Because bad blends are a dead giveaway
Hair extensions should be your best-kept secret, not the first thing people notice. But even the highest quality extensions can fall flat if the color’s off. Too dark and the blend looks harsh. Too light and the wefts stand out like highlights gone wrong.
So, how to color match hair extensions? That’s where things get specific. It’s not just about grabbing a shade called “dark brown” and hoping for the best. Your natural hair likely has depth: different tones running through it, maybe even a bit of old color near the ends. Getting an undetectable blend means paying attention to all of it: undertones, lighting, texture, and even finish.
Poorly matched extensions can make hair look patchy, streaky, or dull. Worse, they draw attention to the fact that you’re wearing extensions in the first place.
Below, we’ll cover everything from identifying your undertone to matching dyed hair, blending between shades, working with natural light, and knowing when to call in a pro.
Know your hair’s undertone and shade
Getting the right extension shade starts with knowing your hair’s undertone and base shade. And no, “blonde” or “dark brown” isn’t enough.
Your undertone is the temperature of your hair color: warm, cool, or neutral. This affects how your hair reflects light and what shades will blend naturally.
1. Warm tones include golden blonde, honey, copper, or chestnut
2. Cool tones lean ash, platinum, beige, or blue-black
3. Neutral tones are soft and balanced, with no strong red or ashy cast
One quick trick to spot your undertone: hold a white towel next to your hair and observe in soft, indirect daylight. Warm tones reflect gold or red. Cool tones appear silvery or smoky. Neutral tones? They’ll look, well, neutral.
Next, find your base shade—the dominant colour that runs through most of your mid-lengths. Don’t match to your roots (which are often darker) or ends (which might be lighter or more faded). The mid-lengths are usually your hair’s most accurate baseline.
Once you’ve identified both your undertone and base shade, you’ll be able to narrow your options and make more confident, realistic extension choices.
Still unsure how to match hair color to extensions? Many brands now offer virtual consultations, swatch comparisons, or even sample wefts to help you decide. The more you understand your natural shade, the better your final match will be.
Extensions aren’t one-tone—and neither is your hair
Even if your hair hasn’t been dyed, it probably isn’t just one flat shade. Most natural hair has dimension; a mix of lighter and darker strands, subtle highlights, and shadowy areas that give it life and movement. A strong hair extensions color match should reflect that.
The problem? Many off-the-shelf extensions are a single, uniform tone. And while that might look fine in the packaging, it can look harsh, flat, or obviously fake once blended into real hair.
One of the easiest ways to add realism is by using multi-tonal extensions or layering two similar shades. For example, if your natural hair is a medium brown with some sun-lightened ends, try combining a warm medium brown base with a slightly lighter caramel tone. This mimics how real hair reflects light and adds depth.
Many brands offer rooted, balayage, or blended colour options, but if your hair doesn’t fall into one category, you can DIY your own custom mix by stacking wefts or alternating placement.
Another bonus of layering? It gives you control over how much brightness or depth you want to add, and makes your extensions more adaptable if your natural hair colour shifts slightly with the seasons or washes.
Bottom line: if your goal is a believable blend, don’t treat your hair like it’s one solid block of colour. A thoughtful mix—whether subtle or high-contrast—can take your extensions from obvious add-on to “wait… is that all her hair?”
Matching to dyed vs natural hair
If your hair’s been color-treated, matching extensions becomes less about finding a perfect shade and more about timing it right. Why? Because dyed hair changes—fast.
A cool-toned brunette today might look slightly warmer two weeks from now. So before you shop, take stock of your current color. If you’ve just had a gloss, toner, or root touch-up, that’s the time to match—your shade is at its most saturated and balanced. If it’s been a while and your color’s faded, either wait until your next appointment or match to the faded tone itself. Don’t try to “future-proof” it.
Dyed hair also tends to have less natural variation than virgin hair, especially if it’s been lightened or toned to one even color. To avoid a flat, obvious look, try blending two extension shades—one close to your base, one slightly lighter or cooler for depth.
And remember, certain products like purple shampoo or clarifying treatments can subtly shift your tone over time. If you regularly use these, you may need to update your match more often than someone with natural hair.
Extensions can absolutely work with color-treated hair, you just need to stay one step ahead of how that color changes.
How to swatch like a pro
Trying to figure out which shade works best? Swatching hair extensions can help, especially if you’re stuck between two (or three) tones.
Here's how:
1. Always swatch near your mid-lengths, not your roots.
2. Clip the extension loosely underneath a layer of your own hair, then step back and check it in a mirror under natural light.
3. Look for harmony, not exactness: does the extension blend with your hair from a few feet away, or does it stick out in tone or texture?
