How To Determine Your Skin Tone?

April 23, 2024 by Manasa Hegde

Important: This article is for informational purposes only. Please read our full disclaimer for more details.

Do you get confused when you are shopping for cosmetics as to which is the right product for your skin tone? Are you unsure about your skin tone? Deciding on the right skin tone can be a little difficult and purchasing the right beauty product for your complexion can at times be overwhelming.

If you opt for the wrong concealer, foundation, blush, or bronzer, you might turn into a scary porcelain doll or an orange clown. The makeup you do has to blend seamlessly with the skin tone so that it doesn’t appear caked or unnatural. It is necessary to decide on the skin tone to accomplish a task. We have compiled a guide that will help you to discover your skin tone.

Article Contains

Determine Your Skin Tone

Skin Tone: What is it?
Skin Undertone: What is it?
How to Find Out Your Skin Tone?

Determine Your Skin Tone

Skin Tone: What is it?

The skin tone you have is a genetically endowed melanin in the epidermis. Melanin is the complex polymer which is produced by cells known as melanocytes.
It refers to a group of black or dark brown pigments which occur naturally in human skin. You can use when your skin is exposed to the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun, melanocytes kick into overdrive as the natural way of defense.
This leads to the production of melanin which spreads across the epidermis which then gets absorbed by the harmful rays of the sun.
Hence, determining the skin tone will depend on how much you are exposed unprotected to the sun and the skin tone that you were born with.

[ Read: How to Choose Right Foundation for Your Skin Tone ]

There are Three Primary Skin Tone Categories

(i) Light:

They are generally quite sensitive to the sun and burn much faster than darker skin.

(ii) Medium:

It is also referred to as olive skin tone. This tone has a well-balanced appearance and tan in the sun.

(iii) Dark:

These have maximum exposure to ultraviolet radiation and are more prone to hyperpigmentation.

Skin Undertone: What is it?

When you shop for makeup products, you might have heard the term neutral, warm, or cool which describes the various types of skin tone.
These terms are associated with the undertone of the skin or the muted color beneath the surface of the skin.
Take this as a kind of shadow which is present in the skin all the time. Even though skin tone might change, the undertone is going to remain the same.
You have to know how to determine the skin tone for finding out the right kind of cosmetic as it largely depends on finding the right undertone.
The cool undertone has pink and red with a hint of blue.
Warm has peachy, yellow, and golden hues.
Neutral has a balanced or mix of olive shades.
The color at the surface of the skin might appear ruddy but the undertone can be yellow or golden. Thus decide on the skin tone for concealer, foundation, or any other type of cosmetics, give importance to the undertone.

How to Find Out Your Skin Tone?

Check Your Face in Natural Light

In case you notice a grey tone while applying makeup, the foundation does not complement the undertone. Wash your face to clear up grime. Wait for about 15 minutes and look for natural light as lighting has an effect on the appearance of the skin. Move towards a properly lit window to find out the color of the surface skin. Match the foundation color to your jaw.

The Gold and Silver Test

Silver can complement your skin tone better than gold if you have a cool undertone. In case you have warmer skin tone, then gold is going to look better. Use jewelry while shopping.

Check Your Veins

Bring your skin to natural light and check the vein appearance beneath your skin. In case the veins appear purple or blue, you have cool skin tone. When the veins appear greenish-blue or green, it means you have a warm skin tone. If you are unable to tell if the veins are blue or green, you might have a neutral skin tone.