Calling All Fair-Skinned Beauties! These Are the 37 Best Hair Colors for Pale Skin

We’re breaking down how to identify the best hue for your skin tone and 37 of the best hair colors for pale skin that you can try now. Whether you’re looking to go blonde, brunette, or into fantasy shades, keep scrolling for everything you need to know.

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What is a fair skin tone?

Fair skin is the lightest range of complexions ranging from porcelain to light. Those with fair or pale complexions can have either warm or cool undertones.

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What color hair looks best on pale skin?

Finding the best hair color for pale skin all depends on identifying your undertones. If your skin has cool undertones, you’ll want to stick with ashy blonde, brown, and fantasy hues. If your complexion is on the warmer side, deeper shades such as honey blonde, copper, and caramel will go perfectly with your skin.

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Does pale skin look better with dark or light hair?

Wondering what a good hair color for pale skin? You’ll need to figure out your specific undertones. You can opt for shades on both sides of the spectrum as long as they’re flattering and don’t wash you out. If you need help determining what hair colors for pale skin are best for you, we always suggest consulting a professional colorist for guidance.

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What colors wash out pale skin?

If you have pale skin, going too light or too dark with your color can make your skin appear washed out. Be sure to chat with your colorist about the best options for you.

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Should I dye my hair black if I have pale skin?

Black hair is a statement-making color that stands out even more as a contrast against pale skin. In some cases, however, a shade as dark as black can make your complexion appear washed out. Instead, try a rich dark brown shade with tons of dimension. Break up the darkness with brunette highlights, a cooler, face-framing money piece, or a lighter color block accent.

What is the best hair color for pale skin?

Before you head to the salon, keep scrolling to see 37 of our favorite hair colors for pale skin.

The Best Blonde Hair Colors for Pale Skin

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Honey Blonde

If you have a pale complexion with warm undertones, you’re going to want a blonde shade that pairs best with the warmth in your skin. We recommend trying a honey blonde hair color to give your skin tone that instant sunkissed glow.

Good hair day by @curlsbybebonia

Golden Blonde

Here’s another solid contender for those with warm undertones: golden blonde. To live out your gilded hair dreams, ask your colorist about Redken Shades EQ Bonder Inside Golden Level 10s.

Good hair day by @bumbas.alexandra

Platinum Blonde

Platinum blonde and cool-toned fair skin are a match made in heaven. The icy blonde hue perfectly complements your porcelain complexion—particularly if you have blue or green eyes.

If you go platinum, invest in a quality anti-brass purple shampoo like the Kérastase Blond Absolu Bain Ultra-Violet Purple Shampoo to keep it bright.

Good hair day by @abigailbazzoli

White Blonde

Searching for a shade even lighter (and icier) than platinum? Opt for white hair color, the lightest shade on the blonde hair color chart.

Since your colorist will need to use bleach to achieve this level of blonde, you’ll want to pick up hair products to help minimize the look and feel of damaged hair. We recommend

Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Intensive Treatment. Part of the Acidic Bonding Concentrate system, this highly reparative rinse-off formula works within your hair to strengthen bonds weakened by stressors like hair lightening and more.

Good hair day by @christinechavezhair

Bronde

Stuck somewhere between staying loyal to your brunette roots and wanting to go blonde? Bronde hair is always a good idea. If you’re lightening your natural brunette hue to achieve bronde hair, you might deal with a bit of brassiness. We recommend adding a blue shampoo and conditioner system like Matrix Brass Off Shampoo and Conditioner to help prevent and neutralize brass on highlighted brown hair.

Good hair day by @blakereedevans

Mushroom Blonde

If you’re looking to go lighter but keep your ash hair color, why not give mushroom blonde a shot? This multi-dimensional, cool-toned blonde can be worn lighter or darker, making it customizable to fit any shade of pale skin.

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Champagne Blonde

Where mushroom blonde is a moodier take on blonde, champagne blonde is the life of the party. When done right, the multidimensional, creamy blonde shines like a freshly opened bottle of bubbly—not to mention it works for just about any skin tone.

