How to Find Your Skin’s Undertone (And Why It Matters for Portraits)
When it comes to choosing what to wear for your portrait session, there’s one factor that can make a huge difference in how your skin looks on camera, your undertone.
Knowing your skin’s undertone helps you choose colors that brighten your complexion, reduce redness or sallowness, and make you look effortlessly radiant. But don’t worry, you don’t need to be a makeup artist or fashion expert to figure it out.
What Is an Undertone, Anyway?
Your undertone is the subtle hue beneath the surface of your skin. While your skin color can change with sun exposure or age, your undertone stays consistent. Most people fall into one of three categories:
Cool (hints of pink, red, or blue)
Warm (hints of yellow, peach, or golden)
Neutral (a mix of both warm and cool tones)
Here are a few simple tricks you can try at home:
1. Look at Your Veins
Find a spot with natural light and check your wrist.
- Bluish or purple veins? You're likely cool-toned
- Greenish veins? You're probably warm-toned
- A mix or hard to tell? You might be neutral
2. The Jewelry Test
Which looks better on you — silver or gold jewelry?
- Silver tends to flatter cool tones
- Gold enhances warm tones
- Both? You're likely neutral
3. The White Fabric Test
Hold up pure white vs. off-white (like ivory) fabric near your face.
- Cool undertones look best in crisp white
- Warm undertones glow in ivory or cream
- If both are flattering, you’re likely neutral
Why This Matters for Your Portrait Session
When you wear the right colors for your undertone:
- Your skin tone appears more even and vibrant
- Redness, dullness, or shadows are minimized
- Your eyes pop, and your natural beauty shines
The wrong colors, on the other hand, can wash you out or add a tired cast to your skin, even with great lighting and makeup.
Next in the Series:
In the next post, I’ll guide you through the best colors to wear for your undertone — so you can show up to your portrait session feeling confident and glowing.
