There’s no better way to welcome in a new season than to experiment with a new hair color. Sure, you can go with any sultry brunette color or honey blonde shade, but to get your ideal hue, that will perfectly compliment your complexion, it’s high time to learn about your undertone.
For the uninitiated: skintones refer to the surface color of your skin, whereas undertones are the subtle hue beneath the surface of your skin that never changes. There are three main types of undertones: cool undertones, warm undertones, and neutral undertones. In general, warm undertones appear peachy or golden; cool undertones have blue and pink splashes to it; and neutral undertones are a balance between the two. Determining which undertone you are will get you one step closer to your perfect color.
So before you make your next hair appointment or start gathering inspo photos for your next color transformation, you should get clarity on the exact hues that work for you—making it paramount to keep cool undertone skin in mind.
Ahead, you’ll learn about warm and cool undertones, what color-safe products to incorporate in your routine, and what hair colors for cool undertones will be optimal for your skin tone. And if you suspect you’re on the cooler side, we’ve already gathered 20 inspo photos of hair colors for cool undertones, so you don’t have to.
How Do I Know If I Have Cool Undertones?
There are a couple of ways to determine if you have cool undertones. The quickest shortcut is by looking at your veins. Simply flip your wrist in natural light and if your veins appear blue or purple, you have cool undertones. Secondly, if you tend to sunburn easily, you likely have less melanin in your skin—making you a cool undertone.
How Do I Know If My Hair Color Is Warm Or Cool?
Now that you know you’re cool undertone, how do you know if your hair color is warm or cool? Warm colors generally add warmth and depth to a face (think: red, orange, and gold tones). One might get blonde, auburn, caramel, copper, or dark brown if they are choosing from warm colors. On the other hand, cool colors like platinum blonde, jet black, and ash brown have blue, violet and green undertones that would compliment a cooler complexion.
Do Warm Hair Colors Look Good On Cool Skin?
Short answer: You can certainly bring in inspiration from a variety of colors, warm or cool, and a well-seasoned stylist should be able to adapt the color to flatter your cool undertone. That being said, make sure your stylist is highly vetted out for the job as warm hair colors without manipulation can wash out your natural color complexion.
What Colors Should Cool Skin Tones Avoid?
Cool vs. warm undertones will have separate lists of non-complementary hues. This brings us to our next point, with cooler undertones, there is a pink or blue undertone to your complexion. Meaning, the hair color you select should help minimize any redness in your skin. If you prefer warm or golden colors, you can opt for golden brown or deep red to assist in counter-balancing the pink hue.
