How to Easily Identify Your Cool, Warm, or Neutral Skin Undertone: A Beginner’s Guide

CharminAs a permanent makeup artist, I’ve learned that one of the most crucial steps in achieving flawless results is understanding your skin undertone. Whether you're a beginner in the beauty world or just curious about your own undertone, figuring this out can help you select the right pigments for PMU. Here, I’ll break down three simple ways you can discover whether you have cool, warm, or neutral undertones.

1. Check Your Wrist Veins: A Quick Indicator

I always suggest starting with this easy test. Look at the veins on your wrist under natural light. What color do they appear?

• Blue veins: You likely have cool undertones, with a pinkish hue to your skin.
• Green veins: You probably have warm undertones, as the yellow in your skin tone makes your veins appear greener.
• Both blue and green veins: You’ve hit the jackpot with neutral undertones, which means most colors will look great on you!

This is a simple but surprisingly accurate way to get a feel for your undertone.

2. Test with Jewelry: Silver or Gold?

When clients come to me for permanent makeup, I always recommend they try the jewelry trick. It's easy to do at home. Wear both silver and gold jewelry and see which one makes your skin glow more naturally.

• Silver jewelry: If silver flatters your skin and makes it look radiant, you probably have cool undertones.
• Gold jewelry: If gold looks better on you, then warm undertones are your likely match.
• Both silver and gold: If both seem to work equally well, you’re likely neutral-toned and have the freedom to wear either!

I always encourage clients to focus on what others say looks best, rather than just personal preference.

3. How Does Your Skin React to the Sun?

Understanding how your skin responds to the sun can give you another clue about your undertone. Next time you're soaking up the sun, ask yourself: Do I tan easily, or do I burn?

• Warm undertone: If your skin tans easily and rarely burns, you likely have warm undertones.
• Cool undertone: If your skin burns and peels after sun exposure, you probably have cool undertones.

Those with neutral undertones might experience a little bit of both—tanning with the occasional sunburn.

Final Thoughts

Knowing your undertone isn’t just a beauty trend—it’s a foundational step in creating looks that complement your natural skin tone. Whether you're choosing a lipstick shade, eyeshadow, or deciding on your next PMU color, these tips will help you feel more confident in your choices.

If you’re still unsure, don’t worry! The more you practice, the easier it becomes to spot those subtle differences. Understanding undertones is a game-changer, and once you’ve got it down, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities for perfecting your look.