Skin Tones

If you’re tired of wasting money on the wrong foundation or other makeup shades, understand the different terminology related to skin color and your chances of nailing the right shade will improve dramatically. There are two elements to understanding our skin’s hues: skin undertone and skin tone or skin color, and yes, they are completely different. Our skin tone is the shade or color of our skin: light, medium dark, while our skin undertones are the colors beneath our skin color. Our skin color doesn’t determine our skin’s undertones. For example, you could be a light/cool combination while another person could be light/neutral. Wonder what your skin’s undertones are? Here are some helpful definitions to help you figure out your undertone:

     ❄️Cool:  Skin appears pink, rosy or with a hint of blue

     🌞Warm:  Skin appears yellowish, pale, golden or peachy

     🌈Neutral:  Has no obvious cast of yellow, pink or sallow skin

And what about olive skin tone? Where does it belong? There are different shades of olive and this depends on the amount of melanin that our bodies produce. Melanin give us our skin color. Olive women have neutral undertones, and what really sets them apart is the “naturally green” pigment somewhat visible on the surface of the skin. 

When you know what kind of undertone you have, it can help you to choose the right foundation, makeup and even the most flattering colors for your clothes and jewelry, making you look more put together as you highlight your best features. Understanding your skin tone and undertone is independent to your skin type.