DETERMINE YOUR SKIN TONE

It is important to find your skin tone so you can find the best hair color to match your complexion. Skin tone is the term used to describe your skin's warmth or coolness. For example, warm colored skins have yellow, red or peach undertones, while cool skins have undertones of pink, blue or violet. Although complexions can range from dark and olive to fair and light, basically skin tones are grouped into two categories--warm and cool. While many people can easily determine whether they have a warm or cool complexion, others may not be certain until they consider a few factors.

Three Ways To Find Your Skin's Undertone

LOOK AT YOUR VEINS

If they appear blue, you have a cool undertone. If they are more green you have a warm undertone.

WHITE TOWEL TEST

Cleanse your face free of makeup and drape a white towel around your neck. If your face is more yellow you are warm and if it's blue you are cool.

SILVER OR GOLD TEST

If you look better in silver you have a cool undertone and vice versa.

Warm Skin Tone:

Those with a yellow or golden undertone have a warm skin tone. You’ll find dark, warm browns, chestnuts, rich golden browns and auburns, warm gold and red highlights, and golden blonde shades look best on you. Highlighting is a great way to add warm tones to your hair. Highlight with golden blondes, copper streaks, and golden brown shades.

Avoid: Brassy blondes should also be avoided since they tend to look too harsh. Naturally, warm people should avoid blue, violet, white and jet-black hair, which will seem to "wash out" your natural hair color.

Cool Skin Tone:

Those with pink or blue skin undertones fall into the cool category. The best hair color shades, depending on your skin tone, are blacks, cool ash brown hair colors, and cool blondes in shades ranging from mink to platinum and icy white. Ash blondes and cool browns work best to neutralize skin and avoid ruddiness which can sometimes be highlighted by gold, auburn, and copper tones. You're fortunate to be able to wear many exciting "unnatural" colors.

Avoid: Naturally cool people should avoid gold, yellow, red and bronze tones, which have a tendency to make you look sallow and drawn.