How to determine your skin tone and color type

If you’re unsure of your skin tone and color type, selecting the ideal shade for your manicure or pedicure can be a little challenging. Knowing these factors can significantly alter how nail art and colors appear on you. Selecting a color that goes well with your natural skin tone and improves your appearance as a whole is more important than just choosing one you like.

Your skin tone, which can vary from warm and cool to neutral, is basically the underlying color of your skin. You can look at the veins on your wrist to determine this. You probably have a cool tone if they seem bluish or purple; if they seem greenish, you probably have a warm tone. If you are having trouble deciding on a color, you may fit into the neutral category, which is very adaptable.

Once you’ve determined your skin tone, you can complement it with hues that accentuate your best features. For instance, earthy hues like terracotta and olive go well with warm tones, while sapphire and lavender work well with cool tones. Conversely, neutral tones can work with a variety of hues, from striking reds to delicate pastels.

You can choose nail colors that go well with your personal style and enhance your inherent beauty by being aware of your skin tone and color type. Thus, keep these suggestions in mind the next time you’re selecting a new nail polish to ensure that your manicure or pedicure feels and looks amazing.

Method	Description
Check your veins	Look at the veins on your wrist. If they appear blue or purple, you likely have a cool undertone. If they look greenish, you have a warm undertone.
Jewelry test	Try on gold and silver jewelry. If gold looks better on you, you have warm undertones. If silver looks better, you have cool undertones.
White paper test	Hold a piece of white paper next to your face. If your skin looks more yellow, you have warm undertones. If it looks

Warm and cold colors

The color wheel is where it all begins. In its traditional configuration, it has six colors that repeat the hues of the rainbow; however, only blue and blue on the color wheel are combined into one because they have different saturation options for the same color:

• red;
• orange;
• yellow;
• green;
• blue;
• violet.

There are intermediate colors in between the six color wheel cells: red-orange, which is between red and orange, and yellow-green, which is between yellow and green. Every hue in the circle has a distinct temperature.

Temperature-dependent colors include:

• warm. These include colors in which yellow predominates in the undertone;
• cold. Here blue becomes the key in the undertone.

Similar to lamps, there are two types of light: warm light, which emits yellow or even orange light, and cold light, which is just light and gives off blue light.

However, not everything is that easy. You will notice that different tones of the same color can have different temperatures if you widen the color wheel and add intermediate shades.

Take green, for instance. It is situated on the boundary between warm and cold on the color wheel, between yellow and blue.

Because blue makes up a larger percentage of a turquoise shade of green than yellow, the result is a typical cold color. Additionally, lime, which is a yellow-green blend, produces a beautiful warm shade.

Red works in the same way. Scarlet is significantly warmer than raspberry.

The aforementioned undertones are the reason for this. An additional shade that is not immediately visible to the eye is called an undertone. After adding a second color—for example, purple to red—to the primary color, the undertone is created. The undertone controls the skin’s temperature as well as that of makeup and clothing.

The ability to differentiate between warm and cold hues will be useful when selecting makeup and wardrobe, so it’s best to learn it once and use it consistently when applying eyebrow pencils or other cosmetics.

How to determine skin temperature

Let’s first discuss skin tone temperature; we will discuss general color types in the following section.

Therefore, there are three variations of the appearance’s temperature, unlike the color wheel:

• warm – with a predominance of yellow;
• cold – with a predominance of blue;
• neutral – when no color is expressed.

You could spend endlessly examining your skin and face to find the appropriate tones to gauge the temperature, but it would be far simpler to perform a few quick tests first:

1. Look at the veins in the wrist area, where an IV is usually placed. If the veins are bluish, then you belong to the cold type, if green or greenish-blue, then to the warm;
2. Remember how the skin behaves when you try to tan. "Warm" girls almost never burn, and "cold" girls do it very quickly. If the skin has a warm tone, the tan is even and without much effort. "Cold" skin remains pale even after burning;
3. Use a white sheet of paper. In natural light, go to the mirror and put a clean sheet of paper to your face. The contrast will show what tone prevails in your skin – if pinkish – this is a cold type, yellowish – warm;
4. Gold and silver patch. Take a small strip of silver and gold fabric or foil and wrap it around your wrist. The right patch will complement the skin, fill it with a pleasant color, and the wrong one will make it painful. Gold here acts as warmth, and silver as cold.

