The Best Hair Color for Your Skin Tone, According to Stylists

Deciding the best hair color for your skin tone may seem tricky, but it's not as difficult as you think. Any complexion can achieve some version of most shades, and if you learn a few key tips, you and your stylist will be able to work together to customize whatever color you're envisioning to look its best on you. "It's all about placement, saturation, and what undertones in your skin you'd like to emphasize," says hair colorist and energy healer Roxie Darling. We consulted with several colorists and hairstylists to get their intel on all aspects of the topic, from how to determine your skin's undertones to specific shade advice. Keep scrolling to learn more and find the best hair color for your skin tone.

How to Find Your Skin Tone and Undertones

Before deciding on the best hair color for you, take time to figure out your skin's undertones. Most people fall into one of three categories—warm, cool, and neutral—and all of these are possible regardless of whether your complexion is dark, medium, or fair. Figuring out where your complexion lies can seem confusing, but there are a few tricks:

1. Look for specific colors: "Cool-toned skin has blue and olive undertones, while warm-toned skin has yellow and gold," says Rachel Bodt, senior colorist at Red Door Spa in New York City.
2. Find your celebrity match: When you're looking for A-list color inspiration, make note of which stars seem to have similar skin and eye colors to your own. This will give you a much better idea of how the hue will actually look on you.
3. Examine your wrist: "You'll see the pinks, reds, blues, greens, and yellows there," Darling tells us. Your wrist is also one of the easiest places to check your veins, which are a great indicator of tone. "If your veins are blue or purple, you're likely cool-toned," Bodt notes. "If they are green, you are warm."
4. Take hints from your eye color: "If you have a lot of gold specks in your eyes, usually your undertones are warm," says hairstylist, colorist, and Matrix brand ambassador George Papanikolas. "If you have a lot of blues and greens, then you are usually cool."
   

Choosing the Best Hair Color for Your Skin Tone

Now that you're well-versed on your skin coloring, it's time to get schooled on different hair colors. Below, colorists break down the best hair colors to try for each skin tone, complete with general tips for choosing your ideal shade.

Deep Skin with Warm Undertones

Seen on: Beyoncé

The best shades to try: Caramel, golden brown, and butterscotch

Who it's best for: "For warm deep skin tones, it's best to choose warm browns and caramels to accentuate your skin's natural depth," notes Melissa Gonzalez, elite artist and education trainer for Farouk Systems.. "If your hair is already blonde, tone with hues of caramel."

Your must-have product: If your hair is curly or coily, you'll want to have a good conditioner on hand that allows both your color and texture to thrive. Adwoa Beauty's Blue Tansy Reparative Conditioner ($25) does just that—its namesake ingredient supports healthy growth, while avocado and buriti seed oils boost hydration, strength, and protect from pollutants.

Deep Skin with Cool Undertones

Seen on: Adut Akech

The best shades to try: Dark mocha, brown-black, and deep black

Who it's best for: "If you have deep skin with cool undertones, consider a cool-toned hair color such as a rich brown or black, burgundy, or cool auburn," Papanikolas says. "These shades can complement your deep skin tone and create a stunning contrast. Make sure to avoid warm-toned hair colors, which can look too orange against your cool-toned skin." Cool black shades look great on deep skin, but adding chocolaty tones is also a nice way to warm up the skin.

Your must-have product: Another product that's great for curly and coily textures, SheaMoisture's Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Masque ($16) supports hydration and strength following various types of damage, including color and chemical processing.

Deep Skin with Neutral Undertones

Seen on: Ciara

The best shades to try: Auburn red, reddish-brown, and chestnut

Who it's best for: According to Gonzalez, neutral undertones can rock every color. "I would recommend going with a color that looks rich and vibrant, like an auburn red or chestnut brown," she says. "These tones contain warmth, adding that perfect amount of glow against the skin."

Your must-have product: To keep your auburn or chestnut shade vibrant, you'll definitely want a good color care shampoo on hand. Garnier's Whole Blends Color Care Shampoo ($5) is an affordable option that provides plenty of hydration and radiance.

