Rose Gold Hair Color Guide | 2024 Color Inspiration & Tips

Rose gold hair color always captures attention with its golden, peachy-pink tones and glistening dimension. We’re covering everything you need to know about rose gold hair color in this informative guide, complete with examples to inspire you and tips to get your perfect rose gold shade! 

What Is Rose Gold Hair Color?

• Golden blonde, copper, and pink tones create rose gold hair color
• Unique metallic shade with lots of bright dimension
• Warm color that best suits warm or neutral undertones

Rose gold hair color is a blend of golden blonde, copper red, and soft pink tones. It’s a pinkish hue somewhere between strawberry blonde and copper blonde.

This metallic hue has a little variation depending on how much of each tone is mixed in. Rose gold can lean more peachy-golden blonde with subtle coppery-pink undertones. It can be a balanced shade with equal amounts of golden copper blonde and soft pink.

We’ve also seen gorgeous rose gold hair colors further into the pink or copper spectrums with softer golden tones in the background. Rose gold is a hair color that gets attention because it’s truly unique and captivating.

When you rock rose gold shades, you’re right on the line between natural-looking and vivid color. There are generally enough golden blonde and coppery tones in the color to make it seem natural, but it can also dive into the pink spectrum for a brighter, more vivid pop of color. 

In just a bit, we’ll look at the skin tones and undertones rose gold color suits best, choosing the perfect rose gold shade for your complexion, and mixing up the right shade to get gorgeous results. First, let’s take a look at some of the different rose gold shades you can choose from! 

12 Shimmering Shades of Rose Gold Hair Color

We told you rose gold has a lot of variation – here’s a look at some of the different shades of this metallic, golden pink color. 

From the subtlest rosy golden blonde to bright and vibrant shades of pink with barely-there golden accents, we found shades of rose gold color to suit every skin tone and undertone combination. 

1. Warm Copper-Washed Coral Rose Gold

Dimensional copper red tones underlie this coral rose gold shade on very light blonde hair. It’s a vivid, unique color that’s a little brighter and more vibrant than true rose gold. This shade will be beautiful on fair to medium skin tones with warm undertones. It’s a perfect choice for natural redheads! 

2. Peachy Melon Rose Gold

Peachy, warm undertones are an excellent match for this peachy melon-toned rose gold color. It features definite hints of orange-y pink color with enough rosy undertones to earn the rose gold title. Very subtle golden blonde undertones are the basis for this vivid shade that works best on fair and medium skin tones. 

3. Subtly Rosy Golden Blonde

Rosy pink takes a backseat to golden blonde in this bright, dimensional shade. It’s even better with the glam, rose-inspired updo! Fair-skinned women will absolutely slay in this blonde-heavy shade of rose gold. 

4. Bubblegum-Coral Rose Gold

If you want a lot of pink tones in your rose gold color, consider a multi-toned shade like this. Bubblegum pink highlights weave through the coppery coral rose gold for extra-vivid pops of bright color.

The pink highlights accentuate the more subtle rosy-coral tones in the base color. This shade will look amazing on all skin tones (fair to deep) and both warm and neutral undertones. 

5. Dark Bronzed Magenta Rose Gold

A bronzy magenta tone dominates this deep rose gold shade, making it an ideal choice for deep skin tones and medium skin tones alike. Warm undertones are the best match for this shade, which takes on a deep reddish-pink overtone that is very unique and flattering on dark skin. 

6. Subtlest Rose Gold Blonde

Light golden blonde color is the foundation for an ultra-light rosy pink tone in this shade. It’s one of the subtlest rose gold shades you’ll find.

And it’s a great choice for anyone who doesn’t want rose gold to mean “pink hair.” This light golden rose shade works best for fair skin tones with warm or neutral undertones. 

7. Coppery Hot Pink Rose Gold

Medium and deep skin tones are the perfect match for a highly-saturated rose gold shade like this coppery-pink hue. A dark brown root offers a little contrast and makes maintenance easier.

And vivid copper-toned rosy pink lengths are the basis of the look. Warm undertones can pull off this saturated color, but it’s not a great fit for neutral undertones. 

8. Coral-Tinted Rose Gold Blonde

Light golden blonde hair with coral-rose tones creates a nice rose gold shade for fair and medium skin tones. It’s an almost-pastel shade with added warmth from the yellow-gold undertones in the blonde color. This shade can work for warm and neutral undertones. 