Good hair day by @neeenaboo

Cream Blonde

If you’re looking for a blonde hue that’s not too warm and not too ashy, cream blonde falls perfectly in between. Whether working with cool or warm undertones, this buttery hue can be customized to complement your pale complexion.

Good hair day by @bombshellblondee

Strawberry Blonde

Strawberry blonde is the perfect balance if you’re torn between staying blonde or going red. Though strawberry blonde hair is unique, the hue is neutral enough to flatter just about any skin tone.

Good hair day by @makennayounghair

Blonde Hair with Lowlights

If you feel your blonde is a bit too light for your skin tone, ask your colorist to tone it down with lowlights. This technique adds instant depth and dimension to your hue.

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Copper with Blonde Highlights

Add a pop of blonde highlights throughout your red copper base to warm up your hue. If you have green eyes, the copper shade will also help accentuate them.

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Dirty Blonde

Dirty blonde is another way to tread the line between blonde and brunette, one that’s low-maintenance and stunning on all pale skin tones.

The Best Brunette Hair Colors for Pale Skin

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Mushroom Brown

This ashy brunette shade that incorporates notes of light gray and deep brown is the trend that started a wave of mushroom-inspired hues. Whether your skin has cool, warm, or neutral undertones, mushroom brown hair is sure to look stunning against your fair skin.

Good hair day by @avhair_

Caramel Brown

Ladies with pale skin: If there’s one rule to coloring your hair, it’s that going too deep with your hue will make your skin look washed out. If you have a naturally dark base, ask your colorist to paint caramel highlights throughout your mane using a balayage technique. This will allow you to keep your dark brown hair color while notes of caramel frame your face, enhancing your skin tone.

Good hair day by @robbielonker

Chocolate Brown

It’s true that going too deep with your brunette hue can sometimes wash you out, but we can make an exception for a shade as dimensional and delectable as chocolate brown. Ask your colorist to add hints of red, honey, or gold throughout your chocolate brown hue to complement your fair skin tone.

Good hair day by @Laura_latino

Milk Chocolate

If you think chocolate brown hair is a bit too dark for you, opt for a milk chocolate hair color for a lighter shade that’s just as sweet!

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Brown Hair with Face-Framing Blonde Highlights

Stay true to your dark roots while instantly brightening your face with face-framing highlights. This on-trend placement is also low-maintenance, so you can go weeks without booking a touch-up.

Good hair day by @bencepalyi

Golden Brown

Ask your colorist for golden brown hair color to enhance the warm undertones in your skin.

Mocha Brown

Mocha brown hair color is a harmonious mix of espresso and warm hazel tones that won’t look too jarring next to fairer skin. If you want to keep gray hair from standing out against this rich shade, ask your colorist about Redken Color Gels Oils in Shade 5NN Cafe Mocha. This liquid, permanent color offers up to 100 percent gray coverage and contains two percent apricot oil, so gray, wiry hairs also feel smooth and conditioned.

Good hair day by @ashleypirrung

Copper Brown

You really can have the best of both brunette and red worlds when you opt for copper brown. Your stylist can tailor this look depending on whether your undertones are cool or warm.

Good hair day by @themaneartistry

Espresso Brown with Subtle Highlights

Want to go dark (but not too dark)? Subtle highlights break up the darkness of espresso hair so that the shade isn’t too harsh for your skin tone.

It’s an inconvenient truth that darker shades tend to showcase certain hair concerns, especially dandruff. If you’re battling flakes, consider adding an exfoliating scrub like Kérastase Symbiose Scalp Renewal Exfoliating Antidandruff Scrub into your routine.

The Best Red Hair Colors for Pale Skin

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Cinnamon

This spice-inspired shade is basically brunette with sprinkled notes of red throughout. No matter your skin’s undertone, cinnamon hair color is a great choice.

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Light Auburn

For those with light brown hair, making a subtle transition to red hair is easy. Ask your colorist for light auburn hair, a neutral yet fiery shade that works for every skin tone.

