Determining whether your brown hair has warm or cool undertones can be tricky. The color of your hair depends on two types of pigment: eumelanin which creates brown and black tones, and pheomelanin which creates red and gold tones. Everyone’s hair contains a mix of both, but the proportions vary. Hair with more eumelanin has cooler undertones, while hair with more pheomelanin has warmer red and gold undertones.
There are a few ways to identify whether your brown hair leans warm or cool. Look at your natural hair color in natural lighting and take note of any red, gold or ash tones. Examine the color of your veins – if they are blue, your coloring is likely cool, while green veins indicate warm undertones. You can also drape gold and silver jewelry next to your face to see which flatters your skin tone more.
Knowing your hair’s undertones will help you choose the most flattering hair color products. Warm brown hair looks best with gold and red tones, while cool brown hair benefits from ash and beige tones. Read on for more tips on determining your brown hair’s undertones.
Signs You Have Warm Brown Hair
If your brown hair contains more pheomelanin than eumelanin, chances are it has warm red or gold undertones. Here are some signs your brown hair is warm-toned:
– Your hair has visible golden, coppery or reddish highlights, especially in sunlight. Warm brown hair often has a reddish or golden shine.
– Your brown hair lightens to a golden or strawberry blonde color in the sun rather than ash blonde.
– Your hair takes warmth from gold and red-toned hair dyes easily.
– Veins on your wrist appear greenish rather than blue. Green veins indicate warm skin undertones.
– Gold jewelry looks better on you than silver jewelry. Warm skin undertones are complemented by the warmth of gold tones.
– You look good in warm colors like peach, coral and yellow. Cooler colors like icy pinks and blues tend to wash you out.
– You likely have warm eye colors like green, hazel or amber eyes. Cooler blue and gray eyes are often paired with cooler hair.
– You may be warm-toned if you have freckles, which are caused by pheomelanin.
If you recognize several of these signs in your brown hair, there’s a good chance your hair skews warm. Warm brown hair looks its best with hair products containing golden copper and red tones to enhance your hair’s natural color.
Signs You Have Cool Brown Hair
If your brown hair has more eumelanin than pheomelanin, it likely has cooler ash, beige or neutral undertones. Here are some signs your brown hair is cool-toned:
– Your hair appears ash brown or mousy brown rather than golden brown in sunlight. Cooler browns lack warmth.
– Your hair lightens to an ash or platinum blonde tone with sun exposure or bleach rather than golden blonde.
– Your brown hair resists taking on warm red and gold shades from hair dye.
– Your wrist veins appear blue or purple. This signifies cool undertones.
– Silver jewelry complements your skin tone better than gold jewelry which can look brassy.
– You look best in cool jewel tones like royal blue, emerald green and violet. Warm peachy tones tend to wash you out.
– Your eyes are blue, gray or greenish-gray, which signal cool undertones.
– You burn easily in the sun, without much tanning. This fairer skin often accompanies cooler hair.
– You likely don’t have many freckles or ruddiness in your skin tone.
If these traits describe your brown hair, you likely have a cooler hair color. For cool brunettes, ash brown, chestnut brown, and neutral brown shades will harmonize best with your natural tone.
How Lighting Affects Your Hair Color Perception
The lighting you view your hair in can affect whether it appears warmer or cooler. Here’s how:
– Natural outdoor light shows your hair’s true tones. Examine hair in indirect sunlight for the most accurate color.
– Warm artificial light adds golden undertones. Incandescent and sunset-colored light will bring out warmth.
– Cool fluorescent lighting can make hair appear ashier and less warm.
– Shade and cloudy skies mute warmth and intensify cool ash tones.
– Direct sunlight lightens hair and reflects warmer highlights.
To best assess your natural hair color’s undertones, look at it in neutral daylight or white bulb lighting. Warm lighting can skew hair color warmer than it is, while cool lighting emphasizes coolness. Your hair likely has both warm and cool tones in daylight.
