Determining your skin tone is essential when color matching foundation and selecting your most flattering makeup shades. Similar to selecting colors in clothing, the right hue can make you sparkle and shine. Complimentary colors enhance and brighten your complexion, while the wrong one makes you look drab and washed out.
Skin tones are separated into three general categories warm, cool and neutral. Keep in mind, within each skin tone there are different undertones or subtle hues in the skin. There are four basic undertones: yellow/orange, red/orange, blue/red and red. Warm skin tones have yellow/orange or red/orange undertones. While women with cool skin tones have blue/red or red undertones.
Use these helpful tips to determine your skin tone and better understand what colors best suit you.
Warm Skin Tone:
The majority of the population has a warm golden skin tone. Generally, people who have black, brown, blond, or red hair with brown, black or hazel eyes fall into this category. Women who have an olive complexion and tan easily also fall into this group. An easy way to determine your skin tone is by a simple vein test. If you look at the inside of your wrist (in natural light) and your veins look slightly green, then you have a warm skin tone.
The most flattering and natural makeup shades for warm skin tones are warm, earthy colors. Hues of brown, gold, bronze, olive, beige, champagne, sage green, cream, mocha, rust, and apricot are complimentary. Try to find foundations that are yellow or peach based and avoid foundations that have a pink or red base.
Cool Skin Tone:
Women with a cool skin tone have a pink, rosy undertone with subtle hints of blue. People with very fair skin, fine blond, black or brown hair with blue, green, or grey eyes most often fall into this category. A good indicator of a cooler complexion is if your skin is thinner, translucent, and sensitive or burns easily. If you look at the inside of your wrist and your veins appear to look slightly blue, then you have a cool under tone.
Cool skin tones most flattering and natural makeup shades are rich vibrant colors. Hues like navy, red, bright pink, raspberry, emerald green, plum, black, violet, turquoise and silver are complimentary. Look for foundations that are pink based and stay away from ones that have a yellow or orange base.
A common misconception for cool skin tones is to counteract redness by using a yellow based foundation. Using a foundation different from your natural skin tone masks your natural beauty. The wrong shade is often noticeable, leaving an orange or yellow ring around the jaw line. While the correct shade blends seamlessly, enhancing your natural skin tone.
Neutral Skin Tone:
If you find yourself not fitting into either the warm or cool category you may have a neutral skin tone. Luckily for neutral ladies, they look great in any color, warm or cool. Experimenting with a wide variety of colors will help determine what best suits you.
Look for foundations that are neutral in color, neither too yellow nor pink.
The right color choices for your skin tone will enhance and enliven your appearance. Simply put these helpful hints to use and be prepared for glowing compliments!
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How to Determine Your Skin Tone
