If you’re not concerned about your skin, there could be a problem. Your skin is a big part of who you are. It is your identity. Hence, it is essential to understand that your skin is unique and learn to love your skin just how it is. This is the beginning of great skincare and effortless beauty.
One fundamental characteristic of your skin is the undertone.
If you wear any makeup or beauty product, you would love to find out what shade of lipstick or foundation suits you best.
However, knowing your undertone is not just for makeup purposes alone. It will also help you in picking the right dress and accessories. In this blog, you will learn how to ascertain your skin undertone and how that knowledge can guide you in making beauty decisions.
What are skin tones?
Skin tone is defined as the surface skin color, whereas skin undertone is the baseline or backdrop hue underneath the surface.
Biologically, skin tone is determined by the amount of melanin present in the uppermost layer of your skin, the stratum corneum.
The skin tone and skin undertone have been used interchangeably, but they are different.
The Skin tone can be affected by many factors, which can cause it to change, but the skin undertone is constant. It cannot be affected by the sun or some other factors.
The skin tone can simply be referred to as your skin color, while your undertone is the color of the skin beneath the surface.
It is important to note that people with the same skin tone can have different undertones, while people with different skin tones can have the same undertone.
Why you need to understand your skin undertone
1. It will help you decide on the perfect fit for your clothes and accessories.
Knowing and understanding your skin undertone helps you know the exact type of dress or jewelry that will suit you.
For instance, if you find out that you have a warm undertone, then try on a golden wristwatch and necklaces. You would love it not just because it suits your skin but because it enhances your skin colour.
People with warm undertones have a great affinity for warmer shades, i.e. yellowy shades.
- Also, understanding your skin undertone lets you in on the proper makeup to wear. Unless you want to look like a 20th-century doll, it is in your best interest to find out your skin undertone before putting on any heavy makeup. People who have a cool undertone should wear cooler shades of makeup. This knowledge would help you in picking the following tools for your makeup;
- Foundation: Putting on a foundation that suits your complexion gives you a healthy and refreshed look. This is possible when you are aware of your skin undertone. Most brands specify the type of undertone their products are used for. Check out those brands. If you have a cool undertone and you wear a warm shade from your pallet, you will look artificial and loud. But if you’re pretty aware of the color that best suits your skin, you are good to go.
- Lipstick: There’s always a shade of color that is supposed to fit you. If you know much about your skin undertone, you can fix yourself up with a shade of lipstick that rhymes just right.
- Blush: Understanding your skin undertone helps you know the right blush to use when doing your makeup. If you have a warm undertone and put on a cool blush, it’s just going to be too drab. If you have a cool undertone and you use a warm blush, you’re going to look too rosy or too pink.
So why not find out more about your undertone and pick your best fit.
Types of skin tone
They are basically four types of skin tones, namely;
- Light Tone
- Fair Tone
- Medium Tone
- Dark Tone
Types of Skin undertones
The 3 Types Of Skin Undertone Are:
- The Neutral undertone
- The Cool undertone
- The Warm undertone
How to determine your skin undertone
The answers to the questions below will help you identify your kind of skin undertone.
1. What is the color of your vein?
This is the most efficient way of knowing your skin undertone. It is advised to check out the veins on your wrist or the vein around your neck area.
If they are of a green hue, then you are a warm skin undertone.
If they have a shade of purple or blue, you have a cool skin undertone. When it’s a neutral undertone, then the color of your vein will match your skin color.
2. How does your skin react under harsh weather conditions?
Although, through the help of sunscreens, the effect of harsh weather conditions has been minimal. Still, you can use the way your skin reacts to sun exposure to determine your undertone.
If your skin does not get sunburned quickly but tans instead, you have a warm undertone. But if you easily get sunburned, then you have a cool undertone.
If it takes time before tanning or sun burning occurs, you might have a neutral undertone.
3. What type of jewelry suits your skin best?
The shiny nature of jewelry pieces can make it difficult for you to place your skin undertone using just jewelry.
You can use this method to enforce the vein test or the sun test, not as the only way to determine your undertone.
If you look best with silvery jewelry, you certainly have a cool undertone.
If you look best with golden jewelry then you have a warm undertone.
But if both look good on you, then you have a neutral undertone.
4. What is the color of the dress that matches your skin perfectly?
When you have a warm undertone, your go-to dress would usually be a white or yellow coloured dress. All warm coloured dresses, in fact, should be your type.
Cool colours like blue and purple should be your type of clothes and accessories if you have a cool undertone.
Neutral colors would match your skin. Every colour would be fine if you have a neutral undertone.
5. Have you tried the white Paper test?
Again, this isn’t a sure way of identifying your skin undertone.
Bring a blank white paper close to your face in a bright area.
If your face casts a pinkish glow, then you might have a cool undertone.
If it casts a pale or yellow shade, then you probably have a warm undertone.
How you can pick the right makeup for your skin tone
Skin tones do not determine the undertones. This is because the undertone is purely the work of your genes.
However, the two significant factors for choosing the right makeup are the skin tone(Surface) and undertone. Therefore, there are specific makeup products made available by professionals and different beauty brands for all skin types.
You could try out lipsticks with a yellow or golden tint for warm skin tones.
Also, try out foundations and blushes with similar warmth—golden hues.
For cool skin tones, try out translucent powder and avoid yellow shades at all costs.
Cool skin tones rhyme best with blue-based and plum shades.
You can also test your foundations on your chin or jawline to pick your custom colour.
These guidelines will help you figure out your skin type on your own. It will also help you know the kind of makeup to apply to keep your skin healthy and beautiful.