Medium Skin with Warm Undertones

Seen on: Olivia Rodrigo

The best shades to try: Dark chocolate, chestnut, dark auburn, and mocha

Who it's best for: It's pretty hard to go wrong with brown in general, since the shade works on almost anyone. A cooler brown tone can look particularly striking on those with warm skin, as it helps make yellow undertones look creamier. Daniel Sanchez, color specialist at Frederic Fekkai in New York City, adds that for those with deeper skin, lightening from black to deep, mocha brown (ideally with multi-tonal highlights) can have a gorgeous, soft effect.

Your must-have product: A high-quality deep conditioning mask will help repair color damage and keep your dark brown strands looking as shiny and luxurious as possible. Leonor Greyl's Masque Quintessence ($147) uses jojoba, cupuaçu butter, and mongongo oil for the gold standard in rejuvenation.

Medium Skin with Cool Undertones

Seen on: Zendaya

The best shades to try: Caramel, honey, golden brown, amber, mahogany, and cinnamon

Who it's best for: Sanchez especially recommends caramel and brown tones for those with medium skin, though he advises picking a shade that contrasts with your complexion in order to avoid looking washed out. "Caramel browns fit best with skin tones on the lighter side of olive, with a bit more yellow and green tones to them," Pickthorn adds. "This color looks really beautiful on a base or roots that are naturally dark."

Your must-have product: Shine mist will add a glossy finish when styling and allow dimensional brunette shades to look especially radiant. Drybar's Sparkling Soda Shine Mist ($29) adds shine while also minimizing flyaways, boosting hydration, and doing it all without weighing down your strands.

Medium Skin with Neutral Undertones

Seen on: Bella Hadid

The best shades to try: True black, espresso, blue-black, licorice

Who it's best for: "Neutral skin tones have the benefit of sitting right in the middle of the hair color spectrum, making most hair color tones compatible," Papanikolas tells us. "Depending on your preference, you can skew warm or cool. A universal rule when choosing a base hair color is to stay within two shades of your natural color. Any darker can look harsh, and any lighter can become brassy." In the world of hair color, black and espresso aren't one-note options—different tones and highlights add subtle variety. A cooler shade like this can read a little harsh on those with fair, cool-toned skin, but for those with warmer or neutral undertones, it has a beautifully dramatic effect on the complexion. (The same applies to olive skin.)

Your must-have product: "When making a big color change, invest in a good color correcting shampoo to keep away unwanted tones," Papanikolas tells us. His top recommendations are Matrix's Total Results So Silver Purple Shampoo ($20) for blonde hair and Brass Off Blue Shampoo ($20) for brunettes.

Fair Skin with Warm Undertones

Seen on: Anya Taylor-Joy

The best shades to try: Platinum, ice, silver, ash, sand, beige, and champagne

Who it's best for: Cool blonde shades look great against porcelain skin with blue, violet, or golden undertones, since those icy hues tend to neutralize redness, according to Chelsey Pickthorn, master hair designer and owner of Pickthorn Salon in Brooklyn. A cool, ashy blonde works seamlessly alongside blue or gray eyes, or alternatively allows rich brown eyes to pop, as seen above on Anya Taylor-Joy. In most cases, those with warm undertones will want to avoid shades that are too golden or yellow, as cooler shades are less likely to wash you out.

Your must-have product: Whenever you go platinum, ash, or a similarly bright, cool blonde, purple shampoo is key to help you maintain the tone and avoid brassiness. Amika's Bust Your Brass Cool Blonde Repair Shampoo ($28) keeps your color in check while also protecting against breakage, another common concern when going blonde.

Fair Skin with Cool Undertones

Seen on: Margot Robbie

The best shades to try: Gold, caramel, amber, honey, and butterscotch

Who it's best for: "Fair skin with cool undertones looks better with warm tones like strawberry blonde, copper, honey, and gold," Papanikolas says. He also notes that these hues tend to work better for those with olive skin, as well, as an ashy blonde hue can wash you out. The same goes for those with deep skin: If you want to go light, go for a caramel blonde for a high-impact look.

