Choosing Makeup Colours To Suit Your Skin Tone: 5 Handy Tips

Choosing makeup colours to suit your skin tone is easier said than done. There are so many things you need to consider when it comes to determining your skin tone and it can be a daunting task when trying to find the right shades for your skin.

The wrong foundation, blush or concealer shades can quickly turn into an orange hue or porcelain shade on your skin if you don’t choose the right shade. Your makeup choices need to effortlessly blend in with your natural skin tone, especially along your jawline, to avoid looking unnatural.

Choosing makeup colours that are matched to your skin tone is a key part in avoiding this, so here are 5 handy tips that you can use to avoid any makeup disasters!

What Is Skin Tone?

Your skin tone is all based on your genetics. The tone of your skin comes from the amount of melanin that you have in the outer layer of your skin, which is mostly passed on through generations, but each person has their own unique skin hues.

There are also skin undertones to consider, which are usually found in makeup products. You may recognise the terms “warm”, “cool” and “neutral”, which all describe the subtle and muted colours which sit just underneath the surface of your skin. This is why, when choosing makeup colours, it is important to consider what skin tone and undertone you have.

5 Tips For Choosing Makeup Colours To Suit Your Skin Tone

Patch Testing Is Vital

When shopping for foundation, or any makeup, we often tend to do swatches on the back of our hand to see if it matches our skin tone. But, when choosing makeup colours, especially for foundation, it’s best to do a small patch test on your jaw to see if your facial tone matches the product.

For other products which tend to be brighter in colour, such as eyeshadow and lipsticks, do a test on the inside of your wrists as this is the best place to test your skin’s undertones.

Fairer Skin, Softer Shades

If your skin has cooler undertones, then you’re likely to have fair skin. This means that finding your perfect shade of makeup may be tricker than it is for others. Often, the shades and colours can become pigmentated and look harsh.

When it comes to foundation and bronzers, even the lightest shades can look too intense. When it comes to choosing makeup colours, you’ll want to avoid makeup which is orange or red as it will make skin appear washed out. Instead, stick to soft beiges and pinks.

Add A Glow To Medium Skin

If your skin complexion is a mixture of medium and fair, then soft nudes and neutral shades are ideal when it comes to choosing makeup colours. Peachy-gold blushes and soft beiges will compliment your skin tone, as will a gentle honey colour.

Go Bolder For Deeper Complexions

If you have a darker skin tone, then it is especially important that you do a colour test on your jawline. Darker skin tends to be a mixture of different undertones, so trying out foundation shades can help you find the perfect one, as it will often be what you’re least expecting - the tone in the bottle and the tone on your skin can be vastly different.

Once you've found the perfect base colour, add in warm powders, gold highlighters and bold mauve lipsticks for a stunning look.

Neutral Is Everyone’s Friend

There are some makeup colours which look great on every skin tone and neutrals, in particular, are suited for everyone. When it comes to choosing makeup colours, neutrals tend to include tones that are found naturally in the skin, such as plum, peach and rose.

Highlighting with neutral colours is one of the best ways to draw attention to your features and will keep your makeup looking natural and radiant. For the ultimate makeup product to highlight your features, create your own sparkle today and make up a combination that suits your skin tone.