If it’s close but not quite right, test again in a ponytail, low bun, or braid—styles that mix your hair and the extensions together.
Lighting tricks and tools
Getting the right match isn’t just about finding the right shade, it’s about seeing it accurately. Here’s how to do that with proper lighting and tools:
Use natural daylight
Take photos near a window or outside in indirect sunlight. Avoid warm-toned bulbs or overhead lighting, which can distort your color.
Wear a white t-shirt or use a plain white background
This prevents surrounding colors (like clothing or wall tones) from reflecting onto your hair and skewing the shade.
Take multiple angles
Snap clear photos from the front, sides, and back. Hair often varies slightly around your head, and you'll want to match to the most visible areas.
Focus on the mid-lengths
When figuring out how to match hair color to extensions, avoid matching to your roots (which may be darker) or ends (which could be lighter or faded).
Compare against shade charts or swatches
Use your photos as a reference when browsing extension options or using a virtual color match tool.
Lighting won’t change your actual color, but it absolutely affects how it looks. And when you're trying to color match hair extensions, what people see is what counts.
What to do if you're between shades
Can’t find an exact match? Don’t panic. Most people’s hair isn’t one single shade anyway, which is why being “between colors” is more common than you think.
The easiest fix? Blend strategically.
If you’re torn between two shades, choose both. Mixing wefts of similar but slightly different tones adds realistic dimension and helps create a seamless hair extensions color match. Try placing the darker shade near your roots and the lighter one toward the ends or underneath—it mimics the way natural hair lightens with sun exposure or age.
You can also play with root shadows or ombré effects.
Rooted extensions (darker at the base) are ideal if your natural hair is deeper near the scalp but lighter through the lengths. This trick can also soften the transition line and make the blend feel more intentional.
Another pro move? Add tonal depth by layering slightly cooler or warmer pieces into your overall set. Even subtle variation can give a more natural finish—especially in photos or under bright lighting.
When you're in between shades, your goal isn't to force a match. It's to build one. And with the right placement, a color match hair extensions approach that mixes tones will almost always look more believable than a single, flat color.
Choosing the right finish: matte, glossy, or textured?
Even if the color’s perfect, the finish still has to match. Straight, wavy, and curly extensions all reflect light differently, and that can affect how the shade looks once they’re in your hair.
For example, glossy straight extensions can appear lighter or more reflective than matte waves, even if they’re technically the same shade. If your natural hair has texture—whether it’s beachy, coiled, or simply frizz-prone—choose extensions with a similar finish to avoid that tell-tale mismatch.
Matching texture and tone gives the most believable result. Don’t just colour match—blend the feel of the hair too. That’s what makes the whole look come together!
Did you know? Extension shades can oxidize over time
Even if your color match starts perfect, it may not stay that way. Just like dyed hair, some extension fibers can oxidise (change slightly in tone) with UV exposure, heat styling, or repeated washing. This is especially true for lighter or highlighted shades, which can turn brassy or lose cool tones over time.
This means two things:
– You might need a refresh or toner for your extensions occasionally, just like your real hair.
– When choosing a shade, it’s sometimes smarter to go slightly cooler than your target tone if you use heat tools often or spend time in the sun.
You can also maintain colour by using color-safe products, purple shampoo (with caution), and avoiding sulphates. The more you care for your extensions like real hair, the longer your match will last.
When to ask for a professional color match
Sometimes, no matter how many shade charts you scroll through, you still can’t find the one. That’s when it’s time to bring in the pros.
If you’ve got balayage, multi-tone highlights, or a colour that shifts under different lighting, a professional color match can save you time, stress, and money on mismatched extensions. Many salons offer in-person consults, but online brands now offer virtual color match tools where you send in photos (ideally taken in natural light, with your hair down), and a stylist will recommend your best-fit shade—or a custom blend.
Custom matching takes into account your base, undertone, and variation throughout the hair. Some services will even mix two or more shades for you, or suggest a weft combo based on your hair goals (e.g. volume at the ends vs full-length thickness).
If you're second-guessing yourself or have already returned a set or two, that’s your sign: DIY has its limits. When in doubt, ask for help. Your future hair will thank you.
Blend is EVERYTHING
You can buy the longest, silkiest extensions on the shelf, but if the colour’s off, everyone will know. A perfect match isn’t just about shade names. It’s about undertones, texture, lighting, and how your hair really behaves.
So if you’re investing in extensions, invest in the match too. It’s the difference between “nice extensions” and “OMG, your hair looks amazing!”
Not sure where to start? Get help from a stylist at The Lauren Ashtyn Collection who can provide a free color-matching consultation with their luxury hairpieces and extensions.
