How do I know my highlight shade?

Author: Hazel Koepp MD  |  Last update: Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Generally speaking, the rule of thumb when it comes to skin tones is that warm skin tones will pull yellow and golden undertones, while cool skin tones will pull blue and pink. If you can't immediately tell by examining your complexion which undertones you have, another place to look is your wrists.

How to figure out what color highlights to get?

“The universal rule is to keep highlights within four shades of your base color — any more can look harsh,” says Papanikolas. “At the lightest end brunettes should opt for caramel, auburns for copper gold and blondes or grays can go to baby blonde.

What is the most common highlighter color?

The most common color for highlighters is yellow, but they are also found in orange, red, pink, purple, blue, and green varieties. Some yellow highlighters may look greenish in colour to the naked eye. Yellow is the preferred color to use when making a photocopy as it will not produce a shadow on the copy.

How do I find my correct shade?

Swatch on your jawline: Apply a small amount of foundation on your jawline and blend it towards your neck. The right shade should seamlessly blend into your skin. Consider your skin type: Different formulas work better for different skin types (e.g., matte for oily skin, dewy for dry skin).

How many shades of lighter do you need for highlights?

Highlights are dimensional pieces used to create contrast in how your hair looks. Most highlights are added to a single color and can mimic the impact that the brightness of the sun would have on your hair when exposed to natural light. They also tend to be 2-3 shades lighter than your base color.

Finding Your Concealer Shade: How to Choose Your Perfect Match

Can I go 2 shades lighter without bleaching?

Depending on how light or dark your hair is, you could apply color without any lightening at all. Just know that if you're wanting to go lighter, generally hair dye both box and professional will only be able to lighten your hair 1-2 levels without the need for pre-lightening, aka bleaching.

Should highlights be darker or lighter?

Lighter colors can provide a face-framing effect and be extremely flattering when done right. Instead of lighter highlights, individuals can choose darker lowlights to add dimension and highlight the natural color. Going too light or too dark in either direction will ruin the effect.

How do I know my shade size?

Here's how to get accurate measurements:
  1. Measure the overall area to be covered. Measure both the width of the window and the height of the window.
  2. Consider adding an extra 3 inches to the width and height for optimum light control and privacy.

How do I find the right shade of hair color?

The rule is simple – warm skin tones look best in warm colors while cool tones look best in cool colors. The goal is to pick a shade that best accentuates your natural features. Plus, knowing your skin tone helps you find your perfect makeup palette and outfit colors.

How do I know my contour shade?

Cool Undertones: Skin has pink, red, or bluish hues. The best contour shades are taupe, soft greys, and neutral browns to create realistic shadows. Warm Undertones: Skin has golden, yellow, or peachy hues. Opt for caramel, golden-brown, or chestnut contour shades to avoid an ashy effect.

How do I know my highlighter shade?

Pick up a highlighter shade that's about two shades lighter than your skin tone. For fair skin tones use shades that have more of a cool pink finish, like lilac, pearl, and silver.

How do I choose a highlight color?

The rule of thumb when picking out a hair color is to choose tones opposite that of your skin. So for example, if you're warm toned, you might opt for an ashier, more cool shade of highlights, and vice versa. Follow along for our breakdown of each different tone of highlights and who they look best on.

What is the perfect highlight color?

To select the perfect hair color for your modern highlights, consider important factors like your skin tone and hair type. Keep in mind that warm skin tones harmonize well with golden or caramel hues, while cooler skin tones complement ashy or platinum shades.

How do you pick the right shade of blonde highlights?

Here's how to decide:
  • Fair skin: Cool shades like ash blonde enhance lighter complexions.
  • Olive or darker skin: Warmer tones like honey or caramel blonde bring out a radiant glow.
  • Dark hair: Start with softer shades like caramel to avoid harsh contrasts.
  • Light hair: You can go bolder with icy platinum or baby blonde.

How do I decide what to highlight?

Highlight the key words that indicate the main idea. Usually, these key words repeat throughout the section. When all of the highlighted words are read alone, a key idea of the reading is stated. You should be able to read only the highlighted words and the words will make sense.

How do I know my exact hair color?

Start by parting the back of your hair down the center. Then, cover up any dyed sections of hair so that you're able to focus on evaluating your scalp. Have a friend match the color against our color chart to figure out the color closest to your own. For best results, make sure you're in bright, natural lighting.

What hair color is most attractive?

  • The contest for the most attractive hair colour is obviously won by the blonde color with 35% of the overall vote, followed by the brunette. ...
  • According to the survey, the majority of men (42%) found blonde hair to be the most attractive.

How do I know my undertone?

White Cloth Test: Put a white cloth next to your bare face and observe how your skin appears under that lighting. Skin with warm undertones will look yellowish, while skin with cool undertones will seem blueish or pinkish.

How do I know my color shade?

Colour Analysis: Compare your skin to a colour swatch or a standardised chart of skin tones, such as the Fitzpatrick scale, to help you identify whether your tone is fair, light, medium or dark.

How do I know what size shades to get?

Keep in mind that frame sizes refer to individual lens width. To calculate the ideal lens width, subtract your bridge measurement from your temple measurement and divide the resulting number in half. This doesn't have to be exact, most people find that there is a range of lens sizes that fit them well.

How do I know what to shade?

shading colour tips
  1. red- shade with a slightly darker shade of purple.
  2. orange- slightly darker and more saturated shade of red.
  3. yellow- i think like..a peach could work but make it a really light peach.
  4. green- shade with darker and less saturated shade of blue or teal.
  5. blue- shade with purple.

Do highlights get lighter after a few washes?

Do Highlights Get Lighter After a Few Washes? In some cases, highlights can get lighter after a few washes and fade over time.

Is it better to go darker or lighter with grey hair?

Is it better to go lighter or darker to cover grey hair? As for your permanent colour kit choice, for the best grey coverage, Josh recommends choosing a shade close to your natural root colour (that's the colour between the greys.) "Make sure to never stray more than two shades away from this,” says Josh.

Is it better to go all-over blonde or highlights?

All-over blonde can be a great option for those who are looking for a dramatic change in their hair colour and a low-maintenance look, while highlights can add dimension and depth to the hair without being as damaging or high-maintenance.

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