Color Your Hair Beautiful!

Finding the Right Shade

For the most natural-looking results, the play-it-safe rule is not to go more than two or three shades darker or lighter than your natural hair color. Hair-color pro Stuart Gavert at Gavert Atelier, in Los Angeles, offers these guidelines.

• If your skin is rosy or ruddy, avoid shades with red or orange tones; golden hues, including highlights, are a more flattering choice.
• If your skin is fair to medium-beige, you can go warm (shades with gold tones) or cool (look for colors with the words "ash" or "beige" in the name, such as light ash brown).
• If your skin is olive or sallow, opt for cool shades, but avoid pale blonds, as they can make you look washed out.
• If your skin is dark, rich shades of brown, such as chestnut or chocolate, look gorgeous.