If you struggle with finding your correct foundation shade, the process could be made simpler by understanding your undertone. Knowing your undertone helps to harmonize skin tones by balancing it with the appropriate foundations and concealers.
WHAT IS AN UNDERTONE?
Skin tones range from very fair to very deep and may change throughout the year depending on your exposure to sunlight. However, undertones never changes. Undertone is your skin's underlying hue. It refers to the natural colors underneath your skin.
TYPES OF UNDERTONES
There are three types of undertones
- Warm: these undertones range from golden to yellow to peachy undertones
- Cool: these undertones range from pink to red or bluish undertones
- Neutral: A mixture of warm and cool undertones. Your undertones are very similar to your actual skin tone
IDENTIFYING MY UNDERTONE
Here are some test to help you identify your undertone:
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The Pure White Test.
Grab a pure white shirt or piece of clothing or even a piece of white paper. In natural light hold the item to your face. If your skin looks pink or rosy your undertone is cool. If you face looks more yellow or peachy your undertone is warm. Another way to tell if you are warm-toned is if look good in off white, creamy hues. If you can wear pure white or creamy hues without looking washed out you may have a neutral undertone.
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The Vein Test
You can check the veins around your face or neck or inner wrist to identify. If your veins are greenish you have warm undertones. If your veins are blue or purple colored you have cool undertones. If your veins give off a bluish green or greenish blue hue then you are neutral.
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The Jewelry Test
Comparing how gold versus silver looks against your skin can be a helpful way to identify your undertone. If you look great in gold or yellow jewelry, then you most likely to have warm or olive undertones. If you navigate towards silver, platinum, and rose gold pieces then you more than likely have cool undertones. If both silver and gold compliments you then you have neutral undertones.
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Center Face Test
The center of your face will give you the most accurate depiction of your undertone. If you find more yellow or golden or peachy tones peeping through the center of your face then you have a warm undertone. If you find that you have pink or rosy tones peeping through the center of your face then your undertone is cool. If your center looks most like your skin tone then you are neutral.
MATCHING THE UNDERTONE TO THE FOUNDATION.
Now that we have identified our undertones how do we find which foundation works for us? Your ideal shade may vary from brand to brand. When shopping you will find that undertones are not usually labeled.
Follow these guidelines when selecting your shade of foundations.
- Cool Undertones: If you have a cool undertone look for foundations that look slightly pink. Avoid yellowish foundations as these tend to make the skin look pale.
- In the Unfiltered Foundations our cool shades vary from fair to rich skin tones and are listed below:
- Warm Undertones: If you have warm undertones look for foundations that are a bit yellow.
- In the Unfiltered Foundations our warm shades vary from fair to rich skin tones and are listed below:
- Neutral Undertones: If you have neutral undertones foundations that are both yellow and pink, peach foundations will work.
- In the Unfiltered Foundations our neutral shades vary from fair to rich skin tones and are listed below: