15 Chocolate Brown Hair Color Ideas: Find Your Sweetest Shade

Rich, glossy, medium chocolate brown hair is not only gorgeous, but versatile. It works on skin tones from light to dark, and can be sexy or exude girl-next-door charm. It makes a beautiful base for highlights or highlights on an even darker base, but shiny all-over color in this shade will also turn heads.

Looking to mix up your dark brown or black hair with some highlights, but not interested in taking any of your strands all the way to blonde? Chocolate brown looks natural and breaks up the darker color beautifully. Choosing this color for adding some spice to your hair is much less damaging than going with lighter shades. It will also make deeper skin tones glow.

With the right cut, chocolate brown is the only color needed for natural curls to be total attention-grabbers. Though medium brown doesn't sound that exciting, the edgy appeal shown here demonstrates how wrong that assumption can be.

There's something especially sultry about the combination of sleek chocolate hair, tan skin, a soft bronze smoky eye, and dark eyes. For hair this smooth, you'll need to spend some time with the flat iron, perhaps after spritzing on a leave-in treatment with keratin and using a blow dryer. Don't forget the shine spray when you're done.

Chocolate brown hair looks wonderful with fair skin, too. There's a stunning contrast, but the light-medium brown shade isn't as stark as darker brown or black dye. The effect can also be more youthful than some darker hair colors would be against pale skin.

Not a fan of extremes and love that adorable girl-next-door look? Chocolate brown hair done in a medium length with a few layers will be your best friend. Not too light, not too dark; not too short, not too long. Goldilocks might even trade in her signature 'do for this one because it's just right.

Soft, milk chocolate waves look romantic and effortless. If your hair isn't naturally wavy, you can curl your hair with a large barrelled curling iron, then run your fingers through the length to loosen the curls. An even easier option is to loosely braid your hair while it's damp, go to bed, wake up, and unravel it. Use volumizing shampoo and conditioner or spritz on a root spray for extra lift at the crown.

At first glance, the curls shown here may appear to be all one shade. Look closer, though, and you'll see how different shades of chocolate, from dark to light, work together to create visual interest without screaming, "Look at me!" This is perfect for the lady who wants something a little different but not shocking. The variation in brown shades works well against most skin tones.

Don't let blondes have all the fun. The sexy, carefree ombre effect is possible with chocolate brown hair, and you never have to touch blonde territory (good news, if blonde strands against your face tend to wash you out). Try this subtle chocolate ombre for hair color you may never have to touch up.

Chocolate brown hair takes on a beachy vibe when it's exposed to enough sunlight to lighten the ends to a bronze shade, especially when paired with a tan and natural waves or curls. Embrace it all-the humidity, the sun-and let your hair's natural beauty shine.

Chocolate brown hair takes on delicious warmth when there's just a hint of gold in it that shows up when the light hits just the right way. Ladies with neutral undertones in their skin will especially love this subtle shade enhancement.

When warm brown hair and defined brows meet the right skin tone, a lot of makeup isn't necessary to look polished and ready for anything from work to an outdoor adventure with old or new friends. Do put some effort into your hairstyle, whether you prefer straight, wavy, or curly, to keep from looking like you just rolled out of bed. Eyeliner and mascara are optional.

Other shades of brown and blonde aren't the only way to dress up brown hair. Dark chocolate locks look fierce with auburn highlights. Unless you're experienced with hair, leave this color change to the pros, especially if you think your hair will have to be lightened to get the shade of red you're hoping for. Otherwise, you could end up with a rusty color.

Sometimes you do just want that "I just rolled out of bed" look. It's sexy, carefree, casual, and romantic. Chocolate brown hair with grown-out lighter brown or blonde highlights really pulls this off. It implies you've got better things to do than worry about your hair, like spend time with someone special. In most cases, this look is best reserved for the weekends and comes from air-drying your hair and letting it do its thing with minimal product.

If you want to embrace the boho vibe and lighten up in the summer, go for it and be bold! Long chocolate brown hair makes a gorgeous base for silky ribbons of blonde and caramel. Let the sun naturally work its magic over the course of months or visit a salon for professional lightening (don't try this at home because you may end up with a brassy shade). Use a shine serum and let hair air-dry (sleeping in a loose braid is optional).

Whether you choose to use this gorgeous brown shade as your base, or use it as highlights in darker hair, there are numerous ways to create a look you love with this versatile color.