New Year, new ‘do! I always dye my hair around this time of year– it just makes me feel like I’m getting a fresh start for the new year. If you’re thinking about dyeing your hair, but you’re unsure which colour suits you best, read on for my recommendations on the best hair colours for Asian skin!
My top picks for the best hair colours for Asian skin tones
Best for | Warm Undertone | Neutral Undertone | Cool Undertone |
Hair colour | Rose Tea Brown | Dark Brunette | Blueberry Purple |
Recommended dye | Liese Creamy Bubble Color in Rose Tea Brown | Mise en scene Hello Bubble Foam Hair Dye in Dark Choco | Garnier Color Naturals Ultra Color in Radiant Blueberry |
Suitable skin tones | All | Fair to medium | Fair |
Bleaching required? | No | No | No |
Best hair colours for warm Asian skin tones
1. Mahogany
First off, it’s important to understand your undertone. Cool colours work best on cool undertones, while warm colours compliment warm skin tones best. Take this mahogany hair colour, for example. From bright red ruby tones to deep burgundy hair colour, red is a staple in almost every year’s hair trend for those with warm undertones. If you’re uneasy about committing to a vivid, fiery red, then I’d recommend going with this brownish mahogany colour! This is one of the best hair colours for Asians who are looking for a bold yet work-appropriate shade as it isn’t too striking to the eye. Moreover, it’s a universal shade that will flatter all skin colours from the fairest to the tannest, so you’re sure to get a lot of compliments on your new ‘do!
To adopt this hair colour trend, simply use the Cielo Cream 4RO Mahogany Brown or the La Riche Directions Rubine Dye. There’s no need to bleach your hair to achieve your desired mahogany shade. However, do note that red hair colour can fade quickly or turn into a brassy mess if not regularly maintained.
How to get this hair colour:
My recommended dyes |
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Suitable skin tone | All |
Bleaching required | No |
2. Tangerine Brown
Tangerine brown is one of the best hair colours for Asians this year simply because it’s extremely wearable and flattering on warm skin tones. While you may think that this is yet another boring brown hue, the tangerine brown hair colour leans more towards the golden orange side; This adds a pop of colour to your overall appearance and instantly makes you appear radiant and fresh! Plus, the soft golden hue makes your tresses look oh-so-glossy!
Sounds like a shade you’d want to try? Give yourself a hair transformation on a budget with the Liese Creamy Bubble Color in Marshmallow Brown. It results in a soft, brown hue with a tint of orange. You won’t need to bleach your hair either!
How to get this hair colour:
My recommended dyes |
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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? 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, especially with the Liese Creamy Bubble Color in Rose Tea Brown, but you can also get similar results with the Revlon ColourSilk Urban Style Hair Colour in Rose Sorbet.
It’s low maintenance and suits a wide range of skin colours due to its dark brown hues. Plus, you won’t need to bleach your hair, and it will still come out with a lighter, slightly pink shade. It’s a good hair colour for Asian features too, as the pink shade evens out your complexion, and keeps you from looking too pale by adding colour to your face!
How to get this hair colour:
My recommended dyes |
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Suitable skin tone | All |
Bleaching required | No |
4. Platinum Pink
BLACKPINK Lisa’s pink bob has left us in awe of her gorgeous looks, and we’re sure more of such hues will pop up in the upcoming year. While pink hair has been an overdone hair trend for years, the shade has taken on a platinum twist with recent trends. This gives your hair a pale, pastel appearance that especially fits fair skin tones well.
There’s no escaping, this is a hair colour that will require bleaching. Achieving this light pink hue means that you’ll need more intensive bleaching, so make sure to prep your hair beforehand with a good hair mask, like the Coco & Eve Like a Virgin Hair Mask, to minimise damage. Once you’ve achieved platinum blonde locks, coat your hair with the Dixmondsg Long-Lasting Hair Dye in Ash Pink for trendy locks that will make you look like your K-pop idol!
How to get this hair colour:
My recommended dyes |
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Suitable skin tone | Fair |
Bleaching required | Yes |
Best hair colours for cool Asian skin tones
5. Mushroom brown
If you’ve ever tried dyeing your hair grey or silver, you’d know how difficult it is to achieve the perfect shade – and even more so to retain the colour beyond a week. This is unavoidable, as Asian hair is notorious for turning brassy after a couple of washes.
