Finding the right makeup colours for your skin tone can transform your beauty routine, enhancing your natural features and ensuring a cohesive, polished look. Whether you’re picking a foundation shade, lipstick, or eyeshadow, understanding your skin tone and undertone is the first step to achieving a harmonious result. This beginner-friendly guide will help you navigate the world of makeup colours, ensuring every choice complements your complexion beautifully.

Start with a Smooth Base

Before diving into colour selection, it’s essential to prepare your skin for makeup application. A makeup primer is a must-have step to create a smooth, even base for your products. It not only helps your makeup last longer but also ensures that the colours you apply appear vibrant and true to their shade. Choose a primer that suits your skin type—hydrating for dry skin, mattifying for oily skin, or colour-correcting if you want to address redness or dullness.

Determine Your Skin Tone and Undertone

Understanding your skin tone and undertone is crucial when selecting makeup colours. Your skin tone—light, medium, tan, or deep—describes the surface colour of your skin, while your undertone refers to the subtle hue beneath the surface. Undertones fall into three main categories:

Cool Undertones: Pink, red, or bluish hues.

Warm Undertones: Yellow, peach, or golden hues.

Neutral Undertones: A mix of cool and warm hues.

To determine your undertone, look at the veins on your wrist. If they appear blue or purple, you likely have cool undertones. Greenish veins indicate warm undertones, while a mix of both suggests a neutral undertone.

Foundation and Concealer Matching

Choosing the right foundation and concealer shade is the foundation of any makeup look. Always match these products to your skin tone and undertone for a seamless finish. When testing shades, swatch a few along your jawline and observe them in natural light. The perfect match should disappear into your skin without leaving a noticeable line.

If your undertone is cool, look for foundation shades labelled as “cool” or with pinkish tones. Warm undertones pair well with golden or yellow-based shades, while neutral undertones can opt for either, depending on preference.

Blush for a Natural Flush

Blush can add a healthy glow to your complexion, but the wrong shade can clash with your undertone. For cool undertones, soft pinks and berry shades work beautifully. Those with warm undertones should opt for peachy or coral hues. Neutral undertones have the flexibility to experiment with both ends of the spectrum. Cream blushes are especially flattering, blending effortlessly into the skin for a natural-looking flush.

Eyeshadow Colours That Pop

Eyeshadow is an excellent way to experiment with colour, but certain shades will enhance your eyes and skin tone better than others:

Cool Undertones: Stick to icy blues, purples, and cool greys. Silver and pearl tones also look stunning.

Warm Undertones: Rich golds, warm browns, and earthy greens bring out the warmth in your skin. Copper and bronze shades are great for adding dimension.

Neutral Undertones: Neutral tones like taupe and beige work well, but you can also explore both cool and warm shades to suit your mood.

Lip Colours for Every Occasion

Lipsticks are a fun way to experiment with colour, but not all shades suit every skin tone. Cool undertones shine in blue-based reds, mauves, and soft pinks. Warm undertones look stunning in orangey reds, peachy nudes, and rich corals. Neutral undertones can play with a variety of shades, from rosy pinks to deep plums. When choosing a nude lipstick, match it closely to your natural lip colour for a polished, understated look.

Highlighter and Bronzer Selection

Highlighter and bronzer can add depth and dimension to your look, but selecting the right tones is essential. Cool undertones pair best with highlighters that have icy or pearlescent finishes, while warm undertones suit golden or champagne hues. Neutral undertones can experiment with either for a soft glow. For bronzer, cool undertones should stick to neutral browns, while warm undertones can explore golden or copper shades.

Play It Safe with Neutrals

If you’re unsure which colours suit you best, neutral tones are a foolproof option. Beige, taupe, and soft brown shades work well for eyes, lips, and cheeks, regardless of your undertone. These shades create a subtle, elegant look and are perfect for everyday wear.

Experiment and Have Fun

While understanding your skin tone and undertone is a great starting point, makeup is ultimately about self-expression. Don’t be afraid to experiment with colours that catch your eye or step outside traditional rules. After all, confidence is the most important element of any makeup look.

Conclusion

Choosing the best makeup colours for your skin tone can make a world of difference in how your makeup looks and feels. By understanding your undertone, selecting complementary shades, and experimenting with products, you can create a customised palette that enhances your natural beauty. Remember, makeup is an art form, so have fun exploring the colours that make you feel your best!