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Your skin tone, known as undertone, differs from your complexion, which is your skin's shade (light, medium, dark). Regardless of sun exposure, your undertone remains consistent, even if you appear pale in winter and tan in summer. There are three undertones - cool, warm, and neutral. Understanding your skin tone is beneficial for various reasons - it aids in choosing the right lipstick color, determining the most flattering hair color, and selecting colors that complement you well.
Licensed Cosmetologist Laura Martin emphasizes: 'Hair and skin color are determined by the same melanin pigments. There are two types: reddish-yellow pigment (Pheomelanin) and brown-black color (Eumelanin). The balance of these pigments defines an individual's unique hair and skin color.'
Steps
Discovering Your Undertones
Wash your face, and wait 15 minutes. Ensure your skin is clean without makeup, lotion, or toner. Allow your skin to rest for approximately 15 minutes before proceeding, as scrubbing may cause temporary redness and distort your true undertone.
Find a natural light source. Different types of lighting can affect how your skin appears, potentially giving it a yellow or green tint and altering your perception of your skin tone. Opt for natural sunlight when assessing your undertones to avoid misjudging them.
- Position yourself near a window with ample sunlight.
- If possible, go outdoors to an open area with sunlight.
Observe the color of the veins on your wrist. This method provides a quick assessment of your undertones if your veins are visible. Hold your arm up in natural light and identify the dominant vein color.
- If you're unsure whether your veins are green or blue, you may have a neutral skin tone, particularly if you have an olive complexion.
- If your veins appear green, it indicates a warm skin tone.
- If your veins appear blue or purple, it indicates a cool skin tone.
Take note of how your skin responds to sunlight. Do you easily develop a tan? Do you experience sunburns or develop freckles? Your skin's melanin levels play a role in its reaction to sunlight, aiding in determining your skin tone.
- If you tan easily and seldom experience sunburns, you likely have higher melanin levels and a warm or neutral skin tone.
- If your skin tends to burn and doesn't tan much, it suggests lower melanin levels and a cooler skin tone.
- Some individuals with very dark skin may not burn easily but still possess a cool skin tone. Additional tests may be needed to confirm your undertone.
EXPERT TIP
Paul Friedman, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist
Board Certified Dermatologist
Our Expert Agrees: Generally, darker skin tones are less sensitive to sun exposure, but external factors like medications or autoimmune disorders can still cause photosensitivity.
Hold up a white sheet of paper to your face. Stand in front of a mirror and compare how your skin looks next to the white paper. You might notice a yellowish tint, a pink or reddish hue, or even a grayish tone.
- If your skin appears yellow or sallow against the white paper, you likely have a warm skin tone.
- If your skin looks pink, rosy, or has a bluish-red hue, you probably have a cool skin tone.
- If your skin seems grayish, you might have an olive complexion with a neutral undertone. The mix of green in your skin and a yellow undertone can create this effect. You can experiment with both neutral and warm tones since you fall somewhere in between.
- If you can't detect any yellow, olive, or pink cast, you likely have a neutral skin tone. Neutral tones can work well with foundations and colors across the cool/warm spectrum.
Test with gold and silver foil or jewelry to identify your skin tone. Hold a piece of gold foil in front of your face to see how it reflects light onto your skin. Notice if it makes your skin appear dull or enhanced. Repeat the process with silver foil.
- If the gold foil complements your skin, you have a warm skin tone.
- If the silver foil makes your skin glow, you have a cool skin tone.
- If you can't differentiate (both silver and gold look good), you likely have a neutral skin tone.
- If you don't have foil, try placing gold and silver jewelry on your wrist to see which one suits you better.
Have a friend examine the skin behind your ear. If conditions like acne or rosacea obscure your skin tone, ask a friend to look at the skin right behind your earlobe, as it's less likely to be affected.
- Ask them to inspect the skin in the small crease behind your ear.
- If the skin appears yellowish, your skin tone is warm.
- If it looks pink or rosy, your skin tone is cool.
- If they struggle, they can hold a white sheet of paper close to the skin to help determine if it appears yellow or pink.
Consider your eye color. Your eye color can give clues about your undertones. Lighter eye colors like blue and pale brown often indicate cool undertones, while gold flecks suggest warm undertones.
- For instance, ice blue eyes usually suggest cool skin tones, while honey brown eyes typically suggest warm skin tones.
Choosing the Right Lipstick
Opt for blue- or purple-toned lipstick shades if you have cool undertones. Examples include bluish-red, magenta pink, or purplish-brown shades. Avoid pale or orange shades as they can wash you out.
- If you have fair or light skin, look for raspberry, mocha, or nude shades.
- If you have olive or tan skin, consider wine-colored shades or cranberry hues.
- If you have dark or deep skin, go for metallic shades like ruby red or deep wine hues.
