Skin Tone
Amidst looking at all the colors for Spring we are all wondering, “what colors look good on me?”
It is helpful to know what your skin tone is to answer that question. Basic rules of skin tones are divided into “seasons” Winter, Summer, Autumn and Spring.
Winter complexions have blue or pink undertones. Skin can be pale white, yellowish-olive, or dark. Winter people are generally brunettes, with deeply colored eyes. Many Asians and African Americans fall into this category.
Summer complexions, like winter complexions, have blue or pink undertones. Skin is pale and pink. Summers are often natural blondes or brunettes with pale eyes.
Autumn complexions have golden undertones. Often redheads and brunettes with golden brown eyes fall into this category.
Spring complexions have golden undertones and are usually creamy white or peach. Spring people generally have straw-colored or strawberry red hair, freckles, rosy cheeks, and blue or green eyes.
It is important that you honor your natural skin tone and choose colors that will enhance your natural beauty.
If you are unsure of basic coloring try on a few colors to determine how they affect your appearance using a mirror.
Use the following cool and warm colors for your analysis:
Warm tones look better in the colors to the left, Cool tones look better in the colors to the right:
Ivory/Pure white
Yellow green/Blue green
Bright orange/Bright pink
Red orange/Burgundy
Dark brown/Black
Ask yourself
1. Does my skin glow (in a good way!)?
2. Does the color cause skin imperfections or wrinkles to be less noticeable?
3. Does the color bring out the highlights in my hair?
4. Do my eyes sparkle with this color?
• Place the color’s complement next to it. Example: Green with red hair, purple with blonde hair.
• Combine the color with a neutral color. Example: Light pastel with dark brown hair.
• Repeat a large amount of the same color in a lower intensity near it. Example: Grayed blue with clear blue eyes.
• Repeat the same color in a brighter intensity, but in a small amount. Example: Emerald green scarf with green eyes.
To de-emphasize a personal color:
•Avoid complementary colors. Example: Sallow skin looks more yellow when purple is worn.
•Use color of brighter intensity in large amounts. Example: Bright rust with auburn
Your eyes are one of your most endearing aspects. Look in the mirror closely and find the colors that are there, wear those colors close to your face, in scarves, jewelry even eye shadows!
Make sure you check out the new Spring collection here at Christa-Taylor today!
March 18th, 2008 at 8:49 am
I’m not sure what season I am, but I really like the tip about wearing your eye color close to your face.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
I’m definitely somewhere in between a spring and summer and your advice is definitely very beneficial! Thanks for posting!
March 18th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I LOVE the spring collection!!
March 19th, 2008 at 4:59 am
Beautiful Collection Christa!! :o)
March 19th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Anna- if you send me a picture of yourself I can help determine what “season” you are…
I’m more of a spring/Summer (yes, you can be a combination;)
You can see if you check out my facebook! (I’d love to meet you too)
March 20th, 2008 at 6:37 am
Hey Y’all at CT,
Happy Spring!
March 20th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Thanks for the post! I was pretty sure that I was a spring, but now I am confident that I am. Also, can people’s seasons change? I think I used to be a summer because I looked dull and lifeless in yellow, orange and peach, etc. Now, a few years later, I look great in warm colors like these. Confusing…
March 24th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Carissa-
you know, your color tones can vary slightly depending on the season (when I’m more tan in the summer I am able to wear bright, more intense colors), but I’ve never heard of someone completely changing color tones- have you changed your hair color recently?
A.C-
Thanks! Happy Spring to you too! and I hope you had a nice Easter!
March 25th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Christa-
I haven’t chemically changed my hair color, but it has made some dramatic changes of its own. When I was little it was strawberry blond, then it darkened to a “dishwater” blondish brown, which it stayed for about ten years, now, it’s a medium coppery-gold color. My eyes changed color too. As a child I had very blue eyes, but around age ten, my eyes shifted to green. Now they are completely green with a little yellow in the middle. My dad is a summer and my mom is a redheaded autumn. I guess I just switch back and forth between them. I’ve had a time keeping up with what season I am. I hope I’ll stay a spring , because I really love the colors in it.
