How to Tell If You Have a Warm or Cool Skin Tone (Plus a Fun Little Trick!)

Knowing if your skin tone is warm or cool can completely change how you look and feel in your clothes. When you wear colours that go with your undertone, your skin looks better, your eyes shine, and your whole look is more colourful.

Don’t worry if you don’t know what your skin tone is; this guide will help you find out. And at the end, there’s a sneaky little tip that you might want to keep for later!

As women over 50, our hair and skin change over time, and what worked for us years ago may not work as well now. That’s why it’s more important than ever to know about skin undertones. 

Let’s talk about how to find out what colour your skin is and how important it is to pick the right colours.

How to Choose The Right Colors For Your Skin Tone: Warm or Cool

What Is a Skin Undertone and Why It Matters

Your skin tone isn’t just about how dark or light your skin is. It also has a tone that can be warm, cool, or neutral. This subtle colour under the surface has a big effect on what clothes, makeup, and even hair colours look best on you. 

You might have thought, “This doesn’t look right,” when you put something on. This could be because it doesn’t match your undertone.

Wearing colours that match the undertone of your skin can make your face look bright and young. The wrong tones, on the other hand, can make you look pale or even tired. That’s why it’s important to know if your skin tone is warm or cool, especially after 50, when we want to look and feel confident and full of energy.

READ ALSO: How to Choose the Perfect Blush Color for Your Skin Tone After 50s

Simple Ways to Identify If You’re Warm or Cool

There are a few quick tests you can try at home to determine your skin’s undertone:

1. The Vein Test: Take a look at the veins on the inside of your wrist. Are they more green or blue? Green veins usually indicate a warm undertone, while blue or purple veins suggest a cool undertone. If you see a mix of both, you’re likely neutral, meaning you can wear both warm and cool tones beautifully.

2. The Jewelry Test: Hold gold and silver jewelry near your face. Which one makes your skin look healthier and more radiant? Gold tends to flatter warm undertones, while silver complements cool ones. If both look great, you’re probably neutral.

Use White to Reveal Your True Undertone

Another simple trick is to hold a piece of bright white paper or fabric under your chin in natural light. What do you see?

• If your skin appears slightly yellow or golden, you likely have a warm undertone.
• If it looks more pink or bluish, you’re cool-toned.

This white test is especially helpful for women over 50, as it clearly shows contrast between your natural skin tone and the fabric. It helps eliminate confusion when color matching clothes or makeup.

READ ALSO: What is a Skin Toner? Here’s What it Does to Your Mature Skin in Your 50s

Contrast Levels: What They Mean for You

Understanding your contrast level is just as important as your undertone. Contrast is about how your skin, eyes, and hair differ in depth and tone. For example:

• High contrast: Dark hair and light skin
• Medium contrast: Similar depth between hair, eyes, and skin (like warm brunette and olive skin)
• Low contrast: Light hair, light skin, and light eyes

Your contrast level will help guide which intensity of colors works best for you. Women with high contrast can wear bright colours. Women with low contrast look great in soft colours. The medium contrast ladies suit has balanced, moderate colours.

How Hair Color Can Impact Your Skin Tone

Your hair color can dramatically affect how your skin undertone shows up. For example:

• Warm undertones with ash-blonde or cool hair colors can make the skin look off.
• Cool undertones with golden or brassy highlights can do the same.

Choosing the right hair color is just as important as clothing. Always align your hair tone with your natural undertone to maintain that healthy glow.

READ ALSO: What Colors Make Green Eyes Pop: Top Tips for Stunning Looks

A Fun Trick for a Day Off (Just for Laughs!)

Here’s a light-hearted tip for when you need a “me day”. If you ever want to look under the weather without actually being sick (just for fun!), try this: wear colors that completely clash with your undertone and contrast level.

• If you’re warm-toned, wear cool colors like icy blues or ash grays.
• If you’re cool-toned, wear warm earthy tones like mustard or terra cotta.

These wrong colors can make your skin look pale or dull, which people might interpret as you feeling unwell. It’s a trick used in movies to make actors appear tired or older. Of course, it’s all in good fun, so use this information wisely.

My Top Tips

Here are my top tips:

• Check your veins: Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist.
  • Green veins suggest you have a warm undertone.
  • Blue or purple veins indicate a cool undertone.
  • If your veins appear bluish-green, you’re likely neutral.
• If you’re neutral: Lucky you! You can wear a wide variety of colors, both warm and cool tones tend to look great on you.

These quick checks are a great way to start understanding your skin tone and building a wardrobe and beauty routine that makes you shine.

Final Thoughts on Warm vs Cool Skin Tones

Learning whether you have a warm or cool skin tone is empowering. It helps you pick the right makeup colours, takes the guesswork out of shopping, and even makes you feel more confident. As women over 50, we can age with grace, beauty, and style by accepting our unique tones.

So the next time you look in the mirror and something feels “off”, consider whether your colors are working for you or against you. Try the tips shared above, and maybe even have a little fun with the “wrong colours” trick when you’re feeling cheeky.

Have you tried the warm vs cool test yet? Share your results and favorite colors in the comments below!