25 Blonde Hair with Lowlights Examples For Gorgeous Dimension

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Move over, highlights. We’re ready for every hairstylist’s new friend — lowlights!

Blonde hair with lowlights is invading our Instagram feed, and we’re not complaining. In fact, we love seeing this trendy hair color technique, and we’re inspired to give it a try.

That’s because lowlights can add depth and dimension to otherwise dull and flat light hair.

Yes, this sounds similar to what highlights offer. But on blonde locks, lowlights look subtler and more natural than highlights. They give blonde hair a new look without a dramatic change.

And no matter which shade of blonde you have or plan to get, you’ll find that it pairs gorgeously with lowlights.

So continue reading to discover 25 different shades of blonde hair with lowlights and pick an inspiration for your next salon visit.

What Are Lowlights?

Lowlights are streaks of hair two to three shades darker than the base color. 

Much like contour makeup for the face, lowlights add dimension to your locks. They bring depth and richness to your blonde hair color.

Moreover, lowlights create an illusion of texture and movement, making the hair appear fuller.

If you have dyed blonde hair, lowlights also make your dark roots blend well with your blonde dye, making the overall color of your hair look polished but natural.

The application of lowlights in a salon is similar to doing highlights, where only select sections of the client’s hair are painted.

And although the two methods are considered opposites, they are usually combined. 

Stylists love painting blonde hair with brown highlights and lowlights for an effortlessly textured, voluminous look.

Do Lowlights Work for Blonde Hair?

Do blondes really have more fun? Sure, dyeing your locks blonde will get you more attention, but this color has its drawbacks.

For one, it’s high-maintenance, especially if you’re a natural brunette.

Aside from having to put your hair through bleaching, you’d also have to tone your hair to get rid of its brassiness and achieve a beautiful blonde.

And once you have the color you want, you can only enjoy it in its full glory for two to three weeks before dark roots and yellow tones begin to show.

So why bother? Well, because blonde is beautiful.

Besides, there are ways to combat the problems above, and one of those is lowlights.

Lowlights reduce the amount of work required in maintaining your blonde color because the dark shade readily blends with the growth of your natural dark-colored hair.

In addition, this shade can also be strategically placed to cover some parts of your hair that are more prone to yellowing.

With lowlights, blonde hair can be effortlessly gorgeous.

Hair Color for Lowlights on Blonde Hair: How to Choose

Going for brown lowlights and highlights is the easiest way to make your blonde locks look dimensional, breaking the monotony of the shade. 

This helps prevent your hair from looking as flat and depthless as it does with just a solid light color. 

Brown lowlights also look completely natural, especially if they’re close to your natural hair color.

But lowlights don’t always have to be brown.

When it comes to choosing colors for lowlights, blondes have it better because they have a light base color, which means they have a wider range of dark tones to choose from.

So you can try pairing different shades of blonde with lowlight colors like red, black, and even unnatural colors.

Just make sure that your lowlight tone complements your skin tone and the base color.

For instance, if you have a platinum or ash-blonde base that matches your cool skin tone, your lowlights should have a cool tone as well. Examples are ash brown and charcoal.

As for warm blondes that match warm undertones, stick to warm shades like chocolate or chestnut brown for your lowlights. 

For a natural-looking color, we recommend choosing a hair dye that’s no more than three shades darker than your base blonde.

Getting Lowlights on Blonde Hair

When going for lowlights, it’s best to have a professional do the job. After all, they’ve already the proper placement of lowlights to add beautiful dimension to your hair.

If you do your own lowlights, you might give yourself chunky dark streaks that look unpleasant.

Moreover, your stylist will be able to help you choose the right shade to blend with your blonde hair.

Overall, we believe that a professional hair colorist will help you achieve flawlessly gorgeous blonde hair with lowlights.

To give you a glimpse of how lowlights are done, check out this video from stylist Cassidy Alvarez.

25 Shades of Blonde Hair with Lowlights

We’ve rounded up images of how different blonde shades would look with lowlights. Check them all out and see which one you think would work for you.

1. Light Blonde

First up is light blonde with brown lowlights.

Light blonde is what we consider a level 9 to 10 blonde that gets close to platinum or white.

In this look, the cool, ash-brown shade for lowlights creates a nice contrast with the light blonde base, giving the bright strands a cooler tone.

What’s more, the face is beautifully framed with a lighter, almost platinum money piece.

