The Best Shade of Brown Hair for Your Skin Tone
Welcome to the dark side. (Bonus: We have chocolate!)
Sometimes underestimated and overlooked, many make the mistake foregoing any shade of brown hair altogether and write brown strands off as boring. It is, obviously, anything but that. Sensual and oh-so-versatile, the best shade of brown hair can evoke an aura of approachability or sophistication. Or even downright sultry sex appeal, depending on the iteration you choose.
The Best Shade of Brown Hair for You
Browsing the hair color aisle at the drugstore or flipping through the hair swatches at your go-to salon can offer up a myriad of options, with one sounding even more tempting than the next—and quirkily enough, not unlike a menu at your neighborhood pastry shop. Espresso, chocolate, toffee and caramel are not only ways to indulge in your sweet tooth.
For those still on the fence about coloring their hair (and have a darker base to begin with), trying out a new shade of brown hair is a quick and painless way to amp up your overall look and keep it on-trend.
Not all browns are created equal. All it takes is a check back at the palette Mother Nature gave you, as well as a bit of color wheel knowledge. Below, a fast and furious guide to the best brown hair for every skin tone:
Best Shade of Brown Hair: Fair Skin
Golden Brown
Keywords to look for: light golden brown, butterscotch, toffee, honey
Perhaps the blondest of the spectrum, light golden brown to golden brown hair best flatters those with warm undertones and men and women with a tan. This particular light brown shade gives peachy fair-to-medium complexions a warm, youthful, sporty vibe—like you just spent an hour too long in St. Tropez and have the sun-streaks to prove it. It also is the most natural-looking version for blondes, especially via strategically placed highlights.
Cool Ash Brown
Keywords to look for: rich espresso, khaki, beige, neutral brown
The ash brown color range neutralizes the natural pinkish skin of those with cool undertones. Anything with a hint of beige or gray enhances your natural, delicate glow and adds some lush dimension to your mane. Ash tones are also one of the best shades for balayage highlights. The effect is swanky, classy and a tad uptown—cooler browns wash out the fastest due to their blue and green tints, and the upkeep is slightly higher maintenance. Feeling risky? Go for a bronde (brown-blonde) or a subtle ombré, a.k.a. sombré, using ash brown and beige.
Care for your color: Pick up a lower-sulfate wash and care system that’s specifically made for colored hair. Dove Nutritive Solutions Color Care Shampoo and Dove Nutritive Solutions Color Care Conditioner gently cleanses strands and can help retain your new color’s vibrance for up to 8 weeks.
Best Shade of Brown Hair: Medium Skin
Reddish Brown
Keywords to look for: Deep auburn, mahogany brown, burgundy
The red base in mahogany and auburn shades offset the green in warmer, olive-skinned ladies, and those on the lightest side of the medium-toned set can even get away with some strawberry-ginger highlights and lowlights. Just like how reddish undereye circles are balanced out with green-tinted concealer, the red in the shades counteract a sallow complexion and give it depth.
True Brown
Keywords to look for: chocolate, walnut, caramel
If you have a yellower undertone (some Asians and Latin Americans are under this bracket), a chocolate-to-dark golden ombré or a caramel balayage is particularly stunning. Favor the shades in the neutral to chocolate “true brown” family. They complement brown, hazel and golden-flecked eyes the best too.
Care for your color: Products with essential oils can also nourish and help give back the shine and body your hair’s proteins might have lost. SheaMoisture Purple Rice Water Strength & Color Care Shampoo and SheaMoisture Rice Water Strength & Color Care Conditioner will keep your color vibrant and nourished.
Best Shade of Brown Hair: Dark Skin
Dark Brown
Keywords to look for: chestnut, espresso, dark ash brown
Deep skin colors with a cooler undertone retain that lit-from-within glow but without any yellowish tinge. Rich colors with a slightly cool sheen (hint: without red tones) enhance these complexions best. A rich espresso hue is the darkest shade of coffee brown but is also surprisingly neutral.
