The 25 Best Hair Colors for Olive Skin, According to Experts

Reviewed by Jeremy Tardo

Whether you're aiming to add dimension, emphasize your eyes, or make a bold statement, discovering the perfect hair color for your skin tone can be a game-changer. With olive skin tones in mind, we connected with top hair colorists Ariel Hauck, Rita Hazan, and George Papanikolas who recommended the shades that are most flattering on those with green undertones.

Wondering if you even have olive undertones? An easy way to tell is by looking at the color of the veins around your face and neck. If veins appear green, it's safe to say that your skin has an olive undertone.

Ahead, our curated list offers a little bit of everything. From rich browns that exude warmth to sun-kissed blondes that bring out your natural glow, and even daring reds for a bit of contrast, we explore the many options best suited to enhance the beauty of olive skin.

Meet the Expert

• Ariel Hauck is a New York City-based hair colorist.

• Rita Hazan is a celebrity hair colorist in New York City and founder of the eponymous salon and hair product line.

• George Papanikolas is a Los Angeles-based, celebrity hair colorist at Andy Lecompte Salon.

All-over Platinum

Hauck recommends leaning towards a sandy or beige platinum if you're after this bold look. "If done correctly, this color on olive skin tones is stunning and definitely a statement." Talk with your stylist to make sure you get the right blonde for you.

Blonde Braids

Don't let your natural hair color hold you back if you're looking to sport braids or locs of a drastically different shade than your natural one. Zoe Kravitz went blonde before adding her braids and the combination makes for a major statement. To prevent damage, it's smart to give your hair a little time and a lot of TLC in the form of conditioning treatments after such an intense lightening treatment.

Silvery Blonde

We love how Vanessa Hudgens rocked this icy wig in lieu of taking the plunge and going full-on platinum. If you do want something more permanent, though, Hauck says, "This color is high maintenance and can cause some damage if not done correctly, so do your homework on the colorist you are seeing."

Byrdie Tip

Consider using a purple-toned shampoo, conditioner, or both to help combat brassiness.

All-over Soft Blonde

Taking blonde all the way up to the scalp is undoubtedly impactful, but grounding it in some darker roots is a softer approach, as is keeping the blonde more beige than stark white. Rocking a shadow root can help reduce the number of maintenance appointments and allows for a more forgiving grow-out period.

Variegated Honey with a Dark Root

There are light, medium, and dark shades of honey blonde in Nicole Scherzinger's hair, paired with a darker natural root for a more low-maintenance color.

Pale Honey

You can achieve this with a colorist by asking for balayage, baby lights, or highlights. Remember, though, there are about as many colors of honey as people to wear them, so make sure to bring in reference photos of the specific "honey" you want.

Honey Blonde

"A perfect in-between honey of not too ashy or not too warm can be olive skin tone's best choice," says Hauck. "It’s sexy, effortless color." We love Zendaya's color paired with a seriously smoky eye for maximum contrast.

All-over Caramel

According to Papanikolas, caramel tones are incredibly flattering on olive skin. "Caramel in a warmer tone is a beautiful way to illuminate an olive complexion," he says. "Caramels have golden undertones, which creates a beautiful sun-kissed end result."

Delicate, Subtle Honey

"If you want to go lighter, this color is a great balance," says NYC colorist, salon owner, and brand founder Rita Hazan, whose clientele includes celebrities like Beyoncé. Here, Sofia Vergara's color is less of a true color and more of an overall lightened effect.

Caramel-kissed Curls

Hauck agrees, saying, "Caramel highlights will always be a safe zone for people with olive skin. It's always sexy and always complements light or dark eyes." She recommends choosing a colorist whose work shows plenty of warmth in the desired color and asking for subtle highlights toned to caramel.

Chunky Caramel Pieces

If you don't want to commit to all-over caramel, a few lighter sections through darker hair is a great way to add dimension.

Rich Chestnut

This deep, chocolate brown color isn't as harsh as full-on black and is flattering to olive undertones. "Chestnut or chocolate colors have warm tones to them to counteract the cool undertones in olive skin to give it a glowing look," Hazan says.

Chocolate Balayage

The sweeping strokes of light in Minnie Driver's chocolate hair complement her hazel eyes beautifully.

Byrdie Tip

If the color you want to try is darker than your natural tone, you can always opt for a semi-permanent color should the idea of a permanent change feel intimidating to you. Semi-permanent color coats the hair shaft instead of changing it from the inside, however, the color will fade faster.

Face-framing Chestnut Highlights

Lighter strands around the perimeter of the face, like Ashley Graham's, can make an all-over chestnut color feel fresh.

Deep Mocha

Lean into mysterious, witchy vibes with mocha colors, which work on practically everyone. "Mocha is a balanced neutral shade of warm and cool and complements most skin tones, but especially olive complexions," Papanikolas says.

Mocha with Babylights

Another mocha bonus: It's a no-fuss color. "This color is also low maintenance and can be achieved by asking your hair colorist for baby lights all over, toned to a nice mocha," says Hauck. You'll end up with something like Padma Lakshmi has here.

Glossy Mocha With a Hint of Chestnut

Zoe Saldana's signature mocha waves contain just the barest hint of chestnut lowlights for a subtle, understated dimension that keeps the dark color from feeling too heavy.

Basic Black

Although it's one of the easiest hair colors to pull off for just about any skin tone, black hair works amazingly well with olive skin. Anything but basic, the dark, rich tones of black hair pair well with the warm undertones of olive skin, accentuating the natural glow of the skin and giving it depth.

Itty Bitty Mocha Ends

Just the teeniest touch of color at the ends of your strands adds some contrast and keeps the lengths of your hair from looking like a long, dark curtain.

Auburn Waves

Rihanna's auburn ponytail is a perfect contrast to her dark olive skin. The deep, reddish hues help accentuate the warm undertones of her complexion making her skin appear super radiant and glowy.

Bold Red

Olive skin pairs well with vibrant and rich shades of red, too. The brilliance of the crimson hue complements the natural warmth of olive skin while, at the same time, creating a dramatic contrast.

Baby Pink Ombré

"If you’re looking to spice things up, I would suggest maybe a baby pink or purple that would suit this skin tone best," says Hauck. Keeping the most pigmented pink shade towards the ends of the hair rather than at the roots can take away from the shock factor.

Rose Gold

Rose gold hair is having a major moment right now, and it is an amazing color to compliment olive skin. Depending on how much pink you want, the pastel hue can be toned down on played up to your liking.

Brilliant Blue

Want something a little more adventurous? Try a shade of blue. The cool, vibrant hues of blue hair color against the warm undertones of olive skin make for an enchanting and edgy look.

Medium Amethyst

The tone of the purple on this curly 'do isn't so light that it will wash out the wearer, making it perfect to experiment with.

Up Next: 25 Flattering Blonde Hair Colors for Cool Undertones

Read the original article on Byrdie.