Neutral Undertone: The Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Perfect Makeup Match

Whether it’s a subtle touch of foundation or a wham-glam look, it’s okay to walk the line between being confident and authentic – but not to walk the line of demarcation. It’s when you catch a glimpse of yourself sporting a visible, harsh line where the foundation ends on your face and meets the skin of your neck or hairline.

We've probably all fallen victim to innocently dotting a foundation that didn’t match our neck and walking the line of frustration of choosing the wrong shade. Finding your neutral undertone is essential for finding your perfect foundation. Need help finding your perfect neutral undertone makeup?

We’ll help break down the different neutral undertones and identify which shades and color palettes best suit your skin to achieve a flawless, natural-looking match. It’s time to walk the line of seamless foundation!

What Is a Neutral Undertone?

Before you walk the makeup line of aisles to find the perfect neutral shade that subtly complements your skin tone, it’s worth knowing you’ve conquered one piece of the puzzle. The crucial piece, and often the most confusing, is figuring out your actual skin undertone. So, what is all this puzzling tone and undertone jargon?

Skin tone is primarily determined by the amount of melanin present in the epidermis: fair, light, medium, or dark, while the undertone is the subtle color beneath your skin’s surface: warm, cool, neutral, or olive. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown of undertones, with neutral undertone colors being a point of focus:

Warm: Characterized by peach, golden, and yellow hues beneath the skin surface.
Cool: Have hints of pink, blue, or red.
Neutral: A balance between warm and cool, with neither yellow nor pink tones dominating.
Olive or Dark: Fall somewhere between warm and neutral, with creamy, beige, and light pink undertones 

So why is an undertone more important than your overall tone? Your skin tone determines the depth of your complexion, but your undertone really matters in beauty since it makes your overall skin tone uniquely yours.

This is the difference between choosing a foundation color that only kinda matches you while your neck color sticks out like a ghost versus finding your true neutral undertone colors for the perfect foundation match. And, most often, when a complexion product looks off, it’s because the undertone doesn’t quite match.

A perfect foundation that matches our skin tone and neutral undertones also flatters our whole makeup and fashion look. It can be like spotting a rare, beautiful rainbow—and not a ghostly one!

How to Determine If You Have a Neutral Undertone

The puzzle we mentioned earlier is not to make undertones sound like something you wouldn’t raise your hand in confidence to answer. It can actually be relatively easy to figure out your neutral undertone makeup once you know a few simple tricks!

Before we get started with the tests to find your neutral undertone colors, it’s important to understand that your undertone can appear as one of six different shades. In the warm family, there’s yellow, peach, and gold. A yellow and gold shade might be more common, but what is peach undertone? We’ll cover that soon!

In the cool family, the skin might appear slightly pink, blue, or red. Below we’ll share a few easy tests and tricks for determining if you have a neutral undertone.

The Vein Test
Find some bright natural lighting, and look at the veins in your wrist. If your veins appear greenish-blue, you have a neutral skin tone.

The Jewelry Test
Do you prefer gold or silver jewelry? Do both metal finishes get you compliments when you wear them? Consider yourself lucky because gold and silver both complement your skin.

White Vs. Cream Test
Find a stark white piece of clothing, preferably a T-shirt or blouse. Compare that to a cream-colored piece of clothing. If you thought you looked washed out or better in off-white clothing, chances are you’re incorrect. Skin with neutral undertones can rock both shades without looking drained of color.

Sun Reaction Test
If you tan evenly with minimal burning, you have neutral undertone colors. However, you still need to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily.

Best Makeup Shades for Neutral Undertones

Now that we’ve got a handle on our neutral skin tone colors with a few easy tests, we’ve got to take the next step into the makeup territory. Choosing the best neutral undertone makeup tailored to your complexion will help you reach that coveted natural look. Otherwise, you could end up walking the line of dreaded demarcation.

Check out our best makeup shades and products for a neutral warm skin tone:

Foundation & Concealer: What to look for

Neutral-based foundations are ideal for neutral undertones because they maintain a balanced, natural look, avoiding the dominance of either warm or cool tones, which can sometimes be achieved with pink or yellow-based foundations. 

Our Fruit Pigmented® 2nd Skin Foundation covers all skin bases and looks and feels like a second skin, with ultralight olive squalane and pure fruit pigments. This antioxidant-rich foundation hydrates while delivering a natural seamless finish, making it ideal for neutral undertone skin.

Blush & Bronzer: Colors that complement is peachy, rose, and light terracotta

Gorgeous shades of blush give cheeks a flush of healthy, natural color that complements neutral undertone skin. Our Fruit Pigmented® Blush in Healthy checks that box and more with an antioxidant-rich formula that softens skin while you wear it, with anti-aging rosehip oil and nourishing cocoa and avocado butter. This bronze-toned coral shade adds a pop of healthy color to the skin.

