This Is How to Choose Makeup for Your Skin Tone

An estimated 39% of women in the United States say that they wear makeup every day, with a further 21% of women saying they wear makeup occasionally and 14% wear it weekly. Less than a quarter of women (23%) say they never wear makeup.

However often you wear makeup, it is important that you choose makeup that suits your skin tone. In this blog post, we will highlight how to choose makeup for your skin tone, whether this is light, fair, medium, or dark.

Here, we will share practical advice on determining overtones and undertones, and choosing the most suitable foundation, blush, highlighter, eye shadow, and lipstick. Let’s get started on how to choose makeup.

Determine Overtones and Undertones

First, to determine your overtone, look at your skin in natural lighting. Your skin’s overtone refers to the initial color you see and how light or dark that color is. For example, if your overtone is cream or ivory color, it is considered light; if it is tan or caramel color, it is considered medium; if it is mocha brown or chocolate color, it is considered dark.

To determine undertones, you can use a piece of white paper. Hold the paper next to your face and look into a mirror. If your skin is yellower than the paper, you have warm undertones; if it is pinker than the paper, you have cool undertones; if it looks peachy, then you have neutral undertones.

Choose Your Foundation

You should always look for foundations that match your skin’s overtones and undertones. Typically, you will find this information on the bottle when buying makeup.

Pick a few colors that you think might work and test the foundation on your jawline. This allows you to check that it matches your face and how it compared to your neck. Be sure to check how the foundation looks under different lighting sources to determine if it is a true match.

The perfect foundation will effectively disappear when you apply it. This means that your skin will look airbrushed but won’t change color.

Choosing Other Items

Your skin’s specific overtones and undertones will determine the most suitable blush, highlighter, eye shadow, and lipstick for you. Let’s give an example and imagine a person who has fair skin and warm undertones. The most suitable makeup choices would be:

• For blush, go for a peach color
• Use a highlight with a white sheen (such as ivory or ice-white)
• For eye shadow, opt for softer colors such as golds, beiges, and pinks
• For lipstick, opt for orange hues that complement the warmth in your skin

For professional makeup advice based on your skin’s specific undertones and overtones, take makeup lessons at Gibson Hair + Makeup.

How to Choose Makeup for Your Skin Tone

The bottom line is that, when it comes to choosing makeup for your skin tone, your overtone and undertones play a big role. As this blog post on “how to choose makeup for your skin tone” highlights, once you determine these, you will be able to choose makeup items that perfectly complement your skin.

Here in Charleston, your premier choice for professional makeup lessons and advice is Gibson Hair + Makeup. To schedule a personalized makeup lesson, simply contact our team via call, text, or email.