Color of Your Skin Undertones
First, let me start out saying that it is true I do offer color draping as part of my image consulting services. Here’s how I am different. I don’t tell you what colors to wear, I show you what works best with your overall coloring. I also know that everyone is an individual and based on their personal and business goals, colors that may be considered “in your color palette” may not be the best ones to get your message across. With that being said, I do my best, however, to make both sides of the equations work for a person and their overall goals. We bend the color draping rules when we need to.
So what is cool and what is warm?
- Cool colors are anything that has the color blue in it.
- Warm colors are anything that has the color yellow added to it. For example, if you take a can of emerald green paint and add some yellow to it, it will turn to more of a lime green.
The green on the left is a warm color. The green on the right is a cool color.
One of the first things I do in a color consultation is determine if someone’s skin is cool-based or warm-based. It is important to note that your skin tone never changes. It is based on genetics. There are factors such as a suntan that can alter it for a bit, but it never truly changes your skin’s undertone.
If someone is cool-based, they have a blue undertone to their skin. Looking at their skin in natural lighting is important as florescent lighting can skew coloring. You will see their veins are more bluish in color.
If someone is warm-based, this means they have more of a golden or yellow color undertone. If you look at the veins of someone warm-based, their veins will have more of a greenish tone to them. Rest assured that they don’t actually have green veins. It looks that way because there is more of a yellow tone to their skin and you are looking at the veins through this yellow filter.
Eighty percent of the world’s population has cool-based skin. I don’t know the exact reason for this. Here are a few insights as to some nationalities and typical skin tone color that we see for each skin segment. These are just a few of the many things a color consultant will take into consideration.
Cool-based Skin
- Nationalities: Orientals, S. European, S. American, American Indian, E. Asians, Indians (India), Black African, Dark Irish, Welsh, German, Scandinavian, British Isles, Netherlands, or N. European
- Skin Tone: Pale, Beige, Rosy, Olive, Rose-Beige, Deep Rose-Beige, Very Pink to Fair, Pale Beige
Warm-based Skin
- Nationalities: Irish, Scandinavian, British Isles, Netherlands, N. European, or blend of many.
- Skin Tone: Ivory or Very Fair, Peachy, Light to Dark Golden Beige, Dark Beige Golden Black, Ruddy
So how do you know what you are? I have done a video demonstrating how you can do a quick warm/cool test in your home. You can look at your hands against a silver (cool) and gold (warm) fabric. Watch what happens to your knuckles. If they protrude out more or if you skin looks blotchy, then this is an indication it is the wrong color for you. If your knuckles fade away and your skin has an overall smoothness to it, then this indicates it is the right color for you. You can also look at the veins on your inner wrists. Watch Here.
I have been very busy working on writing a book on personal branding. The book will walk you through my I.C.U. Rule of personal branding, which is Be Intentional, Be Consistent, and Be U. It will have places in it where you can answer questions as you develop the foundation for your personal brand. The goal is to make it a quick read and something a person can refer back to easily. A first draft has been completed and am looking a mid-November book launch. I will keep you posted on the progress!
