You have always been a brunette but always wondered ‘Do blonds have more fun?’ and likewise many lighter haired girls have always wanted to try going dark. Well, what’s stopping you at least seeing if a color change works? One of the great things about wigs and dressing up is you can change your look depending on the statement you want to make and the type of personality you may wish to portray. This does not have to mean going from blonde to dark (or visa versa) but may mean just choosing a hairpiece with highlights or low-lights to give added contrast and ‘pop’ to your appearance.
But are there tips to consider when contemplating a color change that can guide you to the correct choice before you pay out some hard earned cash from an online wig store? There are a few areas which if you do a little research into then you will ensure your color change experience will not only be the right one but will ensure you are showered with the right kind of compliments on your appearance. Consider the following:
- Age
- Eye Color
- Skin Tone
- Lifestyle
Even within these areas, there is some latitude but be guided by conventional wisdom. For example, if you are late 50’s in age, even if you dress and appear in your 40’s, you may want to stay away from a neon Pink wig for everyday use as it would be better suited to Mardi Gras or a teen on Spring Break! We’re all for bending the rules for fun but if you are aiming for everyday feminine appearance then at least try to follow some of the tried and tested rules.
Your natural hair color is dark brown and so you’ve been a brunette all your dressing life but you want to change it up a little and try a different color but not sure what will work and what won’t. Short of trying on 10 or more wigs in different colors what should be your main guiding principles in making the choice?
Choosing a wig for you age
This is an important consideration and as important as the style/cut. If you are a more mature lady then try to steer clear of loud, bold colors like black, red, etc. Normally more in keeping are subdued colors and especially blends. Of course, many ladies wish to age down a little and so try experimenting with warmer and golden shades for a healthy more youthful appearance. And don’t forget that many find a little ‘salt and peeper’ blended in is very attractive as well as in keeping.
What’s your lifestyle like?
Crucial to your choice is where you will be wearing it. Is this new color hairpiece just for occasional wear when going out at night or is it for day to day wear? Are you wearing it just at home or will you be wearing it every day to your place of work? Is part of your reason for a color change to attract more attention, or do you simply wish to blend? If you are a professional and spend a lot of time working with other people then you probably don’t feel the need for a radical color change that will be shocking and the cause of many conversations. If in doubt, stay close to your own hair color but add in a different color shade to the mix rather than just a straight brunette for example. Staying close to your natural color will ensure the palette blends with the eyebrows and your complexion but adding in a different shade to the overall blend can make you more youthful and even more sophisticated.
Consider skin tone and eye color
This is where the science comes in! Finding the right contrast between your natural complexion and your hair color is very important. The contrast can be bold or subtle but the effect, if you know what you are doing, can be just as effective either way. A classic contrast is a Black wig with a pale complexion which is very striking. However, be careful to ensure you have a flawless makeover as such a contrast only heightens any imperfections such as pimples or redness in your complexion when you choose such a bold contrast. Similarly, if you have a dark complexion then look to have a lighter shade brunette and if you are a lighter brown complexion then maybe look too contrasting with a dark brown. The bolder the contrast the more attention you will attract so bear that in mind – subtle contrast for blending in and big contrast for standing out and being noticed – your choice!
Many professionals talk about complexion and skin tone in terms of warm and cold/cool. This can then help with matching to applicable wig colors. There are various tests to work out which you are but the one we like best is the jewelry test. Quite simply do you prefer wearing Gold or Silver jewelry? If gold then the chances are you fall into the ‘warm’ complexion tribe and if silver then you are ‘cold’. Another test is to look at the veins on the inside of your wrist; if they appear blue then you are of the cool complexion. If the skin on the inside of the wrist appears to have a green hue then you are of the warmer complexion.
If you naturally have a warm complexion then you may typically have green, turquoise, hazel or mid-brown eye coloring and deep brown hair with red tones, strawberry blond, gold blond or red. Gold tones like the gorgeous Caramel Kiss color available in many of the TG Wigs section hairpieces work perfectly and even copper in a darker shade than your skin color. Chestnut shades and lovely rich auburn colors along with redder highlights are really good matches. Steer clear of shades that will give you a washed out complexions like ash blond or ash brown.
Cooler skin tone folk may typically have dark brown or almost black or grey-blue or deep blue eye coloring. Natural hair coloring can often be very dark black (with blue undertones), dark, deep browns like espresso, golden brown and white like platinum. Blond shades with yellow in them like Butterscotch are not good matches for cooler complexions. Rather choose shades in the ash, honey or even wheat family – more neutral colors. If blessed with a porcelain cool complexion you can also more readily wear some of the more ‘costume’ colors like bright reds, purple and even burgundy.
Changing hair color can be difficult when you are shopping online but master the basic principles and you should have no trouble in enhancing your appearance. As a general rule keep to the underlying tones of your own hair color but set up some contrast to your complexion. Remember you can amp up the contrast for evening wear but if trying to blend especially during the day then use a subtle contrast for most realistic effect.