We’ve heard it before, “Are you warm or cool?” Translation: Which colors work best with your skin’s undertone? Understanding the “color wheel” sounds overwhelming, but we’ve got you! Our Stylists are here to break it down with this easy-to-understand guide on how to find your undertone and the colors that look best on you.
Neutral, cool or warm? How to find your undertone
Use our easy checklists to find your skin’s neutral, cool or warm undertone
When we talk about dressing for our skin tone, we’re really speaking to skin undertones (not the actual color of our skin). But what, exactly, is your skin’s “undertone,” and how do you identify it? While skin tones range from fair to dark, undertones are the cool, warm or neutral tinges underneath your complexion. We like to think of it this way: your skin’s tone may vary from season to season (especially if you’re soaking up the sun) but your undertone never changes. Now that we know what undertones are, let’s figure out how to tell if yours are warm, cool or neutral.
How to tell if you have cool-toned skin
Complexions with cool skin undertones have hints of blue or pink, and correspond to the cool side of the color wheel (which features deep green, blue and purple). Check out these 3 easy ways to determine if you have cool-toned skin.
- Look at the veins in your wrist in bright lighting. If your veins appear blue, you have a cool undertone.
- Grab a true white t-shirt, find a spot of natural light and hold the shirt up next to your clean face. Note: Do this without makeup on to get an unaffected read of your natural undertone. Compared to the white shirt, does your complexion look pink or rosy? If yes, then you’re cool-toned.
- Grab a few jewelry pieces, or think about your most-loved baubles. Cool tones are more likely to be complemented by white gold, platinum or silver jewelry.
Did you answer yes to 2 or more? Your undertones are cool. Not you? Keep going to confirm a warm or neutral undertone.
How to tell if you have warm-toned skin
Warm skin undertones are complexions with peach and golden hues. They correspond to the warm side of the color wheel (which features fiery red, orange and yellow). Check out these 3 easy ways to determine if you have warm-toned skin.
- Look at the veins in your wrist in bright lighting. If your veins appear green, you have a warm undertone.
- Grab a true white t-shirt, find a spot of natural light and hold the shirt next to your clean face (remember, no makeup!). Does your complexion look yellow, peach or golden next to the white? If yes, then you’re warm-toned.
- Examine your go-to jewelry pieces. Warm tones are most complemented by yellow gold.
If you have green veins, a golden undertone next to a white shirt, and you shine in true gold jewelry, congrats: you have a beautiful warm skin tone.
How to tell if you have neutral-toned skin
What is a neutral skin tone? If neither of the cool or warm-toned tests clearly indicated cool or warm, you might be a hybrid of both. Neutral skin undertones strike a balance between warm and cool tones, and correspond to the sections of the color wheel where warm and cool intersect (think pale green, muted yellow and reddish purple). Here’s our 3-item checklist for neutral skin tones.
- Neutral skin tones have veins whose color appears to be bluish-green.
- The white t-shirt test will reveal balanced undertones that appear yellowish-pink.
- Neutral skin tones are complemented by both gold and silver jewelry.
The key to neutral skin tones is balance. If you scored pretty evenly across the tests, you might have a mesmerizing neutral undertone. You might also be neutral but leaning cool, or neutral and leaning warm. This isn’t an exact science, so find what makes sense for you.
Best color for your skin tone
Now that you can identify your skin’s undertone, scroll on to find the hues that’ll best complement your complexion. Remember that there are always exceptions, and the only color rule we always follow is this: if you feel amazing in a color, then wear it!
Which colors look best on cool-toned skin?
Take inspiration from the cool end of the spectrum. Think: sky blues, cobalt, frosty purples, emerald greens, light grassy tones and anything pastel. Our Stylist Molly says, “Jewel tones are your new best friend! If you have a lot of neutrals in your wardrobe, add jewel tone layering pieces like a fuschia blazer or emerald green jacket to give them new life.” Avoid palettes that are bright orange or yellow—they may overpower you.
Which colors look best on warm-toned skin?
Take inspiration from the warm end of the spectrum. Think fiery reds, oranges, rusty tones, creams, camel and all things earth tones. If you love cool hues, opt for warmer versions of the cool color families, such as olive, fuschia, violet and orchid. Stylist Molly says, “Bring natural autumn colors into your wardrobe to capture that warm, earth-toned look.” Avoid very dark colors like gray or black that mute the warmth in your skin.
Which colors look best on neutral-toned skin?
Take inspiration in the harmony between warm and cool and play with colors that fall in the middle of the spectrum, like jade, dusty rose and muted tones of coffee brown and off-white. Stylist Molly says, “Have fun with a monochromatic look in softer tones such as mauve or dusty blue.” Avoid colors that are too bright or neon, which might throw you off-balance.
Get Styles for Your Neutral, Cool or Warm Undertone
Still craving more expert Stylist advice? For a deeper dive into dressing for your skin tone, check out our guide to Dressing for Your Skin Tone with even more tips on building a colorful wardrobe.
The final step is to enlist a real expert. Take your style quiz and let your Stylist know your skin’s undertone and what colors you’d like to try. Then sit back and relax as you wait for your color-full new items to arrive. Try on your personalized pieces in the comfort of your home. Keep what you like and send back the rest (free shipping and returns, of course). With Stitch Fix, it’s just that simple.