What’s an Undertone — And How Do I Find Out Mine?

Raise your hand if you’ve ever bought a foundation that looked so promising under the glow of Sephora lights only to step outside and realize you now resemble a pumpkin, a ghost, or some deeply unfortunate shade of ashy beige. If so, welcome to the club of those personally victimized by undertone confusion.

Don’t worry — you won’t be here for long!

Your undertone (cool, warm, or neutral) is the subtle color underneath your skin that affects how makeup looks on you. It's different from your skin tone, which is how light or deep your skin is. Two people can have the same skin tone but different undertones — and that’s why one person’s “medium beige” looks great on them but looks greige on you.

Once you crack the undertone code, though, your entire makeup routine gets easier. So here’s how to figure it out without second-guessing every product you own:

The Tests

1. The Jewelry Test

If you’ve ever noticed that you look better in gold jewelry vs. silver (or vice versa), that’s your undertone talking.

• If gold jewelry makes you glow: You probably have a warm undertone (yellow, golden, or peachy hues in your skin).

• If silver jewelry looks more flattering: You likely have a cool undertone (pink, red, or blue hues).

• If both look good on you: You’re neutral, which means your skin has a mix of both.

Note: If you don’t wear jewelry often, think about the metal that feels right on you — even in hardware like belt buckles, sunglasses, or zippers.

2. The Vein Test

Take a peek at the veins on your wrist under natural light.

• Veins appear more blue or purple? You’re cool-toned.

• Veins look more greenish? You’re warm-toned (your skin’s yellow tones make blue veins appear green).

• Can’t tell if they’re blue or green? You’re neutral.

Note: If your veins are playing mind games and look both blue and green, you’re probably neutral. Also, if your skin tone is deeper and you cannot see your veins clearly, try the white T-shirt test instead (below).

3. The White T-Shirt Test

Grab a plain white T-shirt (or hold a sheet of white paper near your face).

• If your skin looks a little rosier or cooler → Cool

• If your skin suddenly looks more golden or warm → Warm

• If your skin just looks like, well, skin → Neutral

Note: If bright white washes you out but cream or off-white looks better, you’re probably warm-toned. If crisp white makes you glow, you’re likely cool-toned and shine in white.

4. The Sun Reaction Test

Think about what happens when you’re in the sun without SPF (which, by the way, wear sunscreen!).

• Burns easily, rarely tans → Cool

• Tans easily, rarely burns → Warm

• Burns first, then tans → Neutral

Note: If your skin is deep and you’re always tan, look at whether your skin pulls more golden (warm) or olive / rosy (cool) in the sun.

How to Pick the Right Foundation

Now that you know your undertone, here’s how to actually use it.

Most brands label their foundations by undertone, so look at the letters next to the shade name:

• C = Cool → Look for words like porcelain, cool beige, rose, sable, cocoa, espresso, or pink ivory. These will stop you from looking too yellow.

• W = Warm → Warm undertones are often labeled: beige, golden, honey, tan, caramel, chestnut, toffee, warm almond, butterscotch. These shades lean yellow or peachy and will keep you from looking ashy.

• N = Neutral → Typically called ivory, buff, nude, praline, natural, neutral beige, or almond. These shades balance warm and cool tones, making them a safe bet if you’re unsure.

Tips:

1. Always swatch on your jawline, not your hand (because unless you wear foundation on your knuckles, that’s not helpful).

2. When in doubt, neutral is usually the safest bet. If you can never find the perfect shade for you, mix two. Makeup artists do it all the time.

3. If you tan in summer, you may need a warmer shade for those months.

4. If you’re between two shades, go slightly warmer — cool foundations can sometimes read grey.

Final Thoughts: Rules Are Meant to Be Broken

Yes, knowing your undertone makes life way easier, but I want to be clear: it’s not a rule book — it’s a cheat sheet.

If you love a shade, wear it. Some of the best beauty moments come from breaking the “rules.” At the end of the day, the right makeup is the one that makes you feel great. Everything else is just details.

So go forth, swatch fearlessly, trust your instincts — and never let bad lighting trick you again.