Your must-have product: Keeping an at-home hair gloss on hand will help you to maintain your color's shine and vibrancy between salon visits. Rita Hazan's True Color Ultimate Shine Gloss ($13) comes in three finishes, so you can choose whichever one works best for your shade.

Fair Skin with Neutral Undertones

Seen on: Jessica Chastain

The best shades to try: Strawberry blonde, copper, amber, rust, and russet

Who it's best for: "Strawberry blondes are great on fair and neutral skin tones," Pickthorn tells us. "[Tell your colorist to] mix cool and warm tones to achieve a creamy yet warm color with a hint of golden copper." Papanikolas also recommends a light, warm shade of red to counteract the cool tones in pale skin (think Emma Stone). These hues tend to make deep skin look green, so choose a cooler, brown-tinged auburn instead if you have darker skin and are looking to go red (think Rihanna). For a bit of extra fun, opt for a luminous shade of rose gold.

Your must-have product: Red is one of the fastest-fading hair colors, so having a gloss on hand can be helpful to refresh your shade without having to go to the salon as often. The Kristin Ess Signature Hair Gloss ($15) in Copper Penny will keep your strands looking as vibrant as ever.

Fair Skin with Peach Undertones

Seen on: Madelaine Petsch

The best shades to try: True red, auburn, and burgundy

Who it's best for: It may sound counterintuitive, but red is actually an ideal undertone to complement peach and red undertones. "If you have pale skin with red in it, it makes you have a glow rather than trying to fight it," says celebrity hairstylist and colorist Rita Hazan. Pickthorn agrees, adding that those with warm, peachy complexions will also see their skin pop with cooler, auburn reds. On the other hand, Hazan cautions against red shades if you have olive undertones, as it can make your skin look somewhat green in contrast.

Your must-have product: Madelaine Petsch is a natural redhead, but if you're achieving the look with the help of some dye, a good color-enhancing shampoo will make keeping your shade vibrant much easier (and may even be worth it to make natural red a bit brighter). The Davines Alchemic Shampoo ($34) for red hair boosts color, hydration, and shine in one step when integrated into your shower routine.

Pastel Hair

Seen on: Lady Gaga

The best shades to try: Whatever your heart desires.

Who it's best for: For rainbow-colored locks, the only real rule is to let your imagination run wild. That being said, there are some pointers to keep in mind. "Darker skin tends to look washed out if paired with paler shades, while saturated hues enhance deeper skin tones," says Darling, who specializes in creative color. "So for tan skin, you can go for more vibrant and saturated tones: jewel tones like ruby, fuchsia, magenta, etc." She adds that blue hair looks particularly stunning on those with golden undertones.

Your must-have product: Candy-colored hues tend to fade fast, so make sure you're using color-protecting products to extend that shelf life as long as possible. Overtone's Daily Conditioner ($18) comes in an array of shades that help keep up the pigment with each wash.

Shades to Avoid

Once you have identified whether you have warm, cool, or neutral undertones, Papanikolas says that it's important to know what hair colors to avoid. But even if it turns out that a certain shade won't complement your skin in the way you were envisioning, don't be discouraged: Usually, there's an alternative that will help you achieve your ideal look.

Warm Undertones: "If you have warm undertones, you should avoid hair color shades that are too warm or golden," Papanikolas tells us. "Instead, look for cool, blue-toned, or ashy shades that balance out your skin's natural warmth."

Cool Undertones: "If you have cool undertones, you should avoid hair color shades that are too cool or ashy," he says. "These shades can make your skin look dull and washed out. Instead, look for warm, golden, or reddish tones that complement your skin's and help give it some natural warmth."

Neutral Tones: Papanikolas says that those with neutral skin tones have the benefit of most shades working with their skin tone, since they fall right in the middle. Still, check out pictures of your desired shade on people with similar undertones so you can decide if you like the look.

The Final Takeaway

"Selecting the right hair color shade that complements your skin undertones can enhance your natural beauty and create a stunning look that is uniquely you," Papanikolas tells us. "It's always best to consult with a professional hairstylist who can guide you through the process, incorporate the right salon color and toners, and help you choose the perfect shade." With a thoughtful, collaborative approach and the right upkeep, you'll be well on your way to enjoying your best color ever.