Choosing the right hair colour is almost as tricky as finding the perfect foundation shade. Undertones, seasonal shifts, and lighting are all key factors in getting it just right. Much like with nailing foundation, the nuances of darker skin make hair colour equally difficult to perfect. That’s why we asked hair-colour experts to share exactly which shades look best on warm brown skin.
The search for finding your perfect hair colour starts by looking at your skin’s undertones. Hairstylist Noel Reid-Killings told POPSUGAR that as a general rule, ashy, cool brown, chestnut, and chocolate tones work well on darker skin.
While you can still rock blonde or even vibrant rainbow shades, dark colours are always a safe choice to make hair look thick and healthy. If you want to roll with a new colour trend, shades like turquoise, emerald, and hunter greens are on the rise and also happen to be winning options for darker complexions.
Read on to see how nine celebs with deeper skin nailed a spectrum of shades.
Getty / Maury Phillips
Mahogany Tips
The Hue: Vibrant reddish brown
As seen on: Taraji P. Henson
Color notes: If you’re going to go red, stick with a more vibrant variation like Henson has here. It’s still a bit more on the brown side, but the red pops enough so that the brown doesn’t just blend into her skin tone.
Getty / Mike Marsland/BFC
Purple Perfection
The Hue: Deep violet
As seen on: Justine Skye
Color notes: If you want to know how to do a unicorn hair color on darker skin, look no further than “The Purple Unicorn” herself, Justine Skye. Tish Celestine, the stylist and colorist who helped Skye perfect her signature shade, has said that it is still her most requested color to date.
Getty / Taylor Hill
Platinum Pixie
The Hue: Ultra blond
As seen on: Monica Brown
Color notes: According to Celeste, “Light blond to platinum blond does work on dark skin in shorter styles. That’s the rule.” Since textured hair tends to be more fragile and dries out a lot faster, getting to this level of light takes a lot of processing that can compromise longer ends.
Getty / George Pimentel
Pastel Plum
The Hue: Light lilac
As seen on: Keke Palmer
Color notes: Deep jewel tones (think amethyst and emerald) work best on dark skin, as the colors compliment a rich complexion. “Pastels can sometimes make for too harsh of a contrast or wash you out,” Reid-Killings said. “It’s important to pay attention to your skin’s undertones. Those are the colors you want bring out. If you have warmer undertones, you want to aim for blues and purples as it contrast nicely,” she added. Avoid colors that are similar to your undertones as the look could wash you out.
Getty / Venturelli
The Right Lights
The Hue: Dimensional blond
As seen on: Ciara
Color notes: Cool skin tones work well with dark complexions. “Warm tones can blend into the skin too much,” said Reid-Killings. If you want to do a warmer shade, Reid-Killings suggests getting balayage or lowlights to add dimension.
Browns, chestnuts, and chocolate colors work well as long as they have cool undertones. These darker shades can make your hair look thicker and healthier.
Getty / Paul Archuleta
End Caps
The Hue: Chestnut sombre
As seen on: Gabrielle Union
Color notes: If you’re looking for a more subtle color upgrade, try a soft ombre (sombre) in a warm chestnut brown. The darker roots and lighter tips help frame the face on deep skin and add just enough contrast.
Getty / Kevin Mazur
Warm Blond
The Hue: Caramel swirl
As seen on: Beyoncé
Color notes: Beyoncé’s perfectly distributed high and lowlights are a perfect contrast to her warm hair color base that is a few shades darker than her skin tone.
Getty / Gonzalo Marroquin
Hint of Blue
The Hue: Navy blue
As seen on: Danielle Brooks
Color notes: Although it’s ever-so-subtle, Danielle Brooks’ blue bob is a soft way to break into more vibrant colors without worrying about too much maintenance or commitment.
Getty / Taylor Hill
Go-to Black
The Hue: Jet black
As seen on: Janelle Monae
Color notes: Jet black may look quite stark on fair skin tones, but on darker skin, it appears rich and gives hair the look of being healthy.
