If You Have a Cool Skin Tone, These 24 Hair Colors Are Perfect For You

If you look best with platinum blonde or ash brown hair, chances are good you have cool skin. Icy shades like these are among the best hair colors for cool skin tones because they complement your complexion and help brighten your skin. Fortunately, if you’re looking to update your go-to hue, there are plenty of cool hair colors to choose from. Here, we’re sharing 24 of our favorites, from natural-looking hues to fantasy colors like lavender and bubblegum. Keep reading for some serious cool-toned hair color inspiration—and don’t forget to bookmark this page for easy reference at your next color appointment.

How To Know if You Have a Cool Undertone

If you’re not sure whether or not you have cool-toned skin, here are a few methods that can help you determine your skin’s undertones:

1. Examine your veins: This is one of the best tests for identifying your skin’s undertones. Go somewhere with plenty of natural light and take a look at the veins on the inside of your wrist. If they have a blue or purple tint, then you likely have cool undertones. Greenish-tinted veins, meanwhile, typically indicate a warmer skin tone. And if you have a mix of blue and green veins, your skin is probably neutral—in other words, neither cool nor warm.
2. Consider how your skin reacts to sun exposure: People with cool undertones tend to burn easily when exposed to UV rays. Those with warmer-toned skin, on the other hand, typically tan.
3. Peep your natural hair and eye color: Another easy way to tell if you have cool undertones is to consider your natural coloring. People who have blue, gray, or green eyes or naturally-cool hair colors like ash blonde or cool brown often have cool undertones. Keep in mind, though, that this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule—it is possible, for example, to have green eyes and warm skin.
4. Try on different colors: If you’re not yet on the color analysis bandwagon, then we highly recommend hopping aboard. This practice involves placing different fabric swatches next to your face to determine which hues flatter you best. Though it’s usually used for wardrobe planning, color analysis can also be a helpful tool in identifying your undertones and, by extension, which hair colors are likely to complement your skin.
5. Factor in your jewelry preferences: The jewelry test is a popular (and effective) method for identifying your undertone. Simply head to a well-lit spot and try on a piece of silver jewelry and a piece of gold jewelry. If you find you look better in the silver piece, chances are good you have cool undertones. Gold jewelry, on the other hand, looks best on those with warm skin.

24 Gorgeous Hair Colors for Cool Skin Tones

If you’re ready to explore some of our favorite cool-toned hair colors, keep scrolling. We’ve rounded up 24 options for you to consider as you contemplate your upcoming salon visit.

1. Icy brunette

Cool down a natural brunette mane by opting for a hue with icy silver (rather than gold) undertones. This shade’s cool undertones will help brighten cool-toned skin and give your look a modern edge. Whether you achieve the hue with an at-home dye or visit the salon, we suggest using a toner between appointments to help keep your color fresh. Try L'Oréal Paris Féria Power Toner, Long Lasting Anti Brass Toner in Iced Brunette.

2. Light ash brown

For a cool take on the bronde hair trend, try light ash brown. This cool hair color straddles the line between ashy blonde and light brown hair and is especially flattering on those with fairer skin.

3. Cool dark brown

Those who prefer to go a bit darker can opt for a deep espresso shade with cool undertones. This inky, cool-toned hue is timeless—and stuns on fair and darker skin alike.

4. Light cool brown

This light brown shade enhances cool skin tones by adding a hint of warmth and dimension without overwhelming your complexion. Wear the chic hue as is, or ask your colorist to place fine ash blonde highlights around your face for a subtle sun-kissed effect.

5. Bright copper

Copper hair had a major moment in 2023, but as far as we’re concerned, this autumnal shade is timeless. Light golden copper is a gorgeous pick for those with fair-toned cool skin, while deeper variations of the reddish hue flatter medium and dark complexions beautifully.

6. Violet auburn

You may assume that red hair is warm by default, but that’s not necessarily the case—there are plenty of reddish hues with cooler undertones. Auburn, in particular, is a great choice for those with cooler skin. Just be sure to pick a shade with plenty of violet undertones, such as L'Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Auburn Rose.

7. Deep burgundy

This sultry plum hue provides an intense wash of color that beautifully complements cool complexions. You can achieve this color at home with L'Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Burgundy Blush. The at-home kit contains a color gel, developer crème, shimmer serum, and bonding conditioner for multi-dimensional, healthy-looking color.

8. Cool taupe

Blending medium brown and gray tones yields a sophisticated, neutral brunette hue that’ll gorgeously flatter cool skin. To keep warm tones at bay, consider adding L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss One Step In-Shower Toning Gloss in Cool Brunette to your weekly routine—the shine-boosting formula enhances your color and deeply conditions for healthy-looking hair.

