Have you ever wondered why some eye shadows, blushes and foundations don’t look that good on you? The answer might be in your skin tone! Unlike the color of your skin –white, yellow, black…-, your skin tone actually refers to the warm or cool undertones of your complexion.
To help you out, we’ve created a comprehensive guide on how to pick the right makeup for your skin tone. Check it out!
How to pick the right makeup for your skin tone: Steps
So you’re visiting a drugstore or a beauty store to discover new colors for the season. You’re attracted to some dashing combinations and hues, but when you take them home they look odd or underwhelming on you, so you store them away to never use them.
To avoid this, follow these simple steps on how to pick the right makeup for your skin tone:
Step 1: Discover your skin tone
The two basic skin tones are warm and cool, although they can also be classified in several shades, from fair to dark. There are many methods for discovering your skin tone, so choose the ones which work best for you:
- Wear a white shirt, look at your skin in the mirror under a natural light, and look for the warm (yellow, red) or cool (blue, pink) undertones of your skin. To determine your skin tone, look at the area on your jaw line, since your cheeks tend to be more pigmented than your actual tone.
- Look at the inside of your arms and determine the color of your veins: if they’re green, then you have warm undertones, while if they’re blue, you have a cool skin tone.
- Consider your skin’s ability to burn or tan under the sun: if you burn easily, then you probably have cool undertones, while if you tan easily, you have warmer undertones.
Step 2: Wear the right shades
Now that you’ve determined if your skin tone is warmer or cooler, the next step is to pick the right makeup to complement it. For this, you must consider both the undertones of your skin and other features like your eye or hair color.
Here’s a small guide on which are the best shades for you:
- Cool skin tones: light pinks, beige, orange, violet, burgundy, mauve, plum, pastels, shades with blue undertones.
- Warm skin tones: bronze, copper, grey, red, coral, green, shades with yellow or golden undertones.
- Neutral skin tones: nudes, pinks, beige.
Step 3: Test before buying
To determine if the undertones of the makeup you’re buying will work for you, you can either test it on the skin inside of your arm or on a white sheet of paper. The first method will allow you to see exactly how it will look on your skin, while the second will help you define the dominant color and the undertones of the makeup you’re buying.
Remember to pick shades which will enhance the undertones of your skin.
You might also like:
- Best lipstick colors for your skin tone
- What’s the best eye shadow for my eye color?
- How to choose the right jewelry for your skin tone
