Have you ever tried a shade of lipstick or a foundation that makes your skin tone, eyes, and face come alive? How about another one that’s almost the same shade but makes you look tired, washed-out, and just generally blah? This is so common – the shade that suits you in the store can look completely different when you come home. Why is that? The first color probably matched your skin’s surface tone and undertone perfectly, while the second may have a totally wrong skin undertone
If you are not a makeup artist who learned to quickly detect someone’s undertone, you probably struggle to find a difference between your surface tone and undertone.
Skin Tone
Our skin tone is the genetically endowed amount of melanin in our epidermis. Melanin is a complex polymer that is produced by cells called melanocytes. It refers to a group of naturally-occurring dark brown or black pigments present in our human skin. Exposure to the sun can damage melanocytes, so they go into overdrive as a defense mechanism leading them to produce a big amount of melanin instead, which absorbs the sun rays.
Why is this important? …..
Well, determining your skin tone can vary whether you spend more or less time in the sun, even though genetics are mainly responsible for our skin tone, sometimes the climate where you live can affect and change it.
There are three categories of skin tones:
- Ivory or Light – people with a light skin tone usually originate from places with lower sun exposure, such as northern Europe. Their light skin is prone to sunburns, so it is crucial to wear creams with high UV protection.
- Medium – Medium skin tone is usually more neutral, often referred to as olive. People with a medium skin tone often come from Northern Asia and Southern Europe. It is usually slightly easier to find a foundation for this skin tone.
- Dark or Tan – Dark skin tone is the result of high sun exposure. Regions like India, Africa, as well as the Middle East are the most exposed to a high level of UV rays. People with dark skin are prone to hyperpigmentation, so they need to be extra careful when choosing both makeup and skincare.
Skin Undertone
A definition of skin undertone would be – the color from underneath the surface. Your skin’s undertone is the color underneath the surface of your skin that can affect your overall look and make shades look different on you. You can have the same skin color as someone, but a different undertone which would be why the same shade looks perfect on you and not so good on your best friend with the same skin tone. So if a product doesn’t blend perfectly with natural shades of your skin, then it’s not right for you.
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The three skin undertones are broken down into three classifications:
- Cool (pink, red or bluish undertones)
- Warm (yellow, peachy, golden undertones)
- Neutral (a mix of warm and cool undertones)
Tests To help You Find Your Undertone
1. Check Your Wrist Veins
Push your sleeves up and look at the veins on the inside of your wrist. Are they blue, purple or green? If they look more blue and purple, you likely have a cool undertone.
If the veins look greenish, you’re warm. It’s worth noting, warm girls, that your veins aren’t actually green—they look it because you’re seeing them through the yellow-toned skin (yellow + blue = green.)
Do you have trouble telling or you can’t really decide between any of these shades ? then you probably have a neutral undertone.
2. The Old Jewelry Trick
Think about whether you look better in silver or gold jewelry. Not which you like more, but which actually makes you look more radiant, glowing, and awake.
Typically, girls with cool undertones look better in silver, rose gold, and platinum metals, and warm-toned women look better in gold. If you look good in both silver and gold, then it is a great possibility that your undertone is neutral.
3. The White Test
4. Eye and Hair Color
Your natural eye and hair color can help figure out your coloring. Customarily, cool people have blue, gray, or green eyes and blond, brown, or black hair with blue, silver, violet and ash undertones.
Conversely, warm-toned women usually have brown, amber, or hazel eyes with strawberry blond, red, brown, or black hair. Their hair tends to have gold, red, orange, or yellow undertones.
5. Trick with Clothes
You can find out your undertone by simply comparing which colors suit you better. If you are a fan of yellow-orange, yellow-green, orange-red, brown, and ivory, then you have a warm undertone.
On the other hand, people with cool undertones look particularly good in blue, purple, jewel tones, pink, red, and black.
As always, people with neutral undertones can wear all these colors.
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6. The Sun’s Effects
When you’re out in the sun, does your skin turn a golden-brown, or does it burn and turn pink first? If you fit into the former category, you’re warm-toned, while cool tones tend to burn really fast. Girls with fair skin and a cool undertone will simply burn, while medium-skinned cool-toned girls will burn then tan.
7. Olive Skin Wildcard
If it seems to you that your skin appears a bit ashen or grey, then you might be the lucky one with olive skin tone. Olive skin is a combination of neutral, warm yellow undertone, and ashy green shade that is very typical and often seen. It looks perfect, though, you just need to find the right products.
There’s no denying that specific colors will make you look better regardless of your skin’s undertone. Warm-toned girls should lean toward yellows, oranges, browns, yellow-greens, ivories, and warm reds, while cool-toned girls should wear blues, greens, pinks, purples, blue-greens, magentas, and true “blue-based” reds.
Did you get different results for each test? then you probably have a neutral undertone. Don’t let this confuse you – neutral undertone is much more versatile than a cool or warm one.
