The Best Brunette Hair Colors For Your Skin Tone

Are you considering a new color for your hair? Try a shade of brown, you won't be disappointed. Famous blondes such as Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon, and Jennifer Aniston have all experimented with darker shades and the results were stunning (via Insider). Brown hair color can really enhance your natural features if you choose the right shade based on your skin tone and undertone. "I would start by deciding if you need to be warm or cool brown depending on what's going to look best on your skin tone," celebrity colorist Nikki Lee told Byrdie. 

While it might be simple to know whether you have a fair, medium, or dark skin tone, determining your undertone can be a little trickier. If you have a warm undertone, your skin will look more golden or peachy. On the other hand, if you have a cool undertone, your skin will look more pink or red. Some others have a neutral undertone, which means that your skin doesn't have a cool or warm tonality (via Rush). Once you determine what's your skin and undertone, it's time to choose your perfect shade of brown. 

According to Redken, lighter ash brown and chestnut shades are perfect for people with fair skin and cool undertones. Nicole Tresch, a colorist at Rita Hazan Salon in New York, told Allure that these shades require constant root touchups, especially if you have grey hair. "If you have grey, ask the colorist to put conditioner on your already light ends to protect the base from running through during washing," Tresch told the outlet. A sunny brunette shade with subtle highlights is another great option for fair skin in general (via Byrdie).

For people with medium skin tones, medium dark shades are the way to go. An ombré or balayage that combines darker brown tones with lighter highlights can really bring movement and contrast to your hair. Celebrity colorist Nicola Clarke told Allure that you want to have the highlights in the lower end of your hair, not starting from the top. "You want to keep the blonde on the warmer side and have the ends on the creamier lighter scale," Clarke told the outlet.

Darker skin tones would do great with coffee and golden brown shades, according to Hairstyle Camp. "Mocha is for the woman who wants just a little something," Joie Wallace, expert colorist, educator and CEO of Sessions by Joie, told Byrdie.