What if there was a way to try on a hair colour before committing? There is.

Do you find yourself asking, what hair colour looks best on me? You don’t have to wonder any longer. A new wave of hair colour apps are here to save the day, offering near perfect previews of what you’d look like with a new colour. Sure, you can find what hair colour looks best on me quizzes, and those can be pretty OK as starting points, but a full-on visual preview? That’s next-level insight when it comes to choosing a new colour.

There are some standard guidelines when it comes to how to choose the best hair colour, even though there are no hard and fast rules. Here are some starting points for choosing hair colours.

Consider your skin tone.

Knowing your skin tone and undertone can often help guide decisions. One often-applied rule is to pair cool hair colours with cool undertones and warm colours with warm undertones, for example. When choosing hair colours, some people like going complementary and some look for more contrast. More on skin tone in the following section.

Book a hair colour consultation.

During a hair colour consultation with a trusted colourist or stylist, you can discuss your ideas with a professional. You can literally ask them: what hair colour looks best on me? They can help you pick a colour that works with your skin tone and hair texture. Plus they can advise on hair colouring processes and maintenance.

Use a hair colour try-on tool.

Another handy tool is a hair colour try-on tool. Virtual Try-On by L’Oréal Professional, for example, is a virtual hair colour try-on tool that allows you to visualize yourself with new hair colours, simply by taking a selfie or uploading a photo. This way you can see for yourself. Some hair professionals will use salon-level hair colour apps to provide a personalized colour experience.

As we mentioned above, the skin tone/hair colour relationship can be expressed in many different ways. That said, many stylists recommend identifying your skin tone and undertone before choosing hair colours or highlights. Whether your complexion is dark, medium or fair, your skin undertone likely falls into one of three categories: warm, cool, or neutral.

How to identify your undertone.

One way is to find a celebrity match, someone whose skin resembles yours. Another way is to look at the veins in your wrist: if blueish, you’ve got cool undertones, if greenish, you’ve got warm undertones, if somewhere in between, they’re neutral.

How to choose colour based on undertone.

There are many different combinations of complexion and undertone, and we’ve rounded up a few recommendations for how to choose the best hair colour to pair with your undertones.

1. Dark skin and warm undertones. Try warm browns and caramels.
2. Dark skin with cool undertones. Try cool black shades or dark mocha browns.
3. Dark skin with neutral undertones. Try warm tones like auburn red or chestnut brown.
4. Medium skin and warm undertones. Try a cooler shade of brown.
5. Medium skin with cool undertones. Try caramels or browns with contrast.
6. Medium skin with neutral undertones. Try deep dark shades like espresso.
7. Light skin and warm undertones. Try blondes like silver or ash.
8. Light skin with cool undertones. Try warm tones like strawberry blonde, copper, honey or gold.
9. Light skin with neutral undertones. Try tones like strawberry blonde, copper, or amber.

Shades to avoid.

Again, there are no absolutes, but consider these recommendations on what shades to avoid (and which to look for) based on your undertones. This is all part of how to choose the right hair colour.

• If you have warm undertones: Avoid hair colours that are too warm or golden. Seek cooler tones that balance your skin’s warmth.
• If you have cool undertones: Avoid hair colours that are too cool as they might wash you out. Opt for warmer, golden tones to add some warmth.
• If you have neutral tones: You’re in luck! Neutral skin tones work with the broadest range of hair colours.

When it comes to how to choose the right hair colour, these are just some ideas to help you get started. It’s always best to consult with a professional stylist who can help answer the ultimate question: what hair colour looks best on me? Together, you can work on choosing hair colours that make you look and feel your best.