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Softlight Skin-Smoothing Liquid Foundation
A medium-buildable foundation with a smooth, soft-matte finish.
31N
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30W
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29N
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28W
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27C
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23C
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19N
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18W
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17C
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16W
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31N
Deep with Neutral Undertone
Current price: $54
Softlight Skin-Smoothing Liquid Foundation
Medium Coverage, brightening, balancing
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$54
Cream Blush Refillable Cheek &
A hydrating cream that brightens and blurs with a radiant...
Hydrangea
Light cool pink
Wisteria
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Coral
Heliotrope
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Muted peach
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Rich taupe
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Hibiscus
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Dahlia
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Hydrangea
Light cool pink
Current price: $32
Cream Blush Refillable Cheek & Lip Color
Brightening, blurring and longwearing
Current price:
$32
Softlight Luminous Hydrating Concealer
A does-it-all concealer that brightens, blurs and contours while nourishing...
LX 200
Very Deep Skin Tone, Neutral Undertone
LX 190
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LX 180
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LX 200
Very Deep Skin Tone, Neutral Undertone
Current price: $30
Softlight Luminous Hydrating Concealer
Medium coverage, brightening, blurring
Current price:
$30
Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum
A hydrating skin tint that delivers powerful skincare and sheer,...
140
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130
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140
Very Deep Skin Tone/Red Undertone
Current price: $49
Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum
Sheer Coverage, illuminating, hydrating
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$49
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How to Determine Your Skin's Undertone Once and For All
Education
By Jessica estrada
July 06, 2022
When shopping for a new foundation or concealer, finding a shade that matches your skin requires determining two things: your skin tone and its undertone. The latter is not as often discussed, but the pros agree, it’s the secret to finding your seamless makeup match. Ahead, Melissa Collazo, a makeup artist and OMNIA brush artist and Jason Hoffman, makeup artist and VP of artistry and education for Rose Inc’s parent company, Amyris, dive into what skin undertones are, why they’re important and how to identify yours.
“Unlocking this skill has an overwhelmingly positive effect on the overall outcome of your makeup look...”
What are skin undertones?
Skin tones refer to the intensity value of the skin and range from fair, light-medium, medium-deep and deep to name a few. As Callazo puts it, skin tones refer to the skin’s surface color, while skin undertones are the subtle hues that live underneath. Another way to look at it: skin undertones have more to do with the skin’s temperature. So, while your skin tone can slightly change from season to season, your skin undertone always remains the same.
Skin undertones are separated into three main categories: warm, cool and neutral. “If you were to split the color wheel in half, you'll find warm shades that feel like sunshine and heat on one side, and cool shades that feel cold and icy on the other,” Collazo says. “Undertones of the skin will typically fall somewhere on the spectrum of warm (more yellow), cool (more blue), or neutral (more red/pink).”
Why knowing your skin undertone is important
So, why is determining your skin undertone necessary? For one, it ensures you achieve seamless makeup application. “Unless you are experimental or edgy, contrasting undertones can look off on the skin,” Hoffman says. “It really is all about trying to see what works best for you.” Plus, knowing your skin’s undertone makes it much easier to shop for complexion products both in-store and online.
Knowing your undertone also makes it easier to shop for other color cosmetics, such as a blush or red lipstick that complement your skin tone. “[It becomes] a much simpler task grounded in science versus being a veritable guessing game,” Collazo says. Furthermore, “unlocking this skill has an overwhelmingly positive effect on the overall outcome of your makeup look, and can even translate into other areas of your life, from picking your wardrobe, desired hair color, and even how you choose to decorate your home.”
How to determine your skin undertones
Do the vein test
There are a few tests out there to determine your skin’s undertone. The most common, which Collazo and Hoffman both recommend, is the vein test which involves looking at the veins on your wrist in natural sunlight. “If the veins are bluish or purple, that indicates cool,” Hoffman says. “If they are greenish, this notes warm skin. If it’s hard to tell or seems to be a little of both, you are neutral.”
