Figuring out warm or cool?

[ChillyMcFreeze]

I've always heard that if your veins look blue, you're cool and if they look green, you're warm. I don't know what color they would be for neutral, so maybe that's not the best test!

[nursewife]

I must be an ice queen. My veins often look like they were drew on with a blue marker. I also have a bit of an olive complexion though. My skin is strange, anyone that puts foundation always starts with a shade far too dark, and eventually gets to something pretty light and is surprised by it.

[Una]

Do you look better in one of these sets of colors? That might help a bit. 




I'm mostly neutral, maybe slightly warm. I was always confused by these tests since my veins are blue-green, I look good in some silver and some gold, and I look good in some cool colors and some warm colors. Eventually I realized that, duh, I'm probably neutral. 

I think what threw me off a bit was that I always match the best with yellow-toned foundation. But now I realize that it's because my face is just pinker than the rest of me and I'm prone to redness. The yellow counteracts that.

[ESF]

I think warm and cool matter more for foundation matching. For everything else,in font think everyone fits into neat boxes. I think other features, like hair color, eye color, eye shape, lip shape, cheek bones, etc will all play a part in how good any given product will look on you. I think my skin is cool toned, though probably closer to neutral. But warmer colors of makeup look better on me.

[peachykate]

I'm neutral also, my veins are blue but I have stawberry hair, freckles and gold flecks in my eyes. My favorite colors to wear are navy and brown. It's a conundrum.

For foundation I usually go N if they have it, cool if they don't.

[Una]

Apr 4, 2015 11:51:06 GMT -5 Adora Belle Dearheart said:

Apr 4, 2015 10:30:32 GMT -5 Una said:

I'm mostly neutral, maybe slightly warm. I was always confused by these tests since my veins are blue-green, I look good in some silver and some gold, and I look good in some cool colors and some warm colors. Eventually I realized that, duh, I'm probably neutral. 

That's what gets me. I can wear colours from both sets. My closet is mostly navy/dark blues, reds/pinks, black, white and greys. 

You very well might be a good mix of both warm and cool, but I definitely agree with ESF that it really matters most for foundation. I know for me, I looked better in completely different colors when I was blonde versus now that I'm a brunette.

I just wear whatever colors I like and feel best in and hope don't look like a fool, lol.

[IIOY]

Apr 4, 2015 10:56:32 GMT -5 ESF said:

I think warm and cool matter more for foundation matching. For everything else,in font think everyone fits into neat boxes. I think other features, like hair color, eye color, eye shape, lip shape, cheek bones, etc will all play a part in how good any given product will look on you. I think my skin is cool toned, though probably closer to neutral. But warmer colors of makeup look better on me.

I agree with all of this.  My perfect match foundation is quite pink (BR42 below) but warm colors suit me so much better for all other aspects of my makeup. 

[heyjude]

I feel like I should be a cool, but neutral light bare minerals foundations look better on me; at least they did when I initally bought the bare mineral kit and tested out both light shades.

In terms of eyeshadows, I've always had an easier time making warm shades work on me.

And I'm not sure about the orange red lipstick the other day that I tried on.

I don't really understand color rules, to be honest.

I know that light greens look heinous on me.

[secretlyevil]

We need the seasons thingy in here.

[SallyJ]

Apr 4, 2015 15:47:05 GMT -5 secretlyevil said:

We need the seasons thingy in here.

I have refrained.

[iamgrace]

I wish I could figure this out. I think I'm warm? But I do look good in cool tones (clothes, I mean). Light golden blonde hair (natural), fair, tan easily, blue eyes. I seem to look better in warm toned foundation and concealer, but a blue red lip still looks good!

Maybe I just have no clue what I'm doing.

[secretlyevil]

Apr 4, 2015 15:51:18 GMT -5 SallyJ said:

Apr 4, 2015 15:47:05 GMT -5 secretlyevil said:

We need the seasons thingy in here.

I have refrained.

lololololol!

[irishbride2]

I lookr good in bold colors but not anything light. The two colors I get the most compliments on are bold purple and bold orange....which are very different lol.

I think I lean warm but I have a tint of olive on my skin too. So who knows. I just go with nuetral foundation in general.

