How to choose the best hair colour for your skin tone

Choosing your next hair colour is no easy feat, do you go lighter, darker, a different colour all together? Then you have to consider the spectrum of tones that exist within each colour. Do you pick ice blonde, ash blonde? And just to top it off, when you finally find a colour, you have to check that it will actually suit you, rather than washing you out *kisses ice blonde dreams goodbye*.

Quite frankly, it’s exhausting. But it helps when you have basic knowledge of what cool and warm hair shades actually look like, as well as an understanding of your skin's colouring. That’s why we’ve put together a handy colour guide to help you on your way. So go crazy girl, become that blonde bombshell or that fiery redhead that you’ve always dreamed of.

Identify your skin tone

To uncover your undertones, look at your wrists. If you see blue or purple veins, that’s an indicator that your skin tone is cool. If you see greenish-looking veins, then your skin has warm undertones. For those that see both, you’re most likely neutral, lucky devils.

If you’re still unsure, here’s a little trick to try. Put in silver earrings or a silver necklace and look in the mirror, then switch to gold. What colour looks better? Cooler skin tones look more radiant in silver, but gold jewellery pops against warm skin.

Now that you’ve identified your skin’s undertones, you can pick a colour that will suit you. A good rule of thumb to follow is to choose a colour that is opposite to your undertones. So warm skin tones should pick cooler colours and vice versa.

So what colour should you go for?

Cool blonde

Platinum, ice, silver, ash, sand, beige, champagne

These shades are great on porcelain skinned gals (and guys) with reddish undertones, since those icy hues tend to neutralise redness. They also look fab if you have warm skin with warm undertones.

Warm blonde

Gold, caramel, honey, butterscotch

​Fair skin with cool undertones looks better with warm tones. We’re thinking strawberry blondes, copper, honey, and gold. These colours also tend to be better for those with olive or deep skin.

Cool red

Red, dark auburn, burgundy

Red is a really great option if you have pale skin with red in it. Those with warm, peachy complexions will also see their skin pop with cooler, auburn reds.  

Warm red

Strawberry blonde, copper, amber

Strawberry blonde colours are great on fair and neutral skin tones. A light, warm red colour counteracts cool tones in pale skin. If you have deep skin and you’re wanting to become a red head, opt for a cooler, brown-tinged auburn instead.

Cool brown

Dark chocolate, chestnut, dark auburn, mocha

It's pretty hard to go wrong with brown as it’s very flattering for most skin types but cooler browns look particularly striking on those with warm skin. For those with deeper skin, lightening from black to deep mocha brown can look really gorgeous.

Warm brown

Caramel, honey, golden brown, amber, mahogany

If you have medium skin, picking one of these colours that contrasts with your complexion will look amazing. Caramel brown shades look best with skin tones on the lighter side of olive, with a bit more yellow and green tones to them. These colours look really beautiful on a base or roots that are naturally dark.

Cool black

True black, espresso, blue-black, Liquorice

Just like everything, black comes in all kind of shapes and sizes (well just colours, but you get the drift). Different tones of black look completely different and suit different people. A cooler shade can be a tad harsh on those with fair, cool skin, but for those with warmer or neutral undertones, it has a dramatic, porcelain effect on the complexion. The same applies to olive skin.

Warm black

Dark mocha, brown-black

Cool blacks look great on deep skin, but adding chocolatey tones is a flattering way to warm it up. Those with fair, cool skin who really want to go dark should opt for a warm black, rather than something cooler.

All the colours of the rainbow

For rainbow or unicorn hair, there is no rule. We fully encourage you to be as crazy as you possibly can and let your creativity shine through. Darker skin tends to look washed out if paired with paler shades, while saturated hues enhance deeper skin tones. Just remember that these colours will fade quicker so make sure you are armed with good quality, colour protecting products.

If you’re still unsure, pop in for a free consultation.