Ooohh decisions, decisions…with so many different shades to choose from, selecting a new hair colour can be exciting, but it can also be a little nail-biting too.
Dying your hair can undoubtedly be exciting because you get to create a new-looking you, and inevitably a teeny bit nail-biting if you’ve gone for a colour you’ve never had before.
We’re no hair colour police, but we do know all about the feeling you get as you wait to see the final result, whether that’s sat in the chair at the hairdressers or drying your hair after colouring it at home.
No matter how many pictures you admire of people rocking your dream hair colour, you’ll only ever know what it looks like on you until it’s been applied to your hair. This is because everybody’s hair is different in style and texture, and everybody’s skin tone is different too.
This is mainly why certain colours look better on some people and not so good others (sorry, but it’s true…)
So, we’re bet you’re still thinking, ‘what colour should I dye my hair’ right? We thought so – keep reading, the advice below is designed to help you settle on the best hair colour for you.
Here are some trending hair colour ideas to get you started….
These shades have been flagged by the ‘in the know’ stylists as being among the ‘in’ colours for this year:1
- Nordic white – this ultra-white, almost grey shade has taken platinum blonde to a whole new level.
- Cinnamon swirl – caramel and auburn highlights are mixed together to create highlights without going too light.
- Jet black – as the name suggests, this is raven black, but here’s a tip for you. Don’t ask for jet black, ask for dark brunette if you want more of a natural looking black.
- Honeyed highlights – think lots of honey-blonde highlights that lift brunette hair without going too blonde.
- Buttery hints – how gorgeous does this sound?! Warm highlights (e.g. golden, honey, butter) are used rather than champagne or platinum hues.
Ways to dye your hair
If you’re having your hair dyed professionally, then your hairdresser will ask you how you want your hair to be dyed. How much or how little you want your hair dyed will inform how they apply your hair dye.
For instance, you can have:
- A full head – this is where all of your hair is dyed2
- Top section or half a head – involves just dying the top layer or top half of your hair (everything underneath will remain the same, so if your hair’s long enough to put into a pony, you’ll see the non-dyed colour below)3
- Highlights – where slices of your hair are dyed, usually lighter to add more depth to your hair4
- Balayage – is one of the most popular hair colour trends of the moment and involves hair being dyed using a freehand approach to give more of a natural finish5 (Note – balayage is not the same as ombre. Balayage is the hair dying technique, while ombre is a gradient of colour)6
What hair colour suits me?
That’s a very good question. You see, you may want to change your hair to the same colour as that woman you saw on Insta the other day or the presenter on TV. But will it suit you?
Don’t worry, dying your hair doesn’t have to be a total leap of faith. It’s possible to suss out what the end result’s going to pretty much look like if you do a little research beforehand with the help of a hair colour chart or something similar.
| Desired hair colour | Skin tone | Recommended shade |
| Blonde | Warm | Champagne blonde, bronde (brown and blonde), strawberry blonde |
| Cool | Golden blonde, honey blonde, caramel | |
| Brown | Warm | Ash brown, chocolate brown, espresso |
| Cool | Mahogany, chestnuts, light golden brown | |
| Red | Warm | Burgundy, cherry, bright red |
| Cool | Copper and auburn7 |
How to determine your skin tone
Not sure what your skin tone is? Then it’s best you do the wrist test.
Take a look at the underside of your wrist where your veins are and see what colour they are. If they are blue/purple, then you have a cool skin tone. If they look more green/yellow, then you have a warm skin tone.8
If you’re still not sure, then focus on your eyes and natural hair colour. People with cool skin tend to have blue, green, pale brown or grey eyes and naturally blonde, brown or black hair with ash tones.
Those with brown, amber or hazel eyes and hair that’s naturally auburn, brown or black hair with hints of red, copper or golden tones, are warm-toned.9
While we’re on the subject of eye and hair colour, check out these hair/eye colour facts:
- Dark hair is more common than light hair – more than 90% of people worldwide have naturally brown or black hair10
- Red hair is really rare – 1 to 2% of the population have it11
- So too is naturally blonde hair – 2% of people worldwide have naturally blonde locks12
- Brown is the most common eye colour – over half of the global population has brown eyes13
- Green eyes – are rare too, with only 2% of people being born with green eyes14
- Grey eyes are incredibly unique – so much so that 1% of people have them15
If you’re still thinking about dying your hair, we hope we’ve helped you answer the question, ‘what hair colour would suit me?’
Dying your hair is an exciting experience and one that can really enhance your natural features and make them shine, all it takes is a little bit of thought and research beforehand. Planning to colour your hair yourself? You may find this article useful, ‘How to dye your own hair.’
Last updated: 10 September 2020
Sources
1 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/hair/g3027/best-hair-color-trends/?slide=1
2 https://www.treatwell.co.uk/treatment-files/foils-vs-highlights-whats-the-difference/
3 https://www.treatwell.co.uk/treatment-files/foils-vs-highlights-whats-the-difference/
4 https://missouricosmo.com/5-types-of-hair-color-techniques/
5 https://missouricosmo.com/5-types-of-hair-color-techniques/
6 https://www.marieclaire.com/beauty/a15894484/balayage-ombre/
7 https://medium.com/@theurbanguide/how-to-pick-the-best-hair-colour-from-the-hair-colour-chart-b468a3668c7
8 https://www.rd.com/list/best-hair-color-for-your-skin-tone/
9 https://www.rush.co.uk/blog/how-to-guide/right-hair-colour-skin-tone/39237#:~:text=1%3A%20Look%20at%20your%20veins,veins%20indicate%20a%20warm%20undertone.
10 https://www.healthline.com/health/red-hair-blue-eyes#:~:text=In%20the%20array%20of%20possible,population%2C%20is%20the%20least%20common.
11 https://www.healthline.com/health/red-hair-blue-eyes#:~:text=In%20the%20array%20of%20possible,population%2C%20is%20the%20least%20common.
12 https://bellatory.com/hair/Things-You-Didnt-Know-About-Natural-Blondes
13 https://www.edow.com/general-eye-care/eyecolor/#:~:text=Brown%20is%20the%20most%20common,flecks%20of%20gold%20and%20brown.
14 https://www.healthline.com/health/eye-health/eye-color-percentages#percentages
15 https://www.healthline.com/health/eye-health/eye-color-percentages#percentages
