How to Find Your Skin Undertone

Ever tried a foundation that looked flawless in the bottle but totally off on your skin? That’s your undertone at work. Knowing your skin’s undertone, whether it’s cool, warm, or neutral, is the secret to finding your true shade match.

Undertones affect how foundation, concealer, and even lipstick look once these products touch your skin. If you’re left wondering, what is my undertone? We’ve got you covered. Maybelline makes it easy to decode your skin undertones and find your perfect foundation with shades built for every tone and type.

Skin Undertone: Key Takeaways (TL;DR)

  • Your skin undertone can either be cool, warm, or neutral.
  • Matching makeup to your undertone makes your skin look natural and balanced.
  • How to find your undertone: vein test, jewellery colour match, white vs cream.
  • Discover the best makeup for your undertone.

Plus, we’ll show you how Maybelline makes matching your undertone effortless, so your makeup always looks fresh, seamless, and totally you.

What Are Skin Undertones?


Cool, neutral, warm. Unless you're a makeup artist, these three words might not mean anything to you, but they're actually crucial to consider when it comes to picking a foundation shade.

Your skin tone is the visible colour of your skin’s surface which can be fair, light, medium, tan, deep and it can change slightly with sun exposure or the seasons.

Your skin undertone, on the other hand, is the subtle hue beneath your skin that never changes, no matter the weather or how tanned you get. It’s what gives your complexion its natural warmth, coolness, or balance, and it’s the real secret behind choosing shades that look effortlessly natural on you.

Think of it this way:

  • Skin tone: what you see.
  • Undertone: what makes your foundation look right.

When you understand both, you’ll know exactly which foundation, concealer, and lipstick shades make your skin glow, not grey or washed out.

  • Cool undertones: have hints of pink, red, or blue.
  • Warm undertones: lean golden, peachy, or yellow.
  • Neutral undertones: are a balance of both.

When your skin undertone aligns with your makeup, your complexion looks naturally flawless, not forced.

How to Know Your Undertone

Finding your skin’s undertone is easier than you think and once you know it, choosing makeup shades that truly match your complexion becomes effortless.

Here’s how to find your skin undertone with a few simple at-home tests.

Vein Test:

Turn over your forearm and look at your veins. If they have a green tinge to them, they likely run warm. If they have a bluish tinge to them, your tones probably run cool.

Jewellery Test:

Are you more into gold jewellery and all its yellowy warmth? Or are you a cool, crisp silver kind of person? If the answer is gold, you most likely have warm undertones. If it’s silver, your skin is inclined to have cool undertones.

White Tee Test:

Hold up a white top or towel to your face. If your skin looks rosy or pink next to the white, you’re cool. If it glows golden or peachy, you’re warm.

White vs Cream Test:

Grab two articles of clothing, one white and the other off-white. While wearing no makeup, decide which colour complements your skin tone best. If it’s the pure-white shade, your undertones are warm. If the cream colour suits you more, you have cool undertones. If both flatter you just the same, you’re neutral.

Once you’ve discovered your undertone, building your makeup routine around it is easy. Find your foundation shade with Maybelline Foundation Finder, an easy, instant way to match your skin tone and undertone for a seamless, natural-looking finish.

Skin Undertones and Makeup

Foundation & Concealer:

If you’re wondering “am I warm or cool toned?”, or “what undertones do I have?”, the answer is the key to your perfect base. Cool undertones pair best with rosy or pink-based foundations, while warm undertones shine in golden or yellow-based shades. Neutral undertones can flex both ways, ideal for an effortlessly balanced look.

  • Cool undertones suit foundations with pink or rosy bases.
  • Warm undertones glow with golden or yellow-based shades.
  • Neutral undertones can balance either side, perfect for versatile looks.

Discover your ideal shade in Maybelline foundations, like the Super Stay 30h Lumi Matte Foundation, Super Stay 24h Skin Tint, and Super Stay 30hActive Wear Foundation, where every undertone finds its match, from cool to warm to neutral, for a seamless, natural finish that lasts.

Lipstick:

Not just for foundations and concealers, your undertone sets the stage for your signature lip shade and style. Match your lip shade to your undertone for the ultimate pop:

  • Cool undertones: Try blue-reds, berries, and mauves.
  • Warm undertones: Go for corals, peaches, or brick reds.
  • Neutral: Experiment freely, almost anything works!

Try your lipstick on virtually and find your perfect lip match in seconds.

Skin Undertones: FAQs

If you’ve got cool undertones, look for foundation shades with pink, red, or blue bases. These tones balance out your complexion and keep your skin looking fresh, not flat. If your undertone is warm, you’ll glow in golden, yellow, or peach-based foundations that bring out your natural radiance. At-home tests can help you discover your skin undertones, like checking your veins. If they look blue or purple, you’re likely cool toned. If they appear green, you’re warm toned. Your skin tone is what you see on the surface, fair, medium, tan, deep, and it can change with the seasons. Your skin undertone runs deeper. It’s the steady hue beneath your skin that stays the same all year round.