We’ve all been there—You’re ready for a change, a big one, and decide that you’re going to go for it and pick a bold new hair color. But how do you choose? And what if you choose the wrong color?

No one should be afraid to change their hair color or be stuck with a color they hate. That’s why we’ve come up with the best method to help you select a hair color that matches your skin tone.

This means you can go dark without looking like a ghost, blonde without a constant red flush and you can pick shades of red that compliment rather than leave you looking clownish.

How to Find Your Skin Tone

So how do you find this perfect hair color? The first step is to look at your skin and determine what skin tone you have. Try to select which of the following categories your skin tone falls under:

Warm undertones: This means there’s an underlying rosy glow to your skin, almost a perpetual sun-kissed tint. This skin type tends to tan easily and rarely burn.

Cool undertones: People with cool undertones often have gray or blue eyes. Their skin has an obvious pink or blue tint to it and tends to burn easily.

Neutral undertone: There is no obvious warm, gold hue just as there is no distinct pink or bluish tint. People with neutral skin tones look good in just about every color. This skin tone also tends to do pretty well in the sun.

Olive skin: Just as the name suggests, this skin color has a hint of olive or yellowish color and tends to be on the darker end of the spectrum. Tanning is generally very easy for this group.

Pale skin: People with pale skin typically know it. They’re very susceptible to sunburns, but their natural skin tone has a lovely porcelain-like look. Pale eye color is also very common with this skin tone.

Medium to dark skin: It’s not uncommon for medium to dark skin toned people to be of Latin, African or Indian descent. However other people can have darker complexions as well. Typically, this skin tone is paired with brown eyes.

Skin Tones and Complementary Hair Colors

Now that you’ve picked your skin tone and undertone, it’s easier to select a hair color that will flatter you and earn rave reviews. Let’s take a look using the same skin tone categories:

Warm Undertones

Your best bet is something that has a honey blonde or caramel appearance. These shades emphasize that warm, glowing look your skin naturally has. You look vibrant and healthy with these shades. They can be used as an all-over color or you can opt for highlights that will let you play with a more exciting base.

With warm undertones you should always avoid ash and cool colors. These hair shades make your natural glow look like an uncomfortable flush.

Cool Undertones

This is where an ashy color looks amazing, not to mention it’s one of the top hair colors of 2019. The cool undertones in champagne blonde, chestnut brown and just about any red shade add excitement and highlight your exquisite skin tones.

The one thing to stay away from is golden hues. Whether they’re part of blonde, brunette or red hair colors, golden hair looks yellow on people with cool skin tones, which can result in a sickly pallor.

Neutral Undertone

Neutral skin looks amazing with color depth. A layering of blonde colors and brown shades will flatter your skin. Plus, you can bend it to be more brown or more blonde—or whatever you want!

Unfortunately, it’s difficult to get a red shade that doesn’t make your skin tone look flushed.

Olive Skin

Olive skin loves chocolate and honey colors. These shades pick up on the natural warmth of your skin and give it a vibrant glow. For the best results, look to go just a shade lighter around the face than the rest of your head, you can even try natural dyes.

This is another skin shade that doesn’t do well with red. Red tends to set off the contrasting olive undertone and look unnatural. If you really want red, look for one that has honey or chocolate complements. Stay away from copper.

Pale Skin

Pale skin responds well with cool hair colors. If the hair color gets too warm it tends to make your face look flushed as it pulls out any red in your skin. Cool tones come in any shade but if the hair gets too dark you can get an unflattering walking dead look.

Red is a little more difficult to accomplish in a cool tone, but if you must go ginger, try a strawberry blonde.

Medium to Dark Skin

For people who want lighter hair, look for shades with ample caramel tones. For darker hair, espresso shades are fantastic and look luxuriously rich.

If you want red hair, try to find some caramel highlights and espresso lowlights. The darker your skin the better you look with a lot of depth of color.

Avoid ashy and platinum hair color. These shades look very unnatural and don’t bring out the natural warmth of your skin.

Final Thoughts

Determining your skin tone will help you pick a hair color that looks fantastic and will make others envious.

The only problem is that few people fall neatly into one category, so you may need to make some decisions about the dominant qualities of your skin. Then check to see if there are any crossover tips that work.

Everyone deserves to have the hair they dream of. With these tips, you can create that look with confidence and ease.