Defining the color type

A person’s appearance can be categorized into one of four types based on a set of color characteristics known as their color type:

Since each era has unique colors that are unique to it, the relationship between color types and seasons is not coincidental. Furthermore—more on that later—the air temperature is not a deciding factor in this case.

The following elements influence the color type determination:

• skin;
• hair;
• eyes;
• contrast of the criteria listed above.

The method for taking skin temperature was previously discussed. Let’s now examine the remaining requirements.

Hair

As we mentioned earlier, the same color can be warm or cold in different shades, so when assessing hair, you should consider the shade rather than the color. It’s also critical to keep in mind that assessing the natural color is necessary because only then can you obtain an impartial image.

Golden and reddish hues are considered warm hair tones; the primary color of the hair does not matter.

Red and golden tones are excluded from their undertone, which defines "cold" hair. Ash blondes, for instance, are considered "cold" since they lack gold and red in their hair.

There are instances where ashen hair even shows hints of red or gold. This implies that you must consider additional factors when identifying the color type.

Eyes

It can be challenging to identify the temperature of the iris because it is hard to picture clearly warm or cold tones in this situation. However, it is still important to examine the iris’s color because you might have a clear-cut shade.

Warm ones consist of

• amber;
• gold;
• olive;
• light brown.

Cold ones consist of

• gray with a steel tint;
• icy blue;
• bright blue;
• dark brown without inclusions.

The primary criterion for identifying the eye color type cannot be the above eye shades because they are uncommon.

Contrast and color type

After letting your hair down, glance in the mirror. It’s best to avoid wearing makeup that over-distorts your skin’s natural tone.

• skin and hair contrast. A striking example is natural brunettes with porcelain skin;
• skin and hair echo. For example, red hair and skin with a gold tint.

Four combinations can be created using the criteria that have been gathered:

1. Cold type and contrasting appearance;
2. Cold type and overlapping appearance;
3. Warm type and contrasting appearance;
4. Warm type and overlapping appearance.

Winter

You are a "winter" color type if, when calculating your body temperature, you discovered that your skin tone is chilly and that your hair matches this. Individuals with this color type typically have light skin, bright eyes (green, blue, or dark brown without gold inclusions on the iris), and dark hair in shades of black, brown, or chestnut.

Summer

You fit the "summer" color type if the type is chilly but the overall composition appears monochromatic. Summer girls are identified by their similar skin tone and icy-colored hair. The skin is typically olive-gray or pinkish, and the hair has an ashy hue.

Autumn

You are "autumn" with a warm tone and a contrasting image. Copper-colored, reddish-brown hair and golden complexion are characteristics of open girls. Most people’s eyes are brown, but they can also be hazel or amber.

Spring

Spring: these are warm-toned girls who share a similar appearance devoid of sharp contrasts. The primary trait is fair skin and hair. Eyes are typically light as well. Their hue will undoubtedly be warm even if the iris is brown.

In order to select manicure and pedicure colors that enhance your inherent beauty, it is essential to comprehend your skin tone and color preferences. Determine the warm, cool, or neutral undertones of your skin to help you choose nail polish colors that will complement your overall look and draw attention to your hands and feet. To help you confidently choose shades that enhance and flatter your style, this guide will take you through a series of easy steps to determine your skin tone and color type.

Decorative cosmetics by color type

Eyebrows ought to complement skin, eyes, and hair color. The skin’s temperature must be known in order to match the tone precisely and avoid drawing attention to artificially created eyebrows.

