Hair color makes your skin look vibrant and healthy--if you choose the right color that is. The wrong color choice makes a person's skin look washed out. The trick to choosing the right color is figuring out if you have a cool or warm skin tone. Once you have identified your skin tone, you will be able to choose a shade of color that will highlight the natural beauty of your skin.
Step 1
Decipher if have a warm or cool skin tone so that you know which shades of hair color will look good on you. If you have pale skin with pink undertones, you most likely have a cool skin tone. If your skin has peach or gold undertones, you most likely have a warm skin tone. Hairstylist David Evangelista suggested on the Early Show in 2006, looking at the veins on your wrists to determine if you have a cool or warm skin tone. Cool skin toned people tend to have blue veins and warm skin toned people tend to have green veins.
Step 2
Think about what color clothing looks best next to your skin. If you are unsure which of your clothes look the best next to your skin, stand in front of a mirror and hold various colored shirts near your face. If shades of blue, green or purple look good on you, a cool tone hair color will look good on you. If shades of red, orange or yellow look good on you, a warm tone hair color is your best choice.
Step 3
Choose a hair color based on your skin tone. Black, ash blondes, ash browns and platinum blondes generally look good on cool skin tones. Golden brown, golden blonde and warm reds typically look good on warm skin tones.
Step 4
Darken or lighten your hair within three shades of your natural hair color, for more natural looking results. If you want to change the color of your hair dramatically, seek advice from a professional hairstylist, preferably one who specializes in color. A professional colorist will evaluate your hair color and skin tone to determine how a dramatic change in hair color will look on you. Good Housekeeping suggests lightening your hair color by one shade, for a subtle change.
Step 5
Decide how much time you are willing to put into hair color maintenance. The farther away you go from your natural color, the more often you will have to recolor your roots. If you choose a hair color that is close to your natural hair color shade, your roots will not be as noticeable as they grow out, which allows you to wait longer before dying your hair again.
Tips and Warnings
- There are always exceptions to hair coloring rules. Some people are lucky and look good in both warm and cool hair color shades. If you want to try a color shade that is opposite of your skin tone, try on a wig first, to see how the color will look against your skin.
- Your hair color may not turn out the same color displayed on the box. Hair color is tricky--the end result color depends on a variety of factors, including if your hair has been previously dyed and the natural color of your hair. To be on the safe side, ask a hair color specialist for advice on which hair color to choose.
Things You'll Need
- Mirror
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