Note what jewelry you’re drawn to
Examining the jewelry or neutral clothing you gravitate towards is another trick that can help determine your skin undertones. “Warm undertones feel their best in gold jewelry and neutral clothing that are more cream, tan, and brown-toned, while cool undertones tend to gravitate towards silver jewelry and white, gray and black clothing,” Collazo says. “Those with neutral undertones will find that they can wear it all and not be affected.”
“Warm undertones feel their best in gold jewelry and neutral clothing that are more cream, tan, and brown-toned, while cool undertones tend to gravitate towards silver jewelry and white, gray and black clothing.”
Consider how sun affects your skin
Another way Collazo recommends to determine your skin undertone is considering how your skin is affected by the sun. “If you have greener veins and you tan easily after prolonged sun exposure, you likely have a warm undertone,” she says. “If you have blue/purple veins and burn easily, you likely have a cool undertone. If your veins are more aqua/blue-green color and after time in the sun you burn first and then tan, you are likely a neutral undertone.”
Experiment with products
The best way to find your skin’s undertone is to try on complexion products with the undertones you think you have. The same goes for other cosmetic products such as blush and bronzer. “There are cool corals, warm reds — even bronzers come in cool, warm and neutral — so everyone should find tones that flatter their skin,” Hoffman says. The rule of thumb: “If something looks off on your skin tone, it’s likely the wrong undertone.”
Find Your Shade Using AI
Rose Inc’s version of this is called Shade Finder. It’s a tool that helps online and in-app shoppers find ideal makeup shades in seconds flat. No swatching on skin and no lengthy quizzes, just the right shade of makeup, right now. It’s easy. Snap a photo, answer a couple of questions and get matched with your best makeup shade. Learn more here.
ShoP COMPLEXTION ESSENTIALS
Solar Radiance Hydrating Cream Highlighter
A velvet-soft cream that illuminates the complexion while smoothing the...
Lustrous
Rich copper
Glancing
Rosy bronze
Prismatic
Warm gold
Opalescent
Cool pink
Brilliant
Pearl
Lustrous
Rich copper
Current price: $32
Solar Radiance Hydrating Cream Highlighter
Illuminating, smoothing and non-comedogenic
Current price:
$32
Cream Blush Refillable Cheek &
A hydrating cream that brightens and blurs with a radiant...
Hydrangea
Light cool pink
Wisteria
Coral pink
Anemone
Coral
Heliotrope
Apricot
Delphine
Muted peach
Daylily
Rich taupe
Foxglove
Warm terracotta
Ophelia
True pink
Camellia
Mauve
Hibiscus
Bright plum
Azalea
Berry
Dahlia
Deep berry
Hydrangea
Light cool pink
Current price: $32
Cream Blush Refillable Cheek & Lip Color
Brightening, blurring and longwearing
Current price:
$32
Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum
A hydrating skin tint that delivers powerful skincare and sheer,...
140
Very Deep Skin Tone/Red Undertone
130
Deep Skin Tone/Neutral Undertone
120
Deep Skin Tone/Red Undertone
110
Deep Skin Tone/Golden Undertone
100
Medium Deep Skin Tone/Golden Undertone
090
Medium Deep Skin Tone/Olive Undertone
080
Medium Tan Skin Tone/ Peach Undertone
070
Medium Skin Tone/Peach Undertone
060
Medium Skin Tone/ Neutral Undertone
050
Medium Skin Tone/ Pink Undertone
040
Light to Medium Skin Tone/ Neutral Undertone
030
Light Skin Tone/ Warm Golden Undertone
020
Light Skin Tone/Warm Peach Undertone
010
Fair Skin Tone/ Cool Pink Undertone
140
Very Deep Skin Tone/Red Undertone
Current price: $49
Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum
Sheer Coverage, illuminating, hydrating
Current price:
$49
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