How to Find Your Undertones (Without Staring at Your Veins)
This afternoon, I’m sitting with Sabrina at my feet and a cup of coffee (of course), a chilly rain coming down, and I’m thinking about undertones — and how utterly confusing this topic has become online.
Once upon a time, we were told to flip our wrists over and study our veins like we were prepping for a blood draw. If they looked green, you were warm! If they looked blue, you were cool!
Except… have you ever actually looked at your veins and thought, “Um, they just look like veins”? Exactly. You’re not alone.
The truth is, vein color is one of those outdated “beauty rules” that’s been passed down like an old wives’ tale. It doesn’t take into account things like lighting, depth of skin tone, or how our skin can change in warmth or coolness depending on everything from our health to the time of year.
So, let’s toss that outdated method right out the window (lovingly, of course). There’s a better, more authentic way to figure out your undertone — one that doesn’t involve contorting your wrist in natural light while second-guessing your eyeballs.
First things first: what even is an undertone?
Your undertone is the subtle hue that lives beneath your skin’s surface. It’s not about how fair, medium, or deep your skin is — it’s the temperature of your skin’s base color that influences everything from what lipstick flatters you to what clothing makes you feel alive and radiant. Undertones NEVER change. Your overtone (superficial surface color) can change due to things like sun exposure or applying sunless tanner — even illness — but your undertone remains the same throughout your life.
There are three main undertones:
Warm: Golden, peachy, or yellow beneath the skin.
Cool: Pink, rosy, red, or bluish tones underneath.
Neutral: A balanced mix of both — not overly warm or cool.
The Jewelry Test
Forget the veins. Look at how different metals sit on your skin.
Gold jewelry tends to enhance warm undertones. It looks rich and glowy, like your skin and the metal are in on the same secret.
Silver jewelry pops beautifully on cool undertones, creating that crisp, balanced contrast.
Rose gold can flatter olive undertones.
And if gold and silver both look equally as good on you? Congratulations — you’re likely neutral!
Do you tend to stick to the same metal? I KNOW silver is my best metal because I have cool undertones, but I do have a necklace I like that has a gold chain. It doesn’t look BAD, but it just doesn’t look great either. How about you?
The White vs. Ivory Test
You can also try this with neutrals — it’s simple but telling. Hold a piece of pure white paper or fabric next to your face, then do the same with a creamy ivory.
If the pure white makes your skin look vibrant and clear, you probably have cool undertones. If ivory gives you a soft, candlelit glow, you’re probably warm. And if both shades look equally flattering, you might be neutral — lucky you!
