How To Choose The Right Blonde Hair Color For Your Skin Tone

The wrong shade can wash you out. Find the right one to compliment your skin tone.

Reviewed by Jessica Shults, Licensed Hairstylist Jessica Shults Jessica ShultsLicensed Hairstylist facebook_iconinsta_icon
Written by Anjali Sayee, BTech Anjali Sayee BTech linkedin_icon Experience: 7 years
Edited by Shatabdi Bhattacharya, BSc Shatabdi Bhattacharya BSc linkedin_icon Experience: 2.5 years
Fact-checked by Anu Pallavi, BA Anu Pallavi BA linkedin_icon
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Vibrant yet versatile, blonde hair never goes out of style. But choosing a blonde color for your skin tone can be difficult.

There are many shades to choose from – a lovely, soft natural blonde to an eye-catching platinum blonde! The key to picking the right blonde hair color is matching it to your skin tone. A warm blonde shade, like golden or honey, suits warm-toned skin, while cooler tones like ash or dirty blonde go better with cool-toned skin. Give in to the urge to go blonde this season, and go for that hair transformation that you have always wanted. Keep reading to know how to pick the best color to suit you!

protip_icon Before You Get Started
  • Always begin with the ingredients. Avoid hair products with ammonia, PPD, parabens, or phthalates that are harmful aside from the bleaching process itself.
  • See if you can find colors that include nourishing ingredients like argan oil and aloe vera.
  • Blonde-colored hair is especially damage-prone. Cover your hair with a hat or scarf when stepping out in harsh heat and weather.
  • Incorporate a lot of conditioning and moisturizing in your after hair care routine.
  • Since blonde is a very light hair color, you will need to bleach dark hair color to achieve it. Split the bleaching and hair coloring process over two to three days to prevent your hair from drying out or falling and breaking.

Things To Consider For Selecting The Best Blonde Hair Color

Blonde can be one woman’s food and another one’s poison. While most blonde shades suit fair skin tones, it’s the dark and olive skin tones that face trouble finding the right shade of blonde. Here are some key points to think about while choosing the best blonde shade for you:

  • Consider Your Skin Undertone

By skin tone, I don’t just mean your surface skin tone. Focus on your skin’s undertone as well. Are you warm-, neutral-, or cool-toned? If you aren’t sure, check if earthy colors like yellow, orange, and gold suit you better than blue, purple, and silver. If yes, you lean towards the warmer side.

Jessica Shults who is a hair expert and hair professional with over 20 years of experience says, “One way to know what undertone your skin has is to look at the inside of your wrist and see what color the veins are. If they are blue, you have a cool undertone (which looks better with ashy or platinum blondes). If they are green, you have a warm undertone (which looks better with warmer golden blondes) and if you see both colors, you have a neutral undertone (which can look great with a combination of warm and cool blondes). Considering the undertone of the client’s skin is so important when choosing the tone of blonde I will be giving them. I always want to enhance their natural beauty, not clash against it.”

To find out the shades of blonde hair trends right now, check out this article.

  • Consider The Shade Of Blonde

The color blonde has many shades ranging from champagne and gold to honey and strawberry. Pin-point the top four shades you love. Then, consult a hairstylist to figure out which shade suits your skin tone the best.

Consider Your Clothes

  • Consider Your Clothes

Choose a blonde color based on the color of the clothes you prefer wearing.

  • Neutral Shades (Black, Beige, White, And Gray)

Neutral shades complement varied blonde colors, like platinum blonde, ash blonde, and beige blonde. They offer a sophisticated and chic appearance without overpowering the outfit. 

  • Bright Shades (Red, Pink, Green, And Blue)

Choose blonde shades that balance the intensity of the bright shades. For example, go for golden blonde or honey blonde that create a cohesive warm appearance that is easy on the eyes. 

  • Earthy Shades (Brown, Tan, Rust, Khaki, And Olive) 

If your wardrobe is filled with clothes painted with nature-inspired colors, choose rich blonde shades that either add warmth or create a subtle contrast. The best hues to go for are caramel blonde or bronze blonde, which offer an edgy appearance. 

  • Pastel Shades (Baby pink, Sky Blue, And Lavender)  

Choose a blonde shade that enhances the airy feel of these shades. For example, side with champagne or platinum blonde to add a soft shine and create a modern look. 

  • Dark Or Deep Tones (Charcoal, Burgundy, Navy, And Bottle Green) 

Go for shades that liven up these deep shades and create an alluring balance. Choose either dark blonde or honey blonde to create a flattering contrast.

  • Consider Your Makeup

Consider your makeup preference to determine what shade of blonde you must go for.

