one feel instantly wearable the caramel-toned highlights flow through the mid-lengths and ends without lifting the roots too light. 

This is the easiest way to get movement in your hair without going completely blonde if your dark hair feels lifeless.

For a rich look, ask for warm balayage with long layers and a thick crown. Use a smoothing lotion and loose waves to make the color changes look shiny.

Soft Money Pieces

Light pulls attention forward here the brighter strands around the face lift the whole look without changing the dark base.

This works best if your hair is heavy in the front and you want to brighten it up straight away without getting full highlights.

Request soft money pieces with mixed blonde on dark brown hair, leaving the roots alone. Use loose waves to style so the contrast doesn’t look too sharp.

Rose Peekaboo Waves

A soft blush glow sneaks through the lengths here, adding personality without overpowering the dark base. 

This is the perfect option if you want a fun pop that you can wear every day. You can ask for rose-gold or dusty copper peekaboo highlights to be put behind the top layers.

This way, the color will only show up as the hair moves. Use a curling wand to keep the waves loose so that the concealed tones show up organically instead of loudly.

Soft Lob Waves

Movement takes the lead here the medium-length lob gets life from subtle caramel ribbons that break up the dark base without strong contrast. 

If your long hair seems heavy or flat and you want something lighter but still easy to style, this is the ideal option.

Use a diffuser to dry your hair or a flat iron to twist it for loose, natural bends that reflect the color change without looking like you styled it on purpose.

Side-Sweep Layers

Soft direction changes the whole mood here the deep side part lets the cool brunette highlights roll forward and frame one side of the face with natural depth. 

If your portion normally looks flat or your front layers never merge well, this is the best way to do it. 

Request long layers with a side-swept fringe and low-contrast balayage that is near to your base color. 

Caramel Flow

Light bends through the waves here in a soft ribbon pattern that keeps the dark base rich while warming up the entire length. 

This works best on hair that is medium to long and you want dimension without a lot of contrast. 

Use a large curling iron to set the curls, and then let them cool before brushing them so that the highlight flow stays smooth and not streaky.

Red Money Frame

Bold color hits right at the front here, creating instant contrast without touching the full head. 

If you want a big change but yet want to preserve your dark base, this is the best way to go.

Request bright red money pieces with darker red peekaboo tones underneath, and leave the rest of your hair natural.

Glossy Brunette Waves

Shine does most of the work here the deep brunette base carries soft caramel balayage that only shows when the waves move. 

This style is great for everyday wear or business situations if you want a lot of color with a little bit of depth.

Request low-contrast balayage on dark brown hair with long layers and a neat, blended front and use a big curling iron and a drop of hair oil to finish off. 

Smoky Bronde Blend

Depth stays rich at the crown while the soft bronde melt keeps the front looking bright and balanced. 

This is the best way to have a younger glow without going completely blonde or making your skin tone look washed out.

Request long face-framing layers of cool-beige balayage on dark brown hair, with the color mixed close to the root.

Caramel Contour

Warm ribbons pull light right through the length, giving the waves depth without breaking the dark base. 

This is excellent for hair that is medium to long and you want it to be bright but yet look professional for everyday wear.

Ask for caramel balayage that starts at the cheeks and goes down, with a rich crown. Add some loose waves and a few sprays of gloss spray to finish off the look. 

Holiday Peekaboo

Festive color hides beneath the dark waves here, flashing deep red and emerald green only when the hair moves. 

This is the easiest way to get a bold personality without having to wear bright colors all the time.

Ask for peekaboo panels to be put behind the top layers so that the crown stays black and natural.

Wavy Collarbone Cut

Soft movement lifts the whole look here the collarbone length keeps things light while warm caramel highlights brighten the front without overpowering the dark base.

This style is great for people with long hair who want to be able to style it any way they like but find it heavy or hard to manage.

Request a blunt-to-soft bob with waves that are layered and highlights that frame your face.

Sunlit Brunette

Morning light brings this color to life the soft beige-caramel ribbons catch right through the front and open up the face without breaking the dark base.

This is the greatest way to get bright hair without seeming too highlighted if you have long, layered hair.

To preserve depth, ask for light balayage that frames your face and has blended mids and darker roots.

Copper Curtains

Copper lines slide through the front layers here, adding warmth without lifting the whole head. 

This is the finest way to get brilliant colors that frame your face while keeping your black base rich and deep.

Request delicate copper highlights around your face with lengthy layers that shape your hair and keep the sides a little feathered.

Feathered Fronts

Volume shifts forward in this one the front layers lift away from the face while soft caramel ribbons melt through the dark base. 

This works best if your hair seems thick or fatigued at the front because of flat roots. Request long, feathery layers with balayage that is integrated around the face.

Lift the front with a round brush and arrange the rest with loose waves to keep the brightness light and not heavy.

Bright Face Frame

Soft blonde panels pull light straight and the front here, giving the whole face lifted, and the fresh look without touching the dark base. 

This works best if your length already feels heavy and you only want brightness where it appears.

Ask for money pieces that are bold but mixed with a darker root melt so that the grow-out stays delicate. 

Silver Smoke Ribbons

Cool shimmer sneaks through the waves here, giving dark hair a smoky, high-contrast edge without turning harsh. 

This works best if warm highlights always make you seem orange and you require true brass control.

Request fine ash-silver balayage painted across the middle and ends of your hair, with the roots blending into your natural black base.

Blonde Veil

The soft brightness on top of the dark base here makes the face look lighter without making the whole head blonde.

This works best if your features look dull because of the dark color and you want a soft lift instead of a strong contrast.

Request tiny chunks of money mixed into lengthy waves, and keep the crown dark to add depth and use loose waves to style your hair so that the light strands move around.

Striped Brunette

It is a clean contrast all the way through this style. The fine blonde ribbons cut through the dark base without making the whole appearance light.

This works best if solid brunette looks flat and you want some texture without going all the way to balayage.

Request micro-foiled highlights that are equally spread over long layers, while leaving the root depth alone.

FAQs

Will highlights ruin dark hair?

Highlights only hurt your hair when they raise it too quickly, too lightly, or too often. Dark hair stays strong if you space out your sessions, make the contrast true.

Bleach that overlaps is what breaks most hair, not the highlights themselves. Always tell your hairdresser if you color your hair before they start.

How often should dark hair with highlights be retouched?

Every 8 to 10 weeks, you should refresh your face-framing and money items. If the root blend maintains soft, full balayage can last for 4 to 6 months.

If you touch up too quickly, damage gets worse. The color loses shape if you wait too long. To keep the shine without having to lift it again, change the gloss every 6 to 8 weeks.