Genius Hacks For Figuring Out Your Skin Undertone

Find the shades best suited to your complexion by figuring out your skin's undertone. If there’s one thing I could ever teach you about beauty that will change your life, it’s figuring out the undertone of your skin. I know it sounds trivial, but when you know yours and go about adjusting your makeup accordingly, something magical happens. I can guarantee that you’ll light up a room the minute you walk in.

According to a study, The Pantone SkinTone Guide (PSTG) is an effective clinical tool to standardise colour matching. However, since this method is inaccessible to the general public, we’ve discovered three hacks to figure out your skin undertone effectively. But before we delve into the details, let’s discuss what an undertone is, types of undertones, why it’s important to identify your undertone, and finding the best colour palette based on your undertone.

What Is An Undertone?

When was the last time you swiped on a flattering lipstick shade, only to discover that it washed you out completely? We beauty enthusiasts are often met with the same fate, compelling us to determine our undertones for the perfect makeup look. While your skin tone can change throughout the year, your undertone remains the same. An undertone is the natural colour underneath your skin's surface, making it easier to identify your perfect foundation, concealer, and palette shade. Let’s learn a few ways to determine your undertone for an enhanced look.

Types Of Undertones

There are primarily three types of undertones:

1. Warm Undertones: Warm undertones boast a peachy, golden, or yellow undertone.
2. Cool Undertones: Cool undertones boast a red, pink, or blueish undertone.
3. Neutral Undertones: Neutral undertones are fairly similar to your skin tone – a mix of warm and cool undertones.

Bear in mind that your undertone isn’t the same as your skin tone or your skin without makeup. Fair complexions can have warm undertones and dark complexions can have cool undertones, and vice versa.

The Importance Of Understanding Your Undertone

Many a time, we struggle to settle on the perfect foundation or concealer shade; a tint too dark or light can make or break your makeup look. Hence, identifying your undertone becomes paramount. Picking a formulation as per your skin’s undertone will help balance out any redness or discolouration. Plus, a product in line with your undertone will only work to enhance your complexion and brighten up your look. Hence, understanding your undertone is key when it comes to curating your makeup arsenal. Below, we’ve shared a few hacks to bear in mind when determining your undertone:

Hack #1

Stand in front of a mirror in your bathroom, wearing only a white towel or a bathrobe. Wrap your mane in a pristine white towel and drape another over furniture to make it easier to identify the colours hiding under the surface of your skin.

If your skin appears blueish, you have a cool undertone. Whereas, if it looks more yellow, you have a warm undertone. Alternatively, if it’s on the greener side, you have a neutral undertone.

Hack #2

First, hold silver or platinum jewellery against your skin. Next, hold yellow-gold jewellery against your skin. If the silver/platinum jewellery suits you better, you have a cool undertone, whereas, if the yellow-gold looks better, you have a warm undertone. If both kinds of jewellery look equally good, you probably have a neutral undertone.

Hack #3

Now, look at the veins on your wrist in bright sunlight.

Cool

If the veins appear blue or purple, you likely have a cool undertone.

Warm

If the veins appear blue or purple, you likely have a cool undertone.

Neutral

If the veins appear blueish-green, you likely have a neutral undertone.

Now, you should have a good idea of what your undertones are.

Finding The Best Colour Palette For Your Undertone

Women with warm undertones look their best when sporting an eye shadow look in hues of copper, gold, bronze, or any other earthy tone such as olive, orange, brown, or yellow, especially when matched with a blush in a coral or peach shade.

When picking red lipstick, choose an orange-ish red, and when opting for a foundation, look for a yellow or peach shade. For those with a cool undertone, you will look your best if you sport eye shadow looks in hues of grey, silver, pink, magenta, white, or any of the jewel tones, including emerald, sapphire or garnet, especially when matched with a blush in a pink or rosy shade. When picking red lipstick, choose a blue-ish red (wine or burgundy), and when opting for a foundation, look for a neutral or pink-based shade.

Parting Thoughts

Correctly identifying your skin undertone can provide insight into what colours would best suit your complexion. In summary, green veins denote a warm undertone, blue veins indicate a cool undertone and blueish-green veins suggest a neutral undertone. Take note of your undertone when shopping for complexion-enhancing products such as foundations, concealers, and even eyeshadows and lipsticks.

FAQs

• How to determine your skin undertone?

  The simplest way to understand your undertone is by scanning your veins. Green veins indicate a warm undertone, blue veins indicate a cool undertone and blueish-green veins indicate a neutral undertone.

• Is skin undertone genetic?

  For the most part, yes it is. However, external aggressors such as sun exposure, hormonal fluctuations, and ageing may also play a part in determining your undertone.

• Which are the best eyeshadows for warm undertones?

  Warm undertones should opt for gold, bronze or copper eyeshadows. The best eyeshadows for warm undertones include Lakme Absolute’s Explore Eye Paint in the shade Brilliantly Bronze and M.A.C Cosmetics’ Dazzleshadow in the shade I Like 2 Watch.

• Which are the best eyeshadows for cool undertones?

  Cool undertones should opt for silver, magenta or pink eyeshadows. The best eyeshadows for cool undertones include the ColourPop Super Shock Shadow in the shade Frog and Daily Life Forever52’s Twinkle Stars Glitter in the shade Silver Stardust.

• Can your skin undertone change over time?

  While your skin tone may change throughout your lifespan due to sun exposure, ageing, and underlying health issues, your undertone is likely to remain the same. It’s important to learn how to determine your undertone to pick formulations that pair well with your skin tone.