How to Determine If You Have a Warm or Cool Undertone
I’ve had several questions lately about skin tone and flattering colors, so I thought it might be interesting to chat about skin tone. Knowing whether you have a warm or cool skin tone can have an enormous impact on what looks flattering and what can wash you out. If you’re not in a position to pay for a professional color analysis, let’s look at a few popular ways to determine it yourself.
What Are Undertones?
Your undertone is different from your skin tone. The surface of your skin is your skin tone, which can change with sun exposure, blemishes, rashes, etc. Your undertone is the underlying hue that gives your skin a warm, cool, or neutral appearance.
Warm undertones tend to have golden, yellow, or peachy hues. Cool undertones are marked by pink, red, or bluish tones. If you have a mix of both, you’re likely neutral, which offers the most flexibility in color choices.
I have cool undertones, so I naturally gravitate toward cooler-toned clothing. You’ll notice I style a variety of colors here on AWSL, but warm colors make my complexion look sallow, and I need more makeup to carry them off. That’s the beauty of understanding your undertone. It’s not about restricting your options but about knowing what enhances your natural features and helps you feel confident in what you wear.
COOL UNDERTONE ACCESSORIES
WARM UNDERTONE ACCESSORIES
How to Identify Your Undertone
If you’re not sure what your undertone is, don’t worry! It’s not as tricky as it sounds. There are a few methods to help you figure it out.
The Vein Test
This test is all over the internet, but to be honest, I don’t think it’s very effective. The concept is that you take a look at the veins on the inside of your wrist in natural light:
- If they look blue or purple, you likely have cool undertones.
- If they appear green, you’re probably warm-toned (your veins are blue, but the yellow in your skin makes them appear green).
- If you can’t decide, you might be neutral.
I have a very cool undertone, and my veins are turquoise blue/green…so this test fails me.
The Jewelry Test
Another trick is to think about which jewelry flatters you more. I find this test much more effective and easier to use. Drape gold jewelry near your face. Now, swap in some cool-based jewelry. Which one makes your eyes look brighter? Gold jewelry complements warm undertones, while silver looks better on cool-toned skin. If both suit you, you may be a shoulder season with a neutral undertone. I wear both, but I look much better wearing cool-toned silver or platinum metals.
Hold Up White Paper
Natural light is essential for the white paper test. Hold a plain white sheet of paper next to your face. If your skin looks golden or yellow, you’re warm-toned. If it appears rosy, pink, or bluish, you’re cool-toned. If you see neither, you might have neutral undertones.
Check Your Eye and Hair Color
Your natural hair and eye color offer more clues, but this can be tricky. Warm tones often have brown, amber, or hazel eyes and hair with golden, red, or honey hues. Cool tones tend to have blue, gray, or green eyes and hair that’s ashy or lacks golden highlights.
Undertone vs. Color Analysis
Figuring out your undertone is a bit different from having a complete personal color analysis done, but it’s a great place to start. While your undertone gives you insight into whether warm or cool shades will flatter you, a color analysis dives deeper into identifying your most complementary palette of colors, like “Soft Summer” or “Warm Autumn.” I’ve had several color analyses done over the years, and each one has taught me something new about how color interacts with my skin, hair, and eyes. Each system uses different criteria, so you may get varying responses based on who is doing the analysis.
What Your Undertone Means for Your Style
Once you know your undertone, you can use it as a guide to make more flattering choices across the board. From your wardrobe to your makeup bag, the right colors can bring out your natural beauty. Wearing the right colors for your skin tone will make your complexion glow, your eyes sparkle, and your wrinkles less noticeable. Unflattering colors do the opposite.
Clothing
- Warm Undertones: Earthy tones like mustard, olive, rust, and cream will complement your skin.
- Cool Undertones: Jewel tones like sapphire, emerald, and icy pink look amazing.
- Neutral Undertones: Lucky you! You can wear both warm and cool shades, though muted tones and soft colors often suit you best.
Makeup
- Foundation: Look for shades that align with your undertone. Most brands label them as warm (golden, yellow), cool (pink, rosy), or neutral.