Opt for reds and oranges if you have warm undertones. Excellent choices include corals, peaches, and bright reds.
- For fair or light skin tones, try reds with blue undertones, coral, pale pink, or peachy nude shades.
- If you have tan or medium skin tones, go for cherry red, rose, mauve, coral, or berry shades. Experiment with tangerine, orange-red, copper, or bronze tones.
- If you have dark or deep complexions, look for browns, copper, bronze, purples, caramel, plum, or wine-colored lipsticks.
Experiment with colors if you have neutral undertones. Neutral undertones can pull off most colors well.
- Try darker, contrasting colors for pale skin, corals for olive or tan skin, and berry hues for dark skin to enhance your complexion.
Choosing the Perfect Blush
Opt for pink shades if you have cool undertones. Pink hues will complement the cool hints in your skin, giving it a lively appearance.
- For fair or pale skin, try light pink shades.
- If you have medium skin, go for bright pink hues.
- For deep or dark skin, try berry shades or even pink-tinged tangerine shades for a stunning look.
Go for orange-toned colors if you have warm undertones. Warm, rich colors like those associated with fall are ideal for enhancing your skin's glow.
- If you have fair or pale skin, opt for light peach tones or bronze shades.
- For medium or tan skin, experiment with apricot, mauve, orange-peach, bronze, or berry shades.
- If your skin is deep or dark, consider brick red, raisin, or tangerine shades. Fuchsia can also be a stunning choice.
Experiment with colors if you have neutral undertones. Neutral undertones offer versatility, allowing you to rock any blush shade. Try different shades to discover your favorite.
- If you have pale skin, try pink blushes.
- For medium skin tones, start with peachy hues.
- If you have dark skin, opt for deep, rich colors for a striking look.
Choosing the Right Eyeshadow
Add warmth with colors if you have cool undertones. Avoid looking washed out by incorporating warm tones that complement your features without creating too much contrast.
- For pale skin, opt for sheer taupe, pink, and green shades.
- If you have medium skin, try pink or peach hues.
- For dark or deep skin, go for bright jewel tones that stand out beautifully against your complexion.
Enhance warm undertones with deep shades. Bring out the warmth in your skin by using richer colors that accentuate your undertones.
- For pale skin, go for earthy tones and bronze shades.
- If you have medium skin, experiment with bronze, deep pinks, and peaches.
- For dark or deep skin, look for rich purples, bright blues, emerald greens, and burgundy shades.
Explore various colors with neutral undertones. Embrace versatility with neutral undertones, as almost any color can complement your skin.
- If you have pale skin, try jewel tones, earth tones, and metallic shades.
- For medium skin tones, experiment with bronze, earth tones, pinks, and peaches.
- For deep or dark skin, play with dark, jewel-tone hues.
Dressing Your Best
Opt for earth tones and rich colors with warm undertones. Incorporate neutrals like beige, cream, orangey-coral, mustard, off-white, yellow, orange, brown, warm red, and yellow-greens into your wardrobe.
- Include gold and bronze elements, especially in your jewelry choices.
Opt for blues and lighter hues with cool undertones. If you have cool undertones, consider wearing shades like blue-red, blue, purple, pink, green, plum, navy, magenta, and blue-green.
- Incorporate silver tones into your clothing and jewelry choices.
Experiment with any color if you have neutral undertones. Neutral undertones allow you to explore a wide range of colors as most shades will complement your skin.
- You can wear any metallic shade, including in your jewelry selection.
Choosing the Perfect Hair Color
Select a blonde shade that contrasts with your undertones. To avoid appearing washed out, choose a hair color that contrasts with rather than matches your skin tone.
- If you have warm undertones, opt for cool blonde shades like platinum or champagne.
- Cool undertones work well with warm blonde shades like honey or butterscotch.
- Neutral undertones can suit any blonde shade.
Experiment with different shades of brown. Brown hair complements various skin tones, making it easier to find the right shade.
- For warm undertones, try ashy browns with highlights like chestnut brown.
- Cool undertones pair well with rich browns such as chocolate and mocha.
- If you have a deep skin tone, choose a brown shade darker or lighter than your skin color. Warmer undertones can opt for deep blacks or espresso, while cooler tones can go for toffee or maple brown.
- Neutral undertones can rock any shade of brown.
Elevate your look with a touch of red. Red can complement any skin tone if you choose the right shade. Light skin tends to glow with red hues.
- If you have pale skin and warm or neutral undertones, opt for light reds like strawberry blond.
- Pale skin with red undertones looks stunning with cool, dark reds such as true red or dark auburn.
- Cool undertones also shine with dark auburn shades, regardless of whether your complexion is light, medium, or deep.
- If you have olive undertones, it's advisable to steer clear of reds as they might give your skin a greenish tint.
Expert Tips
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When using a makeup kit, ensure that it matches your skin tone for the best results.
