Which Skin Tones Suit Auburn Hair? A Color Analyst's Guide

If copper is the red people are afraid of, auburn is the red they should be having instead. Auburn is red with brown folded in, and that brown does something clever: it takes the orange edge off the red and turns it from a statement into a depth. That's why auburn reads as expensive rather than loud, why it suits three or four times as many people as copper does, and why the "which skin tones suit auburn hair?" question has a much friendlier answer than most people expect.

It still has an answer, though, the depth of the auburn and the direction it leans (golden or mahogany) matter, and this guide lays them out by skin tone. For the shade itself in more detail, see auburn hair color and dark auburn hair color; for the general rules of matching, hair color for your skin tone.

Auburn versus copper

If copper fought you, auburn probably won't. If you want more on the orange side, the copper hair guide covers it.

Who auburn suits, in one table

The only people auburn genuinely fights are those who choose the wrong lean: a golden auburn on very cool skin, or a bright light auburn on deep skin.

Which way should your auburn lean?

Auburn has two directions, and your undertone picks one:

• Golden or copper-leaning auburn: more orange in the red. For warm skin: peachy fair, golden medium, warm olive, warm tan. Test: gold jewelry and peach tops flatter you.
• Mahogany, cherry or burgundy-leaning auburn: more violet in the red. For cool and neutral skin: pink fair, rosy medium, cool olive, cool deep. Test: silver jewelry and cool pink tops flatter you.
• Classic and chestnut auburn: balanced, brown-heavy. For neutral skin and for anyone who wants the safest first step.

Depth follows the skin: light auburn for fair skin, classic for light-medium, dark and mahogany for olive, tan and deep. The how to find your undertone guide has the full test.

The auburn shade chart

Skin references: Fair Warm #F0D5B4, Fair Cool #F2DCD2, Medium Neutral #D6B596, Olive #C6A880 and Deep #6E4A36.

Auburn by color season

• True Autumn: golden, classic and copper auburn: auburn's natural home.
• Deep Autumn: dark auburn, mahogany auburn, chestnut auburn.
• Soft Autumn: chestnut auburn and a muted classic auburn; the brighter, lighter auburns are too clear.
• True Spring and Light Spring: light and golden auburn, kept bright.
• Deep Winter and True Winter: mahogany, cherry and burgundy auburn, the cool reds.
• Summers: cherry auburn on a cool Summer; otherwise cool browns usually flatter more. See Soft Summer.

Eyes, brows and makeup with auburn hair

Auburn flatters green, hazel and brown eyes especially; blue eyes look striking against the cooler cherry and mahogany auburns. Brows should follow the hair's lean, warm auburn or soft brown pencil for golden auburns, cool taupe for mahogany. Makeup: warm auburns want peach and terracotta blush, brick and warm nude lips; cool auburns want rose and berry blush, cranberry and plum lips. The wardrobe for auburn hair is one of the best there is, forest green, teal, cream, navy, denim, olive and burgundy, covered in best colors for red hair.

Upkeep

Auburn fades to warm brown rather than to peach, which is why it ages more gracefully than copper. Color-safe shampoo, cool rinses and a red or copper color-depositing mask every two weeks keep the red alive; a gloss every six to eight weeks refreshes the shine. Expect a full color every eight to ten weeks.

Putting it together

Almost everyone can wear auburn; the question is only which way it leans. Golden or copper auburn if you're warm, mahogany or cherry if you're cool, classic or chestnut if you're neutral or unsure, and deeper as your skin gets deeper. Auburn is the red that doesn't ask you to be brave. It asks you to know your undertone, and then it does the rest.