Whether you’re choosing to dye your hair in order to cover up some gray or just because you want a change, dying your hair is a great way to freshen up your look and try something new. Whenever you’re trying a new color, it’s important to choose one that suits your skin tone well. But how do you choose the right hair dye color for your skin tone?

Why Is Skin Tone Important for Hair Color?

The right hair color can really bring out the best in your skin tone. It’s important to choose the right shade of hair color so that it enhances your skin’s natural tone, helping to make you look younger. If your hair color doesn’t suit your skin tone, it can end up having the opposite effect. There are a variety of different hair colors that can work well with different skin tones. However, it’s important to look not just at your skin color but also at your skin’s undertone.

What Is Skin Undertone?

There are multiple layers of skin. The topmost layer is what most people look at to determine their skin color. However, the hidden layers underneath also play a role in determining whether your skin has a warmer, cooler, or neutral tone to it. This undertone greatly impacts which hair colors will suit your skin best.

How Do You Determine Your Skin’s Undertone?

There are several different techniques you can use to determine your skin’s undertone.

1. Look at the veins in your wrist:
   1. Blue/purple = cool undertone
   2. Green = warm undertone
   3. Can’t tell = neutral undertone
2. Put on jewelry:
   1. Silver looks better = cool undertone
   2. Gold looks better = warm undertone
   3. Both look equally good = neutral undertone
3. Look at your eyes:
   1. Blue and green specs = cool undertone
   2. Brown and gold specs = warm undertone
4. Check out your skin in a mirror under good lighting (preferably natural light):
   1. Pink/blue hue = cool undertone
   2. Gold/yellow hue = warm undertone
   3. Difficult to tell = neutral undertone

How Do You Match Your Hair Color to Your Skin Undertone?

Once you’ve determined what your skin’s undertone is, the next step is to choose a hair color that complements your skin tone. The idea is to neutralize your skin’s undertone. If your skin has a warmer undertone, then cooler tones of hair color will look better, while if your skin has a cooler undertone, warmer hair color tones will be best. If your skin’s undertone is neutral, you’re in luck: warmer and cooler hair color tones will look good.

Fortunately, all different colors of hair dye come in warmer and cooler tones. If you have your heart set on blonde hair, for example, there are cooler shades of blonde as well as warmer shades. The same is true across the spectrum of hair color. It’s a good idea to have a color in mind, but before you actually get your hair dyed, make sure to consult with your hairstylist to make sure that you choose the right tone within the color spectrum that you’re looking for.