Simple Tests and Tips to Find the Best Colors for You
Posted on April 1, 2025 Written by: 100% PURE®
We often spend hours choosing the dreamiest nail polish or the perfect hair color, but one of the most noticeable beauty blunders is a foundation that doesn’t match the neck. A mismatched foundation can be distracting and take away from your overall look.
Most of us have made the mistake of applying a foundation shade that looked great in-store but turned out too light, dark, orange, or ashy in natural light. The key to avoiding this? Understanding your skin undertone—the hidden hue beneath your skin tone that determines which foundation and makeup shades will complement you best.
We’ll break down everything you need to know about undertones, how to identify yours, and the best foundation and makeup shades to create a flawless, natural-looking finish.
What Is a Skin Undertone and Why Does It Matter?
Skin undertone refers to the subtle hue beneath the skin’s surface, primarily influenced by hemoglobin, carotenoids, and the type of melanin (eumelanin or pheomelanin) present. It refers to the visible color of your skin—fair, light, medium, or dark. Undertones fall into four main categories:
Warm: Yellow, peach, or golden hues
Cool: Pink, blue, or red hues
Neutral: A balance of both warm and cool hues
Olive: A mix of green, neutral, and sometimes golden hues
How to Determine Your Skin Undertone
Finding your skin undertone accurately is the key to choosing the perfect foundation, lipstick, and even clothing. Here’s how to figure it out!
1. The White Paper Test
Hold a plain white sheet of paper next to your face in natural light. If your skin appears yellow, peachy, or golden, you have warm undertones. If it looks pink, red, or slightly bluish, you’re cool-toned. If you can’t tell, you’re likely neutral, and if there’s a slight greenish tint, you probably have olive undertones.
2. The Vein Test
Look at the veins on your wrist. If they appear green, your undertones are warm. If they’re more blue or purple, you have cool undertones. If they seem to be a mix of both, you likely have neutral undertones.
3. The Jewelry Test
Which metal makes your skin glow? If gold jewelry looks best on you, you have warm undertones. If silver jewelry flatters you more, you're cool-toned. If both work well, you're neutral.
4. The Sun Test
If you tan easily and rarely burn, you likely have warm or olive undertones. If you burn first, you probably have cool undertones. A mix of burning and tanning suggests neutral undertones.
5. The Clothes Test
Warm undertones shine in earthy colors like mustard, warm reds, and browns. Cool undertones glow in blues, purples, and pinks. If both suit you, you’re likely neutral.
How to Find the Best Color Palette for Your Undertone
Now that you’ve cracked the code on your undertone, it’s time for the fun part—finding the most flattering makeup shades! Your undertone affects not only which foundation looks seamless on your skin but also which eyeshadow, blush, and highlighter will enhance your natural beauty.
Before we dive into color palettes, let’s talk about why undertones matter. Have you ever tried a foundation that looked fine in the bottle but turned too orange or too ashy on your face? Or pick a gorgeous eyeshadow shade only to find it made your complexion look dull? That’s your undertone at work!
Choosing colors that complement your undertone will make your makeup look more natural and radiant.
Fair to Medium Skin + Pink to Neutral Undertones
Our original Pretty Naked Palette is a beloved 100% PURE beauty staple and is an unbeatable asset in creating natural makeup looks. This palette celebrates soft, neutral tones to enhance and beautify without looking too made-up. This is our classic ‘everyday’ makeup palette that includes:
Pink Champagne: A pink-toned, luminescent highlighter with pearly-gold shimmer
Pretty Naked: A sheer, peachy-nude blush
Flax Seed: A pale, pinkish eyeshadow with taupe undertones
Toffee: A silver-toned, taupe-gray eyeshadow
Chestnut: A chocolatey-bronzy eyeshadow with rosy undertones
Light to Medium Skin + Yellow to Neutral Undertones
Our Better Naked Palette is a collection of classically flattering rose, taupe, and shimmery tones. It is pigmented from antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables, tea, and other skin-beneficial plants. The timeless romance and classic beauty of this color palette is versatile enough for day or night; and include:
Fox: Beige pearly-gold, luminescent highlighter
Bunni: Rosy nude blush with warm undertones
Kitty: Golden shimmering eyeshadow with warm undertones
Bear: Milk chocolate brown eyeshadow with rosy undertones
Butterfly: Deep taupe eyeshadow with charcoal undertones
Medium to Dark Skin + Neutral Undertones
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
Fair to Medium Skin + Yellow to Gold Neutral Undertones
Our dreamy Fruit Pigmented Eye Shadow Palette was inspired by pink clouds and gorgeous sunsets. These powder eye shadows are colored with vitamin-rich fruit pigments like vitamin E, avocado butter, papaya, and coffee and responsibly sourced mica, to offer a versatile range of matte, metallic, and shimmer shades and include:
Illume: Pale, dusty pink luminescent powder with pearly shimmer
Afterglow: Rustic peach-pink blush with a slight shimmer
Beam: Gold flecks sparkle in a base of nude gold tones
Splendor: Deep, taupe-brown charcoal and bronze shimmer undertones
Vivid: Deep, charcoal-purple with hints and flecks of ruby sparkle
Medium to Dark Skin + Peach to Gold Undertones
Our Berry Naked Palette is perfect for when you want a little bit of romance added to your look. With a trio of metallic and nude eyeshadows, accompanied by an extra-delicate dusting of pearly pinks and peaches, the Berry Naked is incredibly versatile. You can use it to create the perfect everyday look; it includes:
Illume: Pale, dusty pink highlighter with a pearly shimmer
Afterglow: Rustic peach-pink blush
Beam: Nude gold eyeshadow with soft gold flecks
Splendor: Deep, taupe-brown eyeshadow with a bronze shimmer and charcoal undertone
Vivid: Deep, charcoal-purple eyeshadow with flecks of ruby sparkle
FAQs
How can I tell the difference between warm, cool, neutral, and olive undertones?
Warm undertones have golden or yellow hues, while cool undertones have pink or blue hues. Neutral undertones are a mix of both, and olive undertones have a greenish or earthy tint. Checking your veins (blue for cool, green for warm) or how gold vs. silver jewelry looks on you can help determine your undertone.
What are the best foundation and makeup shades for each undertone?
Warm undertones suit foundations with yellow or golden hues, while cool undertones look best with pink or blue-based shades. Neutral undertones can wear balanced shades without too much yellow or pink. Olive undertones work well with golden or greenish-tinted foundations to enhance their natural depth.
Can my skin undertone change over time, or is it permanent?
Your undertone remains the same throughout your life, as it is determined by genetics. However, factors like sun exposure, aging, or certain skin conditions may alter your skin tone, which can affect how certain makeup shades appear on you.
Why does my foundation look too orange or ashy, even when I match my skin tone?
If your foundation looks orange, it might be too warm or oxidizing on your skin. If it looks ashy, it's likely too cool or light for your undertone. Choosing a foundation that matches both your skin tone and undertone is crucial to achieving a natural look.
What is the best way to test foundation shades to ensure the perfect match for my undertone?
Test the foundation on your jawline in natural lighting to see if it seamlessly blends into your skin. Wait a few minutes to check for oxidation. Comparing multiple shades side by side can help you find the most natural match for your undertone.
- Tags: April-2025, make up, Makeup
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The information in this article is for educational use, and not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should not be used as such.
