Professional MUAs will tell you that while there are no rules to makeup, some basics have to be followed to ensure you pick the most flattering colours and shades. One of these basics is decoding your skin’s undertone, which may or may not match your skintone. This discrepancy oftentime leads you to buy the wrong foundation colour or concealer for that flawless base.
Choosing your makeup according to your undertone will guarantee you’re picking the most flattering colours in your makeup and here is a good way to determine it the right way…
- What are the different kinds of skin undertones?
- How to determine your skin undertone
- Tips to pick the right makeup products according to skin undertone
What are the different kinds of skin undertones?
Skin undertones are broadly categorised as follows:
01. Warm: If your skin tone has hints of yellow or gold, it classifies as having a warm undertone.
02. Cool: If your skin shows hints of blue, pink or red, it is classified as having a cool undertone.
03. Neutral: Neutral undertones are defined by having a mix of warm and cool undertones in your skin, or having the same undertone as your base skin tone constitutes the neutral category.
Fun fact: There is a common misconception that fair-skinned girls cannot have warm undertones or dusky skin types remain far from cool undertones. As we will see ahead, skin undertones remain largely unaffected by skin tone. Also, just because you might have the same skin tone as someone else, doesn’t mean that you’ll have the same undertone as them!
How to determine your skin undertone
The key to your undertone lies in your veins; just take a peek at the inner part of your arm, especially the veins inside the wrist. The colour of these veins will tell you your undertone:
- If the colour of your veins appears green, you have warm undertones.
- If the veins appear bluish or purple, your skin has cooler undertones.
- As for neutral undertones, watch your skin against both, bright shades (black or white) or subtle shades (tan, brown or ivory). If you look best in neutral white/back, you are more on the cooler end of the spectrum. But, if subtle shades are more flattering to you, your undertone is warmer.
Pro tip: A common trick that most makeup artists use to figure out skin undertones is do the jewellery test. Gold bling looks more flattering on warm undertones whereas silver is the one that shines the brightest on cool undertones.
Tips to pick the right makeup products according to skin undertone
These simple tips will come in handy while choosing makeup staples according to your skin tone:
- Foundation: If you are not a fan of colour correcting, choosing a foundation based on your skin’s undertone can be time-saving. For warm complexions, a shade like the Lakme 9 to 5 Weightless Mousse Foundation in Beige Vanilla with yellow undertones will suit best. Similarly, if your complexion is cooler the same product in Rose Ivory with pink undertones will be the most flattering choice.
- Blush: For a natural look, pick one that’s closest to the natural undertone of your skin. But if you want the blush to pop against your complexion, pick one that is the opposite to your skin’s undertone. For instance, if you have warm or golden undertones, a deep peach shade like the Lakmé 9 to 5 Pure Rouge Blusher - Peach Affair will give a very natural look.
- Eye makeup palettes: Eye makeup colours should emphasize your skin’s undertones. So, if you have a warm undertone a palette like the Lakme Absolute Infinity Eye shadow Palette - Coral Sunset works best for your and for cooler undertones, the Lakme Absolute Infinity Eye shadow Palette - Midnight Magic shade collect will look stunning.
Written by Sumona Bose on Sep 22, 2020
Sumona Bose is a writer, skincare junkie and a self-professed makeup connoisseur. Equipped with a Master's degree in Fashion Management and over 3 years of experience writing in the beauty and fashion space, her passion for learning new things has no bounds. Working closely with dermatologists, beauty excerpts, makeup artists and hairstylists, she brings you the best of all things beauty. From trending skincare ingredients to makeup looks that help you slay, she manages to bring something new (and vital!) to our readers every single time. Her hobbies include home workouts, watching foreign films and binge-watching makeover shows!