The first trip to the orthodontist can feel overwhelming. After getting all the work done to have an appliance affixed, the next step will be to pick the colors of the braces’ bands. If you have dark skin, you may wonder what the best braces colours are.
Having dark skin means most colours will look great on you.
There’s no need to worry about being washed out by bold or bright colours like people with lighter skin tones. Even pastels will work well in contrast with beautiful dark skin.
Ultimately, the choice will be yours, and you know yourself best, so pick whatever colours appeal to you most.
We have a few recommendations for choosing the best braces colours for dark skin to check out before making your decision.
Why Get Conventional Braces?
Adults who wore clunky headgear as kids may have a somewhat negative connotation with braces. Sure, their teeth ended up looking great, but they probably got teased about all the metal in their mouths at one point.
So why are people still opting for conventional braces? The reasons are pretty simple. Traditional braces work quickly and are usually the least expensive option. The enjoyable part about conventional braces is customization.
Conventional braces utilize elastic bands to help move the teeth into place. These bands are available in a variety of colours, so styling your braces to be uniquely yours is easy!
If you’re hesitant about whether or not style and braces belong together, look no further than the famous example of Blue Ivy Carter. While we’re on the topic of blue, let’s look at our top colour recommendation.
Blue
If you have dark skin, blue will be one of the best braces colours for you.
Chances are, your dark skin is a shade of brown. If you want a colour that is complementary to that, try blue! Brown skin comes in many different shades, but so does blue. A bold navy or a powder blue both set off dark skin tones in different ways.
Blue is one of the most popular colours in the world. The difficulty of the production of blue in the ancient world made it hard to come by. This rarity gave the colour an air of royalty and grace.
Blue has even more positive connotations today. The colour’s symbolism represents peace but also strength. It is a favorite for use in nations’ flags because of all of the meaning associated with the colour.
Blue isn’t the only way to go if you’re looking for complementary colours.
Undertones
Find your undertone if you want to know what other colors will pair best with your dark skin. Some people have warm undertones, while others have cool undertones. Skin can also have a neutral undertone.
A warm undertone will show hints of warmer colours like reds, oranges, and yellows. Cool undertones will appear more blue or purple. Neutral skin undertones fall in between the two.
You can use a neat trick to tell if your undertone is warm or cool: try on some jewelry. If you glow in gold, you probably have warm undertones. If you sparkle in silver, your undertones are more than likely cool.
Using Complementary Colors
Once you know your undertone, you can use that as a launching point to choose the best color for your dark skin.
There are different ways to work with undertone colours. Pair your undertone colour with bands of like colours for a monochromatic look. You can highlight your undertones with their opposite on the colour wheel for a complementary match. For example, if your dark skin has yellow undertones, purple would be its complement.
If you’re willing to go bold and your orthodontist allows for more than two colour choices, you can try styles with a split complementary or a triadic colour palette.
Split complementary colour schemes split the difference between the actual complementary colour and adjacent colours. So instead of getting using just purple as a complementary color to your dark skin with yellow undertones, you would use fuchsia and blue.
A triadic colour story takes this even further. Instead of pairing a colour with its complement, it uses evenly spaced colours on the color wheel. Using our previous example of dark skin with yellow undertones means using the triadic method, the colour of your braces would be a bold blue and a bright red.
It isn’t necessary to only use undertones when pairing colours. Search for colors complementary to the colour of your hair, eyes, or wardrobe.
If you’re more interested in function than colour, check with your orthodontist to see if they have glow-in-the-dark bands!
Colours that Are Hard to Pull Off
Whether your skin is dark or light, a few braces colours aren’t the best for anyone.
White or light yellow bands on braces are tough looks to pull off well. Choosing one of these soft colours might seem like a good idea to conceal your braces. Unfortunately, our teeth won’t always match the bright white of our bands. White and yellow bands can bring attention to yellowing or stained teeth.
Light coloured bands can also get dirty more quickly than other colours. Foods that can stain our teeth can also stain our braces. Bear this in mind if you decide to pick these colours.
Brown and dark green are beautiful colors. The problem with using them as bands on braces is they’re also the same colour as some of our favorite foods. Wearing braces already brings extra scrutiny to our mouths, so choosing colours that look like it could be food stuck in your teeth might not be the best way to go.
Conclusion
Remember, our recommendations should inspire you, not limit you. So whether you pick a complementary colour or a random hue you’re partial to, it’s up to you!
The best braces colours for your dark skin are whatever makes you feel most confident. Choose a colour, or several, that represents you!
