The Best Brown Hair Color for Your Skin Tone

Brown hair is anything but boring. Whether you're going over to the dark side for the first time or you're a natural brunette who wants to enhance your color, there are myriad shade possibilities. And while choosing to go dark is the first step, finding the right shade for your complexion is the other half of the equation. That's why we turned to hairstylist Nick Arrojo to create a complete guide to which brown hair colors work best for every skin tone.

Keep scrolling for 10 celeb-inspired brunette looks.

Dark With Warm Undertones: Bronde

To enhance the natural warmth of this skin tone, Arrojo recommends a golden brown shade, as seen here on Yvonne Orji. This bronde hue will give your skin the ultimate glow from within.

Dark With Neutral Undertones: Auburn

Those with neutral undertones have room to play when choosing a brunette hair color. With a mix of both cool and warm undertones, they'll find any shade of brown flattering. But Tessa Thompson makes a strong case for an auburn red-brown hue.

Deep With Cool Undertones: Caramel Highlights

According to Arrojo, multidimensional highlights, like Viola Davis's ribbons of color, add softness and warmth to dark skin tones with cool undertones. Caramel or warmer red highlights are a great choice for this skin tone.

Olive: Dark Chocolate Brown

Olive skin tones are considered warm or even neutral. Look at your veins in natural light. If they look somewhere in between blue and green in color, your have warm to neutral undertones. For olive complexions, like Selena Gomez's, Arrojo suggests opting for a dark chocolate brown that will create a striking contrast with your skin tone.

Medium With Warm Undertones: Light Chocolate Brown

Those with a medium skin tone with warm undertones will find gold jewelry more flattering than silver. If you have a medium complexion that leans on the warm side, Arrojo says that a light chocolate brown shade, seen here on Emily Ratajkowski, is the perfect balance for your skin tone.

Medium With Neutral Undertones: Dark Brown With Highlights

Face-framing highlights give Gemma Chan's dark brown hair added dimension and interest. In case that's too subtle for you, try golden or caramel highlights for a higher color contrast.

To maintain your hair's color and vibrancy, Arrojo recommends using a shampoo and conditioner specifically formulated for colored hair and applying a weekly treatment.

Medium With Cool Undertones: Charcoal Brown

If you don't burn easily when out in the sun but have a blue undertone to your skin, then you fall into this category. Arrojo says a neutral brunette shade, like Bella Hadid's charcoal-toned brown, pairs well with a medium complexion with cool undertones.

Fair With Warm Undertones: Ombré

Those with warm undertones have a more yellow or green undertone. If your veins have a green tint instead of blue, you have a warm undertone. The best way to complement a fair complexion with warm undertones? Look no further than Rachel Bilson's dark brown to caramel ombré. "Keep the caramel cool for a nice contrast," says Arrojo.

Fair With Neutral Undertones: Mocha

Dark brown hair color provides a nice contrast against fair skin with neutral undertones—without appearing too harsh. Case in point: Alexa Chung's mocha waves. To get her glossy finish, we recommend applying a shine spray.

Fair With Cool Undertones: Chestnut With Highlights

Those with fair skin and cool skin tones have a blueish undertone to their skin and often burn easily when out in the sun. If your veins look blue or purple, then you have cool undertones. Dakota Johnson's warm chestnut shade with golden undertones will brighten fair complexions that lean to the cool side.

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