If you are like most women, choosing a new hair color may feel like a daunting task. After all, hair color is an investment of both tie and money. Ending up with a color that doesn’t work for your skin tone can make you feel unconfident about your new look. However, you can choose the perfect hair color on your own or with help from a professional stylist by following these salon tested strategies.
Determine Your Skin Tone
Before you can find the right hair color for your needs, you need to know whether you have a warm or cool skin tone. This can be easy to do at home. Before getting started, make sure you have a makeup free face and plenty of natural lighting. This test is best performed in the daytime near an open window. First, hold your arm up to the light and examine the color of your veins. If they appear more blue than green, you likely have a cool skin tone.
Likewise, if they are more green than blue, you have a warm complexion. Another way to determine your skin tone is to hold up a red and blue blouse next to your face. In a mirror, examine which color looks best against your complexion. If you find that red is more flattering, your skin is warm. If the blue looks best, your skin is cool.
Knowing whether you have warm or cool skin will help you narrow down your hair color options. Cool skin tones look best with shades of ash, such as light ash blonde or a smokey medium brown. Warm complexions look best in gold, copper and beige hues.
Stay Close to Your Current Shade
As a general rule of thumb, it is best to stay within three levels of your current hair color. For example, if you have light brown hair, you may go up to a medium blonde or as low as a dark brown. Choosing something more intense may not look natural and clash with your skin tone. However, this rule can be broken in some cases.
If you are looking for a dramatic change in hair color, such as going platinum or jet black, it can still work but will require input from a professional hair colorist. Many warm skin tones can flaunt rich shades of golden blonde and honey, but may not look best in platinum as it can wash them out. However, your stylist may be able to incorporate highlights or low lights to give you a dimensional effect and incorporate your desired color in a way that best suits your skin tone.
Opt for Semi-Permanent Color
Before fully committing yourself to permanent hair color, consider trying semi-permanent dye instead. These formulas are less damaging on the hair and only last for a few weeks, making them a great option for anyone who is unsure what color they want long term. Another method is to try on wigs in your desired hair color. If you are still unsure, simply consult with a professional hair colorist. They can help you determine the best level for your skin tone and desired look.
Finding the right hair color for your complexion is easy when you know what kind of skin tone you have. From there, it’s simply a matter of determining how light or dark you want your hair to be and whether or not you want a multi-dimensional effect such as from highlights. Before your hair coloring appointment, find photos of your desired color in magazines or online to bring with you. This will give your stylist a better idea of what you want so they can help you get as close as possible to it.