Eyeshadows: Look for muted taupe’s, browns, and mauves

Let’s not forget our eyes are windows to the soul, and they need the most flattering eye shadow to our neutral undertone for flirty, natural peepers. Our Rose Gold Palette is an ultra-flattering rose gold treasure trove, featuring warm metallics and stunning shimmer from real gemstones. This beautiful makeup palette features rose and copper hues, and shimmery tones; versatile enough to serve both edgy and classic makeup looks; and includes:

Prism: Pale, rose gold highlighter with pearly shimmer
Primp: Coppery, rosy blush with a slight golden shimmer
Luster: Warm bronze eyeshadow with plum undertone and shimmer
Gleam: Pale, rose nude eyeshadow with pink undertone and shimmer
Glimmer: Rose gold eyeshadow with neutral shimmer

Lipsticks: Opt for nude pinks, soft berries, and peachy browns

Are you tired of traditional lipsticks that are loaded with synthetic chemicals? Say hello to our Fruit Pigmented® Cocoa Butter Matte Lipstick, the natural alternative that is free of synthetic chemicals and loaded with nourishing ingredients.

This matte lipstick is formulated with vibrant, long-lasting color from real fruit and a nourishing blend of cocoa and shea butter to moisturize and soften lips. The shade Pink Crayon complements neutral undertone skin with its dusty pink, matte shade sure to color you happy!

Highlighter: Choose subtle champagne and golden undertones

Are you ready to ‘luminize’ your way to glowing skin with real gemstones? Apply our Gemmed Luminizer on your face or anywhere you want to glow, for luminous skin with light-reflecting shimmer. It’s infused with the healing power of real gemstones like Australian opal and sunstone, so you can achieve that healthy glow, naturally.

Neutral Undertone vs. Peach Undertone: What’s the Difference?

We mentioned earlier that yellow and gold undertones are more common than peach tones. However, how does a neutral skin undertone compare with a peach, and moreover, what is peach undertone?

While both neutral and peach undertones can be subtle, neutral undertones are a balanced mix of warm and cool hues, while peach undertones lean towards a warm, slightly orange-pink hue. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown of peach vs. neutral skin tones:

Neutral Undertones:

Neutral undertones are characterized by a balanced mix of both warm and cool hues, meaning they don't strongly lean towards either pink or yellow. Individuals with neutral undertones often find that both warm and cool colors can look flattering on them. 

Peach Undertones (Warm):

Peach undertones are considered a type of warm undertone, which means they have a yellow, golden, or peachy hue. Skin with peach undertones might appear slightly orange-pink, or have a yellow or golden cast.

Key Differences:

Balance vs. Lean:

Neutral undertones are balanced, while peach undertones lean towards the warm side. 

Color:

Neutral undertones are a mix of colors, while peach undertones are more distinctly warm with a peach or orange-pink hue. 

Makeup:

When choosing makeup, those with neutral undertones can often wear a wider range of colors, while those with peach undertones might find that warm or golden shades are more flattering. 

Best Clothing Colors for Neutral Skin Tones

If neutral skin tones seem to have hit the genetic lottery, there are some definite perks to the versatile neutral skin undertone. While finding the perfect makeup match is very important, it’s also crucial to pick neutral skin-tone colors for clothing to really finalize the overall perfect look.

People with neutral skin tones can generally wear a wide range of colors but tend to look best in clothing shades that fall in the middle of the spectrum, like dusty pink, medium green, jade, light peach, and lagoon blue. With the versatility of neutrals, individuals with neutral skin tones can wear earthy tones, soft pastels, and rich jewel tones.

FAQ Section: Neural Undertones

What are the different types of skin tones and how can I identify mine?

Skin tones are generally categorized as fair, light, medium, olive, tan, brown, and deep. To identify your skin tone, observe your skin in natural light. Fair skin tends to burn easily in the sun, while light skin may tan slightly. Medium skin usually tans well, olive skin has a neutral, slightly greenish undertone, tan and brown skin tones tan deeply, and deep skin rarely burns and is rich in melanin.

How does the vein test help in determining skin tone?

The vein test is a popular method to determine your skin's undertone. Look at the veins on your wrist in natural light. If they appear blue or purple, you likely have a cool undertone. If they look green or olive, you have a warm undertone. If it's hard to discern, you probably have a neutral undertone.

Can jewelry help to figure out my skin tone?

Yes, jewelry can be a quick way to assess your undertone. Generally, if gold jewelry complements your skin better, you have a warm undertone. If silver jewelry looks more flattering, you likely have a cool undertone. If both suit you well, you may have a neutral undertone.

What role does the sun's reaction to my skin play in determining skin tone?

Your skin's reaction to the sun is a good indicator of its tone and undertone. If you burn easily and rarely tan, you probably have a fair or light skin tone with a cool undertone. If you tan easily without burning, your skin tone may be medium, olive, or deeper, often with a warm or neutral undertone.

Are there any tools or apps that can help me determine my skin tone accurately?

Yes, there are various tools and apps available that can help you determine your skin tone. These tools usually analyze a photo of your skin (usually taken in natural light) and provide an analysis of your skin tone and undertone. They can be particularly helpful if you're finding it difficult to determine your tone and undertone through the traditional methods.

Conclusion

There’s nothing more satisfying than a perfectly matched foundation – not only does it boost our confidence, but it’s also an essential part of wearing complexion products. A perfect makeup match for neutral undertone skin is essential for achieving a seamless makeup look that carries from the face down to wearing the best clothing for your skin tone.

Finding a matching foundation that flatters your skin undertone and suits your lifestyle can be like spotting a rainbow – a beautiful sight- that turns heads the right way. It’s time to walk the line of seamless foundation!