[roxysoxy]

I have always had trouble figuring out if I'm warm or cool tone. If a foundation is offered with a neutral undertone, I'll usually go for that. I think I'm more yellow than pink, but foundations with truly warm undertones often look too yellow on me. Warm toned eyeshadow definitely looks better on me. 

[secretlyevil]

www.thechicfashionista.com/your-best-perfect-colors.html

[cattledogkisses]

I'm another one who doesn't really fit either warm or cool. I assume that makes me neutral.

I've tried to figure out my "season" but I've never seen one that accounts for brown-eyed natural blonds.

[secretlyevil]

Apr 5, 2015 15:12:29 GMT -5 cattledogkisses said:

I'm another one who doesn't really fit either warm or cool. I assume that makes me neutral.

I've tried to figure out my "season" but I've never seen one that accounts for brown-eyed natural blonds.

put on a white shirt or robe, cover your hair in a white towel and take a pic in bright light. Then look at the link or similar links. I'm thinking warm spring based on past photos, etc. but I'm fuzzy. Maybe clear.

[cattledogkisses]

Apr 5, 2015 15:20:04 GMT -5 secretlyevil said:

Apr 5, 2015 15:12:29 GMT -5 cattledogkisses said:

I'm another one who doesn't really fit either warm or cool. I assume that makes me neutral.

I've tried to figure out my "season" but I've never seen one that accounts for brown-eyed natural blonds.

put on a white shirt or robe, cover your hair in a white towel and take a pic in bright light. Then look at the link or similar links. I'm thinking warm spring based on past photos, etc. but I'm fuzzy. Maybe clear.

I went poking around on the web after I posted and actually found one that seems to fit: soft autumn. The photos of other soft autumns look like my coloring. 

[Deleted]

I've always assumed I'm warm b/c my skin has yellow undertones (my daily foundation is Tarte's Tinted Moisturizer in Light which is described as "light skin with yellow undertones). But then my veins appear blue.. sooooo... yeah, what does that mean? :? 

[redheadbaker]

I don't know how many times and ways I've tried to determine if I'm "warm" or "cool." I've read that auburn hair usually indicates warm, blue eyes usually indicate cool. I have auburn hair and blue eyes, LOL. I've tried the "jewelry test," and the "white shirt test," and yeah ... no clue.

[MrsAxilla]

Apr 4, 2015 15:51:18 GMT -5 SallyJ said:

Apr 4, 2015 15:47:05 GMT -5 secretlyevil said:

We need the seasons thingy in here.

I have refrained.

No!  I found it very helpful. Although I can't remember what season I am - lol.  I'm definitely a solid neutral, though.  There are certain colors in warm and cool that look great on me...or hideous.  

[kirra]

When they aren't hiding, my veins are blue. I need a cool foundation but usually use warm eyeshadow. I don't look great in a truly warm shade, but neutral and cool blushes both work.

[irishbride2]

I forgot about that test. Cool winter reporting in.

[SallyJ]

Ok...so I'm going to send a few people down a rabbit hole. Some might like this and some won't like it at all. I found it helpful to figure out my coloring.

There is something called seasonal color analysis. It's a fancy way of saying there are a set of colors that you look best in. Not that you shouldn't or can't wear other colors, but not all colors will make you look like you are glowing.

I started with this site and then went down a google rabbit hole. www.truth-is-beauty.com/

I started with colors I was always complimented in - teal and pink, and then thought about colors that make me look sickly or just blah (certain browns, yellow-greens, tans, pastels). I looked up seasonal color palettes on pinterest and focused on palettes that included the colors that looked good on me and the excluded the colors that didn't work for me:


I then did a makeup free, undone hair draping and took selfies in natural light. When I looked at the photos it was obvious to me which colors looked best on me. I narrowed it down to one season - True Winter, based on the color yellow. A true yellow looks amazing on me, but anything that gets too warm (orange) or too icy (green) looks awful on me.


And then I tossed everything in my makeup and wardrobe that didn't fit in the palette and began only wearing True Winter colors. I have never been so complimented every single day since making the switch. It is much easier to shop for clothes and make-up now. My neutrals are grey, black and taupe. I stay away from brown unless it reads more purple. I wear green if it reads more teal of forest green. I'm careful with red - true red looks great, but tomato red looks terrible. Berry red is the best for me. My 'sister' season is Summer and I can wear a lot of colors from True Summer or Light Summer when I go lighter with my hair.

