New Year, new ‘do! Refreshing your hair colour is a simple way to update your look, especially when you choose a shade that works with your skin tone. For those of us with naturally dark hair and more defined undertones (which is common for many Asians), picking the right colour can feel unexpectedly complicated. The right shade can subtly brighten your complexion, soften your features, and make you look more refreshed without much effort. To make things easier, I’ve put together a guide to the best hair colours for Asians to help you find a colour that genuinely suits you!
How to choose the best hair colour for your skin tone
Before deciding on a specific shade, it helps to understand your skin undertone. This step alone eliminates a lot of trial and error and will help you decide on a colour that flatters you most.
- Warm undertone: Skin has yellow, golden or olive hues. Warm undertones suit golden, red and warm brown shades
- Cool undertone: Skin has pink or bluish hues. Cool undertones suit ash, grey, blue or purple-based colours that complement your skin tone.
- Neutral undertone: A mix of warm and cool undertones. Luckily, those with neutral undertones can experiment more freely with both warm and cool shades.
Not to mention, it also helps to consider hair colours that work with your lifestyle. Classic browns tend to be lower maintenance and grow out beautifully, while bolder shades usually require more frequent upkeep to stay fresh. If you’re new to colouring your hair, soft highlights or a subtle balayage are an elegant way to ease into colour, adding light and dimension without the commitment of an all-over change too.
Best hair colours for Asians with warm undertones
1. Mahogany Brown
Mahogany brown is a reliable go-to for warm undertones, with red and burgundy tones that add depth without feeling over the top. The warmth is noticeable, but it stays refined and easy to wear, which is why it suits everyday looks so well. It’s a great colour to try when you’re dyeing your hair for the first time, as this colour works well on natural, unbleached hair where the red tones enhance richness, and it generally fades more evenly than vivid reds, making upkeep far less demanding.
Plus, you can get this shade without the expensive salon! Some DIY hair dye kits will give your hair that red-brown hue without needing to bleach your hair. It’s also easy to apply at home, making it one of the best at-home hair dyes for beginners!
How to get this hair colour:
| My recommended dye | Cielo Cream in 4RO Mahogany Brown |
| Suitable skin tone | All |
| Bleaching required | No |
2. Tangerine Brown
Tangerine brown leans golden-orange rather than flat brown, making it one of the best hair colours for Asian skin tones. This golden hue helps warm skin tones look more radiant, and the subtle warmth catches the light nicely, giving hair a glossy, healthy appearance. It’s a good option if you want something different from standard brown without committing to a vivid colour.
Sounds like a shade you’d want to try? You can get this warm, golden shade with home dye kits like Liese hair dyes, or through a professional treatment at the salon. It’s a fairly popular and timeless shade that’s easy to grow out too, so you won’t need to keep coming back to your stylist for a touch up every now and then!
How to get this hair colour:
| My recommended dye | Liese Creamy Bubble Color in Marshmallow Brown |
| Suitable skin tone | Fair to medium skin |
| Bleaching required | No |
3. Rose Tea Brown
How about a hair colour that brings out the rosy-pink hues of your cheeks? On warm undertones, rose tea brown helps balance yellow hues in the skin with pink tones, creating a softer and rosier look. It also adds dimension without overpowering your features, making it an easy shade to live with and works well for everyday wear.
This Rose Tea colour is one of the best hair colours for Asians with warm undertones, and I can attest to this! I have warm undertones, and this is my go-to hair colour. Plus, you won’t need to bleach your hair for this shade when you use bubble dye, and it will still come out with a lighter, slightly pink shade.
How to get this hair colour:
| My recommended dye | Liese Creamy Bubble Color in Rose Tea Brown |
| Suitable skin tone | All |
| Bleaching required | No |
4. Platinum Pink
Platinum pink is one of those colours that looks intimidating at first, but when done well, it can be one of the best hair colours for Asians. This shade works best on fair skin tones, especially those with warm or neutral undertones, because the pale pink softens the sharpness of platinum blonde and adds warmth back into the face.
I wouldn’t recommend this shade as a first-time dye job, though, as you’ll need to bleach dark hair several shades lighter to get that platinum pink hue. But, if you’ve already gone blonde, you can use a Korean hair dye in a bubblegum pink shade to add that soft blush to your skin tone.
How to get this hair colour:
| My recommended dye | Aprilskin Turn Up Color Cream in Pink Candy |
| Suitable skin tone | Fair |
| Bleaching required | Yes |
Best hair colours for Asians with cool undertones
5. Ash grey
If you’ve been obsessed with Bang Chan’s silver locks, you’re not alone. And if you have cool undertones, you can get this ash grey colour too! Ash grey works so well for cool undertones because of its muted base that cancel out the warmer tones in your natural hair colour. Unlike warmer greys or beige tones, ash grey contains blue and silver pigments that align naturally with cooler skin tones.
That said, ash grey does require a bit of commitment. Asian hair naturally pulls warm, so lightening the hair is usually necessary to prevent the colour from turning brassy. Proper toning makes all the difference here, so it’s important to get this hair colour done professionally. Still, you have at-home options for touch-ups!