  • Bold Makeup: Platinum or ash blondes create a more balanced appearance if you prefer dramatic makeup featuring bold lips and smokey eye looks. 
  • Natural Makeup: Honey, golden, or champagne blonde hair colors enhance your natural, minimalist makeup and add a subtle radiance to your skin. 
  • Warm-Toned Makeup: Strawberry or caramel blonde hues complement warm makeup shades like peach, coral, or gold, making your makeup pop. 
  • Cool-Toned Makeup: Silver or ash blonde balance out cool makeup colors like lavender or deep berry shades and create an edgy, polished appearance.
  • Consider The Season

You want a blonde shade that matches well with your surroundings. In the summer season, a fresh sun-kissed look is what you should aim for. So, ash blonde or platinum blonde would look amazing. For the winter months, a warmer and richer hue such as caramel or honey blonde is the best choice. Fresh blonde shades like beige blonde and strawberry blonde look stunning in the spring season. They complement the glowing allure of the season. Copper or caramel blonde create an amazing harmony with your natural surroundings in the fall months. 

  • Consider The Maintenance

Some blonde shades like platinum and ash blonde when paired with dark roots can have a jarring effect against certain skin tones, especially those with warm undertones. Therefore, they might need more regular touch-ups. Whereas, softer tones like beige blonde and honey blonde that suit most skin tones can hold up well with monthly touch-ups. So, consider a color that you can maintain well.

  • Consider Your Natural Hair Color

This factor plays a key role if you are thinking of getting hair highlights. You need to pick a color that blends well with your natural locks. If you are a brunette, you might want to consider keeping your roots dark to create a shadow root effect.

Also, keep in mind that if you are brunette and planning on coloring your hair completely, you will need to bleach your locks. Depending on the shade of blonde you are going for, you might need to bleach your hair as many as four times. This will dry out your hair. Keep reading to find out the type of blonde you should go for depending on your natural hair color.

  • Dark Brown Or Black Hair: Honey blonde, caramel blonde, or dark blonde shades blend seamlessly into darker hair, offering a sun-kissed effect. 
  • Medium Brown Hair: Strawberry or ash blonde shades enable a subdued yet refined look. You may also dye your hair with dark blonde for a striking effect. 
  • Light Brown Hair: Light blonde shades like beige blonde or golden blonde provide a natural finish and radiant sheen to the hair while also adding warmth to the skin. 
  • Auburn Hair: Strawberry blonde and copper blonde blend seamlessly with fiery reds in auburn hair, making for bold and bright looks. 
  • Blonde Hair: If you already have blonde hair color, but wish for a unique blonde effect, choose among the shades based on your requirements. For an icy modern look, choose a platinum blonde, but for a warmer touch, dye your hair with golden blonde.

Emily, a Vietnamese blogger, has shared her hair-dyeing experiences in her blog. She has Asian hair with a base color of dark brown and loves to change her hair color frequently. On her first visit to the salon to become a blonde, she had to get her hair bleached as she had three colors in addition to her original hair color. She also mentions how the hairdresser evaluates her hair condition, the shades of colors, and hair history. According to her hairdresser’s supervisor, “The top would be dyed with a cool blonde tone and the bottom would be dye[d] with a copper blonde tone. The idea behind this is to even out the color pigments in my hair, as the top’s color wasn’t even and the bottom’s one was greenish (red neutral green. Color wheel). So there went, I had to endure another 20 mins of burning sensation. But it was definitely worth it! (i).”

Ultimately, there is much to consider when you decide to color your hair a trendy hair shade that has many variants and effects that may not always suit everyone. So much information and instruction can be overwhelming and cause further confusion. In the next section, we share some more practical tips to help you settle on a suitable blonde shade for you. Continue reading to discover them.

Practical Tips For Choosing A Suitable Blonde Hair Color

Finalizing a blonde shade based on your hair’s natural color, skin undertone, clothing colors, and makeup preferences is important. But, there are a few easy hacks that can make things convenient for you. We have discussed them below.

  • Do A Strand Test: When you are planning to transform your hair into a beautiful blonde color, doing a strand test is essential. It basically means to color a small, obscure section of your hair to test the color outcome. This will help you assess if the desired color sets in naturally on your strands and develops as expected. It also serves as a patch test that reveals any allergic reactions to the ingredients in the dye. 
  • Use Virtual Hair Color Apps: Install various virtual hair color apps on your phone and try out different blonde shades. These apps come with realistic hair color filters that can help you judge which blonde shade would look the best on you. 
  • Consult A Professional Hair Colorist: The most fool-proof option is to book an appointment with a hair colorist to assess the best shade of blonde for yourself. They will assess the different factors and suggest a shade that is perfect for you. Personalized advice is always ideal to get a hair makeover that cannot go wrong.