- Lipstick:
- Warm tones: Coral, peach, and orange-red lipsticks work beautifully.
- Cool tones: Blue-reds, berry shades, and soft pinks are your go-tos.
- Neutral tones: Mauve, beige, and soft nudes tend to flatter.
- Eyeshadow:
- Warm tones: Bronze, copper, and gold will highlight your features.
- Cool tones: Grays, silvers, and cool purples enhance your look.
Hair Color
Choosing the right hair color can brighten your complexion and make you look younger.
- Warm Undertones: Shades like golden blonde, honey, or rich brunette bring warmth to your skin.
- Cool Undertones: Ash blondes, cool browns, or even platinum tones complement your cool undertones.
- Neutral Undertones: Try neutral shades like beige blondes or soft browns for a balanced look.
I highlighted my hair for 45 years and was never happy with the results because they always turned golden. Once I let Mother Nature take over, the silver that grew in was the exact colors I’d always longed for.
Can You Break the Rules?
I hate to break it to you, but there are no rules. Knowing your undertone is an informational tool you can use or discard. If you love a color that doesn’t align perfectly with your undertone, nothing should stop you from wearing it. If you look sick with it close to your face, wear it on the bottom half or add a colorful scarf that is flattering near your face.
Do you know your undertone? Does it influence you when you’re shopping?
SHOP COOL UNDERTONE ACCESSORIES
(scroll down to find the warm undertone section)
This was helpful information. I struggle with what really looks good on me, colorwise and shape. My shape has changed recently, and I’m unhappy with how my clothes fit most of the time. I also really want to be comfortable. I don’t know that I’ve ever really had a ‘style’ or looked ‘put together’ regularly.
Love the scarf – can you tell me where it is from?
It’s from Artful Home several years ago.
You look stunning in that first picture! Love everything including your glasses. Thank you for another informative post.
Thank you Deby
Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for the interesting post l really enjoyed reading it. I grew up with an artist mother and her sensitivity to color shaped me in many ways. I have olive Mediterranean skin and brown eyes and l love wearing color but since turning grey l notice a big difference as to what suits me now.
Coming in late to the party because of a long workday. I have no clue what my undertones are so I will do the white paper test tomorrow when I have natural light available. As far as seasons go, I did Color Me Beautiful back in my 30s. They pegged me as a high contrast winter and I think it was pretty accurate because when I ditched the sage green and muted colors from my wardrobe for white, black, and jewel colors I got a lot of comments like “You look wonderful in that top!” instead of “You look tired, are you working 12 hour shifts again?”. So far those are still working great for me since My hair is still dark brown with only a few scattered grays so far. Changing topics, I’m wearing a Chico’s Travelers top that is white and varied intensities of royal blue today that my husband says I look fabulous in so thank you so much for sharing the great things from Chico’s on your blog. I’d never heard of them before I started following you. I hope you are having a relaxing and enjoyable evening.
How nice your husband notices! The right colors do make an amazing difference. Overly muted colors wash me out and that’s what most people think of for summers. Being a true summer, I can and need to wear colors with a bit more intensity.
Thank-you for this post . You have helped me figure out that I am cool . I have made lots of wrong color choices in the past but hope to rectify that going forward. For some reason I am drawn to fall colors and purchased a gorgeous suede jacket from Talbots last fall . I hope not to make those mistakes in the future .
I am drawn to them too and still buy them, but try to mitigate it with a top near my face in a flattering color.
I have cool undertones and wear pale grey and any shade of cool blue or calk white. My hair went from ash blonde to mostly white with a little silver streaking. I have blue eyes and pale skin. Warm colors make me sallow and red or black make me look scary like a witch. Thank you for the clarification on this subject. We have similar coloring but my hair is whiter. I’m older too at 80. You may get there. You look lovely in the navy and white striped sweater. It makes you glow.