9. Multi-Toned Fuchsia & True Rose Gold

If you just can’t decide which shade of rose gold to pick, go with a pretty, multi-toned color like this! Deep fuchsia and pastel pink tones dominate the top half while more subtly rose-toned color takes over the bottom.

This color blend includes very warm to cooler rose gold hues, so it works well for warm and neutral undertones and fair to medium skin tones. 

10. Blushing Coral Rose Gold Blonde

Blonde-heavy rose gold shades have more subtle pink tones, but they’re definitely noticeable. This golden blonde shade features an orange-pink coral tone balanced with a softer rosy pink to create a unique rose gold shade. It works well for fair skin tones with a warm undertone. 

11. Pastel Platinum Rose Gold With Espresso Money Piece Lowlights

This unique spin on light rose gold color includes a deep brunette shadow root and espresso-colored money piece lowlights around the face for contrast. Very light blonde color is subtly tinted with pastel pink for a silvery rose gold color that works especially well on neutral undertones and fair skin. 

12. Dusty Rose Gold

Dusty rose color includes subtle violet and gray undertones that balance and cool down the color a bit. That makes dusty rose gold an excellent shade choice for neutral undertones, warm undertones with blue or light-colored eyes, and deeper neutral skin tones. 

Will Rose Gold Hair Color Suit Me?

Rose gold hair color is such a gorgeous shade of pink-washed blonde. It’s not a color that works for everyone, though. Since rose gold color is built exclusively with warm hues (golden blonde, copper, pink), it can work for neutral undertones.

But it’s not a great option for women with cooler undertones. That’s not our opinion – it’s basic color wheel hair theory. Rose gold hair color looks best on women with warm undertones.

Warm undertones are typically peachy, golden, or honey-colored and do a great job accentuating and flattering the pinky-golden tones in rose gold hair color. You’ll know if you have warm undertones if:

• Your eyes are brown, green, hazel, or have flecks of gold in them
• Your veins look greenish in color through your skin
• You look better in gold or rose gold jewelry than silver

Rose gold color can also work on women with neutral undertones. Neutral undertones share some of the warmth of the rose gold color and are able to “reflect” some of those golden, pinkish hues back from the color. You’ll know if you have neutral undertones if:

• Your undertones aren’t quite warm or cool and may appear a bit yellow
• Your veins look equally blue/green or aren’t visible through your skin
• You look equally good in gold, rose gold, and silver jewelry

Like we mentioned above, rose gold hair color doesn’t usually work well on cool undertones. The warm undertones in rose gold’s color elements (golden blonde, red, and pink) typically clash with cool undertones and can exacerbate redness and skin imperfections. You’ll know you have cool undertones if:

• Your eyes are blue or a cool brown color
• Your veins look bluish or purple through your skin
• You look better in silver jewelry than gold or rose gold

Finding Your Perfect Shade of Rose Gold Hair Color

Once you’ve determined that rose gold is a good fit for your skin’s undertones, finding the perfect shade of rose gold hair color for your skin tone is the next step.

Different shades of rose gold with varying amounts of golden blonde, copper, and pink can suit all skin tones from fair/light to deep. 

• Fair/light skin tones look best in blonde rose gold, pastel pink rose gold, or subtle peach rose gold shades. These brighter colors will flatter fair skin tones without washing you out or overwhelming your complexion. Avoid deeper rose gold shades and those with heavy orange/pink (coral or bright peach) tones for the most flattering effect. 
• Medium skin tones look best in coral, peachy, or dusty rose gold shades. These warm shades have bright but slightly subdued pink tones that are a great match for medium skin with warm (coral or peachy rose gold) or neutral undertones (dusty rose gold). Deeper bronze-toned rose gold shades can work as well.  
• Deep skin tones look best in antique rose gold, golden copper rose gold, or bronzed rose gold shades. These deeper tones work really well for deep skin tones. Skip the lighter pastel-pink rose gold and overtly blonde-toned shades for the most flattering color. 

How Do You Mix Rose Gold Hair Color?

Mixing rose gold hair color is a somewhat complex process that requires experience, skill, and clear goals for the color. You’ll need to know if you’re looking for true, balanced rose gold, a peachy, gold-heavy rose color, a mostly blonde rose gold with subtle pink undertones, or a pink overtone with subtle golden undertones. 

