Figuring out your undertone doesn’t have to be complicated—there are a few tried-and-true ways to make it easier. Here’s how you can get started:
Throw on a White T-Shirt:
Grab a pure white shirt or even a piece of white paper, and in natural light, hold it up to your face. If your skin looks pink or rosy by comparison, you likely have cool undertones. If your face appears more yellow, your undertone is probably warm. Not a fan of bright white? If off-white or creamy hues feel more flattering on you, it’s another sign of a warm undertone. If both shades work without making you look washed out, you may have a neutral undertone.
Consider How Your Skin Reacts to the Sun:
Your skin’s reaction to sunlight can offer clues about your undertone. If you burn easily, you have cool undertones. If you tan easily, you likely have warm undertones. If you burn first but then tan, you’re probably neutral.
Try on Some Jewelry:
While it’s subjective, testing out how gold and silver jewelry look on your skin can help. Gold jewelry tends to flatter warm undertones, while silver looks best on cool undertones. If you can rock both metals equally—or if you’re just a jewelry lover who doesn’t discriminate—you may have neutral undertones.
Check Your Veins:
A quick glance at your veins can be a helpful hint. Check the veins around your wrists, face, or neck for the most accurate read. If your veins appear blue, you have cool undertones. If they look greenish, your undertone is warm. Neutral undertones often show a mix of both.
Consider Your Eye and Hair Color:
Still unsure? Your eye and hair color can offer additional guidance. Eye and hair color can vary across all undertones, but as a general rule, deeper skin tones and darker eyes tend to lean towards warm, while fairer skin and lighter eyes often have cool or neutral undertones.
With these easy tests in your back pocket, identifying your undertone becomes a lot more manageable—and once you know, choosing the right jewelry becomes second nature.