To be perfectly honest, I can’t wait until my hair gets whiter! You’re lucky
I have had color analysis in person several times and have never been satisfied. I can comment that it alone has caused me to waste hundreds of dollars are cosmetics. The last analysis that I had typed me as a light spring. To me I feel generally the best in those cosmetic colors. Because of who typed me as a soft summer previouslyI keep going back and trying those colors. I still domas I question myself. And I find that end up throwing the makeup away because it enhances my dark circles and makes me pale. In my experience color analysis is an opinion and yes different systems yield different results. There is not enough engagement with the client to ensure their opinion of how they perceive that they look in a color.
I have an orange tee shirt that I wear as a pj top and so not SS and noticed when I woke up in the morning and was wearing that tee I looked good without makeup and when I wore a dusty pink tee definitely SS I look haggard and tired.
Just my experience with something that I truly thought could be assistive.
4 system I have been analyzed as a spring, a summer twice.
12 season system a soft summer twice (I had it redone as I was not comfortable with the first analysis accuracy – first done by Colour Me Beautiful and second by mensel system – I actually much preferred the palette and color recommendations given to me as a SS in CMB system. Later
I was analyzed as a light spring and my pictures taken in those colours look so much better and I
feel better – dark circles disappear.
But I still LOVE black
You are not alone in these feelings. I’ve had very different results as well. and I LOVE wearing black too.
Such a relief not to be alone. How did you finally resolve what season you were truly in?
I was typed by a trainer in the Sci-Art system. I could see the changes happening with the drapes. I doubted it for months after, but came to see that she was on the right track. Virtual color typing is sketchy at best. I am a true summer, who is often mistaken for winter or spring.I was also typed an autumn, but that was virtual and not correct. I’m a fan of the 16 type system because it allows for more variety.
Anyone who could wake up in the morning with no make up and look good in an orange shirt is most definitely warm season lol!
I am a natural redhead with blue eyes. I give up. Blues, greens, white. It is always a challenge…
That photo of you is perfect in every way. From the jewelry to the glasses to the bracelet to the scarf, shirt and jeans. The pose and your hair too-makes your beauty shine from the inside.
You are so sweet, thank you. I adore that scarf.
I’m 100% invested in my seasonal colors and I have revamped my wardrobe accordingly. I’m extremely satisfied with it. My best test is out the color by your face with no makeup. Do your eyes sparkle and your skin look clearer with fewer shadows? It’s your color. I have fair olive skin, my undertone is neutral cool and I’m dark winter. Best color I think is burgundy/dark fuchsia.
I’ve always thought neutral undertones are easiest but perhaps that’s part of feeling it’s always sunnier on the other side of the street 😉
I always read about this and I’m still not quite sure what I am. I’m kind of all over the place with these answers. But I think I’m a cool. Thanks for the great info.
Great post, Jennifer. I think I am a neutral with leanings to cool. Fun to try and figure out. I tend to be drawn to periwinkle blue.
Jennifer thank you that was good advice we can use. I did have my skin tones done years ago and it really helps. Thank you Eileen
My skin tone is cooler, but my undertone is warm. I found out that I’m a paintbox spring so the warm bright “happy” colors that I have always been drawn to look best on me. I also now have bright lip colors that look good on me, although I am still getting used to brighter lips rather than the very neutral colors I used to wear. It only took me 76 years to discover all this. Ha!
It’s so fun to know these things and experiment.
You look AMAZING in the white shirt with the navy scarf!
Thanks so much
Great post Jennifer. Now that my hair is silver, I have no clue about my undertone. My veins look both blue and green to me. I think I know which colors flatter my skin tone but I don’t always wear them!
I do t always wear what flatters me either. I hate to be limited.
Wow. I thought you colored/highlighted your hair. Lucky you!!
Great post. I did that Color Me Beautiful thing a hundred years ago. These are great suggestions that would have given me the same answer!
I am lucky
I had you pegged as a “summer,” cool tones, lighter skin tone. I am a winter with brown eyes. Some people think that I was blonde, however, because I have let my hair go white as I think that it is pretty even if I may look a little older. It is especially flattering when I wear navy blue.
I love what color my hair has become.
I am cool and blues are my go to
Red at least bright red does not work on me. Muted red works well.
I have found a few reds I like on me but they’re more like raspberry that appears red on me.