Now that you know what to consider when picking your blonde hair color, here are some suggestions on which blonde shades suit each skin tone.

Key Takeaways

  • Blonde hair is a classic shade many people love to flaunt.
  • There are various blonde shades for you to experiment with, such as strawberry blonde and platinum blonde.
  • There are some things you need to consider to pick the right shade of blonde for you, such as your skin tone and undertone.
  • Earthy blonde shades suit warm skin tones, while ashy blonde shades look good with cool skin tones.

Blonde Shades For Different Skin Tones

The right shade of blonde can lift your look from Meh to Wow! But, with so many variations, it becomes tough to choose the perfect blonde hue. Further, before you can learn about the suitability of a hair shade for your skin tone, you also need to consider your skin’s undertone. Begin with identifying what you undertone is. For this, you can simply observe the color of your veins showing through your skin on your wrist and inner arm areas. If your veins appear blue or purple-ish, your undertone is cool. If they appear greenish, your undertone is warm. If you can see both shades or cannot clearly tell the difference in green and blue, then you likely have a neutral undertone.

  • Cool Undertone
  1. Ash Blonde: This chic color with grayish hints offers a bold and balanced look without clashing. 
  2. Platinum Blonde: This vibrant, icy shade creates a striking contrast with your skin tone, enhancing its natural crispness.  
  3. Silver Blonde: This sleek, silvery shade enhances the skin’s natural coolness, complementing both medium and fair skin tones. 
  • Warm Undertone
  1. Golden Blonde: This rich, golden yellow shade offers a bright, sun-kissed effect. 
  2. Strawberry Blonde: This beautiful blend of red and blonde tones, brings out the natural glow of the skin, and offers a lively look. 
  3. Honey Blonde: This vivacious shade enhances the skin’s natural warmth, offering a healthy look. 
  • Neutral Undertone
  1. Beige Blonde: This versatile shade complements a range of skin tones as it does not lean too much into warm or cool sides. 
  2. Caramel Blonde: This rich color adds depth to the hair, resulting in a radiant shine. 
  3. Champagne Blonde: This lustrous color is a soft blend of warm and cool tones, offering a subtle, sophisticated appearance.

So those were the basic of choosing a blonde shade for your undertone. Let us now move forward to learn about ideal blonde hair shades for your skin tone.

1. Blonde Hair Colors For Wheatish Skin Tones

Blonde Hair Colors For Wheatish Skin Tones
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Blonde hair color on wheatish skin can blur the lines between the face and the hairline, giving a washed-out look. To avoid that, go for a root smudge (shadow root) that fades into blonde shades like malibu or ash blonde. You may add a few platinum highlights to brighten the look. You may also try honey blonde, caramel blonde, butterscotch tone, and golden blonde that better complement wheatish skin tones.

2. Blonde Hair Colors For Tawny Skin Tones

Blonde Hair Colors For Tawny Skin Tones
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Going blonde is a bold choice for tawny skin tones. Shades like pure diamond blonde, pearl blonde, sunflower blonde, medium champagne, and light golden blonde pair well with a tawny skin tone and may make your facial features pop.

3. Blonde Hair Colors For Warm Skin Tones

Blonde hair color for warm skin tone
Shutterstock

If you have a warm skin tone, opt for the typical earthy blonde shades. Colors like golden beige, gold, and rich champagne will work wonders for you. Cool-toned blonde shades may look jarring against your skin.

protip_icon Quick Tip
You can also go for rich honey, caramel, bronze, or butterscotch shades to complement your warm skin tone.

4. Blonde Hair Colors For Cool Skin Tones

Blonde hair color for cool skin tone
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Women with cool skin tones can go for ashy blonde shades. Don’t opt for golden or yellow brown shades. Consider colors like Scandinavian blonde and platinum blonde. They have whitish-silvery hints that make them cool-toned.

5. Blonde Hair Colors For Fair Skin Tones

Blonde hair color for fair skin tone
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Fair-skinned women can pull off most blonde shades. But, the one shade only fair women can pull off is light pastel blonde. However, keep in mind that going this light will require bleaching, and you will need to nourish your tresses back to health. Don’t forget to use a purple toner to remove the yellow and brassy tones from your locks.

6. Blonde Hair Colors For Medium Skin Tones

Blonde hair color for medium skin tone
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Medium-toned women have a wide variety of blonde shades to choose from. They are mainly neutral-toned and can pick between warm and cool shades. Opt for medium shades of blonde, like a dirty blonde or you can even experiment with numerous ash blonde hair color ideas. Don’t go for brighter shades, as they might look too fake on you.

