Do you generally play it safe, keeping things neutral with your makeup and outfits? Maybe you want to start experimenting with colours, but can’t find the perfect colour palette to suit your skin tone? We are here to help! Keep reading to find out your undertones and complementary colours.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- ⚡ Understanding undertones is key to finding your complementary colours: Your undertone—warm, cool, or neutral—determines which shades enhance your complexion and which may clash with it.
- ⚡ Determine your undertone using simple tests: Check your vein colour, how your skin reacts to sunlight, or which jewellery (gold or silver) suits you best. Each method helps identify whether you’re warm, cool, or neutral-toned.
- ⚡ Cool undertones suit jewel and icy tones: Think sapphire, emerald, amethyst, lavender, and cool pinks. Cool-toned neutrals like grey and crisp white are flattering, while warm oranges and yellows should be avoided.
- ⚡ Warm undertones glow in earthy and golden hues: Colours like amber, honey gold, coral, terracotta, and olive bring warmth to your features. Stick to taupe and cream neutrals and skip frosty or jewel shades that can dull your complexion.
- ⚡ Neutral undertones can wear a mix of warm and cool colours: Balanced tones like off-white, coffee, mid-grey, and black suit this group best, though bright neon shades can overpower the skin’s harmony.
- ⚡ Universal colours flatter all undertones: True red, teal, and dark purple work beautifully on everyone, bridging the gap between cool and warm palettes.
- ⚡ MODELROCK palette recommendations by undertone:
- Cool: Glow Your Way Volume 1 Face Palette, Rock Chic Volume 1 Eyeshadow Palette.
- Warm: Hot & Snatched Face Palette, Party Pop Eyeshadow Palette.
- Neutral: Glow Your Way Volume 2 Face Palette, Soho Nudes Eyeshadow Palette.
- All undertones: Chisel-Sculpt-Shade Face Palette, Sunkissed Nudes Eyeshadow Palette.
- ⚡ Experiment freely: While undertone guidelines help you find flattering shades, personal preference and creativity are equally important—if you love a colour, wear it confidently!
WHAT IS YOUR UNDERTONE
In case you haven’t already checked out our previous blog, HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST FOUNDATION FOR YOUR SKIN TONE, you might not know how to distinguish your skin’s undertone.
Your undertones will make a dramatic difference with how certain colours will look on you. There are three types of undertones: warm, cool and neutral. You can use several methods to determine which of the three undertones you may be:
Method 1: What colour are your wrist veins under natural light?
- If your veins appear green, you have warm undertones.
- If your veins appear blue or purple, you have cool undertones.
- If your veins are a mix of both, you have neutral undertones.
Method 2: How do white clothes make your complexion look?
- If your skin looks pink in comparison, you have a cool undertone.
- If your skin looks yellow in comparison, you have a warm undertone.
- If it throws of neither pink nor yellow, you have a neutral undertone.
Method 3: What happens when you stand under the sun?
- If you get sunburnt easily, you have a cool undertone.
- If you skin tans easily, you have a warm undertone.
- If you burn, and then tan, you have a neutral undertone.
Method 4: What is your jewellery go-to?
- If silver suits you better, you have a cool undertone.
- If gold suits you better, you have a warm undertone.
- If you think both work with your complexion, you have a neutral undertone.
WHAT COLOURS GO WITH YOUR UNDERTONE
We have put together a comprehensive guide on what shades best suit your undertones. But always rememeber: there are ‘no rules’ to makeup and fashion. So if you do love wearing certain colours, despite them being non-traditional, then go for it! This is just a guide on what ‘traditionally’ suits certain undertones best.
Cool Undertones
- Your best hues are bright blue, royal blue, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, deep purples, lavender, lilac, cool pinks, ruby, and bright rose.
- Your best neutral colours are cool greys and pristine white.
- Colours to avoid are warm oranges and yellows.
Warm Undertones
- Your best hues are earth tones, oranges, golden yellow, honey gold, amber and reds. You can also get away with wearing warmer greens and blues such as turquoise, olives, red-purples, magenta, and orchid tones.
- Your best neutral colours are taupe, hot chocolate, cream whites, and latte.
- Colours to avoid are frosty shades and jewelled tones such as ruby, amethyst, and sapphire.
Neutral Undertones
- You will look great in a variety of hues, but avoid bright and vibrant colours as they'll overpower you.
- Your best neutral colours are off-whites, coffee, midtone greys, and black.
For Everyone
- Hues that suit all undertones are true red, teal, and dark purple.
PICK YOUR PERFECT PALETTE FROM MODELROCK
Now that you know what what shades best suit you, its time to pick your perfect PALETTES! We have linked our best picks below to cater for your specific undertone.
Cool Undertones
Warm Undertones
Neutral Undertones
For Everyone
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We hope these tips and tricks helped you in distinguishing your complimentary colours. Let us know in the comments section what your favourite colour to wear is! Don’t forget to also check out our blog HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST LIPSTICK SHADE FOR YOUR SKIN TONE if you haven’t done so already.
