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Choosing a haircolor that works with your skin tone

The desire for finding the right hairstyle and color is intense in our culture. Women are becoming educated in determining their face shape and skin tone in order to come up with hair styles and colors that are the most flattering and appropriate for themselves. I see them continuingly in my online or face to face class Finding the Right Hairstyle for You.

“that incongruent look”

This month, American Salon Magazine’s color specialist, Kim Vo, has an article for salon professionals on his tips for changing a clients hairstyle, without compromising her identity. (You know, that incongruent look that says “something just isn’t right here” on a woman with colored hair.) He shares the same three areas that I do in my classes; face shape, skin tone and lifestyle issues (he calls it age).

I find the most problematic of these three areas to determine is . . . skin tone. Even many hairstylists who do hair coloring services, have trouble with this one. The undertones of an individuals skin tone can be subtle and tricky to determine to even to a professional eye. Hair color specialist, Kim Vo’s description on how to figure what’s what in the realm of skin tones:

• Rose (or Warm) ~~ She has light-toned skin with pink or porcelain undertones, sunburns easily and seldom tans.

  • Compatible hair colors ~~ ruby-reds, cocoa-bean browns and champagne-blondes.

• Yellow (or Cool) ~~ Her skin tone is light to medium with yellow or beige undertones, and she usually burns before tanning.

  • Compatible hair colors ~~ Try light strawberry-blondes, caramel-browns or baby-blondes.

• Olive (or Cool) ~~ She has medium-toned skin with a hint of green undertones, and she tans easily.

  • Compatible hair colors ~~ Her coloring comes to life with chestnut-browns, hints of red and red hues with cooler notes.

• Brown (or Warm) ~~ She’s dark-skinned and sunburn isn’t an issue.

  • Compatible hair colors ~~ Her hair looks great in nearly any shade, but one of my favorites is toasted-pecan brown with hints of gold.

I have written articles on both face shape and lifestyle issues.

Got a question, war story or comment about this topic? “Click on the leave Your Comments” link at the very bottom of this article. Some of my best ideas for future articles come from reading reader comments. I’d love to hear from you!

Got a question, war story or comment about this topic? Click on the "Leave Your Comments" link at the very bottom of this article. Some of my best ideas for future articles come from reading reader comments. I'd love to hear from you!

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