This article has been updated since its initial 09/28 publish date to include more expert insight.
Fall is finally here in full swing, and what better way to ring in the cozy season than with a new look? Whether you want to rock a new hair color after your next salon trip or find a way to amp up the hue of your natural tresses, we’ve got you covered. We checked in with a professional hair stylist and expert for tips on how to find the most flattering color for your locks that will emphasize and highlight your skin tone and undertones. Read on for suggestions, insight and simple steps from Jamie Wiley, celebrity hair stylist and hair expert.
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Step #1— Determine Your Main Tone & Undertones
When choosing a hair color, Wiley explains that “considering your undertone is important because it will either “compliment or clash with your skin tone.” The tone will complement the underlying pigment in the skin, she adds, and there are three types of underlying pigments in the skin “warm, cool, and neutral.” Warm underlying pigment undertones, she notes, are “peach, yellow, and golden.” The cool underlying pigments are “pink and blue hues.” Neutral undertones have the “best of both worlds,” she points out, and “don’t need to avoid anything.” To find your undertones, Wiley advises to “look at your wrist and see what color your veins are,” as they are either warm (which would mean green), cool (blue or purple) or neutral (mixture). With that said, Wiley helps provide a go-to list of ideal hair colors for the following common tones and undertones:
Light skin with Warm undertones:
Light skin with warm undertones works well with “light earth tones like buttery blonde, light brown, and warm strawberry blonde,” Wiley says.
Light skin with Cool undertones:
If your skin is fair with cool undertones, an “icy platinum blonde or a soft dimensional cool blonde will flatter your porcelain complexion,” she adds. Ash tones work well here, but it’s best to “avoid warm blonde shades like gold or caramel,” she continues, since they can add a pink tinge to the skin, “making you appear pinker.
Light skin with neutral undertones:
Those with a neutral skin tone can carry off either warm or cool colors like “ash, gold, reds, coppers, etc.”
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Medium skin with Warm undertones:
Medium and olive skin tones with warm undertones work great with “honey blonde, chocolate brown and copper.” If you’re searching for a subtle change with a lot of impact, Wiley notes that a soft caramel highlight on dark brown hair can add brightness to medium skin. “They complement the tone and underlining pigment in the skin,” she says, and it’s a good idea to “avoid ‘cool’ hair colors as they will clash with their warm undertones.”
Medium skin with Cool undertones:
Cream blonde balayage, blonde and chestnut hair colors “all flatter the medium skin and cool undertones,” Wiley says, and “these beautiful tones play off the cooler, softer side” of the undertone avoid any clashing in colors. In addition, she notes to again “avoid ‘warm’ hair colors as they will clash with their cool undertones.”
Medium skin with Neutral undertones:
Wiley dubs “medium brown” to be the “perfect tone” for medium skin and neutral undertones. “It’s flattering on all skin tones and all undertones,” she adds, “I recommend adding dimension for that extra pop of depth.”
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Dark skin with Warm undertones:
Going for a copper look will be “more natural against darker skin tones” and will give a beautiful reflective red tone without “being too much,” Wiley shares. Caramel brown “compliments dark complexions by bringing out the glow of the skin,” she adds.
Dark skin with Cool undertones:
Ashy blondes are a “beautiful option for darker skin tones.” The blue will offset the natural underlying pigment of red, she says, “creating a neutral creamy blonde.”
Dark skin with Neutral undertones:
Medium to dark brown is the “perfect tone for dark complexions,” Wiley says. It’s flattering on all skin tones and all undertones, she continues. “I recommend adding dimension for that extra pop of depth.”
#2— Communicate Your Goals & Needs With Your Stylist
If you're ever feeling stuck when trying to find your tone and undertones, Wiley says being clear about this with your stylist (and telling them that you want a cut that will highlight and flatter your skin), is best.
"Have a thorough consultation with your hairstylist and based on professional recommendations, choose the color based on underlying pigment and how much depth you would like as well," she recommends. In addition, bringing reference photos with you to your appointment will give your stylist a better idea of what you're aiming for.
