Understanding undertones

While identifying skin tones and skin types are fairly easy, recognising skin undertones is where most people get it wrong. The undertones are colours that lie a little beneath your skin but affect how different shades look on the surface. There are two undertones you could have — you could either be cool-toned with undertones of blue, pink or red, or warm-toned with peach, yellow or golden. However, there are always the ones in between who have a bit of both and form the neutral-toned skin category. Here are a few tricks to help identify your skin undertone:

Check your veins
This is the most common tip to identify your undertone. The veins on your wrist are an easy giveaway of what your undertone is. If they are more blue or purplish, you have a cool undertone. If it appears greenish, don’t worry, you aren’t turning into hulk; you’re just warm-toned. If it’s hard to tell, you’re neutral (or you can’t identify colours).

Turn to jewellery
Are you more into gold or silver? Your preference to the colour of jewellery says a lot about your undertone because you’d most likely wear what looks good on you. If you find your fingers looking prettier in gold rings you probably are warm-toned; if it’s silver or platinum that you prefer flaunting, you are more likely to have a cool-toned skin. If both look fine, well, you’re a lucky neutral.

White or off-white
If you find your complexion looking flattering against solid blacks and whites, you’ve got a cool-tone. However, if you’re leaning to more off-white and brownish shades you may be a warm-toned person.

Tan or burn
I know, we’d prefer to say tan, but honestly, what really happens to your skin when you’re out in the sun? Take a conscious effort to see how your skin reacts when you’re out in the sun without sunscreen or any other skin protection. This is an indicator of the amount of melanin in your skin. Does your skin instantly burn or do you just acquire a nice tan? If it’s the former, you may be cool-toned; the latter, you’re probably blessed in this aspect with warm-toned skin. If you take your time to tan but can burn with prolonged exposure, you may have a neutral-toned skin.

Check your wardrobe
Do you have a lot of yellow or orange dresses? If these shades look good on you, you’re definitely a warm-toned. If you find yourself looking dull in these shades, you’ve got more of a cool-undertone. If you’ve never tried bright shades, you should totally give it a shot. Maybe you’re one of the fortunate neutral-toned ones and could flaunt these shades just as beautifully as your blues and purples.

Antara Bose is a model turned fashion and beauty consultant. A popular blogger, anchor, and voice over artist, she maintains a deep connection with the local fashion, wellness and health industry. For fashion updates follow Antara on instagram @antarabose and on Facebook: Antara Bose.