How to Match Wig Colour and Skin Tone

We understand that choosing the perfect wig can be daunting – with so many factors and choices to consider, how do you possibly pick one? It’s all about selecting a wig that is going to complement your face, bearing in mind both wig colour and skin tone.

As expected, the colour of a wig is really important in making sure you achieve the right look and have chosen something that complements you. The great thing about wigs is you can try them on until you find the perfect match between your wig colour and skin tone!

But, first things first – you need to identify your skin tone. Your skin tone refers to your skin's pigment and how warm or cool your complexion is. Warm skin is known for its yellow, red, and peachy undertones, whereas cool skins have pink, blue, or violet undertones.

So, which one do you have? Not sure? Well, that’s ok too. There are some easy little tricks to help you work it out.

1. Firstly, you could visit a makeup artist at a counter and ask their opinion, this is probably the easiest method, but there are a few tests that can help you.

2. Remove any makeup you are wearing and place a white towel around your head. This should help you to recognise whether the undertones of your face are bluer or more yellow.

3. Have a look at the veins on your wrist. If they appear to have a green tint, then you have a warm undertone. If they appear blue, you have a cool undertone.

“ Now that you’ve identified your skin tone let’s take a look at the wig
colours that will suit you best ”

If you find a colour you love, and you wear it with confidence, then none of this should matter, but it can be a helpful starting point for people who haven’t experimented with different hair colours.

Ladies with a Warm Skin Tone

If you have a warmer skin tone, you should focus on wigs that incorporate:

• Chocolate
• Dark mocha
• Warm browns
• Chestnut
• Cinnamon
• Honey
• Amber

These colours can take the form of a full wig, but choosing a wig that has highlights or lowlights of these shades is also a good option.

Red tones: Neutral skin tones or blue undertones really work well with warm reds such as strawberry blonde, copper, rust or rose gold.

Dark browns: If you’re opting for a shade such as brown-black, dark mocha or cocoa, then cool undertones, with either fair or medium skin looks great. Alternatively, if you have deep skin tones, using one of the above shades will warm things up regardless.

Colours to avoid: As well as there being advantageous colours for warm skin tones, there are also some wig colours that should be avoided with a warm skin tone. Most cool colours, such as jet black, violet, blues, or platinum blonde, don’t compliment a warm complexion. These colours can make you look washed out, not the look you’re going for!

Wig Colours for Darker Skin

If you have darker skin, there is a wide variety of wig colours that will compliment your skin tone. We recommend the follow wig colours for darker skin:

Brown:

If you want a natural look, then opting for a brown wig is a great idea. If you want to keep things looking as natural as possible, don’t go any more than two shades lighter or darker than your natural hair colour.

Darker skin tones suit all varieties of brown, including those with golden, honey, chocolate, caramel, red and coffee tones. The colour you opt for is completely dependent on preference!

To achieve the perfect highlighted or ombre look opt for bronze colour highlights, they’ll give your look a glow and elevate a darker brown base colour. If your base brown colour is a lighter shade, then golden brown tones will complement and bring out the warmth in your skin.

Red:

Burgundy, deep reds and copper colours make for the perfect wig colours for darker skin. If you’re going for an all-over red colour, we’d recommend a deep auburn colour.

If it’s a highlighted look you’re going for you can opt for a slightly bolder shade of red. Or, why not try an ombre style? This will blend the brown or black hair of the wig into a rich, dark red. These tones will enhance the warmth of your dark skin tone and create an overall complementary look.

Blonde:

Blonde wig colours work beautifully with darker skin colours, but just be sure to avoid ashy blonde colours which tend to be more orange-based as it isn’t as complimentary as other blonde tones. Lighter blonde colours, with golden tones, work really well. If you’re unsure, we recommend opting for a darker blonde colour with lighter tones to really compliment your skin tone.

Ladies with a Cool Skin Tone

Tones that complement cool skin tones include:

• Blacks
• Ashy brown
• Cool blonde
• Honey
• Beige
• Grey
• Auburn

These shades neutralise the tone of your skin, whereas warmer colours can really wash you out. Introducing highlights can also help to freshen up a look.

Bold colours: If you have a cool skin tone, you are able to wear more of the vibrant and unnatural colours, such as reds and purples. You have the ability to get jazzy!

Blondes and greys: Icy blondes, greys, and ashy colours look great on people with cool skin tones. If you find that you have rosy cheeks, the slightly blue tones in your hair will counteract ruddiness in the skin.

Honey and caramel tones: If you have fair skin with cool blue undertones, go warmer with your blondes. Why not try honey, gold or caramel colours? Also, if you have neutral undertones or deep olive skin, then warm blondes can also look great.

Wig Colours for Lighter Skin

If you have very light skin and are unsure of what wig colour will best suit you, then we recommend trying the following:

Brown:

When it comes to brown hair for lighter skin, you want the tones to be rich and to have orangey undertones to complement your skin tone. To add some definition and texture to a dark brown look, opt for some warm chocolate highlights! Alternatively, an ombre consisting of med brown to lighter brown ashy tones at the end will add some depth to your look.

Blonde:

Opting for a blonde wig colour for lighter skin is a great idea, but be sure to stay away from platinum blondes or icy colours, if you are concerned about drowning your skin colour out a little. Golden tones and darker blonde tones are perfect and will really add warmth to your look! If you like having a lighter blonde wig, opt for a highlighted wig so that you can still stay true to your style but also complement your skin tone.

Bright:

If you want to make a statement, and love being experimental with your wig colours then going bold and bright is a great option for lighter skin! If you’re not ready to have a full wig in a brighter colour, opt for an ombre or balayage look so that you get the best of both worlds!

Now that you’ve grasped the type of colour you should go for; the next step is the fun part –  choosing your wig! Take a look at our wig colour chart to help you understand wig colours. Understanding wig colours and getting it right is extremely important but will be worthwhile.

We have so many beautiful wigs from which to choose. Now that you have an idea about the wig colours that best suit your skin tone, you can find the perfect wig for you and your complexion! Our blog post on how to choose the right wig colour can also help you  Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need any help finding the right wig for you.