What Is Undertone?

Skin tone refers to the shade of your skin, which is influenced by your ethnic background and sun exposure. Undertone, on the other hand, is the subtle color that lies beneath your surface skin tone, which is categorized as yellow (tending to be more yellow), pink (pinkish, bluish, purplish), neutral, or olive. While your surface tone might shift with the seasons, your undertone remains constant. This is why it's so crucial for makeup selection.

Simple Ways to Determine Your Undertone

If you feel lost when it comes to determining your undertone, you are not alone. It can be a bit tricky at first to “see” the subtle colors of undertones. Even seasoned makeup artists can struggle with it! Fortunately, there are a few simple tests to help you find yours:

1. The Jewelry Test - Gold versus silver jewelry can reveal a lot about your undertone. If you prefer the way you look in gold jewelry, you likely have yellow or olive undertones. If silver jewelry is more flattering to your complexion, you probably have pink undertones. And if both metals look equally good, you may have neutral undertones.

2. The Vein Test - Look at the veins on your inner wrist under natural sunlight. Green-appearing veins suggest yellow or olive undertones, blue or purple-appearing veins indicate pink undertones, and a mix of both (or difficulty determining the color) points to neutral undertones.

3. The Neutral Fabric Test - Hold a neutral fabric (white works great) next to your makeup-free face. Look in the mirror in natural light, and if your skin appears yellowish, you have yellow undertones. If your skin looks rosy or blue, you have pink undertones. If your skin doesn't seem to shift toward either color, you're likely neutral, and if you see a bit of green, then you’re likely olive.

Now that you have an idea of what your undertone might be, read on for some of the common characteristics of each undertone:

Yellow Undertones

Your skin has peachy, golden, or yellow hints, you tan easily, and you rarely burn. You may have darker eyes and hair, and earthy colors like chocolate brown, orange, and olive green look natural on you. You may also find that ivory or winter white is more flattering than pure white.

Pink Undertones

Your skin has pink, red, or blue hints, and you tend to burn easily before tanning. Richer jewel tones like deep purple, emerald, royal blue, and even black complement your skin. Pure white might look better than ivory. Remember that surface redness from sensitivity or rosacea doesn't necessarily mean you have cool undertones – look at your overall complexion, especially around your chest and neck area.

Neutral Undertones

Your skin has no obvious hints of yellow or pink and (lucky you!) most colors look flattering on you. You can wear both gold and silver jewelry equally well and both pure white and ivory suit you.

Olive Undertones

Your skin has a subtle green or grey tint beneath the surface and you might appear both pink and yellow at different times. You may tan easily and develop a greenish-grey tone in winter. Overly bold colors can make your skin look muted or ashen, whereas more muted shades may be flattering.

Choosing Makeup for Your Undertone

Which of the above rings true for you? Now that you have an idea about your undertone, you can test it with makeup. The right foundation should disappear into your skin, and your undertone should guide your choice of color.

Yellow undertones: Look for foundations with hints of yellow or gold, choose peachy blushes, coral lipsticks, golden bronzers.

Pink undertones: Choose foundations with subtle pink or blue bases, pink blushes, blue-red lipsticks, taupe bronzers.

Neutral undertones: Seek balanced foundations without strong yellow or pink, both warm and cool tones work - focus on intensity.

Olive undertones: Look for foundations with a subtle green or grey base (or consider mixing formulas to achieve the right shade), deep berry or plum tones are particularly flattering for lips and cheeks, and be cautious with pastel colors and overly warm bronzers.

Understanding your undertone is the foundation of a truly flattering makeup routine because it can take the guesswork out of product selection, helping you curate a collection that truly works for you. Fortunately, we created the Aleph range with colors that incorporate both yellow and pink pigments, adapting to suit a wide variety of tones and undertones.

While we hope these guidelines are helpful, please remember that makeup is also about personal preference and creativity! Trust your instincts and wear what makes you feel beautiful. The Aleph color range has been created to sit in a neutral realm so the shades suit most skin tones. This means that you can simply choose the shade you’re drawn to.

Shop our versatile and highly adaptable range HERE