DISCOVER THE BEST HAIR COLOUR FOR YOUR SKIN TONE WITH THE JOHN FRIEDA HAIR COLOUR CHART

Just like the clothes your wear and how you choose to style them, how you wear your hair can say a lot about how you wish to present yourself to the world.

So, when you think about your luscious locks, it’s important to choose a hair colour that reflects not only your individual style, but also suits your natural appearance.

Getting that perfect hair colour can make such a big difference to how you look, which is why choosing the best hair colour to suit your undertones and complexion is so important.

Whether it’s your first time dyeing your hair and you need some inspiration, or you just simply want answers to questions such as ‘what hair colour suits me’ or ‘what is my skin tone’, our handy hair colour chart and undertone guide is here to help!

John Frieda's circular chart to find out which hair colour suits your skin undertone

What is my skin tone?

First things first, there are three types of undertones: warm, cool, and neutral. Figuring out your skin tone is the first step to identifying what hair colour suits you.

• Cool undertones have either a red or pink tinge with bluish hints.

• Warm undertones appear to have yellow, peachy and golden hues.

• Neutral undertones have a mix of both shades above and typically appear in the form of a well-balanced tone roughly the same colour as your skin.

smiling woman with blonde and grey hair standing against a stone wall and palm trees

The best hair colour for cool skin tones

Blonde hair, cool skin tone

A cooler complexion suits lighter, more natural colours, so a shade of blonde like Precision Foam Colour 10N would suit you best.

Brunette hair, cool skin tone

If you have brunette locks, make sure to avoid going for shades too rich or too dark as your cool undertones can wash you out. This cooler skin tone is best suited to natural ashy browns with hues of red tones. Shades like 6N and 6.5PBN are the two of the best brunette hair colours for cool skin tones from our range.

Red hair, cool skin tone

Strawberry blonde, auburn and medium red brown shades like 5R will suit you best. Dark reds can look too harsh against your cooler complexion so go for more natural red tones that contain a mix of blonde and brunette hues instead.

smiling woman with shoulder length brown wavy hair wearing a denim shirt

The best hair colour for warm skin tones

Blonde hair, warm skin tone

Blonde shades with a darker base like dirty and butter blonde that incorporate hues of caramel and golden highlights best complement warmer undertones. Shades like 9A and 9N, mixed with butterscotch and caramel tones, are the perfect answer for making lighter shades more wearable on warmer undertones.

Brunette hair, warm skin tone

Warmer undertones can pretty much suit any shade of brunette, even shades close to black! Although there are heaps of colours that suit your skin (5N, 5A, 5B, 3N and 2N), richer and darker shades definitely look the most striking. Check out our other article all about the different brunette shades for more inspiration on which tone to go for. (Remember to avoid anything three shades lighter than your natural colour as it may wash you out!)

Red hair, warm skin tone

Look for deep cherry shades with more purple undertones as these will best complement your undertones. Shades like 3VR and 4R (which are rich in colour) will help give you a spicy hue that looks great against your complexion!

woman with brown curly hair laughing wearing a yellow floral dress

The best hair colour for neutral skin tones

Blonde hair, neutral skin tone

If your complexion is made up of more neutral tones, then natural blonde shades that are richer in colour are a stylish option to go for. Golden honey shades ranging from light ash blonde like 9A to more natural tones like 9N will best complement your undertones, but you could also go a shade or two lighter!

See our 13 Shades of Blonde article for an even wider range of blonde colours to choose from!

Brunette hair, neutral skin tone

Ash and milk chocolate shades of brown best suit neutral undertones, adding a splash of colour to your complexion. Look for colours like 5N and 6A as well as richer darker browns, which help complement your golden hues. That said, be sure to avoid anything two shades lighter than your natural colour as you’ll want to add a bit of warmth to your complexion.

Red hair, neutral skin tone

If you have a neutral skin tone, you can be a bit more daring with your choice of red, with less natural shades like sangria or cherry giving you a fiery, bolder look.

If you have a more tanned complexion, you should avoid any purple undertones as these can wash you out and make your skin tone look yellow. Try a medium red brown like 5R, which works especially well with medium and darker skin tones.

Take a look at our round-up of 10 Radiant Red Hair Colours for more inspo and find the best shade for you!

Now that you’ve answered the question ‘what hair colour suits me’, be sure to check out our Precision Foam Colour range to get the look. For all the hair colour inspiration you could possibly need, take a look at the rest of our hair colour articles.