There are hundreds of colors and hues to choose from on the hair color spectrum. Every hair color is unique and suits people differently, so how do you know what works best for you? With all of the choices, it can be hard to settle on just one option, especially one that compliments your particular look. One pro tip to get you started is to match your hair color with your skin tone.

Determining Your Skin Tone

To start, there are three main skin tones: cool, warm and neutral. Unsure of what your skin tone is? No worries! Here are a few tips to help you out:

  1. Look for specific colors in your skin. If you check the colors in your wrist and see purple or blue veins, your skin is probably a cooler tone. If you see green veins, then you probably have got a warmer skin tone. You can also check by looking at your eyes. If you have gold specs, it can mean you have warm undertones, whereas blue specs can point to cooler tones.
  2. Determine what looks best on you. If springtime colors are more appealing on you, then you’re likely more prone to cooler and lighter hues. On the other hand, if autumn or winter colors look better with your skin, a warmer or richer hair color will most likely compliment you better.
  3. Follow the gold and silver jewelry rule. Gold jewelry typically pairs well with warm colors and silver jewelry often compliments cooler tones well.
  4. Go old school. When you truly can’t decide, sticking with your natural hair color, or a variation of it, will generally be what looks best on you. If you were a towhead as a kid, it’ll probably still look good on you now!

 

Keep it Cool

If you’ve got a cooler undertone, then you would look good with a darker, cool brunette hair color. Beige and neutral undertones would also compliment you nicely. Colored highlights pair best if you are fair-skinned. The reason being that you typically don’t want to have a stark contrast between your skin and hair. For example, if you have a fair or pink undertone, you wouldn’t want an ashy hair color because it could make you look even more pink.

Does your skin look similar to Lupita Nyong’o or Nicole Kidman? Then, cool is your skin tone!

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Neutral Playing Field

While all tones are gorgeous, people with neutral skin tones are special because they can pull off either warm or cool hair colors. This lucky bunch has a variety of colors to choose from, but that can the choices even more difficult to determine. For instance, going strawberry blonde is an option if you’re looking for a red shade, but a cool black can also go well with neutral tones. Both of these colors can be either dramatic or soothing depending on your complexion and the exact look you want. Good examples of those with neutral skin tones would be Jennifer Anniston or Kerry Washington.

 

Warm it Up

 Finally, for those if you who have warmer undertones, a more drastic contrast looks great with your skin type. Brunettes should go for a cooler brown, richer, chocolate brown, or gold. If you’re a blonde with warm undertones, then stick with the richer, darker shades. Balayage can be a great compliment with this tone too! Pull inspiration from celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian.

These are just a few tips and tricks to help determine the best hair color for you. If you are still struggling to decide what will work best, scrolling through photos on Pinterest can help inspire you, but the best option is to ask your hair stylist. It can be overwhelming to figure out the right color when you factor in all of your physical attributes and lifestyle choices, but our stylists are here to give you a professional opinion of what colors to avoid and what colors will look best on you. Contact us today to book a color consultation!

 

A huge thank you to our Level 3 Elite stylist, Kate McAlister, for these awesome hair tips. Follow her work on Instagram at @katemcalisterhair.