When I chose my palette I chose the one that I could wear every single color in it without cringing or looking washed out/sickly. True Winter is the only palette that does that for me. Every other palette I would have to draw an 'X' through at least one, but probably several, of the colors. I might be able to guess at your season if I see a make-up free photo in natural light. There are people who are professionals for color analysis. You can pay a few hundred dollars to figure it out.

[betsyray]

SallyJ, I def agree that those are your colors. Gorgeous!

I'm looking at the charts and most people compliment me when I wear jewel tones. I look horrible in pale colors because they wash me out. I'm having trouble narrowing down to a specific color palette. I also want to change my hair color at my next appointment (natural is a mousy brown with a lot of grey). Yours always looks great when you change it. Any thoughts on my colors? If you have time, of course

[SallyJ]

Apr 6, 2015 13:21:06 GMT -5 betsyray said:

SallyJ, I def agree that those are your colors. Gorgeous!

I'm looking at the charts and most people compliment me when I wear jewel tones. I look horrible in pale colors because they wash me out. I'm having trouble narrowing down to a specific color palette. I also want to change my hair color at my next appointment (natural is a mousy brown with a lot of grey). Yours always looks great when you change it. Any thoughts on my colors? If you have time, of course  

Do you wear grey or brown more often as your neutral?  Are there colors that just look absolutely terrible on you?  I want to lean toward Spring or Autumn because you look like you have more yellow undertones (rather than blue) and you have gold in your hair (vs. copper).  If jewel tones are what you get complimented in then you might be a Dark Autumn.  Consider looking at Bright Spring, True Spring, and True Autumn as well.  Sometimes someone with Dark Autumn coloring may be also fit a lot of the colors in Dark Winter.  The difference is that the winter palette is cooler than the autumn palette.  Pull the palettes I mention and cross out any colors that you know don't work for you.  Consider draping some of those colors (find clothes, towels, linens, scarfs, etc) to be sure what looks good/bad on you.  I was surprised at colors I thought would be fine were terrible, and found that if I find icy bold pastels, I can wear them.

[waffletime]

This is hard because I feel like I look good in everything, lol.

[secretlyevil]

Apr 6, 2015 13:21:06 GMT -5 betsyray said:

SallyJ, I def agree that those are your colors. Gorgeous!

I'm looking at the charts and most people compliment me when I wear jewel tones. I look horrible in pale colors because they wash me out. I'm having trouble narrowing down to a specific color palette. I also want to change my hair color at my next appointment (natural is a mousy brown with a lot of grey). Yours always looks great when you change it. Any thoughts on my colors? If you have time, of course "]

can you take a pic where you are wearing white and you're standing sort of background free? That's what she made me do. It helps with analysis.

[betsyray]

secretlyevil thanks for the tip!

SallyJ I wear a lot of black, white, grey, or navy. Mostly due to lack of inspiration on the clothing front. Beige and pale pink with beige undertones look awful on me. I'm not sure black is my best color either (my mom says it makes me look too pale). My foundation is pink based (UD Naked) but I don't actually think it's a great match. It seems darker than my skin tone. I'm attaching the last pic of my natural hair color lol I've been grey since 22.

[SallyJ]

Apr 6, 2015 14:06:10 GMT -5 betsyray said:

secretlyevil thanks for the tip!

SallyJ I wear a lot of black, white, grey, or navy. Mostly due to lack of inspiration on the clothing front. Beige and pale pink with beige undertones look awful on me. I'm not sure black is my best color either (my mom says it makes me look too pale). My foundation is pink based (UD Naked) but I don't actually think it's a great match. It seems darker than my skin tone. I'm attaching the last pic of my natural hair color lol I've been grey since 22. 

Aw, yep that made a difference.  The first pic had a yellow cast to it from sunlight which made you look more yellow undertoned.  The last two pictures plus the info on your foundation would likelymake you lean toward cooler.  You're coloring reminds me a lot of runaways coloring.  I think she ended up going with one of the summer palettes.  I wonder if Soft Summer Deep or True Summer could work for you.  Soft Summer Deep has a lot more pink (and some warmer taupes) and True Summer has a lot more teal and cooler taupes. If black doesn't work for you, that usually rules out winter.