How to Determine if You Have a Warm or Cool Skin Tone

Using the wrong color makeup can fade out your complexion.

Determining whether your skin tone is warm or cool helps when picking out cosmetics, hair dye, clothing and jewelry -- and can make the difference between fading out your skin and enhancing it. Warm skin tones pair with bronze hues and bolder colors, while cool tones are brought out by pastels. Complement your complexion, eyes and hair with the right palette of colors to reflect the tone of your skin.

Things You'll Need

• Mirror
• Bold and pastel clothing

Instructions

1. Examine your complexion. Olive, golden and beige indicate warm skin tones. Fair, pale and pink skin or rosy cheeks indicate cool tones.

2. Think about how you tan. Warm skin tones typically tan quickly without burning, while cool skin tones take longer to tan and easily burn without sun protection.

3. Determine your natural hair color. Dark brown, black, golden blond, red and auburn hair typically indicate warm skin tones. Light to medium brown, ash and light blond typically indicate cool tones.

4. Look at your eyes. Deep brown, blue and green pair with warm tones, while hazel, grayish, speckled and light eyes indicate cool.

5. Stand in front of a mirror and hold different colors of clothing up to your face, such as orange or bronze and pink or lavender. If your skin glows when next to deep autumn colors, you have a warm skin tone. If pastel colors make it glow, your tone is cool.

References

• Women's Health Care Topics: Make-Up
• Glamour: "Don't Know If Your Skin Is Warm or Cool? Here's a Quick Way to Tell"; Beth Shapouri