How to Determine If You Have a Warm or Cool Skin Tone (Quiz)

There are three types of undertones – neutral, warm, and cool. How to determine if you have a warm, cool, or neutral skin tone?

If you have warm undertones, your skin will look yellow, peachy, or golden. On the other hand, your skin will appear red, pink, or blue when you have cool undertones.

In the case of neutral undertones, your skin would have a mixture of warm and cool undertones.

To determine if you have a warm or cool skin tone (or neutral), you can take this skin tone quiz:

  1. What’s the Color of Your Veins?
  2. Do You Look Good in Orange and Yellow Shirts or Pure White and Off-white Shirts?
  3. What Type of Jewelry Looks Better on You?
  4. What Happens to Your Skin After Sun Exposure?
  5. What’s the Color of Your Hair and Eyes?
  6. Observe the Color of Your Skin in a Mirror

Read on to learn more about whether you have a warm or cool skin tone and to take the skin tone quiz.

Warm or Cool Skin Tone: How to Know Which One You Have?

Knowing your skin tone is useful when you want to choose a foundation, makeup, pieces of jewelry, or clothing that would suit your skin color.

You can also classify your skin tone by the appearance of your veins. People with a warm skin tone have veins that appear green or greenish-blue, while people with a cool skin tone have veins that appear purple or blue.

If the color of your veins is indistinguishable, most likely, your skin tone is neutral. Take the quiz below to learn more about the type of skin tone you have.

Warm or Cool Skin Tone Quiz

How would you know if your skin tone is warm or cool? To find out whether your skin tone is warm or cool, here’s a quiz you can complete. Answer the questions and find out your natural skin tone or undertone.

1. What’s the Color of Your Veins?

Observe the visible veins on your arms or wrist. What colors do they have?

  • Warm Skin Tone – Green to greenish-blue
  • Cool Skin Tone – Purple or blue

2. Do You Look Good in Orange and Yellow Shirts or Pure White and Off-white Shirts?

Compare how you appear with a pure white and off-white t-shirt or blouse and observe which one blends well with your skin. 

You can wear them or simply hold them against your face or skin. Other colors of shirts you can use to test your skin tone are orange and yellow. Wear a yellow shirt or place it against your skin and observe.

Moreover, you can use white or cream-colored paper to do this skin tone test. Place the paper against your face and observe. 

  • Warm Skin Tone – If your skin blends well with the yellow, orange, and pure white shirt or white paper. 
  • Cool Skin Tone – If your skin doesn’t blend well with the yellow or orange shirt, and if your skin blends well with the off-white shirt or off-white paper. 

3. What Type of Jewelry Looks Better on You?

Test two types of jewelry against your skin and take note of the results. 

  • Warm Skin Tone – Gold jewelry 
  • Cool Skin Tone – Silver jewelry

4. What Happens to Your Skin After Sun Exposure?

Expose yourself briefly to sunlight. Observe the changes in your skin.

  • Warm Skin Tone – Your skin turned golden-brown
  • Cool Skin Tone – Your skin burned and turned pink

5. What’s the Color of Your Hair and Eyes?

Look at your eye and hair colors. What colors are they? Interpret them.

  • Warm Skin Tone – Hazel, brown, and amber eyes with auburn, strawberry blonde, or black hair
  • Cool Skin Tone – Green, blue, and gray eyes with black, brown, or blonde hair

6. Observe the Color of Your Skin in a Mirror

See to it that no light reflections or shadows are covering your face.

  • Warm Skin Tone – If your skin appears yellow, peachy, or golden
  • Cool Skin Tone – If your skin appears pink or blue

What was the result of your “Warm or Cool Skin Tone Quiz”? Do you have a warm or cool skin tone? Take note of the result as it would be your basis in selecting your makeup color, clothing, and accessories.

Tips for Determining Your Skin Tone

  • When determining your skin tone, wash off carefully all remnants of makeup on your face. Complete makeup removal would allow your actual skin color to emerge. 
  • Warm and cool skin tones don’t characterize certain ethnicities. Skin undertones can either be warm or cool in any part of the world.
  • To test for a foundation appropriate for your skin tone, apply the foundation to a small skin area in your jaw, and observe if the shade is suitable for your skin tone or not.
  • People with neutral skin tones can freely choose from a wide array of shades, as their skin can match most colors.
  • When you can’t seem to determine the color of your veins, you can use a color chart available online or offline. Choose your correct skin tone by finding out what color is nearest to green (warm skin tone) or blue (cool skin tone).
  • Remember that your skin tone may vary during different seasons of the year. Thus, you may want to retest your skin tone now and then and adjust accordingly.
  • Don’t be afraid to explore all makeup colors to find out what best complements your skin tone, hair, and eye color.
  • The best cosmetic for your skin tone is the one that accentuates your physical features and reduces your bad features.
  • Whatever your skin tone type, be confident and proud of yourself. Remember that a beautiful person is the one who believes in herself, regardless of skin tones.

Where Do Warm Skin Tones Originate From?

There are no accurate reports regarding the origin of people with warm and cool skin tones. However, it is believed that the majority of people who have medium or dark-colored skin with warm skin tones or undertones may have come from the East.

Where Do Cool Skin Tones Originate From?

Since people with cool skin tones are generally fair or pale, you could assume that the majority of them came from the West. Naturally, there are exceptions to this assumption. You will have to undergo the quiz below if you want to determine your skin tone or undertone.

Take note that there are fair-skinned people who have warm skin tones and people with medium or dark skin who have cool skin tones. Thus, different skin tones can occur regardless of race or region.

