How to Determine Your Skin’s Undertone?
Finding the perfect foundation shade can be a challenge. With so many options available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and end up with a shade that doesn’t quite match your skin tone.
The key to simplifying this process is identifying your skin’s undertone. Not sure where to begin? Below are helpful tips and tricks for determining your undertone, ensuring you’re on the right track when selecting foundation samples to try.
What Is a Skin Undertone?
Your skin undertone refers to the subtle hues beneath the surface of your skin that impact how certain colors look on you. Knowing your undertone is crucial when choosing makeup, clothing, or jewelry that complements your complexion.
The 4 Types of Skin Undertones
1. Cool Undertone
- Description: Cool undertones have shades of blue, pink, or purple beneath the skin. People with this undertone often burn easily in the sun, and their veins may appear bluish or purplish.
- Best Colors: Jewel tones (emerald green, sapphire blue, royal purple), cool pastels, and silver jewelry.
- Tip: Silver jewelry tends to flatter cool undertones better than gold.
2. Warm Undertone
- Description: Warm undertones feature yellow, peach, or golden hues beneath the skin. People with this undertone tend to tan easily, and their veins may look more greenish.
- Best Colors: Warm earth tones (rust, mustard, olive green), oranges, warm reds, and yellows. Gold jewelry complements warm undertones well.
- Tip: If gold jewelry looks better on you than silver, you likely have a warm undertone.
3. Neutral Undertone
- Description: Neutral undertones are a mix of cool and warm tones. People with neutral undertones can wear a wide range of colors without clashing. Their skin might show a balance of pink and yellow hues, and their veins may appear bluish-green.
- Best Colors: Both cool and warm shades look good, and either gold or silver jewelry can complement neutral undertones.
- Tip: If both silver and gold jewelry look good on you, you may have a neutral undertone.
4. Olive Undertone
- Description: Olive undertones are a mix of cool and warm tones, but with a greenish or yellowish tint that distinguishes them from other undertones. People with olive undertones usually tan easily, and their veins may look teal or a mix of blue and green.
- Best Colors: Earth tones (olive green, warm reds), jewel tones (sapphire blue), and both gold and silver jewelry.
- Tip: Olive undertones often work well with a wider range of colors, including earthy and jewel tones.
How to Determine Your Skin Undertone: The Vein Test
One simple way to determine your skin’s undertone is by examining the veins on your wrist.
Step-by-step:
- Stand near a source of natural light (natural light gives the most accurate reading).
- Check the color of your veins:
- Cool Undertone: Your veins appear mostly blue or purple, and your skin may have a pinkish hue.
- Warm Undertone: Your veins look more green, and your skin has a yellow tint.
- Neutral Undertone: Your veins are a mix of blue and green, or it’s hard to tell their exact color.
- Olive Undertone: Your veins appear teal (a mix of blue and green), and your skin has a bronze-green tint.
By using this guide and paying attention to the colors that complement your skin, you’ll have a clearer idea of your skin’s undertone, making it easier to find your perfect foundation match.
