Your shade isn’t right if… You feel the need to pile on makeup (especially bronzer) to keep your skin from looking pale.

Rule of thumb: Pick a base color that’s no more than two shades lighter or darker than your eyebrows.

Why it works: The brow color you’re born with complements your skin tone perfectly. Stray too far from it and your complexion will appear washed out. (Dyeing your brows won’t make a difference—the benchmark is always their natural color.) You can also use your true base shade as a barometer. But if you can’t remember it exactly (or don’t have pictures of yourself at age 12 handy), you’re better off going by your brows.

Also keep in mind: Weaving blond highlights into your base color enhances any complexion. Like self-tanner, golden tones illuminate your skin. Keep the streaks thin to ensure everything blends in well.

The best blond for dark skin These days, lots of dark-skinned chicks are making a major mane statement by going blond — think Beyoncé, Tyra Banks, and Mary J. Blige. “The contrast between dark skin and light hair can be really striking, but it’s tricky to do yourself”.