Celebrities with Warm Skin Tones

1. Nicole Kidman

how to know if you have warm or cool skin tone
Nicole Kidman – warm skin tone
Image credit: ID 175877881 © Featureflash | Dreamstime.com

2. Salma Hayek

cool or warm skin tone
Cool or warm skin tone – Salma Hayek’s warm skin tone
ID 176197494 © Featureflash | Dreamstime.com

3. Beyoncé

how to determine if you have warm or cool skin tone
Warm vs cool skin tone – Beyonce’s warm skin
ID 174402676 © Featureflash | Dreamstime.com

Celebrities with Cool Skin Tones

1. Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey - cool skin tone
Oprah Winfrey – cool skin tone
Photo 110981023 © Starstock – Dreamstime.com

2. Anne Hathaway

cool or warm skin tone
Cool or warm skin tone – Ann Hathaway’s cool skin tone
ID 22865124 © Laurence Agron | Dreamstime.com

3. Lucy Liu

knowing if you have warm or cool skin tone
Cool vs warm skin tone – Lucy Liu’s cool skin
ID 26286624 © Carrienelson1 | Dreamstime.com

Makeup and Clothing Tips for People with Warm Skin Tones

So, you have a warm skin tone or undertone–that’s great as you have a wide array of makeup and clothing colors to choose from. Here are tips that you can follow:

1. Wear Nature-colored Outfits

The rich colors of nature would be perfect for your warm skin tone. These colors include yellow, orange, red, coral, gold, peach, and amber. You can also use violet-red, olive, or moss colors.

A yellow bottom and peach top can bring out the best in your complexion. Peach and coral combinations are a smashing combo that is perfect for casual wear, such as a peach-colored sleeveless blouse and yellow shorts. Add a gold watch, and you would give models a run for their money. However, avoid sapphire or amethyst as these colors don’t compliment your skin tone.

2. Use Eye Shadows That Have Light Natural Colors

These colors are shades of brown or purple, such as light brown or light purple. Darker shades of red lipstick would be great for your skin tone as well. Complete your makeup with a light-colored blush-on.

3. Use a Foundation That Matches Your Skin Tone

Apply a small amount of foundation on your skin and determine if it matches your skin tone. Some people choose a foundation that is one shade darker or lighter. Nonetheless, it would still depend on your preferences. Feel free to select the shade that makes you feel more self-confident and beautiful.

Makeup and Clothing Tips for People with Cool Skin Tones

1. Wear Ocean and Winter Colors

These colors include pink, deep purple, bright or ice blue, emerald, pink, and lavender. You can also use ruby and pale yellow, including shades of red, blue, and pink.

You can pair an ice blue knee-length skirt with a pink top to bring vibrancy and youthfulness to your outfit. You could also wear dark purple pants with a pale yellow, long-sleeved blouse.

2. Use Eye Shadows with Blue Hues

You can use light to medium blue shades for your eyes and pink to light purple or red for your lips. Finish your makeup with a light, rosy blush. Adjust your makeup colors accordingly, depending on the color of your eyes, hair, and outfit.

The recommended colors are not written on stone, so you can modify and make some adjustments whenever necessary.

3. Use a Foundation That Suits Your Skin Tone

It would be best to use a foundation that matches your cool skin tone to appear natural and flawless. Experiment by trying out different foundation shades until you find the perfect match for your skin tone. Avoid yellow foundations, as these shades would let your skin appear paler.

Makeup and Clothing Tips for People with Neutral Skin Tones

1. Wear Ecru Colors

Examples of these colors are cream and light gray. Bright red, green, and light yellow blend well with ecru colors.

For a glamorous outfit, you can don a bright red bottom with a light yellow top. Add some classic pieces of jewelry, such as a simple diamond ring or a small silver bag, and you’re ready to go. Also, except for bright red, avoid using extremely bright-colored clothing.

2. Try Foundations for Warm and Cool Skin Tones

For skin foundations, you can follow the instructions for both warm and cool skin undertones. Try a little amount of the foundation on a small area of your face and observe the results.

3. Take Note That Neutral Skin Tones Can Be Good for Any Color Combination

You have to discover and learn which color combinations are suitable for your taste. After all, you’re the one who would be wearing those colors.

Sometimes, a little common sense is needed to come up with a stunning color combination. An example would be not to pair two dark colors unless you want to project a somber image or if it’s a formal occasion, where vibrant colors are not acceptable. Brighter colors appear more youthful and casual than darker shades and hues.

Conclusion – How to Determine If You Have a Warm or Cool Skin Tone

So to recap, warm vs cool skin tone: which do you have? You can determine what skin tone you have by completing the warm vs cool skin tone quiz above. Here’s a summary of your point of references when finding out your skin tone:

  • Color of veins – Blue veins for cool skin tone and green veins for warm skin tone
  • What suits you most? White or cream shirt/paper? – White for warm skin tone and off-white or cream for cool skin tone
  • What pieces of jewelry complements your skin? Silver or gold? – Silver for cool skin tone and gold for warm skin tone
  • Effects of exposure to sun on your skin – Skin turned golden brown or tan for warm skin tone and red or burned skin for cool skin tone
  • Color of hair and eyes – Hazel, brown, and amber eyes coupled with strawberry blonde or black hair for warm skin tone, while blue, green, and gray eyes combined with black, brown, or blonde hair for cool skin tone
  • The appearance of skin color against the light – Yellow, peachy or golden hues for warm skin tone, while pink or blue for cool skin tone

Refer to the “Warm or Cool Skin Tone Quiz” above for additional information regarding your skin tone. Based on your results, you can then find the perfect outfit, makeup shades, and foundation that you should use to accentuate your best facial features.

Related reading:

Neutral Skin Tone Defined [and Best Colors for Neutral Skin]

What Is My Skin Tone? (With Pictures)

Skin Tone Chart – Find Your Color and Foundation

25 Skin Tone Names (With Pictures)

Blonde Hair Brown Eyes (Facts and Makeup Tips)