Warm vs. Cool Undertone: How to Tell the Difference
Undertone is the subtle color underneath your skin's surface — it doesn't change with a tan or with the seasons, and it's the reason the same lipstick or hair color can look completely different on two people with similar skin depth.
The vein test
Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist in daylight. Green veins usually point to a warm undertone. Blue or purple veins usually point to cool. If you genuinely can't tell, or see both, you're likely neutral.
The jewelry test
Hold a gold item and a silver item up to your face. If gold makes your skin look brighter and healthier, you likely lean warm. If silver does the same, you likely lean cool. If both look equally good, you're likely neutral.
The white-vs-cream test
Hold up something stark white and something off-white/cream next to your face. Cool undertones tend to look better next to true white; warm undertones tend to look better next to cream or ivory.
Putting it to use
Once you know your undertone, it applies everywhere: see our guides to choosing a hair color for your skin tone and wardrobe colors that work with any skin tone.
Does undertone change with tanning?
No — a tan changes your skin's depth (how light or dark it is), not its undertone. Undertone stays constant year-round.
