Making the Choice
When choosing a wig or hairpiece most people usually like to stay close to their usual colour unless, of course, a dramatic effect is planned for fashion, fun or glamour. It is also important to ensure that the colour chosen blends well with one’s skin base and tone.
Skin Base
Skin bases are usually divided into three categories -:
- Light: fair skin
- Medium: deeper base than fair
- Dark: swarthy skin
Skin Tone Temperature
Skin tone is also categorised further into either cool or warm tones. Examples of these are as follows-:
Cool: Cool skin tones have pink or blue undertones and any visible veins look blue. Cool colour tones are pink, peach, reddish-blue, violet
Warm: Warm skin tones have yellow undertones and any visible veins look greenish. Warm colour tones are reddish-orange, olive, yellow
Tips for determining your skin tone
Look at the colour of your nail bed or pinch the skin under your arm (or any skin area not regularly exposed to the sun). Does the tone tend to appear more reddish-blue, pinkish-blue, peachy, reddish-orange, yellow, or olive?
Once you have determined the colour from your nail bed or pinching your skin, you will have a benchmark for your natural tone.
Complementing colours with your skin tone
The colours that will look natural against your skin are the colours you will find in your skin. Conversely the colours that will create vibrancy are those that contrast.
Complement cool skin tones with shades of ash or beige for blonds and brunettes wigs and hair pieces and violet based reds for redheads. Enhance warm skin tones with golden and caramel hues for brunettes, light golden shades and straw hues for blondes, and auburn or copper shades for redheads.