Skin undertones are the quiet colors beneath the surface of your skin. Your skin tone, meaning how light or deep it is, can change with the seasons. Your undertone stays the same. It is the reason one red lipstick lights up your face while another makes you look unwell.
Skin tone and undertone are different things
- Skin tone (depth): fair, light, medium, tan, deep. It changes with sun exposure.
- Undertone: the hue that shows through. It does not change with a tan.
People of every depth can have any undertone. Very fair skin can be warm, and very deep skin can be cool.
The four undertones
| Undertone | Hue beneath the skin | Often described as |
|---|---|---|
| Warm | Yellow, golden, peach | Golden, honey |
| Cool | Pink, red, blue | Rosy, porcelain, espresso with a red cast |
| Neutral | A balance of warm and cool | Beige, hard to place |
| Olive | Green or gray-green | Slightly muted; foundations often look too pink or too orange |
Four tests to find yours
Do these in daylight on clean skin, and use more than one.
1. The vein test
Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist.
- Greenish: warm.
- Blue or purple: cool.
- A mixture, or you cannot tell: neutral.
- Greenish veins with skin that looks slightly gray or green: possibly olive.
2. The jewelry test
- Gold makes your skin glow: warm.
- Silver looks brighter on you: cool.
- Both look good: neutral.
3. The white and cream test
Hold a pure white cloth and then an off-white or cream cloth under your chin.
- Cream is more flattering: warm.
- Pure white is more flattering: cool.
- No real difference: neutral.
4. The sun test
- You tan easily and seldom burn: often warm or olive.
- You burn first: often cool.
- You burn, then tan: often neutral.
This test is the least reliable, and everyone needs sun protection whatever the result.
Common points of confusion
- Redness is not undertone. Flushing, acne marks and rosacea sit on the surface. You can have warm undertones with red cheeks.
- A tan is not undertone. It changes your depth.
- Olive is often missed. If every foundation looks either too pink or too orange, and green or khaki clothes suit you, you may be olive.
How to use your undertone
Foundation and concealer
Choose shades labeled for your undertone. Brands often use W, C, N or words such as "golden", "rosy" and "beige". See How to Choose the Right Foundation Shade, or try the Foundation Shade Finder.
Lipstick and blush
| Undertone | Shades that usually flatter |
|---|---|
| Warm | Coral, peach, brick red, warm nudes, terracotta |
| Cool | Blue-based red, berry, mauve, rose, cool pink |
| Neutral | Most shades, especially balanced reds and rosy nudes |
| Olive | Warm reds, terracotta, mauve-brown, muted berries |
How to Choose Lipstick for Your Skin Undertone goes into lipstick in detail, and the Lipstick Shade Finder suggests colors.
Hair color
Warm undertones usually suit golden, caramel and copper shades. Cool undertones suit ash, platinum and blue-based reds. See How to Choose a Hair Color for Your Skin Tone.
Clothing and jewelry
Warm undertones tend to shine in earthy colors and gold. Cool undertones suit jewel tones and silver. Neutral undertones can wear both.
These are guides, not rules
Undertone theory explains why some colors feel easy to wear. It should not stop you from wearing a color you love. A shade outside your "family" can often be made to work by adjusting how sheer it is or what you pair it with.
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Frequently asked questions
Can my undertone change over time?
Your undertone stays essentially the same through life. Your depth changes with sun and age, and surface redness can come and go, which sometimes makes it seem different.
What if I get different results from different tests?
Mixed results usually mean you are neutral or olive. Try neutral foundation shades first, then compare them with slightly warm and slightly cool ones on your jaw.
Is olive skin warm or cool?
Olive describes a green-gray cast that can sit over a warm or neutral base, and occasionally a cool one. It is best treated as its own category when matching foundation.