Warm and Cool Version of Brown Hair Colors
Here are some examples of warm and cool shades of popular brown hair colors:
| Warm Browns | Cool Browns |
|---|---|
| Golden brown | Ash brown |
| Auburn brown | Mocha brown |
| Chestnut brown with red tones | Chestnut brown with neutral tones |
| Honey brown | Espresso brown |
| Caramel brown | Dark chocolate brown |
| Bronze brown | Charcoal brown |
In general, brown hair colors with red, gold, or orange undertones are considered warm, while ash, platinum, or neutral brown shades are cooler. But most brown hair has a blend of warm and cool tones. Work with your colorist to enhance the tones most flattering to your complexion.
Enhancing Warm Brown Hair
If you have warm brown hair, you can play up your hair’s natural warm, golden undertones with hair color and products:
– Add warm copper and auburn highlights around your face to brighten skin and make eyes pop.
– Use temporary golden brown hair gloss to boost shine and warmth between color appointments.
– Try a warming cinnamon brown hair glaze over mid-lengths and ends to prevent brassiness.
– Opt for warm brown shades like chestnut, cinnamon and hazelnut when coloring hair. Stay away from neutral ash shades.
– Dull brassy tones with an anti-brass purple shampoo once a week. Don’t overdo it or hair can get too ashy.
– Apply a warming styling product like Moroccanoil Treatment to boost hair’s natural warmth and shine.
– Style with a medium round brush to flip ends outward and show off warm highlights.
Enhancing your warm brown hair’s natural color with strategic highlights and warm-based products will keep your hair looking its sun-kissed best.
Enhancing Cool Brown Hair
For those with cool-toned brown hair, you’ll want to avoid warmth and enhance the coolness in your hair:
– Get subtle ash brown babylights around the face to enhance your skin’s cool pink and peach tones.
– Use a temporary brown hair masque in an ash brown or platinum shade to neutralize brassiness between salon visits.
– Try a glazing treatment in a cool espresso brown – this can darken hair while keeping it cool-toned.
– Stick to mink, ash, chestnut and chocolate shades when coloring at home or the salon for a boost of coolness.
– Use a purple shampoo 1-2 times per week to maintain neutral tones and fight warmth.
– Apply a styling product like Fekkai’s Glossing Cream to add reflective cool tones and shine.
– Style hair sleek and straight using a paddle brush to showcase the one-dimensional coolness.
Playing up the cooler undertones with ash brown hues and glossy finishes will make your beautiful cool brown hair shine.
How to Transition Warm to Cool Brown Hair
If you have warm toned brown hair but want to go cooler, the key is to take it slow with subtle changes over time:
– First, enhance your current warm shade with an ash brown temporary color wash to preview the cooler result.
– For permanent color, start by going just a half-shade cooler and darker than your current color.
– Focus cool ash shades around the face for a wearable, dimensional shift.
– On the mid-lengths and ends, maintain some warmth by weaving subtle copper babylights.
– Use an anti-brass shampoo once a week to neutralize golden tones as your hair transitions.
– Gradually incorporate more ash tones and eliminate warmer copper chunks at your follow-up appointments.
– Change your color a little at a time over several months until you reach your coolest ideal brown shade.
– Be patient! It can take 4-6 months to transition from warm to cool brown hair seamlessly.
With gradual steps, you can transition from warm brown to cool brown hair over time. Small shifts at each appointment will prevent damage and a jarring overall change.
How to Transition Cool to Warm Brown Hair
To go from cool toned brown hair to warmer shades, follow these tips:
– Start by using temporary warm brown hair gloss to see if you like the result before permanent color.
– Have face-framing highlights done in golden brown hues to test out adding warmth.
– Ask your colorist for an all-over single process 1-2 shades lighter and warmer than your current shade.
– In following appointments, incorporate more warm tones with copper and caramel babylights and lowlights.
– Use cinnamon and chocolate semi-permanent color as needed between salon visits to boost warmth.
