Choosing the right colors to wear can be tricky, especially when trying to determine which shades will be the most flattering for your skin tone. The color of your skin, whether light, medium or dark, has a big impact on how clothing colors look on you. Certain hues help enhance your natural beauty, while others can wash you out or make your complexion appear dull and uneven. When shopping for clothes, makeup and accessories, keep your skin tone in mind to pick options that will make you look your very best.
What Are Skin Undertones?
Before getting into how to choose colors for different skin tones, it’s helpful to understand what skin undertones are. Your skin has an undertone that is either warm, cool or neutral. This refers to the hints of color that come through your complexion underneath the surface. Here’s how to determine your undertone:
| Warm Undertones | – Golden, peachy or yellow hints to skin – Tan easily and rarely burn – Look best in gold jewelry – Veins appear greenish |
| Cool Undertones | – Pink, red or blue hints to skin – Burn easily in the sun – Look best in silver jewelry – Veins appear blue or purple |
| Neutral Undertones | – No strong color hints to skin – Tan evenly and burn sometimes – Look equally good in gold or silver jewelry – Veins are hard to distinguish as blue or green |
Knowing whether your skin leans warm, cool or neutral will help guide you in choosing the most flattering shades to wear.
Best Colors for Light Skin Tones
Those with fair or light skin tend to fall under two main categories:
Light skin with warm undertones
If your light skin has golden, peachy or yellow undertones, these colors will look great on you:
– Ivory, peach, coral, amber, gold
– Chartreuse, olive, moss green, forest green
– Orange, terra cotta, rust, brick red
– Royal blue, aqua, teal, bright pink and purple
Stay away from pastels and muted cool-toned colors like icy pinks, blues and grays, which can make your complexion look washed out.
Light skin with cool undertones
For fair skin with pink, red or blue undertones, these colors are most ideal:
– Icy pastels like mint, lavender, baby blue, lilac
– Rose pinks, ruby reds, bright fuchsia
– Forest greens, emerald greens
– Royal purples, cobalt blues, magenta
Avoid peaches, mustard yellows, orange and terra cotta – these warm shades can make your skin appear ruddy. Stick with cool-toned hues across the color wheel instead.
Most Flattering Colors for Medium Skin
Those with medium or olive skin tones typically look great in these colors:
– Honey, mocha, taupe
– Emerald, jade, forest green
– Golden yellow, mustard, ochre
– Burnt orange, terracotta, brick red
– Royal blue, navy, teal
Stay away from pastels and opt for deeper, jewel-toned colors that make your beautiful complexion glow.
Best Colors for Dark Skin
If you have dark skin, you look gorgeous in these rich, vivid shades:
– Cream, caramel, chestnut
– Deep purple, eggplant, plum
– Ruby, magenta, raspberry red
– Orange, burnt orange, rust
– Teal, cobalt, sapphire
Avoid muted and pale tones that won’t have enough contrast against your darker complexion. Bright, saturated hues look best and make your skin pop.
Most Flattering Clothing Colors for All Skin Tones
No matter your skin tone, these clothing colors tend to look amazing on everyone:
– White – Crisp, classic and elegant
– Black – Striking and slimming
– Navy – Polished and pulls together any outfit
– Red – Empowering, passionate, conveys confidence
– Pink – Fresh, fun and feminine
You really can’t go wrong with these versatile neutral and bold shades. They suit all skin tones.
Picking Makeup Colors Based on Skin Tone
Just like clothing, makeup colors should be selected with your skin tone in mind to help you look radiant and like the best version of yourself. Here are makeup tips for each skin tone:
Light skin:
– Blush – Soft pink, rose, mauve
– Lipstick – Plums, berries, red, pink
– Eyeshadow – Lavender, purple, gray, forest green
Medium skin:
– Blush – Peach, coral, bronze
– Lipstick – Berry, red, coral, peach
– Eyeshadow – Gold, olive, purple, navy
Dark skin:
– Blush – Brick red, cranberry, wine
– Lipstick – Berry, red, magenta, rust
– Eyeshadow – Purple, plum, emerald, teal
Pay attention to undertones too – warm skin looks best in peach undertones, while cool skin pops with pink undertones. Test colors at the makeup counter to find your most flattering shades.
Finding Accessories That Complement Your Skin
Accessories like jewelry, bags, shoes and scarves are another area where your skin tone should guide your selections:
Warm-toned skin: Gold jewelry is your best friend. Metallics like bronze, copper and brass also pop against warmer complexions. Go for rich tones like tan, cognac and warm metallics for shoes and handbags.
