9 Hairstylists on How They’re Reinventing Brown Hair for Filipinos

Filipino hairstylists and L’Oréal Professionnel are reshaping how brown hair is seen, worn, and celebrated.

How do you create brown? In the science of color, it’s a low-intensity, composite color that appears when warm hues like red, yellow, or orange are combined with low brightness or saturation. For hairstylists, this translates to a careful balance of tones, adjusting warmth, and depth. It’s not just about mixing pigments, it’s about customizing light and shadow to create shades that enhance, flatter, and feel lived-in.

This shift in perception is driven by a generation of stylists who are personalizing the way brown is worn. Partnering with L’Oréal Professionnel, artists across the Philippines are using color tools such as Majifashion, iNOA, Dia, and techniques like French glossing and French balayage to craft browns that are modern, dimensional, and long-lasting. These interpretations are brought to life not only in salons but through creative works from emerging and established hair artists and professionals at the L’Oréal Digital Beauty Academy.

The new brown code

For emerging talents Dean Kwon, Melch Felarca, Nicole Santos, and Joseph Fantone, redefining brown as a Filipino hair color is rooted in personalization and precision.

“Brown has always fascinated me because it’s built from the fundamentals: magenta, cyan, and yellow, the very pigments at the core of hair color formulations,” shares Kwon of Tony and Jackey Salon. “That’s why brown feels so universal. It adapts, enhances, and connects.”

“What people don’t always see is that “brown” isn’t just one color. There are so many layers you can play with, mocha, ash, golden, chocolate, neutral, cool, [and] warm, the nuances are endless if you know how to customize for the client,” says Felarca of Michiko Salon, who uses strategic zone toning techninque (one that he calls underrated), placing different tones where light natural hits the hair for depth and dimension.

“There’s a common misconception that warm browns are too brassy or overpowering, but the truth is, warmth can be incredibly subtle,” says Santos of Koop Salon, adding that you can still have a cool-toned look with just a touch of gold or warmth woven in to give the hair and even skin a soft radiance.

For Fantone, owner of The Color Bar, it’s also about having a deeper knowledge of hair, using the color wheel strategically, and precision cuts. “This ensures not only depth and dimension, but also longevity of tone, preventing it from turning brassy over time, especially in our tropical climate.”

Brown, according to the experts

“It’s not a fallback, it’s a statement of self-love and pride in our natural beauty,” says Joseph Aballe of Joseph & Company Salon. “I’ve learned that hair color isn’t just about trends—it’s about making someone feel more like themselves.”

Cherry Reyes of Toni&Guy shares a similar perspective, believing that brown is most impactful when it’s done with polish and purpose. “It’s all about toning and glossing. Those two steps really help brown hair look rich and not flat. Also, not everything needs to be bleached; sometimes less is more.”

“I want my clients to feel polished, confident, and themselves,” she adds. For both Reyes and Aballe, longevity and hair health matter as much as aesthetics.

For Laura Charlton, creative director of David’s Salon, the key is strategic placement by exploring low lighting. “Since Asian hair is already dark, what is there to low light? But when the hair has been lightened, strategically placed lowlights, especially around the face, can add soft contrast and facial features.” She also highlights the importance of matching tone to undertone, to make a client glow.

Mehdi Moussaoui of La Provence takes a holistic approach. “There are fashion trends and there are clients who want to follow them, but I never forget to have a global vision before advising,” he says. This means considering skin complexion, clothing style, and haircut. He also emphasizes maintenance at home to prolong color. “The color is 50% of the result, and maintenance at home is also 50% in the long term.”

“Brown tones offer warmth and versatility,” says McGraw. “It’s timeless due to its natural appeal and adaptability to various skin tones, it’s the ultimate luxury for Filipinas and it’s also an endless palette for L’Oréal Pro stylists.”

Photographs by GAB VILLAREAL and RENZO NAVARRO. Art Direction and written by CHRISTINA ZABAT. Styling by NEIL DE GUZMAN, assisted by TICIA ALMAZAN. Makeup by BYRON VELASQUEZ. Hair by DEAN KWON, MELCH FELARCA, NICOLE SANTOS, JOSEPH FANTONE, MATT LEDESMA, and the L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL STYLISTS. Sittings Editor JOYCE OREÑA. Multimedia artist LARA CASTAÑEDA. Account manager YASSI CENTENO. Project implemented by ESAB RAYMUNDO.