Sorry this post was long. I love your blog so much. It’s so encouraging to be with young women that are modest like me. I also appreciate the fashion advice. At times it got so discouraging to try to get modest clothes without feeling dowdy. Since I have kept up with your blog (about four months) I’ve been getting more and more confident about my wardrobe than I have been in a long time.:D
March 30th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Carissa-
*smile* I can tell I would like you if I met you in person. ; )
Your current hair color/skin tone sounds nearly identical to mine. I too went through the “strawberry blond” girlhood, progressing to dishwater and now finally to coppery color- but mine is closer to a reddish light brown . And of course gotta have those green eyes.
I consider myself a Spring/Summer and typically look horrible in colors with warm undertones (orange, peachy, orange/red, mustard,) but LOVE colors with cool/blue undertones (rose red, pinks, pastels, and lots and lots of green!!! -must be the eyes
April 11th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
I love the information, but I am not sure whether I am a spring or a summer. Can you help? I have grey blue eyes, and hair that in childhood was strawberry blonde… then just honey blonde…now has progressed to a dirty blonde/light brown. The most confusing thing for me is determining whether I have blue undertones or golden undertones.
August 31st, 2008 at 5:04 am
I’m not sure as to what season am I, winter, autumn or spring. I wear ivory foundation when it comes to makeup. My hair color is a medium brown with a little bit of reddish brown in it. My eyes can look green or blue depending on what I wear. They have just a little bit of golden around the center so it’s hard to determine if they’re blue or green. They seeem to be on the pale side. Everyone tells me I look good in corals, true red, and teal blue. I do know that pastels watch me out so I know summer is out of the question. Which season am I? I would greatly appreciate your opinion. Also, I absolutely love your collection
Kristi
Kristi
August 31st, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Dear Kristi,
You sound exactly like my sister, ivory skin, brunette, pale eyes- looks great in coral and turquoise (brings out the pink in the cheeks). You lack the intensity of a true winter and the warmth and fairness of the autumn and spring- which sticks you in the summer category. Summer is essentially nothing too extreme- just stay away from the real soft/pastels and warm/autumn.
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Oh how exciting to try to find out my season, could you please help me, I’m just not sure which I am… I have blue eyes with pale skin and brunette hair. I am not sure of my skin undertones. I would like to send you a picture somehow, what is your facebook name?
Thank you!
Julie
February 4th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Hi Julie!
My facebook name is (surprise, surprise) Christa Taylor-
would love to help you figure out what skin tone you are- most likely you’re a winter- but let’s find out for sure!
May 27th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Hello, I am not sure how these blogs work or if you are still there, but I have a question. I am very confused about my skin tone. As a child my hair color was very dark brown but has lightened to a medium brown with golden highlights. My eyes are a pale greenish-blue with a tiny bit of yellow. My skin is freckled but the veins on my wrists look blue to me. Next to my husband, my skin looks very yellow (he is definitely a summer!) I am trying to decide between spring and summer. Can you help me? Thanks!
May 27th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Hi Tammy,
First, check out this other blog post on skin tones under the “cool categories” http://blog.christa-taylor.com/2009/02/12/skin-tones-101-cool/
Do you wear these colors regularly? Do they complement your skin or make it look sallow?
These cool colors are typical for a Spring, but have a little carry-over into the Summer pallette.
June 9th, 2009 at 8:18 am
Hello Christa!
Thank you so much for your help. I did look at your other post and it was very helpful. The only typically “cool” feature I recognize is my medium brown hair, but I have golden blond highlights so I’m not even sure that fits. My eyes are aqua (more green than blue) and my skin has definite yellow undertones. My kids’ wrist veins look purple-blue while mine are more teal. I look horrible in pink, lavender and powder blue. The only colors I can remember being complimented in are peach and shades of green. I do wear white, but black and dark navy are particularly unattractive. I think I am a spring. Do you agree? Thanks again & have a wonderful summer!
June 11th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Hi again!
I’m sorry to keep asking questions. I am really trying to understand the skin tone seasons for myself and my family. I can look at the others in my group and see where they fit pretty well, but I am having a hard time identifying myself. I am certain that I am “warm” so I thought I must be a spring since my eyes are not brown. However, I wear rust, olive green and chocolate brown as well as the lighter golden based colors. Could I be an autumn? Please let me know if there is an easy way to tell since it seems that there is some overlap in the hair/eye/skin colors within the warm sphere. Thank you again & God bless!