Whether you want to choose the right shade of foundation or figure out which hair colour will suit you the best, knowing your skin tone and undertone can be really beneficial for you!
However, you might get confused with how to determine them. We understand your concern! That’s why we have come to solve your problem.
In this article, we will tell you the right way of knowing your skin tone and undertone easily. So keep reading till the end!
The Difference Between Your Skin Tone & Skin Undertone
Before we tell you how to know your skin tone and undertone, let’s first explain to you how they differ:
1. Skin Tone
Simply put, skin tone, also known as complexion, is the color of the surface of your skin. It is determined by the levels of melanin (color pigment) in your body.
The 3 main types of skin tones are:
- Light skin tone.
- Medium skin tone.
- Dark skin tone.
2. Skin Under Tone
Skin undertone, on the other hand, is the subtle colour that is reflected beneath your skin’s surface. However, you must keep in mind that your skin undertone is not similar to your skin tone.
Even people with fair skin can have a warm undertone and people with darker skin can have a cool undertone.
The 3 main types of skin undertones are:
- Warm undertone (such as yellow, golden and, peach, etc.)
- Cool undertone (such as pinkish, rosy and blueish, etc.)
- Neutral undertone (It is almost similar you your skin tone)
How To Know Your Skin Tone?
Now that you know the difference between skin tone and undertone, here are 3 simple ways to determine your skin tone:
1. See The Colour Of Your Jawline
Your jawline is the least affected area of your face over its other areas. Its colour remains the same, due to which beauty experts recommend testing the shade of a foundation on your jawline.
All you need to do is to stand in front of a mirror and try to figure out if your jawline appears fair, medium, or dark.
2. Pay Attention To How People Describe You
Well, this isn’t a foolproof way of knowing your skin tone, but can still prove to be helpful. If people describe you as “fair” then you have a light skin tone.
If they describe you as wheatish or tan, then you have medium skin tone and if they call you brown, then probably you have a dark skin tone.
3. Test With A White T-Shirt
To do this simple test, you need to wear a white T-shirt and stand in front of a mirror and examine how your skin looks.
- If your skin looks yellowish in a white T-shirt, your skin tone is medium.
- If your skin looks pinkish or blueish in a white shirt, your skin tone is light.
- If your skin looks brown or orange in a white T-shirt, then probably your skin tone is dark.
How To Determine Your Skin Undertone?
We have listed down 4 easy ways to know your skin undertone:
1. Consider Your Skin’s Reaction to the Sun
Knowing how your skin reacts to sunlight may also help to determine your skin undertone.
- If your skin gets tan easily but doesn’t burn, it is because the melanin levels of your body are high and thus, you have a warm undertone.
- If you don’t get tan easily but your skin burns often, then probably you have a cool skin undertone.
- However, if your skin first burns and then gets tan, your undertone is neutral.
2. White Paper To The Rescue!
Take a piece of white paper and fold it in half. Hold it up to your face in bright, natural light. You have a cool undertone if your face seems pink or rosy.
Your undertone is warm if your face looks yellow and you have a neutral undertone if it looks cream/off white.
3. Check The Colour Of Veins
Checking the colour of your wrists and face veins is an easy way to know your skin undertone.
- You have a cool undertone if your veins appear purple or blue.
- You have a warm undertone if your veins appear green.
- You probably have a neutral undertone if you can’t figure out the colour of your veins.
4. Conduct A Simple Jewelry Test
Your jewellery can also help you to determine your undertone. Just take a piece of gold and silver jewellery and see which is more flattering on your skin.
- You have a cool undertone if silver looks more flattering on your skin.
- You have a warm undertone if gold looks more flattering on your skin.
- You have a neutral undertone if both gold and silver jewellery suits your skin.
FAQs
1. Is there any way to change my skin colour permanently?
Sunlight, the build-up of dead skin cells and, pollution, etc., can temporarily steal your glow and make your skin appear dull and tan. While you can fix this by using various home remedies, but it is not possible to permanently change your skin tone.
2. Will my skin undertone change over time?
Ageing results in the unequal distribution of pigment cells, which in turn can make certain areas of your body appear darker as you age. However, your undertone will remain the same.
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Best Tan Removal Face Packs In India
Conclusion
Each of us is unique and so is our skin tone. By now, we hope you are aware of how to determine your skin tone and undertone.
Knowing them is important to select the right shades of makeup and hair colour, etc., for yourself.
If you still have any doubts, feel free to type them in the comment section below. We will be delighted to help you!
