Choosing a new hair colour is exciting — but it can also feel overwhelming. Warm or cool? Dark or light? Highlights or a full colour? One of the most important factors in choosing the right hair colour is your skin tone. The right shade can make your eyes pop, warm up your complexion, and give you that effortless look. The wrong shade can wash you out or clash with your natural colouring. Here is how to get it right.
How to identify your skin tone
Skin tone is typically categorised as warm, cool, or neutral. A quick way to check: look at the veins on the inside of your wrist. If they appear green, you likely have a warm undertone. If they look blue or purple, you have a cool undertone. If it is hard to tell, you may be neutral — which is great news, as most shades work for you.
Best hair colours for warm skin tones
Warm skin tones — including golden, peachy, and olive complexions — are complemented by warm hair colours. Think: rich chestnuts, warm caramel balayage, golden blonde, copper, and honey highlights. These shades enhance the warmth in your skin rather than fighting it.
Best hair colours for cool skin tones
Cool skin tones — including rosy, pink-based, and bluish complexions — look stunning with cool-toned hair colours. Think: ash blonde, platinum, cool brown, burgundy, and icy highlights. These shades balance the pink or blue in your skin for a harmonious look.
Best hair colours for neutral skin tones
Neutral skin tones have the most flexibility — you can pull off both warm and cool shades, as well as blended tones like beige blonde, mocha brown, and natural-looking balayage. The key is balance: nothing too extreme on either end unless that is the look you are going for.
The golden rule: consult your colourist
While these guidelines are helpful, every person is different. Your colourist will consider your skin tone alongside your eye colour, natural hair colour, lifestyle, and maintenance preferences. At Bigoudee Coiffure, our colourists are trained to find the shade that makes you look and feel your best. Book a colour consultation at our Mount Lawley salon — call 08 9328 3244 or book online.