Tips to Shop Makeup According to Your Undertone
Knowing your right undertone can make all the difference in finding your perfect red lipstick, eyeshadow, foundation, or the clothes you wear.
So you need to find colors that match your undertone. For example, if you have a warm undertone, then a warmer shade of (coral, orangey) red will suit you better then the one with a blue-pink undertone.
It seems confusing at the beginning, but once you get a grasp on it, you will always look you best!
General Rules About Makeup
Once you have determined your right undertone, picking makeup should be an easy task. Always consult with somebody at the drugstore or with your dermatologist if you find yourself in doubt.
- Warm Undertones – women with golden, yellow, and peachy undertones should pick makeup in neutral, brown and beige shades. Lipstick should be in dark red hues, while your cheeks will look great with coral blush and highlighter.
- Cool Undertones – if you have determined your skin tone as cool one, then you should search for grey or blue eyeshadows. Lips will look great with purple, pink, or red hues. The cheeks should be highlighted with a pink or rosy blush.
- Neutral Undertones – We have already mentioned that women with neutral undertones are the lucky ones. The fact is that you can wear all the shades and look great! Compliment makeup with your hair or eyes.
Find the Right Foundation For your Undertone
Here is the short but handy guide that we have made on how to pick the right foundation shade, depending on your skin tone and undertone as well as season.
- Cool Undertones – if you pick the wrong foundation, your skin will look too orange. You should choose a foundation that has a cool tone and does not look golden or orange.
- Warm Undertones – the wrong foundation will look too red, pink, or ruddy. That is why you should definitely pick foundations that have golden and yellow undertones.
- Neutral Undertones – If you pick the wrong shade of your foundation, it will look too white, pink, or ashy on the neural undertoned skin. Golden tones will look good on your skin, while you should definitely stay away from yellow, cool pink, and red tones.
- Olive Undertone – same as with neutral skin tone, if you pick the wrong foundation, it will look pink, white, or ashy. The rule about choosing the right shade is the same as for neutral undertones.
Always Try Before Buying
Foundation is a product that you can’t buy online if you have never tried that brand or shade before. You need to try it on your skin to see if it complements your skin tone as well as an undertone.
Color Can Vary By Season
Some women tend to change their foundation seasonally. In winter, our face is paler whether we have warm or cool undertones, so it might be necessary to buy a shade or two lighter than you usually use.
In the summer, when we all get some sun-kissed tan, you can choose the color darker foundation that can match with your skin tone.
Don’t Correct your Skin Complexion with Foundation
Yes, you can hide the imperfections, but don’t try to change your skin complexion. If you have dry skin or red cheeks, just try to find a foundation that works well with these characteristics. You can always add a bit of concealer to hide all the things that bother you.
You Can’t Change Your Skin Tone
Your skin will look much better when you match it with your skin and undertone. Don’t try to change your skin tone. If you pick the wrong shade, it will be more than visible.
Find the Right Lipstick Shade for Your Undertone
You might not be aware, but the fact is that finding your perfect lipstick shade has to do a lot with your skin undertone. Once you’ve figured out if you are warm, cool, or neutral-toned, finding a lipstick would be an easy and satisfying task for you.
Related: Find the Perfect Red Lipstick to Flatter Your Complexion
- Warm Undertones – if you have a warm skin undertone, the rule is to choose a lipstick with the same features. Lipstick with warmer undertones looks reddish, orange and yellow. They can also have coral, gold, brown, or copper undertones. Women with warm undertones should try red, pink, orange-shaded, and rosy shades.
- Cool Undertones – Cool-toned lipsticks have blue and purple undertones. You should look for the hues such as mauve, crimson, purple, plum, and cherry. They will match perfectly with a blue undertone of your skin.
- Neutral Undertones – Will you be surprised if we say that you can wear any color you want? Oh, you lucky girl!
Identify with a Celeb
Sometimes it is easier to see your favorite actress, blogger, supermodel or singer and to identify with their own undertone. These are some of our favorite celebrities and their undertones.
- Celebs who have cool undertones: Martha Hunt, Scarlett Johansson, Anne Hathaway, Lucy Liu, Cameron Diaz, Cara Delevingne, Jennifer Hudson, Amanda Seyfried, Lupita Nyong’o.
- Celebs who have warm undertones: Jennifer Lopez, Nicole Kidman, Jessica Alba, Rachel Bilson, Jennifer Aniston, Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, Hailey Bieber, Shay Mitchell.
- Celebs who have neutral undertones: Adriana Lima, Emma Watson, Jessica Biel, Sandra Bullock
- Celebs who have olive undertones: Rihanna, Jessica Alba
If you were wondering how those Hollywood stars look great with a lot of makeup on, now you know. It is all about finding out your skin undertone and picking the right foundation that will complement everything.
Hopefully, you will now remember the super easy and practical tricks for finding out your undertone. From jewels to the color of your veins – everything seems useful when you find your undertone.
After picking the right makeup, foundation, and lipstick, you will be amazed by the results. Your skin will glow, and you will feel beautiful with minimal makeup on.
