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Post in Beauty Confidential

What’s my undertone?

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 Ok y’all, I know this is super basic but I’ve been doubting my long-standing assumptions about my undertones. My veins are blue and skin can go red, so I e always believed I’m cool toned. My natural hair color is a medium copper brown - definitely more warm - and I’ve never thought I looked better in silver vs gold jewelry! My eyes are also more blue/green with a hazel ring, so that also doesn’t seem classically “cool.” I have freckles, burn, don’t tan at all. TBH I’ve always struggled to find a really good fdtn match - probably the closest I’ve found is MAC face and body W0 (cool 0). Could I actually be neutral? Top pic is me with m/u, bottom one no m/u.

Re: What’s my undertone?

Hi @kcadams1980 - I agree with @danielledanielle that it can be so hard to tell from digital pics without seeing your skin in person. However, I defenitely see a lot of yellow in your skin, though it could be the lighting. That would indicate to me that you may be neutral or lean yellow. Another tricky element is that some foundations and brands may be labeled cool or neutral and still not work for your skin, so it can really be tough to figure out. I have always found Make Up For Ever's tones and labeling to be pretty true to skin, so I don't know if you have a chance to get into a store to see? Make Up For Ever will have shades with an R, Y or N . Or Fenty also has a great shade range, though I would say many lean yellow. Laura Mercier's new foundation Laura Mercier Flawless Lumière Radiance-Perfecting Foundation #s also really nice and has a good light range

 

You can ask for help from the beauty advisors, but here's what I recommend for swatching in store and finding a great match:

 

Swatch 3 shades lightly (not too heavy but be sure they are visible and you can see the edges of the color distinctly) on your face along the jawline and then also the same three shades on your neck (middle of your neck, not too high, not too low). I would use a Y/N/C in a similar shade. DO NOT BLEND IN YET. Honestly, the right shade/tone should already look good on your skin and seem to match your undertone before blending it in and once you blend in, it's harder to tell. 

 

Ask for a mirror or take a mirror over by the door - hopefully it is a store where there is some natural light? If not, ask if you can walk the mirror to a windor or door with natural light - or bring your own compact with a mirrow and make sure you go out to a windor or door to see the colors in natural light even if it's outside the store. You may have to do this a few times. I would also ask for samples if you can, but then ONLY try one shade at a time for a couple days to see if looks good in different lighting, weather, etc.  

 

I know this sounds like a lot but should help you narrow it down! Good luck and let us know how it goes! 

Re: What’s my undertone?

Undertones are tricky @kcadams1980 , so don't feel like that's a basic question.  I used to get shade matched as warm as the time, just to realize I'm olive/neutral.  What also helped me figure out my undertone was eyeshadow palettes.  I remember someone telling me not to wear grey's/purples/pinks and I was like 🙄, because pinks work on me and well as purples when they aren't cool toned.  That's when I got that neutral can work for me, depending on the base of something.

 

 

 

The olive is my veins, I'm tan, but my veins are green.

 

I'm guessing your neutral by your description (your photos are nice, but I never really rely on that because of how data is compressed as well as other factors like lighting).   Your hair, eye color and lip color don't need to necessarily match your undertone, but I get what you mean by not feeling that they are cool.

Re: What’s my undertone?

Thanks Danielle they are tricky you’re right! I’m mainly asking because I’m struggling with eyeshadow palettes, now that you mention it… I know I do better with cooler neutrals, but does that mean I can’t ever play with an olive green or coral? Just seems odd especially given my hair is pretty dang copper. 

Re: What’s my undertone?

Nope, @kcadams1980 , you should play.  That's how you really find out what works. What you might find is that you have to look for cooler/neutral versions of those colors.  Coral is a good example, because some corals lean very orange, others lean very pink.  I usually will go towards a orange coral because of my skin tone.  For greens, even though I'm olive, I still look for greens that have more black to them.  You might find you need to look for olives than pull more white and corals that lean/pull pink, but the best way is to experiment and see what you like.

 

Side note: to get a poster to respond quicker use '@' and their username so it tags them.  

Re: What’s my undertone?

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 This is the no makeup pic, wouldn’t post on the original one!

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