How to find your undertone (Foundation)

You’ve finally found your favourite foundation. It matches you perfectly and it’s everything you’ve ever wanted. You sprint home, desperate to show off your glowing skin and then…it’s orange. Yep, been there. As if finding a foundation match isn’t hard enough, we’ve now got to consider our undertones. Undertones? What are they? If you’re as blissfully unaware as I used to be, but also stressing over your inability to find your perfect match you’re in the right place.

Undertones are exactly what they sound like. They’re the colour under your skin. Your skin tone will be fair, light, medium, tan, rich, dark and so on but then your undertones will be warm, cool or neutral. So…why does it matter? It helps to look more natural. Having the balance to match both your skin and undertone makes the foundation that little bit more flawless and can remove that awkward orange tinge that so many of us know and hate. 

How do you navigate this new and confusing world? Well, there’s a few things you can do!

​Study your veins
Okay, I know that sounds super weird but this is the easiest way to work out your undertone. If you look at the inside of your wrist, are your veins more blue or green? Before anyone freaks out, everyone has blue veins BUT the yellow tone (warm undertone people!) can give your blue veins the appearance of being green. If this is you, you have warm undertones whereas if they look bluey-purple, you’ll be cool toned.


Just look in the mirror!
Again, it’s fairly simple. Look at yourself in the mirror and examine your natural hair and eye colour. Cool toned people tend to have brown or blonde hair with an ashy tinge and blue, grey or green eyes. In comparison, warm tones will have red, strawberry blonde, warm brown or black hair (without the ashy tinge) and brown, hazel or amber eyes. This isn’t a 100% guarantee but it helps. 

See how you react to the sun
As a rough guide, if the sun turns you red or pink before tanning (or you don’t tan at all) you’re more likely to be cool toned. If you get that golden glow without the lobster skin first, chances are you have warm or neutral undertones.

Try out your jewellery 
This is a little tricky as we all have a preference to what we think makes us look the best but really study your jewellery for that colour that makes you sparkle. If you like anything gold, you’re more likely to be warm toned whereas silver will suit those of us who are cool toned. If you’re skin looks great in both, lucky you, you’re neutral.

​Lipstick Lover?
What’s your favourite colour of lipstick? What’s the shade people compliment you the most when you wear it? If coral is your colour, it’s likely that you have a warm undertone. Any lipstick that is peachy-pink, orangey-red or rosy will suit you best. In comparison, reds with a blue undertone, berry colours and pale pinks will suit you best if you have cool toned skin.


Clothing compliments?
Like the lipstick, consider what colours you’re complimented most in. If you’re cool-toned it’s likely you suit bright whites and vivid blacks, blues, greens, purpley-blues and reds with a blue undertone. Warm-toned are more likely to gravitate towards popping reds, bright oranges, yellows, greeny-yellows and blues with a green tinge. 

At the end of the day though, it’s about what makes you feel most comfortable. Wear the foundation you feel suits you best and that makes you the most confident because at the end of the day, that’s what makeups about. Feeling good! ​

Anonymous