Hair Science

Picking the Perfect Pigment for Your Skin Tone

Perfection is in the pigment.

With so many gorgeous, eye-popping colors to choose from, picking the perfect hair color for your skin tone can get a little overwhelming. Luckily, AURA’s semi-permanent pigments offer endless possibilities.

With some no-fuss advice from our specialists, you’ll find the shade that compliments your complexion best, whether you have more cool undertones or a more warm skin tone.

Four AURA Hair Care models with different colored hair. Each Color Muse is showing off one of the following semi-permanent pigments in our Fantasy shades: Rose Gold, London Red, Golden Mahogany, and Pacific Periwinkle.

Discover Your Most Flattering Shade

Our specialists recommend choosing an AURA semi-permanent pigment that has the opposite undertones from those in your skin. The perfect pigment starts with determining your complexion’s tone which can be achieved by looking at your wrists or the top of your hands.

Cool Tones

AURA Color Muse with cool skin tone and Rose Gold semi-permanent pigment in short hair.
AURA Color Muse with cool skin tone that has semi-permanent pigment Pacific Periwinkle in her long hair.

If you have fair skin or light skin you’ll most likely see blue or purple veins, that’s the #1 sign that you have cool undertones. This means you have a lot of pink, blue or red undertones in your complexion. You’ll want your hair color to help minimize any redness in your skin. 

If you have lighter hair and cool skin tones, warm colors or golden hues will flatter your skin type best. Choose a semi-permanent pigmented Masque in our Rose Gold Fantasy shade, or if you want a more subtle look for your cool skin tone, go the classic route with our Classic Golden shade. Hues like these will help counter-balance pink-ish skin tones to avoid a “washed out” look for cooler undertones.

If your hair is darker, our specialists recommend creating a striking contrast by using cool tones and ashy shades like our Soft Pacific Periwinkle or Kyoto Purple semi-permanent hair pigments. If you’re wondering how to make our Fantasy shades thrive on darker hair, find out how here.

Warm Tones

Smiling AURA Color Muse with warm skin tone. She has our semi-permanent pigment in Fantasy shade London Red in her hair.
Smiling AURA Color Muse with darker complexion and warmer skin tone. She has our semi-permanent pigment Golden Mahogany in her curly hair.

If you notice more greenish veins peeking through your skin, you have warmer tones. For more olive skin tones or medium skin complexions with hints of yellow or orange, your ideal hair color should leave your skin with a healthy, natural-looking glow. 

To amplify your warm undertones, choose shades that are golden and have pink and red tones, like our Jaipur Rose or London Red pigmented Masques. These will leave your medium skin tone radiating all day and night. 

For those with a darker complexion skin type and warm undertones, our specialists advise sticking to sunset-golden pigments like Hawaiian Coral and Golden Mahogany. They will create a luminescent contrast with your skin tone, highlighting your best features.

AURA Insight:

AURA Insight: If you’re still a little confused about determining your skin tone,  we recommend throwing on silver earrings or a silver necklace and looking in the mirror. Then, switch to gold jewelry. 

Which looks better for your skin’s undertone? Cooler skin tones look more radiant in silver jewelry, while gold jewelry pops against warmer skin tones.

If you have gray hair and are interested in using one of our Fantasy or Classic semi-permanent pigments that work with your skin tone, we’ve got you and your strands covered (literally). All the info you need can be found on this page. 

Now that you know what pigment works best with your skin tone, follow us for application tips and color inspiration on Instagram and TikTok @aurahaircare.