Determining your skin tone can be confusing, but it’s an important step in finding the right makeup and clothing colors for you. Your skin tone falls into one of three categories – warm, cool, or neutral. Take this simple quiz to help you figure out what skin tone you have!
What’s Your Natural Hair Color?
Your natural hair color gives clues about whether you have warm or cool undertones in your skin. Blonde, red, auburn, and strawberry indicate cool undertones. Black, dark brown, and chestnut reflect warm undertones. If your hair is medium brown or mousey, you likely have a neutral skin tone.
What Color Are Your Veins?
Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist. Are they green or blue? Green veins mean warm skin tones, while blue veins suggest cool undertones. If your veins are a mix of blue and green, you probably have a neutral skin tone.
Do You Tan or Burn?
How your skin reacts to the sun also provides insight into your skin tone. Those with warm undertones tend to tan easily. If you burn quickly and rarely tan, you likely have a cool tone. Neutral skin tones tan moderately and may burn slightly before transitioning to a gentle tan.
What Metals Look Best on You?
Test different jewelry metals against your skin to determine which are most flattering. Warm complexions look great in yellow gold. Cooler skin tones shine in silver and platinum. Neutral skin wears both gold and silver nicely.
What Color Are Your Eyes?
Eye color gives more evidence about skin undertones. People with warm tones often have brown, amber, or hazel eyes. Blue, green, and gray eyes indicate cool undertones. Neutral tones commonly have eyes in shades of brown, green and blue.
Results
If most of your answers indicate warm undertones, you likely have a warm skin tone. Olive, yellow, or peachy complexions fall under the warm category. Cool undertones are associated with pink, ruddy, or bluish hints to the skin, while neutral skin doesn’t lean noticeably warm or cool.
Use your quiz results as a guide when choosing clothing, makeup, and hair color. Warm complexions look great in jewel tones, earth tones, and autumnal colors like mustard yellow, olive green, terracotta, and coral. Cool skin glows in icy pastels like mint, lavender, baby blue, and soft pink. Neutral skin tones are complemented by most colors.
Makeup Tips for Warm Skin Tones
- Foundation – Look for shades with yellow or golden undertones.
- Concealer – Try peach, yellow, or golden correctors to balance ruddiness.
- Blush – Orangey coral, terra-cotta, and cinnamon shades flatter warm skin.
- Lip Color – Opt for warm reds, coral, peach, nude, or brownish pinks.
- Eyeshadow – Golds, coppers, browns, olive, and bronze bring out golden undertones.
Makeup Tips for Cool Skin Tones
- Foundation – Pick shades with pink, red, or blue undertones.
- Concealer – Use yellow correctors to neutralize purplish under eye circles.
- Blush – Rosy pinks, plums, and mauve shades enhance cool complexions.
- Lip Color – Try cherry, raspberry, rose, pinky nudes, and wine colors.
- Eyeshadow – Silvers, taupes, lavenders, and cool-toned browns are great options.
Makeup Tips for Neutral Skin Tones
- Foundation – Look for natural beige or sand shades.
- Concealer – Green correctors neutralize redness.
- Blush – Soft pinks and peaches work well.
- Lip Color – Neutral tones can wear both warm and cool shades.
- Eyeshadow – Taupe, rose gold, and neutral browns are flattering.
Clothing Color Palettes for Skin Tones
Use your skin tone as a guide when building your wardrobe. Here are suggested color palettes for each tone:
| Skin Tone | Best Colors |
|---|---|
| Warm | Yellow, olive green, terracotta, coral, peach, burnt orange, gold |
| Cool | Icy blue, pink, lavender, jade green, navy, magenta |
| Neutral | Camel, gray, navy, brown, plum, emerald green |
Hair Color Suggestions
You can also use your skin tone as a guide for selecting flattering hair colors:
- Warm skin tones – Caramel, golden brown, honey blonde, strawberry blonde
- Cool skin tones – Ashy blonde, chestnut brown, black
- Neutral skin tones – Dirty blonde, auburn, dark brown
How Lighting Affects Skin Tone Perception
The lighting you’re in can influence how your skin tone is perceived. Harsh, white fluorescent lighting emphasizes cool undertones and can make skin look washed out. Warm incandescent bulbs bring out golden undertones. Natural lighting shows the most accurate representation of your skin.
Test Drapes for Your Skin Tone
An easy way to test what colors best suit your complexion is by trying different colored fabric swatches or drapes. Neutral gray or beige fabrics are good bases to start with. Then hold other colored fabrics like orange, pink, yellow, red, and blue next to your face to see which are most flattering. The best drape colors for you likely correspond to your skin tone.
Getting Color Matched
For the most precise color match, visit a makeup counter and ask to get color matched for foundation and concealer. A makeup artist can expertly determine your undertones and find the perfect shades to complement your skin. Bringing examples of colors you already know look great on you gives them a helpful starting point.
Conclusion
Determining your skin tone helps you choose the best makeup, hair color, and clothing for your complexion. Take the skin tone quiz to identify whether you have warm, cool, or neutral undertones. Use your result as a guide when shopping for makeup and building a flattering wardrobe. Getting color matched by a makeup artist can provide exact foundation and concealer shades tailored to your unique skin.
