Bad hair color can happen to good people — yes, even in 2023. Even though we know oodles more than we did forty years ago when it comes to hair color science and various highlighting and low lighting techniques, your favorite salon hair colorist may be too kind hearted to tell you the truth: that color you’re coveting just isn’t the one for you.
In truth, you may not be able to tell right away that your color is all wrong. It isn’t until you find the right color that you begin to make sense of why your past hair colors didn’t work out for you. There may be something off about your color — it brings out shadows on your face or makes your skin look sallow or shows the redness in your cheeks. Whatever the case, keep in mind: a great color should complement you, not make you have to work harder with makeup and clothing to look great.
Here are five unflattering hair colors to say good-bye to in 2023 because they can look dated.
Colors That Work Against Your Skin Tone
It takes a lot for Kim Kardashian to look like slightly less than a million bucks. And even though she still looks fantastic, the golden blonde she has been spotted recently sporting makes her look a bit like a different person. Chalk this up to the fact that Kim has cool undertones (yes, despite having a more “tanned” complexion). Those cooler undertones call for an equally cool color similar to her natural neutral dark brunette. But when you pair a sunnier blonde with gold in it against her skin, it makes her not stand out as much as she usually does.
Colors that work against your skin tone are some of the most unflattering. So, let’s break this down. There are no universally unflattering hair colors — there are only skin tones that simply don’t work as well with certain shades and don’t look right.
Kim’s golden blonde would look amazing on someone with golden undertones, like Beyoncé. Warm skin tones pair beautifully with colors like bronze, coppers, and golden blondes and brunettes. Some of the most unflattering shades for them are ashy tones like platinum, champagne, and mushroom browns.
None of this is to say that you can’t go a bit warmer if you have cooler skin tones. It’s more about choosing the right shade and depth of warmth. For example, Rihanna is a cool skin tone who is best served by deeper tresses or reddish-brown hues. Caramel and honey highlights are also a win with cooler skin because they add warmth without pulling in too much yellow and orange.
Beware of Artificial Shades
Artificial shades, aka hair color shades not typically found in nature, can be so much fun — and they’re often the shades that explode in popularity every year. Take cherry cola, for example — a trend-setting shade that had a major moment last year. This deep, dark cherry brunette looked amazing of so many people, including Rihanna. But beware of bold, overly bright, and dramatic hair colors, especially those in the red family, as they can clash with your skin tone and eyebrows.
There are no truly universally unflattering OR flattering hair shades. Experiment with shades that make you happy and curious, but if you want a bit of help choosing, ask a trusted colorist to take your skin tone and natural hair color into account so that you can select a color that complements your skin and you understand how much maintenance you can expect to have to put into your new 'do.
