For years, the unwritten rule of hair colour has been contrast: brunettes going blonde, blondes dipping into deeper tones, and everyone chasing a shade that feels like a change.
But a new theory circulating on TikTok is challenging that entirely. Dubbed 'skin tone colour', the concept is simple: when your hair sits within the same tonal family as your complexion, it enhances your natural glow rather than competing with it. Think KPop star Rosé, model Bella Hadid and all-around icon, JLo.
© Getty ImagesThe result of matching your hair to your skin tone isn't a dramatic transformation, but something subtler - hair that looks effortlessly right on you. In reality, professionals say the principle has some truth to it, but not as literal as choosing a shade that mirrors your skin exactly.
The truth about skin tone and hair colour
"Leaning into your skin's natural nuances is undeniably flattering," explains hair colourist Siobhan Haug, founder of Haug London Haus and former British Colour Technician of the Year.
"However, there is a catch: hair needs dimension to avoid looking flat." In other words, harmony is helpful; however, contrast still plays an important role. "Even when mirroring pale tones, you need depth and contrast to frame the face," she says. "Think of it like your eyebrows - they provide structure. Keeping a slightly darker, richer root or hidden 'under-lights' ensures the colour enhances your features rather than washing them out."
Throwback trend
Of course, the idea isn't entirely new. Scroll through TikTok's mood boards, and you'll find early-2000s references everywhere, with celebrities such as Tyra Banks and Jessica Alba popping up as examples of complexion-enhancing colour done well.
© Getty ImagesWhat's different now is the context. In an era still obsessed with the aesthetics of 'quiet luxury', the appeal of hair that simply looks expensive, healthy and in rapport with your features feels particularly timely. With celebrities such as Zendaya and Rosé as today's references.
© WireImageUnderstanding your undertone
While TikTok tends to present hair colour as a simple skin-matching exercise, experts consider something more nuanced: your undertone. Award-winning colourist Christel Barron-Hough, founder of STIL Salon in Chelsea, says there is some professional logic behind the trend - just not in the way social media describes it.
"The 'glowy' look TikTok talks about isn't necessarily the most accurate way to choose a hair colour," she explains. "In colour consultancy, you wouldn't usually match the colour of the hair directly to the skin. However, if someone has a warmer complexion, you can absolutely work with those nuances to enhance the overall look."
© GettyFor example, a complexion with a subtle golden hue can work beautifully with warmer hair tones. "But if someone has lots of pink or red in the skin, you wouldn't necessarily mirror that in the hair because the overall look could become too warm," Barron-Hough adds.
So how can you tell where you sit on the warm-to-cool spectrum? "Before analysing eye colour or the shade of veins in your skin, I encourage clients to think about their subconscious preference," says Haug. "What colours do you instinctively reach for? Jewellery is usually the best indicator." If you gravitate towards silver and platinum, you likely lean cool - shades such as coffee, taupe, fawn and beige tend to flatter. If you prefer gold or rose tones, you're likely warm, so chocolates, auburns, golds and caramels will make you feel most vibrant.
The shades that tend to work best
Once you understand your undertone, colourists can adjust the pigments in your hair colour to complement it. "Cool skin tones shine when paired with shades containing an undercurrent of blue or violet," explains Haug. "That sounds bold, but it can be subtle -think a rich plum brunette where violet sits quietly underneath, or a 'coffee' brunette where ash tones neutralise warmth."
For blondes with cooler undertones, the key is avoiding obvious yellow. "Taupe, fawn and beige blondes give a cool finish without appearing silver," she says. "By diluting gold so it becomes secondary, you create a sophisticated 'cold beige'."
© WireImageWarm complexions, meanwhile, tend to look particularly luminous with richer pigments. "Chocolates, auburns and caramels work beautifully because red and gold act as the primary tones that create vibrancy and shine," Haug adds. Barron-Hough agrees that undertone is only one part of the picture. "You also have to consider complexion - which refers to how light or dark the skin is," she explains. "Even if someone suits warmer tones, the shade will still need to be adjusted depending on the depth of their complexion."
What if you love a shade that technically doesn't suit you?
If all this talk of colour theory sounds slightly restrictive, the good news is that modern colouring techniques are far more flexible than the internet might suggest.
"The great thing about colour is that it can always be tweaked," says Barron-Hough. "A colourist can dial warmth up or down, neutralise certain tones, or adjust the balance so the shade works with your complexion." In other words, loving a particular shade is often the best starting point. "There will always be colours that technically suit warmer or cooler skin tones," she says, "but personality is also incredibly important. Some people simply feel more comfortable in certain shades, and that matters."
© InstagramHaug takes a similar approach with clients in the chair. "I often ask new clients to bring images of hair colours they love to their appointment," she explains. "Even if they can't explain what they like about them, those instincts are incredibly helpful. My job is to translate that intuition into a wearable colour."
Trust your instinct
"There's often a lot of outside noise from well-meaning friends and family suggesting what they think would suit," says Haug. "But suitability is really about confidence. When you feel energised by the colours against your skin, the technical rules matter much less."
Barron-Hough agrees that personal style plays a bigger role than most people realise. "Fashion, personality, and the kind of look you're drawn to are huge factors in choosing a hair colour," she says. "From chic natural shades to more statement colours, it all depends on what feels like you."
And ultimately, that’s where TikTok's 'skin tone colour' theory might actually be onto something - not because your hair should perfectly match your complexion, but because the most flattering colour is usually the one that works in harmony with you. Or, as Haug puts it: "If your hair colour boosts your confidence, fills you with joy and makes you smile when you look in the mirror, then it’s working perfectly."
