Choosing A Skin Tone That Compliments Your Own

Do you look bright and radiant, or dull and washed out when you try on a skin tone colored garment? Or are you not trying them on because you don’t know which tone will compliment your own? Unless you know your skin tone, more than likely you’re the latter.

Wearing a skin tone color in your outfit and especially near your face and décolletage, can be welcoming, flattering, and down right sexy, when worn correctly. Or they can wash you out and make you look ill when the tone you’re wearing isn’t complimentary to your own skin tone. For that solo reason, women have had a tendency to pass up on this pretty and popular nude neutral. 

Because it can be confusing, I’m here to give you the lowdown so that you can get it right, and wear a skin tone with confidence. By discovering your skin tone temperature (Cool, Warm, or Neutral), you’ll not only be able to choose the correct color of skin tone, but it will be helpful too when choosing other colors that are Cool (Blue based colors) and Warm (red and yellow based colors).

There are three main undertones:

• Cool – From light-skinned reddish, pink, or rosy undertones with blue toned veins, to dark-skinned blue black undertones with slight blue tinge on the outer rim of lips.

• Warm – from light-skinned golden yellow or peach undertones with green veins, to dark-skinned coral, apricot, and orange.

• Neutral – You have some Warm undertones, and Cool undertones. There are no obvious yellow or pink tones, and it’s difficult to tell if your veins are blue or green.

Olive skin is considered Neutral when there are equally Warm and Cool undertones. However, sometimes Olive skin is considered a fourth undertone, which can be labeled Neutral, Warm or Cool. Olive skin is known for either having Warm tones (Orange/beige/yellow) or Neutral undertones, with a greenish cast. 

And while most olive skin tones have yellow undertones, it really depends on where you fall on the olive skin tone spectrum —in general the lighter your olive shade, the more Cool your undertones are, while darker olive shades have a deeper, more golden Warm undertone. Because everyone is unique, just know that there are always going to be exceptions. 

Are you even more confused now? No problem, I’ve got you covered.

Here’s 5 simple tests that will help you determine if you are Cool, Warm, Or Neutral (both Cool & Warm) 

• The Vein Test: 
  • If you’re light-skinned you’ll be to see the color of your veins on your wrists. If they’re greenish or olive, then you have Warm undertones. If your veins are bluish, then you have Cool undertones. Do you have both colors or do they appear to be blue-green? Then you have Neutral undertones. Note: If you’re dark-skinned you most likely will not be able to see the color of your veins. Move onto the next test, please. 

• The White Paper Test:
  • Hold a piece of clean white paper up to your throat and chest. It’s best not to hold it against your face because (if you’re a woman) hormones or if you have Rosacea, will give you redness in the face which might lead you to believe you are Cool when you’re not necessarily Cool. 
  • Look at your skin and notice what colors are present. If they are blue and pink you are Cool. If you see golden yellow to apricot or orange, you’re Warm. 
  • If you’re having a challenging time seeing which colors are jumping out of your skin against the white paper you may be Neutral. Try the next test.

• The White Vs. Ivory Test:
  • Do you wear more white or ivory? Which color looks better on you? If you wear more white you’re Cool. If you wear more ivory you’re Warm.
  • If you look good in both, you are Neutral. 

• The Jewelry Test: 
  • Again, I don’t suggest you compare the colors against your face for the jewelry test. You’ll need gold and silver jewelry for this test. 
  • Put on a necklace around your neck or a bracelet on your wrist. 
  • Under good natural lighting, look at how your skin appears against each color of jewelry. Which metal makes your skin look brighter and healthier? If both work well, you’re Neutral. 
  • If gold jewelry enhances your complexion, then you’re likely Warm. If silver jewelry looks best on your skin tone, then you’re likely Cool. 
• The Sun Test:
  • If you usually burn first before you tan then you’re most likely Cool. If you tan pretty easily turning a golden brown, and rarely burn, then most likely you are Warm. 

So…did you discover if you’re Cool or Warm? Or perhaps you’re Neutral? If it’s still a bit puzzling you’re not alone. Of the 3 PC’s (Personal colors – Hair, skin tone, eyes) – the skin tone is the most difficult one to assess. 

I suggest that even after taking all of the above tests, one of the easiest things you can do when you’re shopping is just drape the “skin tone” shirt or blouse over your arm. If you’re the same “tone,” regardless of whether your arm is slightly lighter or darker than the top, it will probably compliment you. 

The next best thing to do is go in the dressing room and try it on. If the top brightens up your face, you’re good to go. If you feel it washes you out or dulls your face, you probably picked a skin tone that is not close to your own. 

If you’re still unsure whether you are Cool, Warm or Neutral, or just want an experienced second opinion, an expert color consultant can take the guesswork away and give you definite answers. I’m here to help if you need me. 

Hi Ritta, Thanks for posting your question on my blog.  I have gone through a similar thing when I was letting my hair go gray. I used to wear warm reddish browns and was never attracted to cool grays (I didn’t look good in them) or blues (I never liked the cool blues except denim). Needless to say, because I’ve changed my hair, I’ve changed my ways! But let me also inform you that my eyes are a warm temperature (They are hazel green) and my skin tone is a combo of both Warm and Cool, but mostly Warm (Olive skin – I tan rather easily and rarely burn) So I still wear some warm neutrals – Olive, but the warm brown has left the closet. 

When you go gray, and your natural hair is more of a cool brown (no red or yellow), and the rest of your PC is cool (no presence of warmth in your skin or eyes), warmer browns will not be as complimentary as they were when you had the red fire in your hair. So it all depends on what temperature your skin and eyes are too. If you have cool blue eyes, and cool fair skin (red undertones, your skin burns rather than tans), most likely the warmer browns won’t look as good. Gray will be much more complimentary against your cool complexion, cool eyes, and gray hair. 

It’s hard to say based on what you’ve told me without knowing the details of the rest of your PC. Hopefully today’s write was helpful if you’re unclear about your skin tone. 

My guess is to go with your gut. It’s usually right. So if it doesn’t feel right to wear warm browns, opt for cooler ones. A nice neutral that I have been wearing lately is “Taupe.” It’s a bit more challenging of a color to find but it’s a wonderful combination of gray and brown, and should work beautifully with your growing out gray. If you need more of an explanation or help, please blog me again and I will address your question at another time. 

That’s it for this week!

Now, it’s your turn. I’d love to hear from you.  Your insights and inspiration are appreciated so please share your stories in the comments below.

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Love,

~Michelle