How to Choose Hues That Enhance Your Natural Tone
- Tom Goedhart
- Dec 1, 2015
- 2 min read
Updated: Dec 20, 2024
Whether you’re a fashion aficionado or just someone who enjoys dressing well, understanding which colors suit your skin tone is an essential skill. After all, no one wants to look like they’re stuck in a fashion time warp. The right shades can enhance your look, making you appear more polished and put-together. On the flip side, choosing the wrong colors can easily undermine your effort to appear stylish.

Here are a few tips to help you figure out which colors in your wardrobe work best with your skin tone.
Understand Your Base Skin Tone
Your base skin tone falls into one of three categories: cool, warm, or neutral. This applies no matter if your skin is light or dark. Identifying your base tone is the key to dressing with confidence and ensuring your wardrobe enhances your natural features.
Check the Veins on Your Wrist
Take a good look at the veins on your wrist in natural light (sunlight is ideal). Are they blue or green? If your veins appear blue, you likely have a cool skin tone. If they seem green, you’ve got a warm skin tone. This simple trick helps reveal your true undertone.
Consider Your Watches and Accessories

Think about how jewelry looks on you. Silver jewelry tends to pop against cool-toned skin, while gold jewelry shines on warm-toned skin. You may be instinctively choosing the right pieces without even realizing it!
Reflect on Colors That Make You Shine

Take a moment to close your eyes, or better yet, open your closet. You’ll likely have a few favorite outfits that you feel great in. If black and white make you look vibrant, you probably have a cool skin tone. If you rock shades of ivory, browns, and earthy hues, warm tones are likely your match.
How Your Skin Reacts to Sunlight
Here’s another hint: cool-toned skin burns and turns red more easily in the sun, while warm-toned skin tans more deeply. Take note of how your skin behaves after a day outdoors - it might give you further insight into your undertone.

Still Unsure About Your Skin Tone?
Don’t sweat it! If you can’t pinpoint whether your skin is cool or warm, chances are you have a neutral tone. The good news? Neutral skin tones look great in almost anything, so you’ve got the freedom to experiment with all colors. Lucky you!

Colors That Work for Different Skin Tones
Cool Tones
Ideal colors: Light gray, pure white, shades of blue, and other cool hues.

Warm Tones
Ideal colors: Earth tones, dark browns, orange, yellow, ivory, and other warm shades.

Neutral Tones
Ideal colors: Almost all shades, but it’s best to avoid extremely bright or neon colors.

Universal Colors for Every Skin Tone
Some colors look good on everyone, no matter your skin tone. Think black, white, teal, and dark purple - they’re safe bets for a universally flattering look.

In the end, these are just guidelines. In reality, plenty of cool-toned and warm-toned individuals can wear colors from each other’s palettes and still look fantastic. Trust your instincts and choose the hues that make you feel confident and stylish.
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