For every skin colour, there is a fabulous hair colour that can match it. ‘Dark skin’ can mean a huge number of tones, ranging from a Mediterranean olive to the richest, deepest shade of brown. Some skin tones are warm, and others are cool, and therefore there are lots of options available to anyone wanting a fresh new look.
Figuring out your skin colour
Skin tones are often referred to in terms of foods, and this is certainly the case when it comes to darker tones. Lighter, warmer shades within the ‘dark’ spectrum are sometimes referred to as ‘honey’ or ‘caramel’, and darker ones as ‘chocolate’ or various coffees. These terms are often used on colour wheels, which are typically available at any beauticians or makeup counter, and this can help you determine which shade your skin is closest to.
Figuring out your skin tone is vital before you pick a hair colour. Remove all your makeup, and push your hair back from your face, and find a mirror in a well-lit room to determine your colouring. This will help you to choose which hair colour will match your skin. If your skin has a cool undertone, a warm shade will work best, and warmer skin tones are best suited to cooler hair colours.
Hair to match your darker skin
People with darker skin tones have an opportunity that those with lighter skin don’t: very dark brown or even black hair colours may wash out lighter skin, but they can complement darker skin beautifully. Kerry Washington is a perfect example of this – her cool, dark hair is a gorgeous match for her warm, light brown skin. Darker brown hair colours can have undertones of other colours, such as red or even blue, and depending on your skin tone, this could highlight some of your other facial features. For a natural and flattering style, weave another colour into your dark brown or black base colour!
Rihanna went for a bold red on her Loud album cover. We think this worked well.
If you are looking for a very natural look to complement your dark skin, remember that your hair naturally lightens at the ends and around the face. If you add a few highlights in these places, this can give your hair a naturally varied look. The highlights need only be one or two shades lighter than the base colour, but make sure that if the base is a cool shade, the highlights are, too, and similarly warm highlights are best for warm bases.
How the celebs do it
Beyonce knows how to work her hair on and off-stage, and she has picked some beautiful colours over the years. Her signature look is a rich mid-brown base with some lighter highlights – a warm hair colour to match her cool skin tone. Naomi Campbell, on the other hand, has a very warm skin tone, and so she has teamed this with a cool, espresso tone for her hair. Rihanna’s skin is a rich, olive tone, and was matched perfectly by the bold and dynamic red she rocked on the cover of her 2010 album LOUD.