How to Identify Your Undertones

We're all about celebrating your unique beauty, including finding the perfect makeup shades that harmonize with your skin's undertones. In this guide, we'll embark on a journey to help you decipher your undertone, ensuring that the foundation, blush, and eyeshadow hues you choose perfectly complement your skin's innate radiance. Get ready to discover the magic that lies beneath the surface – your skin's undertone.


Understanding Skin Undertones 

Your undertone is the muted, subtle color just below your skin's surface. Your skin tone might shift with time or the seasons, yet your undertone remains constant. Your undertone comprises the natural hues beneath your skin. Nailing the perfect makeup shades is all about grasping and harmonizing with your distinct undertone.

Types of Undertones

Undertones go beyond fair, light, medium, deep, olive, or all the in-between surface tones. Three basic categories make up undertones in human skin.

  • Warm: Warm undertones appear as gold, yellow or peach hues.
  • Cool: Cool undertones appear as shades of pink, blue, or red.
  • Neutral: Neutral undertones appear as a mixture of warm skin tone and cool skin tone or the absence of a distinct undertone.

 Identifying Your Skin Undertone

At Revlon, we’ve outlined five different techniques you can use to identify your skin’s undertones. Keep reading to learn more.

Vein Test

Begin your undertone exploration with the simple yet revealing vein test. Hold your wrist under natural light and observe the color of your veins. If they appear bluish or purple, you likely have cool undertones. If your veins lean more towards greenish hues, warm undertones may be your match. For those whose veins display a mix of both colors, neutral undertones may be your signature.

Jewelry Test

Do you feel more radiant in silver or gold? If silver jewelry complements your skin tone, cool undertones might be your ally. If gold jewelry is your go-to, warm undertones could be your match. Once again, if both silver and gold pieces look equally captivating, neutral undertones might be your harmonious balance.

White T-shirt Test

Hold up a piece of stark white fabric and an off-white fabric near your face. If the stark white fabric washes out your complexion and the off-white fabric complements it, you might lean towards warm undertones. On the other hand, if the stark white fabric enhances your skin and the off-white fabric dulls it, cool undertones could be your essence. If both fabrics have a similar effect, neutral undertones may be your canvas.

Consider Your Eye and Hair Color

Eye and hair color are less accurate than other methods but may give you some clues to help you guess your skin undertone. Typically, you will have cool or neutral undertones if you have lighter hair and eyes. You likely have a warm undertone if you have darker hair and eyes. There are often exceptions to these "rules," so it is best to consider hair and eye color in conjunction with another skin undertone test.

Your Skin and the Sun

Consider how your skin reacts to sun exposure. If you tend to tan easily and rarely burn, warm undertones might be your foundation. If you burn before tanning, cool undertones might be your signature. Those who experience a combination of both might find solace in neutral undertones.

Choosing Makeup Based on Your Undertone

After you do a little detective work and discover your skin's undertone, it's time to find out what shades of makeup work best for you. Selecting makeup with an understanding of your undertone will help you enhance your favorite features.

Foundation

To correctly match your skin tone with foundation, it is essential to choose colors, keeping your undertone in mind. For example, if you determined you have cool undertones, foundations with a slight hint of rosiness may work best. If your undertone is warm, try products that are golden. Neutral skin undertones work well with shades in between.
Our Revlon Colorstay™ Longwear Makeup for combination skin comes in 43 shades as well as cool, warm, and neutral undertone options.

Highlighter, Bronzer, and Blush

When it comes to highlighter, bronzer, and blush, it's all about enhancing your natural radiance and making your features come alive.
For warm undertones, embrace bronzer and blush shades with golden and peachy undertones to create a sun-kissed glow that complements your warmth.
If cool undertones define you, opt for highlighters, bronzers, and blushes with pink or rosy undertones that add a touch of ethereal charm to your complexion.
For those with neutral undertones, rejoice in the versatility – a wide array of shades from warm to cool can accentuate your innate balance.
Check out the SkinLights™ Prismatic Highlighter available in 3 glowing warm, cool, and neutral crystal-like pigments.

Lip Color

When it comes to lip shades, it's about finding hues that resonate with your skin's innate beauty.
For warm undertones, embrace lip colors with hints of coral, warm reds, or earthy nudes that bring out the golden warmth in your complexion.
Our ColorStay™ Suede Ink Lipstick in Hot Girl, No Rules, or In the Money are some options that could work well with your undertones.
If cool undertones define you, opt for lip colors with blue or pink undertones – think classic reds or berry shades – that add a touch of sophistication to your look. And for those with neutral undertones, you have the luxury of playing with a wide range of shades, from versatile nudes to statement-making bolds.
Also from our ColorStay™ Suede Ink Lipstick cooler shades like Tunnel Vision, Type A, or First Class.

Your undertones are your personal guide to selecting lip colors that empower you to express yourself authentically.

We are here to help you discover the lip shades that reflect your inner radiance, whether you're going for a subtle, everyday glow or making a bold statement.

Eyeshadow

When it comes to eyeshadows, it's about enhancing your gaze with hues that resonate harmoniously with your skin's inherent beauty.

For warm undertones, dive into eyeshadows with earthy tones like warm browns, coppery bronzes, and golden hues that bring out the natural warmth in your complexion.
Check out our ColorStay™ Day to Night Eyeshadow Quad in Addictive or Stylish.

If cool undertones define you, embrace eyeshadows with cool-toned shades like soft greys, silvers, and icy blues that add a touch of sophistication to your eyes.
You might try our ColorStay™  Day to Night Eyeshadow Quad in Gorgeous or Seductive.

And for those with neutral undertones, revel in the versatility – both warm and cool shades can beautifully complement your balanced undertones.

Your undertones guide you to the eyeshadow palette that empowers you to express yourself authentically

Eyeshadows are eclectic and a way to express your style for different occasions.

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