If you think you are jaded with the same old look of your dark hair, and need to add spice and color to your life, then the easiest and most fun way is to color your hair. Hair coloring trends are always changing, and coloring dark hair can be tricky. The reflective shiny quality of dark hair lends well to adding a depth and range of color that lighter hair tones simply won't be able to carry off. Hair Color or Highlights? Before you pick one of the ideas, you have to take certain things into consideration. The first being whether you want highlights for dark hair or whether you want to color your hair completely. Highlighting your hair means that only a few strands will be colored, either to make those strands the focal point in a particular haircut, or to define the style. Usually, people who do not want to change their entire hair color opt for this, as it creates a dramatic look. On the other hand, coloring your entire hair will give you a completely new and different look. Skin Tones Another very important factor of coloring is your skin tone. Depending on it, you will want to stay away from certain colors. If you have pale skin then avoid deep dark colors, while if you have pink undertones avoid red and strawberry tones. Also, if you have dark/tan skin, then avoid one tone blond colors, and if you have yellow undertones, then avoid deep gold. Once you have decided whether you want or don't want highlights, and what color will match your skin tone, you still have a wide variety of colors to choose from. Choosing the right hair color will depend on the kind of look you want to achieve. Ideally, when going for a subtle and elegant look, you should stay within three shades of your own hair, or else if you are looking for a bold look, then experiment with bold colors. If you go a couple of shades lighter than your natural dark hair color, then your hair will have a slightly reddish tone, which looks very elegant. In such cases shades like amber, copper and gold will give you the best results. Copper and golden shades, which work for almost all skin tones, add warmth around your face and dimension throughout the back of the hair. If you are going for bold and drastic colors, shades of red are perfect for medium and dark skin tones. For women with darker skin tone, include colors like blond and red. Many dark women prefer all shades of red, ranging from vibrant to the basic red. For fair skin tones, colors like purple, platinum blond, cool ash blonde, spruce green, violet and ice blue will make you stand out. If you want highlighting ideas for dark hair with bold colors, one great option is to try a bold swipe of colors streaming through one chunk of hair. You can either do that at the crown of your hair, or on either sides. Colors like purple and burgundy are great options for olive skin. You could have the hair highlighted throughout the crown in streaks of purple and plums. This especially looks good on raven black hair as it gives the hair a shine that plays off beautifully in the light. If you think only long hair can be colored, think again. There are plenty of options for short hair too. One of the best color that will give a natural look is copper. Whether you color all of your hair copper, or simply give highlights is up to you. These were just a few tips that will aid you in choosing the best color. There are plenty of options according to your hair length, skin tone, personality etc. For hair coloring and highlighting ideas, it's best to take professional advice. And most importantly, do not forget about hair care to maintain your beautiful hair!