– Switch to a moisturizing shampoo and mask to counteract potential dryness from lightening.
– Transition slowly over 4-6 months, adjusting the level of warmth with each appointment.
– Add thermal styling products like glosses and mists to enhance warm tones.
Shifting your hair color from cool to warm is a gradual process. But taking it slowly can make a dramatic warmth difference over time while maintaining healthy hair.
Determining Your Skin’s Undertones
Along with assessing the undertones in your hair, it’s helpful to determine your skin’s undertones as well. The most flattering hair color for you will complement your skin’s undertones. Here’s how to find out if your skin is warm or cool:
– Examine the veins on your wrists in natural light. Blue or purple veins indicate cool skin tones. Greenish veins point to warm undertones.
– Drape a gold and silver necklace or jewelry next to your face. Whichever metal blends in and makes your complexion glow has the same undertones.
– Check your foundation or concealer shade. Foundations with pink, red or neutral bases are designed for cool skin. Yellow, gold and olive bases are made for warm skin.
– Think about what colors suit you best. If you shine in jewel tones, golds and corals you’re likely warm-toned. If cool pastels, blues and greens flatter you most, you likely have a cool complexion.
– Notice if your skin “burns” or “tans”. People with fair cool skin usually burn, while those with warm olive skin tones tan more easily.
– You probably have warm undertones if you have freckles and ruddiness in your skin. A lack of skin imperfections indicates coolness.
Once you’ve assessed your skin, you can find the most compatible brown hair shades to complement your complexion. Warm brown hair with warm skin and cool brown hair paired with cool skin creates a harmonious look.
Best Hair Colors for Warm Skin Tones
Those with warm yellow, olive and golden complexions look best in warm brown shades like:
– Golden brown
– Chestnut with red tones
– Honey brown
– Caramel brown
– Auburn brown
– Bronze brown
Aim for brown shades with gold, red or orange reflects to flatter warmer skin. Avoid mousy ash browns, which can make skin look sallow. Adding face-framing highlights in copper and gold hues also livens up a warm complexion beautifully.
Best Hair Colors for Cool Skin Tones
People with fair, pinkish cool skin tones are complemented by cooler brown shades such as:
– Ash brown
– Espresso brown
– Mocha brown
– Chestnut brown with neutral base
– Chocolate brown
– Charcoal brown
The muted coolness of these brown shades enhances lighter cool skin without overwhelming it. To add dimension, incorporate subtle ash brown highlights around the face. Just avoid incorporating too much warmth, which can clash with cool pink skin.
How to Care for Brown Hair
No matter your exact shade of brown hair, incorporating products meant for brunette colors is key to keeping hair healthy and vibrant. Here are some brown hair care tips:
– Use a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner to retain color without drying. Look for moisturizing ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter and jojoba oil.
– Apply a weekly nourishing hair mask to replenish moisture and bring out shine.
– Use leave-in treatments with antioxidants like vitamin E and UV filters to protect brown hair from fading.
– Get a clear gloss treatment at the salon every 4-6 weeks to refresh color between dye appointments.
– Use a heat protectant before styling and minimize use of hot tools to prevent damage to delicate brown strands.
– Combat brassiness with an anti-brass purple shampoo once a week.
– Wash hair in cool water and rinse with cold water to seal the cuticle and lock in color.
Proper maintenance is important for keeping brown hair looking rich, glossy and vibrant. Using hair products formulated for brunette color will help maximize your hair health.
Conclusion
Determining whether your brown hair is warm or cool toned can require some sleuthing. But identifying those undertones is key to choosing the most complementary hair color and products for your complexion. Examine your hair closely in natural light and look for signs of ash, red or gold shine. Styling tricks like color-enhancing glosses and strategic highlights can also help emphasize your hair’s most flattering tones. With the right maintenance regimen, you can keep your brown hair’s beautiful warm or cool undertones looking their best.
