Every person has their own unique and beautiful skin tone. However, it’s easy not to know which colors can look the best with a distinct skin tone. It can be beneficial to learn a little more about what unique skin tone you relate to most from the skin tone chart, what your undertone is, and how you can work with your precise skin tone to create a beautiful and creative wardrobe and style for yourself. In this article, we’ll discuss what colors look best on your skin tone, so you can have a better idea of what options may complement your tone.
Skin Tones
Your unique skin tone, or specifically the undertone of your skin, is a major reason why products such as red-blue lipstick can look entirely different on you than on another person you know. Certain colors and hues can stand out more on your skin than others, depending somewhat on whether you personally have a cool or warm undertone. Though frequently confused for each other, skin tones are distinct from undertones. Skin tone is the color on the surface of the skin. Skin tones are frequently described as dark, medium, or light. Undertone is what’s below the surface of the skin. Skin undertones usually fall under either warm or cool.
When it comes to undertones, knowing which unique undertone you possess can be very helpful in balancing and harmonizing your skin tone with the most flattering concealers, foundations, clothes, and/or jewelry choices. When working to figure out the right shades of foundation and concealer for you, one helpful idea is to match the skin from the center of your face down to the middle of your neck. This can give you a reasonably accurate representation, and give you the ability to determine any redness in your complexion. Cool undertones wearing warm-colored foundation or warm undertones wearing cool-colored foundation will likely show some demarcation.
Cool Undertone
The cooler undertone includes bluish, pink, or red undertones. You may have a cool undertone if you hold up a white piece of paper or put on a white top under natural bright light and your skin looks rosy or pink in comparison.
Warm Undertone
The warmer undertone includes peachy, golden, or yellow undertones. You may have a warm undertone if you hold up a white paper or put on a white top and your face appears more yellow. Another sign is if you feel you appear better in creamy or off-white hues instead of stark white.
Neutral Undertone
The neutral undertone is a mixture of cool and warm undertones. If you are able to wear creamy/off-white or stark white colors without feeling as though you appear washed out, it’s possible you have a neutral undertone.
Other Ways to Determine Your Undertone
It may also be helpful to consider how your skin reacts to sunlight. Natural light exposure can help you to determine your skin’s undertone. If you tan fairly effortlessly, you may be a warm undertone, whereas if you burn easily, you may be a cool undertone. If your skin burns and then tans afterward, you may be a neutral undertone. Jewelry can also help narrow down undertone. You can compare how silver versus gold jewelry appears against your skin. Silver jewelry is often more flattering on cool tones, while gold jewelry is often more flattering on warm tones.
Skin Tone Chart
Once you have somewhat determined your undertone, you can take the next step to determine your skin tone. A skin tone chart can be especially helpful, dividing skin tones into different categories. Your skin tone is usually within 2 to 3 shades of your undertone. If an undertone is the color group that skin belongs to, skin tone is how light or saturated skin is within that color’s range. You may identify generally as having a dark, medium, or light skin tone, but these can break down into smaller categories. For example, many differentiate between fair and light and between ebony, espresso, and brown.
Skin Complexion
It’s also worth knowing that skin complexion and skin tone are not the same. Skin complexion encompasses overall appearance, while skin tone is the color of the skin specifically. Complexion can include the colors of dark under-eye circles and rosy cheeks, as well as your skin tone. Complexion can also refer to your skin’s texture, such as oily, dry, or combination.
What Colors Look Best on You?
After learning a little bit more about the differences between skin undertone, tone, and complexion, remember that if you love a certain color not stated as always flattering to your unique skin, you need not stop wearing it. You might consider simply using it more often as an accent, such as in your jewelry, shoes, hats, or bags. These rules aren’t steadfast, and can easily adapt for comfort or taste.
Colors for Warm Tones
The best colors for warm-toned skin reflect nature. Consider warmer shades, such as peach, orange, red, coral, gold, amber, and yellow. You may also look great in warmer shades of cool colors, such as moss, violet-red, olive, or orchid.
Colors for Cool Tones
The best colors for cool-toned skin reflect the ocean and winter. Consider deep purple, bright blue, emerald, as well as frostier shades of pink, lavender, or icy blue. You may also look great in cooler shades of warm colors, such as pale yellow, ruby, or rosy red.
Colors for Neutral Tones
The best colors for neutral-toned skin include any hue on the color wheel. However, it’s often best to choose muted or softened hues rather than brighter hues. Consider jade green, lagoon blue, dusty pink, or cornsilk yellow.
Colors for Your Unique Skin
When it comes to figuring out what colors look best on your skin tone, it can help to figure out your undertone and skin tone. Colors that can look the best compliment or correspond to your tones. For more tips and style ideas, browse Pretty & All today.