Cool-toned skin: Silver, platinum and white gold jewelry make cool undertones dazzle. Icy metallics like steel, pewter and nickel flatter as well. For accessories, gravitate toward pastels, black and cool-toned metallics.
Neutral skin: You get to wear both gold and silver jewelry! Mix and match metals as you wish. Both warm and cool accessory shades suit you.
This quick rundown will help you accessorize in a way that enhances your skin’s natural beauty.
Finding Your Most Flattering Hair Color
Along with clothing, makeup and accessories, your skin tone should also inform your choice of hair color. Here are flattering hair colors for each skin tone:
Light skin: Light to medium blonde, strawberry blonde, auburn, blue-black. Avoid warm tones like orangey copper.
Medium skin: Caramel, honey blonde, chestnut brown, espresso. Stay away from ash blonde and black.
Dark skin: Golden brown, mahogany, plum, jet black. Don’t go lighter than a warm medium blonde.
Getting a hair color that complements your complexion is key. When skin and hair tone work together, your whole look harmonizes beautifully.
Enhancing Skin Tone Through Diet
In addition to choosing colors tailored to your skin, you can also enhance your complexion from the inside out through diet. Certain foods are particularly helpful for brightening skin:
| Foods that Brighten Dull Skin |
|---|
| Tomatoes |
| Spinach |
| Sweet potatoes |
| Papaya |
| Blueberries |
| Salmon |
| Green tea |
| Chia seeds |
| Avocado |
Load up on these antioxidant and vitamin-rich picks to nourish your skin from within and achieve a radiant, even-toned glow. Vitamin E and omega-3s are particularly key for combating dullness.
Drink plenty of water as well to keep your skin hydrated and supple from the inside out. Avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol, which can cause dehydration. Getting enough sleep is also essential for letting your skin renew itself overnight.
With the right diet and lifestyle habits, you can enhance your natural complexion and feel even more beautiful.
How to Determine Your Seasonal Color Palette
Another way to approach choosing colors is by determining your seasonal color palette – the hues that you look best in based on your skin tone, eye color and hair color combined. There are four main seasonal palettes:
Winter: Deep, cool-toned colors like ruby red, royal blue, magenta, icy pink, emerald green
Summer: Soft, light cool-toned colors like sky blue, lavender, plum, seafoam, mint
Spring: Light, bright warm-toned colors like peach, lemon yellow, sage green, coral, turquoise
Autumn: Rich, warm-toned colors like mustard, olive, rust, terracotta, mossy green
Most people fall into either Winter, Summer, Spring or Autumn. To determine which palette flatters you most:
– Drape various colored fabric swatches in front of your face and observe which tones make you look vibrant vs. washed out
– Have a friend or color consultant assess your overall coloring
– Take an online seasonal color analysis quiz
Knowing these harmonizing hues that flatter you specifically can make getting dressed effortlessly stylish.
Tips for Contouring Makeup Based on Skin Tone
When doing contour makeup, shade selection should also align with your skin tone:
Light skin: taupe contour, blush in rosy pinks
Medium skin: neutral brown contour, blush in coral/peach shades
Dark skin: espresso or deep brown contour, raspberry or plum blush
Always opt for matte contour formulas and blend meticulously for the most natural dimension. Contour a few shades darker than your skin and focus color along the hollows of the cheeks, hairline and jawline to subtly sculpt.
How Lighting Affects How Colors Look on Skin Tones
The lighting you’re in can also impact how clothing colors appear on your complexion. Certain lights are more flattering than others:
Natural daylight: Shows true, accurate colors
Warm incandescent light: Enhances warmer tones, can make some colors look unflattering
Cool fluorescent light: Tones down warm shades, boosts cooler shades
Candlelight: Most flattering, romantic lighting, illuminates skin in a soft, gorgeous way
Try on clothing in both natural and artificial light to make sure colors look great in all settings. Dressing room lighting is often overly bright fluorescent – walk outside to double check.
Candlelight is ideal for dinner dates when you want to look especially radiant and beautiful.
Conclusion
Finding colors that complement your unique skin tone can make a world of difference in your appearance and self-confidence. Whether you have fair, medium or dark skin, use these guidelines to determine which clothing colors, makeup shades, hair colors and accessories will make you look and feel your very best. Your complexion sets the foundation for stunning style.
