Find Your Perfect Hair Color
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Warm brunette
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How to Choose the Right Hair Color
1. Check Your Skin Undertone First
Undertone is the biggest factor in a flattering hair color. It has nothing to do with how light or dark your skin is. Two people can have the same skin tone. But they can have different undertones. That is what decides if a shade looks radiant or flat on you.
Here is an easy check. Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist in daylight. Greenish veins usually mean a warm undertone. Blue or purple veins usually mean a cool undertone. If you see a mix of both, you are likely neutral.
Here is a second check. Hold a gold item and a silver item near your bare face. Use natural light. If gold makes your skin look brighter, you lean warm. If silver does the same thing, you lean cool. If both look equally good, you are neutral.
Warm undertones usually look best in golden blonde, honey, caramel, chestnut, copper, and auburn. Cool undertones usually look best in ash blonde, beige blonde, mushroom brown, espresso, and burgundy red. Neutral undertones have the most flexibility. Soft, blended shades like sandy blonde, walnut brown, and taupe usually work well.
2. Stay Within Two Levels of Your Natural Color
Colorists talk about hair in levels. Level 1 is the darkest black. Level 10 is the lightest pale blonde. Your natural hair grew in at a level that already works with your skin and your eyes.
Here is a simple rule. Stay within two levels lighter or darker than your natural depth. This will look the most natural. It will also need the least upkeep.
You can still go bolder than that. Jumping from a level 4 brown to a level 9 blonde can look great. But it takes more time. It usually needs more than one salon visit. It also needs more upkeep to avoid looking damaged or brassy.
This does not mean you cannot go bold. It just means you should know what the process involves. A single box dye will rarely get you there in one try.
3. Test Your Contrast in Black and White
Take a photo of yourself. Turn it black and white. You can also just squint at yourself in a mirror until the color fades. Now look at the contrast between your skin and your natural hair.
Does your hair look much darker or much lighter than your skin? That means you have high contrast. You can usually wear deep, rich colors like espresso brown or blue black. They will not look harsh on you.
Does your hair and skin blend closely together in tone? That means you have low or soft contrast. Softer shades like sandy blonde or mushroom brown will usually look more natural on you.
This one check gets missed a lot. But it explains something important. The exact same shade can look amazing on one person. It can look washed out on another. This happens even when their undertones match.
4. Think About Grey Coverage First
Do you have no grey hair yet? Almost any formula will work for you. This includes semi permanent and demi permanent color. These fade out gently over a few weeks.
Do you have some greys? Do you want them blended in, not fully hidden? A demi permanent gloss usually works well. Highlights and lowlights also work well. They let some lighter strands show through. This looks more natural than one flat block of color.
Do you need full grey coverage? Look for a permanent formula made for grey coverage. These formulas use different pigment ratios. Grey hair takes color differently than hair with its natural pigment still in it.
5. Look at Your Hair’s History
Be honest with yourself here. What has your hair already been through? Virgin hair that has never been colored acts very differently from hair that has been dyed or bleached before.
Has your hair been bleached or lightened before? Does it feel dry, brittle, or breaks easily? A bond building treatment can help. A gloss before your next color can help too. This protects your hair. It also gives you a more even result.
Skipping this step is risky. Coloring over already damaged hair often turns out patchy. It can also fade unevenly.
Have you colored your hair before, but it feels healthy now? You have more room to work with. Still, avoid a dramatic lightening in just one session if your hair has any chemical history.
6. Match Your Maintenance to Your Life
The most flattering color will not feel worth it if you cannot keep up with it. Think about how often you will actually sit in a salon chair.
Want low maintenance? Pick a shade close to your natural color. Or try a technique like balayage. It grows out softly with no hard line at the root. This can often go ten to twelve weeks between visits.
Comfortable with medium maintenance? Most all over color needs a refresh every six to eight weeks. Traditional highlights need the same. This keeps your roots and tone looking fresh.
Do not mind frequent salon visits? Then higher maintenance shades are open to you. Platinum blonde and vivid colors usually need attention every four to six weeks.
Warm vs Cool Hair Colors at a Glance
| Factor | Warm Undertone | Cool Undertone |
|---|---|---|
| Wrist veins | Greenish | Blue or purple |
| Jewelry that flatters | Gold | Silver |
| Best blondes | Golden, honey, strawberry | Ash, platinum, beige |
| Best browns | Caramel, chestnut, golden brown | Mushroom, taupe, espresso |
| Best reds | Copper, auburn, cinnamon | Burgundy, wine red |
| Shades to approach carefully | Ash, icy platinum, blue black | Golden blonde, copper, caramel |
Do you have a neutral undertone? You sit between these two columns. Soft, blended shades work best for you. Think sandy blonde, walnut brown, or taupe brown.
Understanding Hair Color Levels
Hair color levels show how light or dark a shade is. Colorists use a scale from level 1 to level 10.
Level 1 to 2 is the darkest black. Level 3 to 4 is dark brown. Level 5 to 6 is medium to light brown. Level 7 to 8 is dark to medium blonde. Level 9 to 10 is light to the lightest pale blonde.
Knowing your natural level helps you a lot. It shows you how far a box color or salon formula can realistically take you. You will see this same number on most hair color boxes. It is usually the first number before the decimal point.
For a closer look at each level with more detail, see our full hair color chart.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a color guide for hair?
A color guide for hair helps you match a shade to your own skin undertone and natural hair depth. It stops you from choosing a shade at random.
How do I know what hair color suits me?
Check your undertone with the wrist vein test. Then stay within two levels of your natural hair depth. This is the same logic our quiz uses to find your shade.
Should I go lighter or darker than my natural hair color?
Staying within two levels of your natural depth is the safest choice. Going further can still look great, but it takes more time and more upkeep.
What hair color makes you look younger?
Softer shades close to your natural depth tend to look more youthful. A bit of dimension in your color looks more natural than one flat, solid shade.
How accurate is a hair color quiz?
A good hair color quiz asks about your undertone, your natural depth, and your contrast. These are the same factors a colorist checks in a real consultation.