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Bright Auburn

Looking to go a bit deeper with your auburn hair color? Show off your inner vixen and ask your colorist for a more vivid variation of this fiery shade.

Good hair day by @pati.rodrigz

Burgundy

If light auburn is just a bit too neutral for you, you might be looking to play on the deeper side of the red color spectrum. For a red hue that’s dark and bold, turn to burgundy. Burgundy hair colors complement every shade of fair skin, so you really can’t go wrong!

Since red hair colors are notoriously difficult to maintain, you’ll need to make a few changes to your hair care routine. Step one: Switch out your regular shampoo and conditioner for a system with a formula for color-treated strands like Matrix Color Obsessed Shampoo and Conditioner. This system cleanses and conditions to protect against fading and extend your color vibrancy.

You can also cut back on wash days. Give your mane a refresh in-between shampoos with a dry shampoo. We love Pureology’s Style + Protect Refresh & Go Dry Shampoo, which also adds texture and body to unwashed hair.

Good hair day by @samanthalipgloss

Copper

Ladies with pale skin and blue eyes, listen up: No color will flatter your skin and eye color like copper. Since orange and blue are complementary colors on the color wheel, orange-toned hues and blue eyes are basically a match made in heaven.

Good hair day by @francescaverteramolab

Candy Apple Red

If you thought bright red shades were too severe for pale skin, think again! This candy apple shade is proof that they pair gorgeously with fair complexions.

The Best Fantasy Hair Colors For Pale Skin

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Color Block

While a full head of black hair can look overwhelming on your skin tone, getting creative with your placement can make all the difference. Ask your colorist to paint blonde color block highlights onto a black base for an edgy and flattering look for your complexion.

Good hair day by @jennd_hair

Red and Orange

A red and orange blend is a fiery, bold choice, but one with a serious payoff for pale skin. A balayage technique will help keep your color maintenance to a minimum.

Good hair day by @megangepner1

Charcoal

No fantasy hair color is more on-trend than gray. Not sure which shade of gray hair is right for pale skin? We vote for charcoal! Since the dark gray shade is so cool-toned, it works particularly well if your skin has cool undertones.

Good hair day by @pati.rodrigz

Plum and Violet

The more colors, the better, especially when it comes to shades of purple! Plum and violet are an eye-catching duo that works like magic together to elevate your look.

Good hair day by @court_gannhair

Smoky Lilac

Smoky hair color has been one of the hottest trends we’ve seen over the past few years. Combined with a trending hair color like lilac, how could you go wrong? If you have pale skin with cool undertones, this one’s for you! Try the trend commitment-free with Biolage Professional’s Lavender Color Depositing Conditioner.

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Pastel Blue

If we’re talking about pastel hues for cool-toned skin, pastel blue hair simply can’t be ignored.

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Ice Blue

Those who aren’t afraid to shy away from vivid colors will adore this deep, icy blue in place of pastel blue. Even though they’re nicknamed icy, rest assured these shades are on-trend and wearable any time of the year.

Good hair day by @maicol_hair_show

Bubblegum Pink

Pale girls really can’t go wrong with pink hair, but the right shade for you depends on your undertones. Bubblegum pink is stunning on those with fair skin and cool undertones.

Good hair day by @rachaelgilleyhair

Hot Pink

If you have a pale complexion with warm undertones, we recommend trying a bolder shade of pink. This is also a contender for the best hair color for pale skin and green eyes. If you’re committed to trying hot pink hair, we recommend the Matrix Keep Me Vivid Shampoo and Conditioner system to maintain the vibrancy of fast-fading hair colors.

Good hair day by @kellyawesomesauce

Rainbow

When combining pale skin with wild hair colors, the sky’s the limit. If you dream of the ultimate fantasy color combo, go bold with a rainbow hair creation.

Find more hair care products and color inspiration on Hair.com, and tune into HDCTV Live, where we chat with experts and test out professional products in real-time.