2. Medium Blonde

How about something a bit darker? Go for medium blonde hair with brown lowlights instead. Medium blonde may vary from warm hues like honey to cool tones like ash.

As you can see in our example, the brown lowlights applied on the medium blonde base are so subtle, you’d think they’re just shadows created by the strands.

3. Dark Blonde

For those with brown hair transitioning to something lighter, this shade of blonde is perfect. The color of your locks still looks naturally dark but appears a little brighter.

It’s a great transition color that can be complemented by lowlights for added texture.

4. Honey Blonde

Taking inspiration from its name, this blonde resembles the warm and delicious color of honey. It’s a blend of light and dark golden blonde.

Honey blonde hair with light brown lowlights is a fabulous mix of warmth and elegance.

In the example above, the lowlights are also blended with light blonde balayage highlights to create a multidimensional honey-blonde look.

5. Pale Blonde

The pale-blonde shade is a warm version of platinum. It’s like you almost reached the lightest blonde, but you decided the unfinished color is better.

Pale blonde looks best with dark shadow roots and dark blonde lowlights.

6. Ash Blonde

A muted tone of blonde is ash blonde, which has cool tones of blue, purple, and silver.

The gorgeous smokey look above incorporates black lowlights into ash-blonde hair. This is an ideal combination for people who are transitioning to gray hair.

7. Light Ash Blonde

Another recommended color for gray blending is light ash blonde hair with dark lowlights. 

The name of this shade is pretty much self-explanatory. It’s a lighter variation of ash blonde.

In this look, the white hair is made less noticeable with a lighter ash base and added sandy blonde highlights.

8. Dark Ash Blonde

If you can’t let go of your dark hair yet, you can also try dark ash blonde, a cool shade of ash blonde that’s closer to a charcoal color.

This dark ash blonde hair has black root melts, dark brown lowlights, and face-framing pale-blonde highlights. Talk about a multidimensional style!

9. Platinum Blonde

On the contrary, if you’re aiming for something totally bright, then platinum blonde is the way to go.

It’s a very light color that would need the highest level of bleaching. It can be icy cool or a bit warm.

Once you’ve achieved platinum blonde hair, you can update it with brown lowlights. The subtle lowlights are a great way to add dimension to your almost-white locks.

10. Natural Blonde

There are very few people who are born with naturally blonde hair. If you’re one of them, consider yourself lucky because you don’t have to bleach your hair to get this light hair shade.

And if you’re a brunette, well, you can still achieve this color by pre-bleaching your hair and then dyeing it with a product like the Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Color Creme in Macadamia 90 Light Natural Blonde.

This shade of blonde can look healthier and more beautiful with light brown highlights.

11. Vanilla Blonde

Light or dark brown lowlights in blonde hair are made exceptionally cooler with a vanilla blonde base — a creamier twist on platinum blonde.

Try this shade if you have a fair to medium complexion with cool undertones.

12. Beige Blonde

Another blonde color you can try is beige blonde. It‘s a neutral color, which means it’s neither warm nor cool, so it’s ideal for all skin tones.

However, you can make it cooler by painting your beige blonde with brown lowlights in cool shades or a tad warmer by adding warm brown lowlights.

13. Caramel Blonde

Of course, we also have the best blonde shade for medium to deep skin tones: the lusciously sweet caramel blonde.

It’s a warm shade that combines golden, honey, and amber tones.

As if that combination of colors weren’t enough to dazzle, the look is made more multidimensional and natural looking with brown lowlights.

14. Sandy Blonde

What about something light and easy on the eye? Try sandy blonde, a shade that’s close to natural blonde. 

Then add brunette lowlights to sandy blonde hair for a richer look.

15. Champagne Blonde

Bubbly or champagne blonde is similar to beige blonde but with a mixture of golden and pink tones.

That beautiful blend makes this shade a neutral color so it’s perfect for most skin tones and any darker shade of lowlights.

16. Golden Blonde

This classic shade glimmers beautifully under the sun. And because it’s a strong warm color, it can give life to even cool skin undertones. It’s no wonder this shade is so beloved!

Plus, adding brown lowlights to golden blonde hair gives the timeless shade a modern vibe.

17. Dishwater Blonde

You might be familiar with dirty blonde hair. Now, meet its sister, dishwater blonde. It’s a dirty, mousy shade of blonde that has an ashy tone.

You can make it cooler or warmer, depending on your lowlights. Go for ash-brown lowlights to achieve the latter and golden-brown lowlights to achieve the former.

