Having a cool skin undertone means your skin has blue, pink, or red undertones. Determining your undertones can help you find colors that truly complement your natural beauty. The right color palette helps bring out your best features and allows your inner glow to shine through. Keep reading to learn more about cool undertone skin and the best color palettes to make you look and feel your very best.
How to determine if you have cool undertones
There are a few ways to determine if your skin’s undertones are cool:
- Veins – Look at the veins on your wrist. If they appear blue or purple, you likely have cool undertones.
- Jewelry – Does silver jewelry tend to look better on you than gold? This indicates cool undertones.
- Clothing – Do you look better in cool, icy colors like blues, greens, and purples rather than warm colors like yellow, orange, and red? Cool undertones prefer cool hues.
- Hair & Eyes – Cool undertones typically have hair in ash blonde, brown, or black shades. Eye color is often blue, green, gray, or hazel.
If most of the above descriptions fit you, you likely have a cool skin tone. But the very best way to be sure is to drape various color fabrics against your face in natural lighting. Cool skin will be most radiant beside cool, icy fabrics.
Best color palettes for cool undertones
Choosing colors that work in harmony with your natural cool undertone is key. Here are some of the most flattering color palettes to try:
Cool Summer
The Cool Summer palette includes soft, muted cool colors like:
- Blues – ice blue, sky blue, steel blue
- Greens – sage, mint, seafoam
- Purples – orchid, lilac, lavender
- Pinks – mauve, rose, baby pink
- Grays
- Silvers
These tranquil cool hues complement fair, cool skin beautifully. Cool Summers look best in colors that are harmonious, not contrasting. Stay away from overpowering brights and stick to muted tones in this calming palette.
Deep Winter
The Deep Winter palette encompasses deeper, richer cool tones like:
- Blues – navy, royal blue, cobalt
- Greens – emerald, forest green
- Purples – eggplant, violet
- Pinks – fuchsia, magenta
- Rich neutrals – charcoal, pewter
This bold palette adds drama and intensity for those with very fair, cool skin and dark hair. Deep Winters can wear strong, dark colors without overwhelming their complexions. Keep makeup and accessories simple to let these hues take center stage.
Cool & Clear Winter
The Cool & Clear Winter palette features:
- Blues – cerulean, icy blue
- Pinks – cherry blossom, watermelon
- Purples – amethyst, plum
- True reds
- Black
- White
This palette has intense, saturated shades that make fair skin with pink or neutral undertones pop. Cool & Clear Winters have a distinctive contrast between their skin, eyes, and hair that allow them to wear these strong colors beautifully.
Bright Winter
The Bright Winter palette has icy, vivid colors like:
- Blues – bright blue, royal blue, teal
- Greens – kelly green, emerald green
- Purples – jewel purple, fuchsia
- Pinks – neon pink, magenta
- Red
- Black
This exciting palette packs a punch for those with fair, neutral-pink skin and cool undertones. Bright Winters have a high contrast between their skin, eyes, and hair that allows them to wear these saturated shades without washing out their complexions.
Tips for wearing cool color palettes
Here are some top tips for rocking your cool color palette:
- Choose cool reds and pinks over orangey shades which may clash.
- Metallic silver looks more flattering than gold.
- Pick cool browns, grays, and blacks over warm ones.
- Try icy pastels like mint green, baby blue, and lavender.
- Incorporate white to add brightness and contrast.
- Match your lipstick and blush to your cool undertones.
- Look for enamel blues and greens to make eyes pop.
How to avoid an unflattering color palette
Steer clear of these color palette mistakes for cool undertones:
- Avoid warm auburns, coppers, mustard yellows, and pumpkin orange.
- Don’t go too light or washed out with pastels.
- Ditch warm reds and oranges for cool berry reds and pinks.
- Skip matte yellow-toned foundation and opt for ones with pink/neutral undertones.
- Don’t go too dark with color – stay within your color season palette.
Stick with harmonious cool colors in your color palette to complement your skin’s natural undertone. Warm colors tend to clash and make skin look sallow.
Best makeup colors for cool undertones
| Makeup Product | Best Colors |
|---|---|
| Foundation | Neutral, pink, beige |
| Concealer | Pink, peach |
| Blush | Mauve, rose, pink, plum |
| Lipstick | Mauve, berry, wine, pink, red-violet |
| Eyeshadow | Lavender, plum, navy, emerald |
| Eyeliner | Black, gray, navy, violet |
| Mascara | Black, gray |
Choose makeup in rosy, berry tones rather than warm oranges and browns. Read labels and descriptions to find the right undertones. Test colors in natural lighting to find the most flattering shades.
Best clothing colors for cool undertones
Cool undertone skin looks great in these clothing shades:
- Blues – periwinkle, steel gray, navy
- Greens – seafoam, olive, forest green
- Purples – lilac, lavender, plum
- Grays
- Emerald
- Ruby
- Pink
- Ivory
Avoid warm earth tones like mustard yellow, rust orange, and yellow-toned greens. Stick to cool jewel tones, and icy pastels to complement your skin.
Best hair colors for cool undertones
Those with cool undertones look great with these hair colors:
- Platinum blonde
- Ash blonde
- Strawberry blonde
- Golden blonde
- Auburn red
- Chestnut brown
- Black
Avoid brassy warm blondes and oranges. Any fashion hair color will look best in cool and neutral tones rather than warm golden hues.
Conclusion
Finding the most flattering color palette for your cool undertone skin can give you a gorgeous glow. Use icy pastels, ruby reds, sapphire blues, and emerald greens in your makeup, clothing, and hair colors. Steer clear of warm earth tones and orangey shades. Stick within your cool color seasons like Summer, Winter, and Flowing Spring for the most harmonious look.
With the right cool color palette, your inner radiance will shine through – so embrace these hues and your natural beauty!
