Part I: Understanding Your Unique Undertone Story
Skin Deep : The Real Guide to Undertones: For People Who Don't Fit the Rules
Because most beauty guides weren’t written for us.
I’ve always struggled to understand my undertones.
The classic “vein test,” “jewelry test,” or “white vs. cream shirt test” never worked for me — because they always contradicted what I saw in the mirror.
Here’s why: my face isn’t one consistent tone.
Most undertone guides assume your skin fits neatly into cool, warm, or neutral. But what if you’re biracial and inherited different undertones from each parent? What if you’re a person of color with undertones that shift across your face? What if you go pale in winter and golden in summer? What if traditional tests just leave you confused?
You’re not broken. The guides are incomplete.
Why Your Undertones Might Be Complex
Your heritage matters. If you’re biracial or multiracial, your genes might express different undertones on different parts of your face. Maybe your mom’s cool undertones dominate around your eyes, while your dad’s warm undertones show up around your mouth. That’s not unusual; it’s beautiful genetic diversity.
Your melanin distribution is unique. Many people of color have what makeup artists call the halo effect — warmer, deeper tones around the mouth and jawline, with cooler, lighter tones around the eyes and cheeks. This isn’t a flaw to “fix”; it’s how your skin naturally is.
Your lifestyle shifts your appearance. Frequent travel, seasonal changes, or how much time you spend outdoors can alter your skin’s surface tone, even if your underlying undertones remain the same.
Beauty standards weren’t built for everyone. Most undertone systems were created for a narrow range of skin tones and don’t reflect the nuance of diverse faces. That’s a limitation of the system, not of you.
Let's Explore Your Undertone Story
Instead of forcing yourself into one of three boxes, let’s figure out your unique undertone pattern.
Step 1: Have a Conversation With Your Face
Stand in front of a mirror in natural light and observe:
Around your eyes: Do you see pink, blue, or purple hints? Or golden, peachy tones? Is this area lighter or cooler than the rest of your face?
Your cheeks: Where you naturally flush — is it pink or peachy? Does it seem different from your jawline?
Around your mouth and jawline: Is this area darker or warmer? Do you see more yellow, brown, or red tones?
Your neck (under your jaw): This is often your “truest” undertone. Does it lean warm, cool, or somewhere in between?
There are no right or wrong answers here. This is simply about learning your unique coloring.
Step 2: The Lipstick Test
Lipstick is one of the quickest ways to see undertone harmony.
Try two shades directly on your lips (not your hand):
A bright coral or orange-red
A berry pink or blue-based red
Look at your whole face, not just your lips.
Does one make your skin look brighter and healthier?
Do your eyes seem clearer?
Does anything feel “off” or harsh?
If coral/orange-red wins → your dominant facial undertone is warm.
If berry/blue-red wins → your dominant facial undertone is cool.
If both work in different ways → you may have balanced or mixed undertones.
And if neither works? You may have subtle undertones and need to experiment with variations. (Pro tip: many people love one shade while friends swear the other looks better — both perspectives are valid.)
Step 3: Define Your Dominant Undertone
Berry/blue-red wins? Your face reads predominantly cool, even if the rest of your body leans warmer.
Coral/orange-red wins? Your face reads predominantly warm, even if you have cooler zones.
Both work? You’re likely neutral or mixed — perhaps cool around the eyes and warm near the mouth.
Still unsure? That’s normal. Some people have such subtle or balanced undertones that there’s no clear dominant. That’s not failure — that’s nuance.
Why This Matters More Than Traditional Tests
Wrist veins and jewelry tests tell you about your body undertones. But what people see — and where makeup lives — is your face. Your facial undertone story might differ from your body’s, which is why foundation or lipstick shades sometimes feel “off.”
In Part 2, we’ll tackle:
How to find a foundation when you’re not clearly cool or warm
How to shop online without guessing wrong
How to choose colors that work with your undertone story, not against it
Your undertones are complex because you are complex. And that’s your superpower.