Determining Warm or Cool Undertones

Feb 2, 2012

Cliona Q.

Can anyone tell me how to easily determine whether someone has warm or cool undertones? I have done a number of courses but it's the one thing that still stumps me! Do any of you have tips that might get me through my mental block?! Thanks x

Feb 2, 2012

Soma S.

Look at the veins on the back of your forearm/wrist area:

Are your veins green or blue?

Green: warm, Blue: cool... this is what I've been told on other makeup forums. If there's a better way, I'm sure someone else will chime in and help you further!  =D

Feb 3, 2012

Sierra Sky R.

I must be cool toned then.. does a cool toned person have pinkish or yellow skin? because my skin gets very pink.. and I wear yellowy make up. or can it be either? and is there any third party skin undertone?

Feb 3, 2012

Soma S.

Cool usually leans towards the pinkish undertones. Yellow is usually warm.  =)

Feb 3, 2012

Cliona Q.

I find sometimes it can be easy to see whether someone looks pinky (cool) or yellow/golden (warm) but a lot of the time I'm not sure. I guess cos we're all so pasty pale in Ireland during the Winter we all just look nearly translucent!!! ;)
I have heard another tip as well that if silver jewellery suits you better then you're cool and if gold jewellery suits you better you're warm.
Sierra K you raise an interesting question! If you're cool toned should you wear cool toned foundation to match your skin tone, or warm toned foundation to minimise the pinkness?! Like a corrector? Interesting!

Feb 20, 2012

Francesca C.

I have a cool undertone and I prefer to wear yellow based foundations because I like the canceling effect. I find if I wear a foundation that is pink based I look like a tomato and my face looks like it is considerably darker than the rest of me. =)

Feb 20, 2012

Amelia R.

Here's just a few weird ways I was told can help you determine whether you have cool or warm toned skin.
If you look better in gold jewelry, warm. Silver, cool.
If the veins on your wrist are greener, warm. If they're bluer, cool.
If you tan easily, you're most likely warmer.

Feb 21, 2012

Erica B.

@Amelia-totally right on with all 3 of those. If you really can't tell, you're neutral. I look good in gold & silver, my veins are literally, blue-green, I used to tan, never burn when I was younger but after puberty that switched, now I burn & fade back to pale (actually, I don't burn, because I slather on the SPF, but I WOULD burn otherwise. I start to get pink after 6 minutes outside, the hubs timed it one day.) I'm definitely neutral. 

Feb 21, 2012

Shelly T.

What Soma and others noted is generally true. However, it's important to note that, if you ever go into MAC to get matched, it will be the opposite -- pink = warm (NW), yellow = cool (NC). (They go by an artist's colour wheel.)

Me...
* My veins are blueish, but there are also some little purply ones.
* I wear more silver jewelry but could probably wear gold alright (I generally hate gold).
* I burn then tan.

Pink- or peach-toned foundations don't work on me; ones that are slightly more yellow-based are better.

@Francesca: Does the rest of your body have a more yellow undertone than your face? That may be why you prefer more yellow-based foundations.