What’s My Undertone?: A Full Guide to Finding Yours

Photography by Nicole York. Makeup by Danielle Bridges.

Undertones are one of those beauty concepts that everyone thinks they understand, until their foundation oxidises, the bronzer they were sure would be perfect actually looks grey, and they’ve spent £36.99 to look like they’re unwell in every bit of lighting, except the one in their room.

The usual advice, honestly, is not always helpful. 

It’s always about checking your veins, whether you tan or burn, or the type of jewellery you look best in. 

These tips do work, for some. But, often, they can be vague, not necessarily culturally inclusive, and may fall apart if you are black, a mix of undertones, or simply just can’t tell whether your veins are looking “blue” or “green” under your bedroom light.

So let’s break it down for all confusion levels.

Image Credit: The Fine Refine. Columns: Cool, Neutral, Warm

Firstly, What Are Undertones?

Your skin tone is the depth of your complexion e.g. light, medium, deep, etc.

Your undertone is the subtle sort of cast beneath that. It’s typically quite consistent and shouldn’t change with seasons, sun, or skincare. It’s kind of like the “temperature” of your skin. 

Think:

Warm (golden, yellow, perhaps peachy)

Cool (pinks, reds, blues)

Neutral (a mix, or neither)

Imagine painting a room. Think of your skin tone as the colour of the paint, and your undertone as the lighting in that room. The paint will always be the same colour, but the “vibe” of the room can change everything.

The classic test says blue veins = cool, green veins = warm, and if you can’t tell, you’re probably neutral.

Image Credit: The Fine Refine. Columns: Cool, Neutral, Warm

Whilst useful, this tends to fall apart when you’re darker-skinned and your veins aren’t entirely visible, or you’re olive, golden-brown, or have multiple tones on different parts of your body. It could even be your room lighting, tattoos, or skin conditions affecting vein visibility. 

Here are some ways that might be clearer (and more inclusive) to help you figure it out, if you’re struggling.

Clothing Contrast Test 

Try picking out two tops or fabrics from your wardrobe - one in cooler tones (e.g. a true white, an icier shade of pink or a more cobalt blue colour) and one in warmer tones (think more off-white, mustard yellow, or a warmer red).

You could also do this in a shop! Make it a fun day out, (depending on your definition of fun) and consider taking a friend.

If you find that you look more vibrant in the warm colours, it’s likely you’re warm.

If you feel like you shine in cool colours, you’re likely cool.

If you feel like you look good in both, but neither looks perfect, it’s likely you’re neutral.

This method isn’t bulletproof and may still be confusing, but it tends to work better than jewellery because most people mix metals, or accessorise according to their outfit choice, and, honestly, gold vs silver isn’t so universal anymore. 

Take Clues From Your Foundation & Concealer

Foundation matching can be tricky. There is no universal shade guide and different brands tend to have varying interpretations of warm and cool. 

BUT, as a general rule, if you find your foundation tends to pull grey or ashy, it’s too cool for you. If it’s orange or reddish, it’s too warm for you, and if it’s just dull, flat or lifeless, then you might be neutral (or maybe just using the wrong depth!)

If you’ve tried multiple, look at the foundations that have worked for you. What do their undertones say? Most brand websites typically name them.

Note: Test Things On Your Chest

Typically, your face can be affected by acne, redness, or, commonly, hyperpigmentation. Your hands may tan in the sun. Your chest often tends to be your truest undertone, especially for brown and black skin.

Compare how foundations, jewellery, or fabrics look on your chest vs your jaw. If you feel they are more congruous with your chest, then match to that tone.

Image: Mikai McDermott

It’s Always Worth Also Looking at People With Similar Skin Depth

Find beauty creators who have similar skin tone and textural concerns to you (hyperpigmentation, rosacea, etc). What brands work for them? What undertones do they typically go for?

Some great options to get started with:

Warm: Uche Natori, Makeup by Chelsea, Olivia Ancell

Cool: Tammi Clarke, Alexandra Pereira

Neutral: Mikai McDermott, Esantoinette

Olive: Monica Ravichandran

Olive Skin and Mixed Undertones

So what about olive “undertones”? Not to confuse you anymore, but olive is actually what we’d call an overtone. It just means that your skin has a grey and/or green cast over it. It’s a tone over your skin depth, in addition to your cool, neutral or warm undertone. This means it may not necessarily present neatly into any of the above categories. That’s why many olive-skinned people (especially those with South Asian, Mediterranean, Arab or Latin heritage) find foundations tend to look too pink or too yellow. 

It’s important to look for explicitly “olive” labelled shades or neutral-olive bases. It’s not a perfect rule, but it is usually a better option. 

In terms of mixed undertones, they can be tricky, despite how common they are. Especially if you have redness, hyperpigmentation around your mouth or eyes, or uneven tones from sun damage or eczema. 

In that case, you can colour correct for evenness, or use a more neutral foundation as a base and adjust with a warm/cool bronzer, blush, or concealer as needed. Maybe both for complete safety!

It’s really important to think of your face like a palette or mood-board, a single swatch is rarely effective. 

In Summary:

Warm

Looks great in mustard and gold. Looks dull in icy pink. Foundation is often too red/orange.

Cool

Looks best in blue and silver. Goes red in the sun. Foundation often turns grey.

Neutral

Looks good in both warm and cool. Foundation often looks too yellow or too pink.

Olive

Looks greenish or grey in most shades. Neither cool or warm works perfectly.

Mixed

More common than you think. Typically has both warm and cool areas, and usually redness and/or dullness. Most often requires a custom combination. 

Undertones aren’t about race, or depth, or even a perfect answer, they’re about learning how colour behaves on your skin. The beauty industry doesn’t always cater to the full spectrum, but the knowledge is definitely out there, and once you have it, your beauty routine will never be the same.