Summer

In line with the hair type, the summer color type’s eyebrows should be cool. Ash tones and brown tones with a hint of gray will look fantastic.

Choices:

• Brow Artist Expert pencil in the shade "cool blond" from L"Oreal.

• pencil No. 100 taupe from Luxvisage.

Regarding additional summertime decorative makeup, it is best to use gray-brown shadows and light pink or occasionally blue-lilac for staining the eyelids. Look closely at NYX’s ULTIMATE SHADOW PALETTE shade Ash10 if you decide on a multicolored palette; it has great cold colors.

Cold pink, such as that offered by Flovera under number 04, goes well with blush.

Winter

We suggest paying closer attention to any cold shades that have a hint of gray if you are a cold girl who falls into the "winter" color type.

Choices:

• eyebrow pencil COUP DE GÉNIE №003 from Vivienne Sabo;

• NYX Black 05 eyebrow lipstick

• NYX No. 01 double eyebrow shadows – black and gray.

Steer clear of any trace of redness; it is a sign of warmth and looks unsuitable on a chilly face. The summer type is likewise covered by this rule.

Silver, gray, black, rich purple, and green are appropriate shadow colors. Nearly every hue suggested for "winter" can be found in the Lime Crime palette.

Remember that black arrows go well with "winter," which accentuates the contrast with the aristocracy.

Spring

Warm springtime girls with warm hair, whose brown hue blends harmoniously with the gold blond hue of their eyebrows—a brown tone with a tint. If not, examine each of the brown hues more closely, as they are chosen based on the degree of saturation in the hair color.

Choices:

• pencil "Blond" from Anastasia Beverly Hills;

Pastel if eyeshadow is used. The most popular eyeshadow colors for "spring" are golden brown, light peach, and beige. A stunning peach palette named "Peach" from the ColourPop collection.

It’s also advised to consider peach when selecting blush. They ought to be delicate and light, highlighting the image’s general warmth, as in PuroBio brand’s No. 3.

Autumn

We advise selecting a pencil for autumn according to hair type. Rich brown, classic brown, and terracotta shades work best on reddish-brown or copper-colored hair.

Examine pencils with a red undertone more closely if your hair has a reddish hue. Typically, they go by the name "Mahogany" or a similar term.

• pencil Tony Moly lovely eyebrow pencil №4;

• lipstick from Colourpop Brow Colour in the shade "Arched Auburn".

When choosing pigmented products for the eyebrows, all of these guidelines come into play.

The suggestions for the remaining decorative cosmetics are comparable to those for "spring." Blush can be worn in beige, peach, or coral tones. Shade 03 from PuroBio, which was previously mentioned, will work.

Select shadows in tones of peach, warm brown, copper, gold, and khaki. In terms of color schemes, the NYX Ultimate Shadow Palette – Warm Neutrals №03 palette is among the best.

The products featured in this article were chosen based on online swatches provided by the manufacturers. The shade may vary based on screen settings and color perception. We advise examining the swatches in an actual store before making a purchase.

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Finding your skin tone and color type is about more than just style; it’s about enhancing your inherent beauty and boosting your self-esteem. Finding out your undertones—warm, cool, or neutral—will help you select manicure and pedicure colors that really work with your style.

Knowing your undertones can significantly alter how colors look on you. For example, warm tones go well with hues like coral and gold, whereas cool tones might work better with hues like silver or sapphire. You can play around with a greater variety of colors thanks to the versatility that neutral undertones provide.

It’s also critical to keep in mind the importance of individual preference. The best color choices are those that make you feel amazing, even though there are some that may technically match your skin tone better. Embrace your gut and enjoy experimenting with various hues and looks.

Ultimately, understanding your skin tone will make your decisions easier, but ultimately, it will be your distinct sense of style and individuality that will come through. Accept the hues that best suit you, and enjoy using your manicure and pedicure choices to express who you are!