How to Find the Right Colour Hair Extensions: An Expert Guide

Key Takeaways

• Understanding your true hair colour and whether it’s warm, cool, or neutral is the first step to choosing colour hair extensions that blend naturally and look seamless.
• From clip-ins to tape-ins, the kind of extension you choose affects how well it blends. Semi-permanent methods like tape-ins and wefts require more precise colour matching.
• Hair looks different in sunlight vs. indoor lighting. To match accurately, test in both, and choose extensions with varied tones to mimic real hair depth.

How To Find the Right Colour Hair Extensions

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How to Find The Right Colour Hair Extensions

Understanding Your Natural Hair Colour

Before choosing coloured hair extensions, it’s important to know your natural hair colour. That’s the colour your hair grows from the root without any dye. But how does that colour happen?

It all comes down to something called melanin, natural pigments found in your hair. There are two types:

• Eumelanin, which gives hair shades of brown and black
• Pheomelanin, which adds red and yellow tones (more common in red or auburn hair)

These two mix in different amounts to create all-natural hair colours – from black, brown, and blonde, to red, chestnut, grey, and white. The less melanin you have, the lighter your hair looks (that’s why blonde and grey hair is so light – there's very little pigment!).

Different levels of hair colours. Source: Zotos Professional

Here’s a simple way to do it:

• Find the darkest part of your hair – usually underneath at the back.
• Part it down the middle and cover any dyed bits.
• In bright natural light, ask a friend to help you compare your roots to a hair colour chart.
• Match the shade that’s closest – this is your true natural hair colour.

Pro tip: Write it down so you won’t forget later!

Once you know your natural hair colour, you’ll have a much easier time choosing the right extensions. Knowing how to colour match hair extensions means your look will be seamless and natural.

Read more: How to Dye Hair Extensions Without Damage? (Expert Guide)

Exploring Different Hair Extension Types  

Once you’ve figured out your natural hair colour, the next step in learning how to match hair colour with extensions is choosing the right type of extensions. Why? Because the type you pick can affect how well the extensions blend and how long they last. Here's a simple breakdown:

1. Clip-in Extensions

These are the most beginner-friendly and temporary. You simply clip them into your hair – no glue, no mess. Perfect if you just want extra length or volume for a night out. They're also great for testing out hair extensions colour matches before committing long-term.

Clip-in extensions. Source: Livicor Hair

2. Tape-in Extensions

These use adhesive tapes to attach the extensions to your natural hair. They sit flat against your head, giving a seamless, natural look. Great if you want something semi-permanent that still blends beautifully. Just make sure you’ve nailed your colour hair extensions match!

Kinky Straight Tape-in Hair Extensions. Source: Livicor Hair

Check out: Kinky Straight Tape-in Hair Extensions

3. Micro-link Extensions

Also known as micro-beads or I-tips, these are applied strand-by-strand with tiny beads—no glue or heat. They’re reusable, less permanent, and a good in-between option. If you're wondering how to colour match hair extensions strand by strand, this is where precision matters most.

Micro-link extensions. Source: Livicor Hair 

4. Wefted Extensions (Sew-in/Weave)

These involve sewing long wefts of hair into braided natural hair. It's a longer-lasting method, best done by a pro. Since the extensions stay in for weeks, getting the right hair extensions colour match is key for a flawless, natural finish.

Wefted extensions. Source: Livicor Hair 

Read more: 13+ Trends in Dark Brown to Blonde Balayage for 2025

Matching Hair Extension Colours 

Getting a perfect hair extensions colour match is key to making your extensions look natural, and knowing how to match hair colour with extensions makes all the difference. Here’s how to approach it from start to finish:

Start by paying attention to your hair’s undertones. 

Every hair colour has a tone underneath — either warm (golden, honey, copper), cool (ash, platinum, silver), or neutral (a balance of both). 

Identifying your undertone will guide you in choosing the right colour hair extensions that don’t clash with your natural shade. A warm-toned blonde, for example, won’t blend well with cool-toned extensions.

Know your hair undertone. Source: Satin Hair Colour

Next, always check your hair colour in different types of light. Hair can look one way in sunlight and quite another under indoor lighting. 

To get an accurate hair extensions colour match, examine your hair both in natural daylight and artificial light. This ensures you’re not picking a shade that looks great indoors but off in the sun.

Then, instead of trying to find one “perfect” shade, choose a few options that are within one to two shades of your natural colour. 

This approach creates a more natural blend. If your hair already has highlights or lowlights, it’s a good idea to select multi-tonal extensions. These include several similar shades to mimic the natural variation in real hair, adding depth and dimension.

Examine your hair under different lighting conditions. Source: Sunlight Inside

Blending is also a key part of how to colour match hair extensions. Real hair isn’t flat or uniform in colour, so neither should your extensions be. 

Choosing extensions with a soft mix of shades helps create a flowing, natural look that blends well with your current colour, especially if your hair is layered or multi-toned.

To be certain you’ve found the right shade, test it.

Hold a small section of the extension up to your natural hair, preferably near the ends, and look at it under natural light. This simple step is one of the best ways to check whether the colour works with your hair and undertones.

Read more: Reverse Balayage vs. Balayage: Find Your Best Look

Finally, if you plan to curl, straighten, dye, or cut your extensions to match your hair even more closely, always go for 100% human hair extensions. 

They behave like natural hair, giving you more control over the final result and allowing for adjustments if needed.

Livicor Hair provides 100% Remy human hair extensions for the most natural look. Source: Livicor Hair

Check out: Curly Clip-in Hair Extensions