Figuring out your skintone is so important when it comes to choosing the right makeup. You need to be aware of your own skin to determine what you wear over it.
Most women fall into one of these categories:
- If you tan easily and do not burn, your skin's natural melanin (the pigment that gives skin its color) level is higher, and you most likely have a yellow-to-olive undertone.
- Those who burn and either tan minimally or not at all have significantly less melanin, which results in a pink, bluish-red, or ruddy skin tone. In addition, look for telltale signs: a ruddy skin tone has obvious signs of redness or is one that tends to flush easily. Some neutral skin tones fall into this category, particularly if rosacea is a factor.
- If a yellow (usually referred to as "sallow") tone is predominant, you'll notice that a foundation, concealer, or powders with too much yellow will make skin look worse, not better.
- Olive skin tones tend to look somewhat ashen or gray, from the combination of the natural yellow undertone everyone has and the greenish hue that’s unique to olive skin of any depth.
- Neutral skin tones are those with no obvious overtones of olive, sallow, or pink.
These categories hold true for all women, including women of color; your underlying skin color will always relate to one of these skin tones.
Once you have your skintone figured out, it becomes a lot easier to find makeup.
When you’re testing foundation shades, it is critical to identify your overall underlying skintone and find a foundation that matches it and blends in perfectly.
Regardless of which category you fall into, trying foundation on and making it sure it matches your skin (especially in daylight) is the best way to get a color that looks natural, not like you’re wearing foundation or, even worse, a mask.
