How to Match Makeup Colors to Skin Tone

Makeup can help you look your best, but won't do much good if it doesn't match your skin tone or complement your color and complexion. Follow simple guidelines to ensure you select the most compatible and flattering shades for your skin, eyes and lips.

Instructions

1. Determine your skin tone by checking a spot where you'll see your natural skin color, such as the inside of your wrist. If you see yellow undertones (like olive or golden brown), you have a "warm" skin tone. If you notice pinker shades (like a rosy pink or slightly blue cast), you have a "cool" tone. If you spot beige tones, you have a balanced or "neutral" tone.

2. Select a concealer and foundation that work with your undertones and combat discoloration. Both should disappear when blended into your skin. Set the look with a loose, translucent powder applied with a brush.

3. Coordinate with your skin color when choosing blush. Pinks and beiges work with fair skin, plumbs and bronzes flatter darker tones and coppers and browns look nice with olive tones.

4. Uncover a lipstick's base color before buying by swiping it over a white tissue. Try browns or reds if you have a yellow cast, roses or purples for darker hues or pinks or oranges for fair skin.

5. Pick eye colors like browns, pinks or greens to set off warm skin tones and blues, dark greens or grays for cool. Experiment with eye shadows and liners, however, to find natural looks for day and dramatic effects for night.

Tips & Warnings

• Work in natural light to see true colors. Wash your face before applying or testing foundation shades so there will be no existing product or oily residue to interfere with the appearance of the new makeup.

• If you're still unsure which colors will work the best with your complexion, ask a specialist at a makeup counter for advice. Head outside the store or ask for samples if you'd like to see how the products look in natural light before buying regular product sizes.