If you’ve been on social media in recent months, it’s likely you’ve heard a lot about contrast. In beauty, the contrast between your skin tone, eyes, hair, and eyebrows can help determine which makeup shades suit you best. Those with low contrast, for example, have a sense of uniformity between these features and may opt for softer, more neutral tones. But if you’re not naturally low contrast and love the look, don’t worry, there’s a trend right up your alley: Skin-tone hair.
What is skin-tone hair?
Aptly named, the skin-tone hair trend is all about matching your hair color to your skin tone. This “creates a seamless, skin-enhancing effect that naturally brightens the face,” says celebrity hairstylist SherriAnn Cole. “It softens contrast so your features and your glow take center stage.”
Do I need to take my undertones into account?
Yes! The idea is to choose shades of brown, blonde, red, or even beige that draw their tones directly from your skin’s undertones, creating a sense of continuity between the two.
“Undertones are the foundation of everything I do. If you ignore them, the color will never sit right on the skin,” says celebrity hairstylist Jacob Schwartz. “I am always looking at the warmth or coolness in my clients’ complexion and building a tone that complements that.”
Cole adds, “I always tell clients to lean into tones that live in the same family as their skin for the best result.” From warm caramel for golden skin tones to beiges and champagne blondes for lighter complexions, and deep browns for darker skin tones, this trend works best when tailor-made for the individual.
“With clients like Margot Robbie, her ‘gilded blonde’ isn’t stark against her skin—it’s soft at the root, diffused, and multi-tonal,” Schwartz says. “That lower contrast creates a more seamless, natural effect that feels polished without trying too hard.”
Should I dye my eyebrows to match?
Both Cole and Schwartz agree that you shouldn’t match your eyebrows to your skin-toned hair, but they have different approaches for what you should do instead. While Schwartz likes a “slightly deeper” brow on blondes and a slightly softened one on brunettes, Cole recommends keeping the brows “one to two shades deeper than your hair.”
Regardless, “It’s less about matching and more about balance,” Schwartz says, adding, “If everything is identical, you lose dimension, and the overall look can fall flat.”
So, if you’re into skin-tone hair and just need a little more inspiration, check out the celebrities below who’ve nailed the look, from Zendaya to Rosé.
Anok Yai
Photo: Joe Maher/Getty Images