Shade Finder
Hair colour by skin tone
This section looks at how skin tone and undertone can inform hair colour choices. Start with the undertone guide, which explains vein, jewellery and white-paper tests as practical clues. These checks can help distinguish cool and warm undertones, while recognising that no single test is definitive.
Then explore shade ideas for fair skin with cool undertones, olive skin and dark skin. Use the guide closest to your complexion as a starting point, and compare its suggestions with your undertone and the colours you already enjoy. The aim is to narrow the options and understand why certain shades may create a softer or more contrasting effect, rather than treat any recommendation as a strict rule.
How to find your undertone (vein, jewellery and white-paper tests)
Compare your veins, jewellery and how white paper or cream looks beside your face in daylight; treat the combined pattern as a guide, not a rule.
Read the guide- Best hair colours for fair skin with cool undertonesAsh blonde, platinum, cool brown and burgundy are often flattering choices for fair, cool-toned skin; pure henna gives warm red-orange, while two-step henna and indigo can create black.
- Best hair colours for olive skinRich browns, chocolate, mahogany and carefully placed caramel often complement olive skin; choose warmth or depth to suit your undertone.
- Best hair colours for dark skinFor dark skin, try soft or jet black, espresso, burgundy, copper or honey highlights, choosing warm or cool shades to suit your undertone and contrast preference.
Sources: product labels and general practice; plant-dye figures follow the sources page.