18. Strawberry Blonde

When you see a hair color and can’t tell if it’s red or blonde, it’s most probably strawberry blonde.

This shade is a blend of blonde and light red tones. It’s commonly mistaken for ginger, but the strawberry blonde is lighter and softer.

We love this reddish-blonde shade goes really well with brown lowlights and pale blonde highlights.

19. Ice Blonde

This is similar in lightness to platinum, but the difference is ice blonde doesn’t have a bright, pearly tone. Instead, it harnesses hints of blue and violet.

Pair ice blonde with light gray lowlights for a completely chilly look.

20. Mushroom Blonde

This shade of blonde resembles the color of its namesake.

It’s not the red mushroom with white dots that you often see in drawings, though. Mushroom blonde is closer to the color of shiitake mushrooms — a cool-toned, muted brown.

Mix it up with ash-blonde and ash-brown highlights for a dimensional modern blonde color.

21. Copper Blonde

Opt for a lighter version of the vibrant copper shade: copper blonde. It still has a red hue but also has more golden undertones.

Fuse your copper-blonde hair with reddish-brown lowlights for added depth to your locks.

22. Buttery Blonde

Another new blonde shade we’re loving is buttery blonde. It’s a medium blonde with a mix of warm and cool tones for the highlights and lowlights.

The result? Hair that’s full of movement.

23. Pearl Blonde

In the middle of platinum and ash lies pearl, a soft and bright shade of blonde. This extra light blonde hue features subtle violet and mauve tones.

When paired with dark brown lowlights, this hair color will give your hair body and texture.

24. Chocolate Blonde

Get that sweet creamy goodness with chocolate blonde hair. It’s a warmer, more luscious version of dark blonde hair that’s close to light brown.

Brown lowlights and pale blonde highlights can make chocolate-blonde hair look like a swirly milk chocolate bar.

25. Silver Blonde

The last on our list of blonde shades is silver blonde. It’s been around for ages but won’t go away soon, thanks to its stylish and sophisticated appeal.

This pale blonde with metallic cool hues is made even better with gray lowlights that are concentrated at the roots.

FAQS About Blonde Hair with Dark Lowlights

How Do You Care for Blonde Hair with Lowlights?

The first thing you should do after having your hair dyed is to stock up on color-safe hair products. Your regular shampoo just won’t do.

We suggest using sulfate-free shampoo once or twice a week and purple shampoo every week or two.

You’ll also need deep conditioner to make sure your blonde mane is healthy. Remember, the more damaged your hair is, the easier for the color to fade.

That’s why you should use a deep conditioning product once a week.

Also, choose one with a formula packed with natural ingredients, moisture, and protein to nourish your strands. This is especially important if you’ve bleached your hair.

We recommend the L’Oreal Paris Ever Pure Signature Masque, which is designed to revitalize dyed hair with vegan protein. 

Lastly, take measures to protect your hair color from fading due to styling and environmental factors like heat and pollution.

Use protective serum like the Joico K-Pak Color Therapy Luster Lock Multi-Perfector Spray.

Are Lowlights Damaging?

Just like any other hair dye technique, lowlights can change your hair structure in some way, be it big or small.

However, lowlights are less damaging than highlights. That’s because there’s no need to lighten the strands using bleach.

Furthermore, if your stylist uses permanent dye to create lowlights on your hair, they’d likely use only a low-volume developer. This is because your lowlights will likely be darker in color than your blonde hair.

It’s even better if they use semi-permanent dye because this type of dye only deposits onto the strands and does not penetrate the hair shaft. 

Plus, most semi-permanent dyes are conditioner-based with vegan formulas.

So lowlights done with semi-permanent dye will cause minimal to no damage to your hair.

Can Lowlights Cover Gray Hair?

Yes, lowlights can cover gray hair.  Because they’re dark in color, which means they can effectively conceal gray or white strands. That’s why lowlights are perfect for gray blending.

Get Blonde Hair with Lowlights

A solid blonde color has a tendency to look flat, especially if you have straight hair or fine hair. If you have this problem, lowlights are a perfect way to spruce up your blonde tresses.

With the right placement and the perfect shade of blonde to complement your skin tone, you can make your hair look amazing with lowlights.

We hope you’ve found inspiration from the different blonde shades with lowlights featured above, so you can try the look for yourself!

Looking for More Hair Color Ideas?

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• The 7 Best Purple Hair Dyes for Dark Hair
• 15 Green and Black Hairstyles You’ll Love