If you dye your hair or have it professionally dyed, then you may have had the experience of your color being "just not right." A stylist can advise you on what colors go best with your skin tone, but if your color comes from a box, then it is difficult to gauge the results. There are a few rules of thumb to follow when you're coloring. First, consider your skin tone - cooler skin tones with bluish or pinkish undertones should stay in the cool family. These are colors that may have a silvery look or less of a golden tone. Having a warm skin tone may mean that you tan easily or have olive or yellow undertones to your skin. Honey and golden-hued hair colors are best on you. Steer clear of those labeled "ash" or "cool." Regardless of your skin tone, if you color, then you should stay within two to three shades of your natural color. An idea to consider if you want to go lighter is to think about your childhood hair color.
If you were a blond in kindergarten, then try matching your present-day color to that hue. A color darker than a couple shades from your natural color will simply not look natural, and it may wash out your complexion. If you color at home and aren't looking to cover too many gray hairs, then look for semipermanent shades, which allow for more trial and error. Gray hair tends to be resistant to color, so opt for a permanent shade if you're more than 15 percent gray. If you goof the color at home, then a semipermanent formula will fade with two to three washings with a clarifying shampoo formula. If you mess up a permanent color, then it's best to just suck it up and go to a stylist for a fix, instead of coloring with another box.