The right colour near your face can make you look brighter and more rested; the wrong one can wash you out. Choosing a hijab colour for your skin tone is not complicated once you know two things: your undertone, and which depths flatter you. Here is a simple guide.
First, find your undertone
Look at the veins on your inner wrist in natural light. Blue or purple veins suggest a cool undertone. Green veins suggest a warm undertone. If you cannot tell, you may be neutral and suit both. Another test: gold jewellery tends to flatter warm undertones, silver flatters cool ones.
Fair skin
Fair skin is easily overwhelmed by very pale colours, which can wash it out. Reach for soft but defined shades: navy, burgundy, forest green, dusty pink and true red. Go easy on pale beige right against the face unless it has a warm, peachy undertone.
Medium skin
Medium skin is versatile and carries most colours well. Make the most of it with rich mid-tones: teal, maroon, warm brown, olive and coral. Bright white and deep black both look crisp against medium skin.
Olive skin
Olive complexions glow next to earthy and jewel tones: olive itself, rust, mustard, emerald, plum and warm beige. Be a little careful with yellow-greens and very muddy tones, which can flatten olive skin.
Deep skin
Deep skin tones look striking in bright, saturated colours and clean brights: cobalt blue, fuchsia, gold, pure white, red and rich purple. Pastels can look beautiful too when they have enough vibrancy. Deep skin carries maroon and emerald exceptionally well.
The colours that suit almost everyone
A few shades are near-universal and worth owning as staples: true red, teal, deep purple and a good navy flatter most people. And of course black and a well-chosen nude are the neutral workhorses every wardrobe needs.
Build a small, flattering palette
You do not need every colour. Pick two neutrals that suit you, two mid-tones you love, and one jewel tone for occasions, all chosen with your undertone in mind. That five-scarf palette will flatter you far more than a drawer of random shades. Browse by colour to start building yours.