Know Your Undertone: What Color Looks Best On You?

Searching for the color that works for you can overwhelming and a maybe never-ending journey. As a fashion addict I have for years I struggle to find the right color that enhance my natural beauty, skin tone and undertone. 

Remember back in the day when the term undertone was not in existence in the fashion and makeup world. a person's undertone in finding the right color for you was rarely talked about.

Whenever I shopped in-store or online years ago. I remember the shades that were displayed on the clothing racks and mannequins, if the color is pretty and the style is flattering, I’m purchasing it! Not thinking about it how balances the hues of my undertone and giving me a polished look. 

Every time when wear the clothing something about always looked off. Instead of looking put together it was the complete opposite, I looked either tired, uneven or washed out.

Understanding your undertone is one of the most important steps to achieving a flawless and natural look when choosing makeup or clothes. So how do you determine your undertone? Let’s break it down into simple, easy-to-follow methods.

 

What are undertones in skin? 

One of the most common struggles to know your undertone is what colors is right for you. But let’s dig into knowing what are undertones and why that term is important in what you wear. 

It's the key to selecting shades that will harmonize with your complexion and clothing colors that will make you look your best. Undertone are natural hues/color under your skin’s surface not to be confuse with skin tone. skin tone indicates to your skin color and undertone cities to shade of that color. There are four main undertones.

·      Cool

·      Neutral

·      Olive

·      Warm

 

Types of undertones 

·      Cool undertone are hues that show pink, blue, and purple.

·      Warm undertone are hues that show peach, yellow and golden

·      Neutral undertone is a mixture of both warm and cool hues

·      Olive undertone are hues of green, yellow or gray but can lean warm, cool or neutral.  

How to find your undertones?

Here are three easy ways to find out your undertone:

1)   Check your veins

·      Vein colors of blue and purple means you have cool undertone.

·      Vein colors of blue and green means you have warm undertone.

·      Vein colors of blue and green means you have neutral undertone.

·      Veins colors a mix of green, teal, violet and sometimes golden means you have olive undertone.

2)   Jewelry check

Another way to know your undertone is to see what jewelry looks the best on your skin.

·      Cool undertone – Silver

·      Warm undertone – Gold

·      Neutral undertone – Silver and Gold

·      Olive undertone – Gold and Rose gold

3)   Scarf check

A third way to figure your undertone is to have a white, ivory and cream color scarf. Wrap each one at a time around your neck and look in the mirror to see which color balances your skin and which color clashes against it.

·      Cool undertone – White scarf

·      Warm undertone – Ivory scarf

·      Neutral undertone – White & ivory scarf

·      Olive – Cream scarf

 Here’s what colors complement each undertone:

Best colors for warm undertone:

·      White: Ivory, cream, champagne, eggshell

·      Brown: caramel brown, cinnamon brown, chestnut brown, rust brown, khaki, cream, tan, camel.

·      Green: olive green, moss green, forest green, army green, lime green

·      Yellow: mustard yellow, amber yellow, sunflower yellow, golden yellow, gold, golden-brown

·      Blue: teal, turquoise, cobalt blue, cyan blue, aqua blue, navy blue, Denim blue,

·      Orange: terracotta, burnt orange, tangerine, amber orange, peach, coral

·      Pink: salmon pink, watermelon pink, hot pink, tango pink, New York pink, paradise pink

·      Red: tomato red, poppy red, scarlet red, brick red, rust red.

 

Best colors for cool undertone:

·      Blue: cobalt, royal blue, electric blue, navy blue, sky blue, icy blue, slate blue

·      Purple: lavender, amethyst, violet, plum lilac, grape purple

·      Green: emerald, mint, pine sea form green, jade green.

·      Pink: Carnation pink, rose pink, bubblegum pink, raspberry pink, magenta, fuchsia.

·      Yellow: lemon yellow, Canary yellow, Pastel Yellow, Buttercup yellow

·      White: Cloud white, bright white, Alabaster, icy white, snow white, pure white

·      Brown: Ash brown, taupe, mushroom brown espresso, dark cocoa, chocolate brown

·      Red: True red, cherry red, crimson, burgundy, raspberry red, wine red.

·      Gray: Ash gray, Pewter gray, silver gray, slate gray

·      Black: Jet black, blue-black, charcoal black, Icy black

 

Best colors for neutral undertone:

People with this undertone can wear both warm and cool colors. This undertone is the most adaptable and flexible with colors.

 

Best colors for olive undertone:

·      Green: olive green, forest green, moss green, sage green, emerald green, teal

·      Orange: Terracotta, burnt orange, peach, copper, cinnamon

·      Yellow: Mustard yellow, golden yellow, ochre yellow, buttercup yellow, lemon yellow, amber yellow, gold, rose gold

·      Purple: Eggplant, plum, aubergine, magenta. mauve

·      Blue: navy blue, teal, turquoise, denim blue, steel blue

·      Red: tomato red, coral red, brick red, rust red, scarlet red, wine red

·      Pink: coral pink, peach pink, salmon pink, rose pink, dusty pink

·      White: Off white, ivory, cream, eggshell

·      Brown: Camel, chocolate brown, caramel, chestnut, taupe, espresso.

 

Final Thoughts

Knowing your undertone is a simple process that can make a big difference in how you approach beauty and fashion. It helps you choose the right shades of makeup, clothing, and accessories that naturally enhance your features, leading to a more cohesive and flattering look. Remember, understanding your undertone is all about embracing your natural beauty. It's not about what’s modish, but what works best for you!