Choosing the perfect hilight shade can be a tricky task. Especially when the options are endless. Here are a few tips to simplify that process! - there is an easy to follow diagram below if want to skip ahead😉
Color and toner lines are so modernized and vast making customization incredibly easy. Meaning I can formulate a shade that is uniquely yours! Using things like natural hair tone/shade, underlying skin pigment, and eye color make it easier to do so. That sounds pretty daunting, but I promise its easier than you think. Each of those factors centralize around the color wheel. Hair stylists use he color wheel during every aspect of shade altering services. I'll put one here for reference :
Finding complimentary colors is as simple as looking across the color wheel. Opposing colors are complimentary, meaning they form a neutral shade. For example, yellow and purple are complimentary colors - directly across from each other - and they neutralize when mixed. This is why we use purple shampoo to counteract yellow pigment in blonde hair! Those same principles are used when choosing a hilight shade.
Dark to medium brown hair has warm (red, orange) underlying pigment. Green is across the wheel from red being its compliment. Dark hairs natural state is warm and that's where it likes to live making the tone selection that much more difficult. This is where skin tone and eye color some into play. Darker and warmer based complexions and eye colors (coco, olive) compliment red so warmer hilights (caramel) tend to look most natural on those skin types. Cooler skin tones and eye colors (pink, blue) compliment cooler hilight colors still in the warmer realm (honey).
Light brown to natural blonde hair has cooler underlying pigment (yellow). Warmer skin tones and eye colors are best complimented by lighter hilights with some gold pigment still visible. Cooler skin tones and eye colors are best complimented by cooler toned hilights (platinum, white).
this diagram breaks it down :
natural hair tone
dark
skin tone/eye color
warm
hilgihts : mocha, caramel, toffee
cool
hilights : mushroom, banana
light
skin tone/eye color
warm
hilights : pale yellow, honey
cool
hilights : platinum, white, champagne