9. Smoky brown

Experiment with silver strands—without having to spend all day in the salon chair—by opting for a smoky brown hair color. To achieve this dimensional hair color for cool skin tones, your stylist will add smoky gray highlights and lowlights throughout a medium-toned brunette base.

10. Ash blonde

Ash blonde is a light to medium blonde hair color with a hint of silvery-gray pigment. The cool-toned shade is a great way to brighten your complexion without outshining or overpowering your natural features.

11. Platinum blonde

If you’re feeling adventurous (and ready to commit to the upkeep), try icy platinum blonde hair—it’s about the lightest, coolest shade of blonde you can get. Keep in mind that, depending on your starting shade, achieving this nearly-white color may require multiple rounds of bleach (which can be damaging). Give your strands some TLC by swapping your regular shampoo and conditioner for a bond-repairing system like L’Oréal Paris Everpure Sulfate Free Bond Repair Shampoo with Citric Acid and the coordinating Conditioner. The duo helps repair weak hair bonds to smooth and strengthen damaged strands.

12. Sandy blonde

For those seeking a more natural-looking hair color for cool skin tones, we recommend sandy blonde. This neutral blonde combines a neutral blonde base with hints of beige and ash for the perfect cool-toned hue.

13. Cool light blonde

Cool light blonde is the perfect pick for those who want to go lighter but don’t want to commit to pure platinum. The luminous shade has lots of dimension but requires a bit less upkeep than bright white strands.

14. Natural blonde

Neither overly cool nor warm, natural blonde hair is a classic hair color that can gorgeously complement fair, cool-toned skin. If you’d prefer to skip the salon, you can achieve the look at home with L’Oréal Paris Excellence Crème Permanent Triple Care Hair Color Light Natural Blonde.

15. Dark ash blonde

This dark blonde shade (sometimes referred to as “dirty blonde”) is a great low-maintenance pick for those who want to experiment with lighter hair. If you want to cut down on upkeep even more, consider asking your colorist for a root smudge—it’ll help ensure a seamless growout.

16. Strawberry blonde

Strawberry blonde is the perfect marriage of blonde and red. Opt for a shade with silvery undertones, like L'Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Strawberry Blonde, to complement your cool complexion.

17. Mushroom brown

Mushroom brown hair is a chic hue that toes the line between pure gray and brown. Opt for a deep mushroom color if you prefer darker hair, or pair a cool brown-gray base with silvery highlights for a brighter, multi-dimensional effect.

18. Classic black

If you have naturally dark hair and want to level up the drama, try swapping your brown hair for a cool-toned black shade. This inky hue is flattering on fair and darker skin tones alike and easy to achieve with an at-home color kit like L’Oréal Paris Excellence Crème Permanent Triple Care Hair Color in Natural Black.

19. Pearly silver

This pearly silver hue has all the impact of platinum blonde hair but with a distinctively silvery finish that looks stunning against cooler skin tones. This ultra-cool hair color can become brassy fairly quickly, so if you go this route, pick up a purple shampoo and conditioner to keep unwanted warmth at bay.

20. Smoky gray

If you’re looking to transition to gray hair once and for all, simplify the growout by dyeing your lengths a deep silver shade. We love L'Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Smokey Silver—just keep in mind that if your natural hair is light brown or darker, you’ll need to bleach it before applying the color.

21. Soft lavender

Purple hair can seem intimidating if you’ve never experimented with fantasy color, but it’s far more wearable than you might think. If you have cool skin, we suggest opting for a silvery lavender hue—it’ll bring out the pinkish tones in your complexion.

22. Pastel pink

As far as we’re concerned, pastel pink hair color will always be a good choice—it’s just fun. If you’re sure if you’re ready to commit to pink hair, test-drive it with L’Oréal Paris Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color in Soft Pink. The ammonia-free dye gradually fades with each wash for bold color without the long-term commitment.

23. Violet

This supersaturated fashion hue leans very cool on the color spectrum, making it a winner for those with cool skin tones. Plus, violet hair ranges from moody and dark to ultra-bright and vivid, so you can choose whatever appeals to you most.

24. Icy blue

Icy blue hair is about as cool-toned as it gets—this shimmering hue lacks any trace of golden or red pigment, making it an ultra-flattering hair color for cool skin tones. You can achieve the icy hue at the salon or get the look at home with L'Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Smokey Blue.

Next Up: 12 Hair Color Trends That Will Be Everywhere in 2024

Photo Courtesy of L'Oréal Paris