How to get this hair colour:
| My recommended dye | GATSBY Natural Bleach & Colour in Aqua Silver |
| Suitable skin colour | All |
| Bleaching required | Yes |
6. Blueberry Purple
Karina’s blueberry purple hair became an iconic look for her a couple of years ago. The cool blue and violet undertones complemented her fair skin and worked well with her cool features. Sure, this vibrant blue is a bolder colour than those subtle shades of ash brown, but it’s a striking colour that can bring out your best features if you have cool undertones!
Besides, those deep, purple with blue undertones will help you avoid getting a magenta hue, making this shade more suitable for those with cool tones. This blueberry purple look is one of the best hair colours for Asians, so it’s a must to try dyeing your hair in this shade at least once in your life!
How to get this hair colour:
| My recommended dye | Garnier Color Naturals Ultra Color in Radiant Blueberry |
| Suitable skin colour | Fair |
| Bleaching required | Yes |
7. Dark blue
Dark blue hues naturally complement cool undertones, which is why Wonwoo’s look works so well with his features. Blue grey is one of the best hair colours for Asians that will make you look like a baddie, as it adds depth, edge and a subtle pop of colour while still keeping the overall look sleek and polished.
And, the good news is that you won’t need to bleach your hair to get this subtle blue hue! A muted blue tone helps cool down the natural warmth in Asian hair, resulting in a blue grey finish. What’s more, this shade matches well with fair skin tones for that icy-cool look!
How to get this hair colour:
| My recommended dye | CHIC LOCKE Plant-based Hair Dye in Dark Blue |
| Suitable skin colour | Fair to medium skin |
| Bleaching required | No |
8. Sandy Blonde
You might think going blonde would clash with your cool undertone, but that’s not always the case! This sandy blonde shade is one of the best hair colours for Asians with cool undertones as it has an icy-platinum tint. Le Sserafim’s Sakura rocks this hair colour well, and it matches her fair complexion and toned makeup!
Since you’re going from jet-black hair to almost white, you’re definitely going to have to bleach those locks! Don’t fret about the damage though. Using a hydrating bleach formula retains hair moisture while bleaching, so you don’t end up with frizzy, fragile locks. Afterwards, use a toner to neutralise those yellow hues for a platinum blonde finish!
How to get this hair colour:
| My recommended dye | BEAUTEEN Base Up Bleach and OLAPLEX 4P Blonde Enhancer Toner |
| Suitable skin colour | All |
| Bleaching required | Yes |
Best hair colours for Asians with neutral undertones
9. Metallic Mermaid Green
Woah there. You might be double-guessing if green suits you, but if you have cool or neutral undertones, you’ll be surprised to find out that green hair looks great on you! Green hair has made huge strides in recent years, especially with metallic tones like this mermaid green! Gone are those days of dirty grass green (or worse, highlighter neon green), metallic mermaid green is now ‘it’ colour for girls and guys alike!
This shimmery green is ideal for darker skin tones looking for a bright payoff and an ode to early-2000s glam. When it comes to jumping on the vintage fashion bandwagon, it’s no surprise that this is one of the best hair colours for Asians with neutral undertones. So, get this teal shade for that mystic, shimmering look!
How to get this hair colour:
| My recommended dye | Qwerky Semi-Permanent Plant-Based Dye in Gaia |
| Suitable skin colour | Medium to dark skin |
| Bleaching required | Yes |
10. Dark Brunette
Dark brunette is a universally flattering and easy-to-maintain colour. The glossy brown shade brightens your complexion and complements any makeup look. What’s more, this versatile colour is appropriate for any occasion, whether at work or at university. This shade is one of the best hair colours for Asians, as your dark roots are less visible as your hair grows out.
While you can get a sleek finish with professional hair dyeing, you can save that trip to the salon with at-home hair dye kits. My pro tip? Use a hair toner to remove any brassy tones or orange hues from your hair for that classy, professional look!
How to get this hair colour:
| My recommended dye | Mise en scene Hello Bubble Foam Hair Dye in Dark Choco |
| Suitable skin colour | Fair to medium skin |
| Bleaching required | No |
11. Warm Greige
Worried about greying locks? Embrace them instead with this warm grey shade! While most greys tend to lean towards the cooler side, this takes on a warmer hue with brown undertones. It’s a trendy hair colour, and one of the best for warm or neutral skin tones, as it can balance out any yellow or green undertones.
To get a good shade of grey, you would need to bleach your hair. I would recommend a non-damaging bleach, which retains the moisture in your hair for shiny, glossy locks, and following up with your grey hair dye for a stunning grey that’s surprisingly youthful!
How to get this hair colour:
| My recommended dye | Beautylabo Whip Hair Color in Sweet Greige |
| Suitable skin colour | Fair to medium skin |
| Bleaching required | Yes |
Get a new look with the best hair colours for Asians
Finding the best hair colour for Asians often comes down to understanding your skin tone and choosing shades that work with it naturally. When the colour is right, hair looks healthier, maintenance feels easier, and the overall look comes together effortlessly. If you’re planning a full refresh, find the best hair straighteners that will complete your new ‘do, or get gorgeous locks with the best hair curlers for volumised and wavy hairstyles!
This article was updated on 15 December 2025. Additional research done by Janica Ng.
