Updated Vanilla Hair Colors
⚪ Last updated 2016⚠️ Install Order · 5 steps
Install in this order, then this mod last — most mods fail to load without their framework and dependencies in place.
Preview
🔍 Analysis
- 👍 6.3% endorsement rate — high engagement, a strong quality signal
- 🏆 #160 of 245 Body, Face, and Hair mods in this game by downloads
📋 About This Mod
Quick Note: RedPrincess79 has released a mod that updates more hair colors than I included here and she has done an outstanding job. I highly recommend that you check out her mod: Realistic Hair Colors.
This mod updates some of the existing vanilla hair colors. Why? Because Bethesda seemed to think that we need 5 Blond, 2 Reddish Brown, 2 Brown, 3 Black, and 3 Grey hair colors. I know that this is Skyrim and many people will play Nords, but two of the blonds are almost exactly the same color. And why do we need 3 Black Hair colors?
This mod does not add additional color records. Adding new colors would require editing the races, which will conflict with any other mod that edits races, such as Imperious or Racial Body Morphs. Instead, I chose to stick with editing the 15 existing colors. Please note that because this mod does edit the vanilla hair colors, it will change the hair colors for some NPCs. This is why I tried to keep most of the changes subtle. The biggest changes are the red hairs, but all the new colors are ones that occur naturally (not just from a bottle). I didn't want to have random NPCs running around with Pink, Blue and Green hair.
Once the more advanced character creation tools are available for Skyrim Special Edition, this mod will likely no longer be needed, but for now I wanted a way to have more options for hair colors.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR USERS OF ENB OR RESHADE PRESETS: Most ENBs/Reshade Presets will change the saturation of the colors in your game. This means colors become more intense. I tried to keep the new hair colors in a range that will not become unrealistic even when saturation is boosted slightly. If you find that the reds (or another hair color I changed) is far too intense now with your presets, let me know and I can make a version with less saturated reds.
While I made this mod primarily for me, I do hope that it may be of some use to others until more advanced options become available.
Installation
This mod is only a tiny .esp file (no meshes or textures). I recommend installing with your choice of mod manager, but for manual installation, just download and unzip, place the .esp file into your Skyrim Special Edition data folder and activate it. It has not been added to LOOT yet, but you should be safe with it going in any mod order.
Compatibility
1. This should not conflict with any other mods unless they also edit the vanilla hair colors. 2.
A small cosmetic mod that revises 6 of the 15 vanilla hair colors in Skyrim to reduce repetition, adding more reds and browns while cutting down on blonds and blacks. Changes are subtle, making it a lightweight tweak for players who want more variety without overhauling the game. With 420 endorsements and 6,719 downloads, it's a niche but appreciated addition.
✨ Key Features
📊 Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Community-approved with 420 endorsements and over 6,700 downloads.
- Subtle tweaks that fix repetitive colors without overhauling the look.
- Simple and safe—no new meshes or textures, just color adjustments.
⚠️ Cons
- Only touches 6 of 15 colors, so some repetition remains.
- Last updated in 2016, so it may be outdated for newer Skyrim versions.
- Compatibility risk with other hair color mods that alter the same vanilla colors.
For Skyrim players who want a bit more variety in hair colors without a full overhaul. If you're tired of seeing the same blondes and blacks, this gives you more reds and browns. Skip if you want dramatic changes or use other hair color mods that might conflict.
💡 Beginner Tips
- Since this is a simple texture/color replacement, you can install it manually by dropping the files into your Data folder, but using a mod manager like Vortex or Mod Organizer 2 makes it easier to uninstall.
- If you use other mods that change hair colors, load this one after them to ensure its changes take effect.
- Check the mod's compatibility notes on the Nexus page if you're using a mod that overhauls character creation, like RaceMenu or ECE.
📊 Mod Details
- Game
- Skyrim Mods
- Author
- Sarinia
- Version
- 1.0
- Downloads
- 6,719
- Endorsements
- 420
- Category
- Body, Face, and Hair
- Created
- 11/27/2016
- Updated
- 11/27/2016
🔧 How to Install Skyrim Mods
Download from Nexus.
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Visit the official mod page for specific installation instructions for this mod.
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