My reco is to go for a mushroom brown shade, which has a light grey tone but a brown base. Unlike the warm tones of tangerine brown or milk tea brown, mushroom brown leans on the cooler side. It’s much easier to maintain compared to its grey counterpart! The Saloon Professional Hair Color Dye Cream in Dark Ash Blonde is perfect for achieving this shade, but you can also use the Loreal Paris Excellence Creme Hair Dye in Smoky Ash.
How to get this hair colour:
My recommended dyes |
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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!
I highly recommend using Garnier Color Naturals Ultra Color in Radiant Blueberry. It’s the absolute perfect shade when trying to get that deep, purple shade with blue undertones. You’ll also avoid getting a magenta hue, which is more suitable for those with cool tones. This blueberry purple look is one of the best hair colours for Asians with cool tones, 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 dyes |
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Suitable skin colour | Fair |
Bleaching required | Yes |
7. Blue grey
My cool-toned friend has been dyeing her hair a dark blue ever since Hwasa sported this blue-grey look! The slight tint of blue brightened up her features, and the calming grey gave her look a subtly classier appearance. It’s work-appropriate too, as the blue tint shines through most under sunlight!
This blue-grey tone is one of the best hair colours for Asians with cool undertones. Plus, the cool shade will make you look oh-so atas! To get this blue-grey shade, I would recommend using the Liese Creamy Bubble Color in Dark Navy as you won’t need to bleach your hair beforehand. However, if you want a more prominent blue tone, you’ll need to bleach your hair and use the Mise En Scene Hello Bubble in Whale Deep Blue for a long-lasting, vibrant blue!
How to get this hair colour4:
My recommended dyes |
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Suitable skin colour | All |
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 cool-skinned Asians as it has an icy-platinum tint that works well with cooler features. 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. I can attest to the Dixmondsg Non-Damaging Hair Bleach, as you can get a good colour lift without frizzing up your hair follicles. Afterwards, use a Pudding Hair Color Yellow Out Ash Toner to wash out all those brassy notes. The result is a chic and sophisticated hair look that will instantly make you look stylish!
How to get this hair colour:
My recommended dyes |
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Suitable skin colour | All |
Bleaching required | Yes |
Best hair colours for neutral Asian skin tones
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! Many people are going green with their beauty routines these days – and we’re not talking about the 3Rs. Green hair has made huge strides in recent years, thanks to daring celebrities like Billie Ellish and Kylie Jenner. 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 in 2024! Before you dive headfirst into the green hair trend, you should lighten your hair by two shades to achieve your ideal shade. Then, for that vibrant pop, use the Schwarzkopf got2b Color Cream in Mermaid Green as it has an almost teal shade that will brighten your look!
How to get this hair colour:
My recommended dyes |
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Suitable skin colour | Medium to dark skin |
Bleaching required | Yes |
10. Dark Brunette
Dark brunette reigns supreme over pale platinum this year, signalling a return to the dark side for 2025. This is great news for many of us who have worked so hard to avoid hair damage from bleaching. Dark brunette is a universally flattering and easy-to-maintain colour. You can easily achieve this universally flattering hair colour with the Mise en scene Hello Bubble Foam Hair Dye in Dark Choco for a calm chocolate brown shade.
The glossy brown shade brightens your complexion and complements any makeup look. Furthermore, this versatile colour is appropriate for any occasion, whether at work or at university. This shade is a good hair colour for Asians too, as your dark roots are less visible as your hair grows out. My pro tip? Even if it’s not a blonde shade, tone your hair with a purple shampoo regularly to prevent it from becoming brassy.
How to get this hair colour:
My recommended dyes |
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Suitable skin colour | Fair to medium skin |
Bleaching required | No |
11. Warm Grey
Worried about greying locks? Embrace them instead with this warm grey look! While most greys tend to lean towards the cooler side, this Beautylabo Whip Hair Color in Sweet Greige 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, like the eZn Creamy Hair Bleach, and leaving it on for no more than 20 minutes, and following up with your grey hair dye for a stunning grey that’s surprisingly youthful!
How to get this hair colour:
My recommended dyes |
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Suitable skin colour | Fair to medium skin |
Bleaching required | Yes |
Give your tresses a makeover with these best hair colours for Asians
Now that you’re rocking one of the best hair colours for Asian skin tones, it’s time to style your hair. Find out how to create glamorous curls with our Dyson Airwrap tutorials or style your hair with these trendy Korean-style bangs to frame your face. Ring in the New Year with a new hairstyle, and start the year out right!
This article was updated on 18 December 2024. Additional research done by Janica Ng.