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3 Winter Hair Colors That Flatter Different Skin Tones

Winter’s the perfect time to refresh your hair color—when the cold, dry air has left our tresses and skin looking and feeling dull or blah.  Luckily, these trending winter hair colors—from warm blonde to dark brown almost black—revive hair’s vibrance while also restoring skin’s glow. Here, top colorists match the top trends in hair color with the most common skin tones and reveal their tips for how to get the look at home or in the salon. Keep reading for a gorgeous new you!

3 winter hair colors that wow

Keep scrolling to see the stunning winter hair colors to rock this season (and beyond)—plus, find the one that will work best for your skin tone.

For fair or light skin: Try palomino blonde

Inspired by the stunning horse breed of the same color, palomino blonde is a soft hue with vibrant gold, creamy pale ale and deep topaz streaks that look like ribbons peeking out from within, says Diana Mildice, a colorist at Maxine Salon in Chicago.  “This on-trend color returns the depth, brightness and shimmer that blonde strands lose during the winter months.” The shade’s rich kaleidoscope of warm, golden hues also adds a touch of radiance to light skin.

In the salon: Ask your colorist to place these shades in a “paneled pattern around the head with a balayage technique,” says Mildice. This seamlessly blends all the tones together.

At home: Try creating a mix of lowlights and highlights, suggests Mike Petrizzi, a celebrity colorist at Chris Chase Salon in New York City. Start with the lowlights using a darker blonde dye, such as L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color 8G Golden Blonde. Apply it to the roots and then to various ½” sections throughout the head from roots to ends. Next, grab a highlighting kit, like Clairol Frost & Tip Highlighting Kit. Apply the color to other various ¼” sections of hair, leaving space between the lowlights. Let everything process for 30-40 minutes, rinse, and voilà—your blonde now has a winter glow-up!

For medium or olive skin: Try praline brown

Rich, glowing gold tones mixed with pearlescent browns make up this dreamy praline, which seems tailor-made for medium-toned skin. “The warm blend of colors pulls out the golden tones in the complexion for a sun-kissed glow,” says Mildice. Even better, this variation in tones gives hair more dimension, which creates the illusion of a fuller head of hair. 

In the salon: Ask your colorist to use a dark hazel brown base color with ultra-fine, light golden highlights placed strategically around the face. These soft, tonal highlights create depth without a harsh line of demarcation, so the color is effortless to maintain as hair grows.

At home: Look for a box dye with descriptors like honey, warm golden or medium brunette, such as Schwarzkopf Keratin Color Permanent Hair Color Cream in 7.5. “Apply to the roots first—they need more time to process—then, when you have 5 minutes left in processing time, drag the color down to mid-lengths and ends,” says celebrity colorist Jonathan Colombini. For the highlights, use a balayage kit, such as L’Oréal Paris Preference Balayage Permanent Hair Color. Paint the color onto various ¼” sections around the face, starting 1” away from the roots. Check hair after 30 minutes; rinse after hair reaches your desired tone. Brunette bombshell status achieved!

For dark skin: Try charcoal brown

Beautiful charcoal brown is having a moment, and for good reason. This cool-toned shade is a mix of ash-brown with a hint of black that keeps the color looking rich without skewing inky. “The light-reflecting color flatters everyone with a deeper complexion since it pops beautifully against the skin,” says Lauren Mildice, a colorist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. Just be sure to avoid any blue-blacks or browns with deep red pigments as they can be overpowering. “These colors pull unwanted red and yellow tones that can make the skin appear washed out,” Colombini adds.

In the salon: Ask your colorist for an all-over cool dark brown. To take the color to the next level, finish with a clear gloss treatment for extra shine.