7. Blonde Hair Colors For Olive Skin Tones

Blonde hair color for olive skin tone
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If your skin tone is olive, shades like light gold, warm beige, soft strawberry blonde, and honey blonde will look great on you. Steer clear of shades that contrast with your skin tone as they can bring out the green tones in your skin and accentuate imperfections.

8. Blonde Hair Colors For Tanned Skin

Blonde hair color for tanned skin tone
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Tanned skin tends to be somewhere between medium and dark brown. A blend of light and dark hues is perfect for it. This combination will add depth and dimension to your tresses. It will also make your hair look fuller and more voluminous. If you keep your roots dark, the lighter ends will frame your face beautifully.

9. Blonde Hair Colors For Dark Skin Tones

Blonde hair color for darker skin tones
Shutterstock

More often than not, a dark-skinned woman going blonde is a diva move! It is a brilliant way to flaunt your tresses. You can pick any shade of blonde you want, but the key is to match it with your skin’s undertone. For instance, if you have a cool undertone, a yellow blonde will clash against it. One way to make the transition to blonde smoother is to keep your roots dark. This way, your hair color will look fresh even when your hair grows out.

protip_icon Quick Tip
You can go for platinum blonde or milk chocolate with honey highlights to give the effect of being blonde without it looking drab against your skin.

Infographic: Tips To Choose The Right Blonde Shade For Different Skin Tones

It can be challenging to choose the ideal blonde color for your skin tone because there are so many. That is why it is essential to keep in mind your skin tone, undertone, personal style, and natural hair color before choosing the right shade. In order to determine which blonde shade would look best on you, check out the infographic below to know the best hair tips to choose the right blonde shade.

an easy guide to choosing the right blonde shade for different skin tones (infographic)

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Choosing the right blonde color for your skin tone may seem difficult, but it does not have to be. Before picking amongst different blonde hair color ideas, consider your skin tone, the shade of blonde, your clothes, makeup choices, and natural hair color. For warm skin tones, earthy blonde shades are the best suit. Cool skin tones perfectly go with ashy blonde shades. A blend of light and dark hues for tanned skin can be a good fit. So, choose a perfect blonde shade to flaunt your best hair styling! Also, be mindful of your hair maintenance and opt for natural ways by seeking hair advice or visiting hair salons for effective hair treatments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between icy blonde and platinum?

Icy blonde is paler than platinum blonde and has violet or blue undertones, while platinum has grayish pigments.

Does ash blonde look good on warm skin?

It may. Ash-blonde hair can be great if you want to balance your warm skin tone with a cool hair color shade. However, ash-blonde usually complements cool-toned skin, and you may want to add some warm hair highlights to make it more suitable.

Does blonde hair make you look younger?

Yes. Warmer blonde hair tones like caramel, honey, strawberry, and gold give your complexion a healthy glow.

Illustration: How To Choose The Right Blonde Hair Color For Your Skin Tone

blonde color for your skin tone

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team


Find the perfect shade for your hair and skin tone from the video below. Take inspiration and enchant everyone with your modish new look. Check it out!

Personal Experience: Source

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Jessica Shults
Jessica ShultsLicensed Hairstylist
Jessica is an expert hairstylist with over 20 years of experience. She specializes in all areas of hair color and is exceptionally skilled at balayage and best-in-class gray blending techniques. After two decades of hairstyling, she launched Twisted Scissors Salon, a full-service hair salon.

Read full bio of Jessica Shults
Anjali Sayee
Anjali SayeeAssociate Editor
Anjali is an associate editor at StyleCraze. She specializes in hairstyles and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these domains. She has 7 years of experience, and her philosophy about hair and skin care is simple: if you love and care for it, it will be healthy.

Read full bio of Anjali Sayee
Shatabdi Bhattacharya
Shatabdi BhattacharyaAssociate Editor
Shatabdi is an associate editor and an alumnus of Lady Brabourne College, Kolkata, where she honed her skills and developed a deep understanding of the world of literature and expression. She has worked with various organizations and websites operating in different industries, ranging from education to lifestyle, showing her adaptability and drive to learn.

Read full bio of Shatabdi Bhattacharya
Anu Pallavi
Anu PallaviBeauty & Lifestyle Writer
Anu is a beauty and lifestyle writer and a graduate of Amity University, Noida, where she refined her writing skills and cultivated her deep passion for the field. She pursued the Beauty Technician Training Program at Maquillage Beauty Institute, which has equipped her with practical skills in various beauty treatments.

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