This yr, I had zero motivation to ebook a salon appointment for my traditional fall minimize and color. New-mom exhaustion apart, I’ve additionally been indecisive about what course to take subsequent. Then one magnificence pattern caught my consideration and refused to let go: folks dyeing their hair to intently match their skin tone.

A fast TikTok seek for “dyeing hair to match pores and skin tone” reveals an infinite stream of creators—principally Black girls—softening their pure darkish hair into heat browns, auburn blends, caramel tones, and even honey blondes. “Quite a lot of my purchasers are requesting this service,” says New York–primarily based hairstylist Angela Calisti. And actually, the outcomes are beautiful.

I wasn’t absolutely satisfied till I noticed Melanie Curry, Attract’s affiliate supervisor of viewers improvement, stroll into the workplace sporting a milk-chocolate wig that complemented her brown complexion completely. Later, she switched to braids in the identical flattering shade. “I didn’t know this was a TikTok pattern, however I’m completely right here for it,” she says.

Based on Los Angeles colourist Travis Ogletree, the match-your-melanin method resurfaces each few years. “Naomi Campbell went caramel years in the past, and that low-contrast aesthetic is trending once more—due to TikTok,” he notes.

However right here’s the true secret to creating the look work: don’t match your pores and skin tone precisely.
“If the color is simply too similar with no dimension, it will possibly appear like a helmet,” says James Claytor, stylist, colourist, and Madison Reed educator. As a substitute, the purpose is a shade that sits near your complexion with gentle highlights or depth, much like Naomi Campbell or Justine Skye’s golden brown seems to be. The impact? A brighter complexion and enhanced options.

And whereas the pattern might seem easy, specialists advocate leaving this one to the professionals. “A colourist can determine what tones you naturally have and what enhances them,” says Calisti. Her primary information:

• Heat pores and skin tones: golds, coppers, honey
• Cool pores and skin tones: ash, mocha, icy hues

Claytor provides that utilizing the improper undertone—like a very ashy brown on heat pores and skin—could make the complexion look boring or gray.

Should you’re struggling to image how the pattern would look on you, keep in mind: it’s not one-size-fits-all. But it surely does are inclined to look particularly hanging on Black girls, says Calisti, and customarily flatters heat to medium pores and skin tones. Fairer complexions can nonetheless take part, however heat is vital to avoiding trying washed out. Assume Rosé’s rose-gold blonde, which provides simply sufficient pink to brighten her pores and skin.

Now that I’ve gathered each skilled opinion and TikTok reference, I’m lastly excited to do this complexion-matching color at my subsequent appointment.