Here’s a look at how to mix up a custom rose gold hair color or buy perfectly-toned color for easier at-home use. 

• True rose gold is a mix of 3 parts light (level 9) bronze red metallic (sometimes labeled BRM) to 1 part level 6 rich red. The color should be applied to pre-lightened hair at level 9 or 10 for the most impact. 
• Peachy rose gold with heavier gold/copper tones is a mix of 3 parts level 9N very light blonde (sometimes labeled light natural blonde) to 1 part level 7CR copper red. 
• Light rose gold with subtle pinkish tones can be achieved with an RG (rose gold) color applied to pre-lightened blonde hair. 
• Bright pink rose gold with subtle golden tones can be achieved with a CP (coral pink) color applied to pre-lightened blonde hair. 

Pre-lightening your hair before dying it rose gold is unavoidable if you want the color vibrant with true rose gold tones. While you can achieve rose gold tones in dark blonde hair, you’ll get the best results by lifting your hair to level 9 or 10 before dying it. 

If you’re dying your hair rose gold at home, you might be more comfortable choosing a perfectly-toned rose gold shade rather than mixing your own color.

It definitely makes it easier to ensure you’re going to get the right color mix in your shade, but it does limit how much you can tweak and customize the color. If you do choose to mix your own rose gold color, make sure you follow the proper color ratios to get the perfect tonal balance.

If you accidentally mix too much copper, pink, or blonde into your shade, the results won’t turn out the way you want. Following the general 3 parts blonde to 1 part red or pink should get you a great rosy golden color. 

More Things to Consider

Before you start mixing up your perfect rose gold shade or head to the salon, there are a few things you should know about this unique, metallic color. Check out these points to consider before you dye your mane rose gold and you’ll love the results! 

• Rose gold can be high-maintenance. The more vivid your rose gold hair color is, the more often you’ll need to tone it to maintain the color. If you choose a permanent color mixture (like golden blonde and copper), your color will last longer but the coppery pink tones will still fade over time. If you choose to tone blonde hair with pink or rosy tones, the color will last 6-8 shampoos before fading out. 
• Consider the colors you typically wear. Rose gold is an undeniably gorgeous hair color, but it really pops with certain clothing colors. Choose your favorite clothing in cream, ivory, nude, navy, soft pink, black, gray, lilac, and blue-green colors, which all work well with rose gold hair. 
• Accent with the right jewelry. You can accentuate your new rose gold color by pairing jewelry that helps highlight and carry the color through your look. Rose gold jewelry is always a beautiful choice with this hair color, but you might prefer yellow gold, silver, or white gold metals. Pair neutral rose golds (those that flatter neutral undertones in the list further up) with white gold or silver jewelry to play up the muted pale tones in these shades. Pair warm rose golds with yellow gold jewelry. 
• Know what color level you’re aiming for. Hair color is defined in levels from 1-10, with 1 being the darkest black and 10 being the lightest blonde. Decide how light you want your base before you dye your hair rose gold so you’ll know what to expect. If you want very light rose gold, you’ll need to shoot for level 9 or 10 before dying. If you want a slightly deeper but still-bright color, opt for level 7 or 8. Level 6 is a great option for deeper rose gold shades.
• Make sure your hair is healthy enough. Dying your hair rose gold is really a two-step process (if your hair isn’t already light blonde). You’ll need to bleach your hair to reach the right level of blonde first, then follow up with your permanent or semi-permanent color to achieve the rose gold shade. Make sure your hair is strong, healthy, and hasn’t been bleached, permed, relaxed, or otherwise processed recently to avoid damaging your hair. If your hair seems damaged, read this guide next: How To Fix Damaged Hair | 10 Things to Try in 2022.  

There’s a reason rose gold hair color is trending now – the secret’s out and everyone sees what a beautifully unique metallic shade this is!

It’s not quite universally flattering – you’ll need warm or neutral undertones to really pull it off, and some shades are a little too pink for more conservative women – but it’s one of the most exciting colors you can try. 

If you’ve always liked hair colors like strawberry blonde, copper blonde, golden blonde, or straight-up bubblegum pink, you’ll fall in love with the dimensional, captivating colors of rose gold hair.

Once you find the perfect shade of rose gold for your complexion, you’ll never want to go back to basic blonde, brown, red, or black. Happy coloring!