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I'm warm, no wait I'm cool, no...

 
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PattyTherre The heart of , NY posts: 1181
2009 VIP
posted on April 19, 2009 at 03:04AM Inappropriate? Quote Reply

I have been trying to figure out if I have a warm or cool skin tone for years. I simply have no idea. Everything I read that tells you which you are seems to contradict itself or I don't fall into either category. So, if ANYONE knows how to tell if a person has warm or cool skin tone, here are my stats:

I have brown eyes and dark brown hair.

I tan easily, rarely burn (unless I am outside for a long time with no sun protection at all)

My skin is the lightest of the medium shades and I THINK I have a yellowy or olive undertone. This is where I get screwed up. How the heck do I know what my undertone is? I know my mom had olive skin and I THINK I tend toward it. Yellow based foundations work better for me than pink based ones. I think. Heh.

I have no idea what color the veins on my wrist are (They say green is one type and blue is another. I think they look blue, I dunno.)

I feel I look better wearing silver jewelery but I do wear both. I favor silver or white gold but I honestly don't know if I look better with it on.

Most colors work OK for me. I think black, brown, dark purple, light blue and aqua, and ummm....maybe red look good on me. My sister says red makes me look old (??) but I still think it looks OK on me. I can't think of a color I would NOT wear because it makes me look bad. That is, I wear whatever color I happen to like and I don't notice which look best with my skin. I am not a fan of pink though but I think that's a preference, not because it washes me out or anything. I also think light grey looks cruddy on me. Or maybe I just don't like grey.

I wear rosy blushes but also can wear peachy ones. My real blush - like when I am embarassed - is a red shade (isn't everyone's blush a red shade though?).

I think I look best in brownish lip colors and also in mauves. I never ever wear pink lipstick. Red lipstick makes me look old (again, according to my sister)

So....am I cool or warm? I need to know before I die just to have that knowledge. :)

 

2009 Writer
posted on April 20, 2009 at 07:52PM
 

How about going to one of the stores like Sephora, Ulta, or Macy's and asking the cosmetician? I'm going to be doing that the next time I go I get mixed up about it too. : )

2009 VIP
posted on April 22, 2009 at 12:53AM
 

I did that and, under the lights, I have been given different answers. I think I'll just wear what I think looks good on me as far as cosmetics and clothing. I do notice I looked washed out in certain colors so I will just pay attention and find my perfect colors....which I should have done about 30 years ago. lol.

 Staff
posted on April 22, 2009 at 10:56AM
 

I had my colors done years ago by my mom's neighborhood Avon lady but I don't remember what she told me.  LOL  Whenever I go to Sephora I get a different story too.  Sorry!  Wish I could help.

2009 VIP
posted on April 22, 2009 at 03:23PM
 
In response to PattyTherre's post from April 19 2009 03:04AM

Haha, when I read your title I thought you were having hot flashes :)

I'm very similar to you in features, a photographer once told my sister she was Olive toned which would mean I probably am too.  I swear it doesn't matter what clothes I wear - my mom will tell me "that's my color".  Whether it's blue, green or purple, people seem to say every color looks good with my skin and hair color.   My favorite color is red and I'm also not a fan of pink.  But usually for makeup I am drawn towards the purple shades.  I usually get a purple shaded lipstick, I don't know why I just like it!  Red lipsticks are too bright, and pink is yuck :-D 

I think you are pretty cool, does that answer your question?  Just kidding!  The way I judge what I should wear is just to try it.  You know yourself the best and if you look in the mirror, you can tell if something works or not.  Good luck!

**Oh and I think it's really the fair skinned, blonde haired ppl that need to worry.  They are the ones that can look washed out easily if they wear the wrong color.  But with dark hair and semi-darker skin, it seems like almost any color can work on us!

2009 VIP
posted on April 25, 2009 at 02:49PM
 

I agree that whatever looks good is what I should wear. I do see in pictures that certain colors make me look a little pale or less vibrant but I don't know if it is the color or the way I put my make up on. I guess I'll just do my own thing! :)

2009 Advisor
posted on September 27, 2009 at 07:53AM
 

it sounds like you are one of the lucky "neutrals", which means you can wear almost any color  blush / shadow / liner etc. If you have olive undertones it is best to stick with a yellow based foundation or powder. I learned that by trying on a neutral, cool and warm strip of foundation at the jawline onto the neck will easily help to determine which is best for you when it looks like the proper shade has disappears into your skin.  It's worked for me as I'm a neutral as well :o)

2009 Advisor
posted on September 27, 2009 at 08:04AM
 

Oh shoot, and here I thought you were describing hot flashes too!  I wish I knew also...I really haven't taken the time to learn alot about makeup to be honest.  I do love reddish lipstick with a hint of brown. 

Like you, I just wear what feels right, and I gotta keep using my concealer!  I don't wear base makeup, it just doesn't feel right on me.  I occasionally wear blush when I want to go wild ...lol

 

2009 VIP
posted on September 29, 2009 at 04:07PM
 

Concealer is a must for me for around my eyes. I inherited dark circles. Yellow works best on them. I think I really am neutral because I can wear peach, pink, red, and plum blush and all look fine. I have found some shades I just love and I'll stick to them. I can't do the dark red lipstick thing though., I look like my 80 year old aunt when I do. (She looks 65 though but still.)

I have learned though that when I lighten my hair, I look like a ghost. For some reason, the darker my hair is, the better I look. I was looking at pics of me with really light brown hair, light brown with blond streaks, and red hair and all looked awful. The color I have now is my natural color (except this second it's darker because i attempted a purple cast that made my hair black. Too weird). I won't soon be lightening my hair. I think we're born with the hair color we should have give or take a couple of shades.

2009 Advisor
posted on September 29, 2009 at 04:28PM
 
In response to PattyTherre's post from September 29 2009 04:07PM
PattyTherre said…

Concealer is a must for me for around my eyes. I inherited dark circles. Yellow works best on them. I think I really am neutral because I can wear peach, pink, red, and plum blush and all look fine. I have found some shades I just love and I'll stick to them. I can't do the dark red lipstick thing though., I look like my 80 year old aunt when I do. (She looks 65 though but still.)

I have learned though that when I lighten my hair, I look like a ghost. For some reason, the darker my hair is, the better I look. I was looking at pics of me with really light brown hair, light brown with blond streaks, and red hair and all looked awful. The color I have now is my natural color (except this second it's darker because i attempted a purple cast that made my hair black. Too weird). I won't soon be lightening my hair. I think we're born with the hair color we should have give or take a couple of shades.



How true, I too tried going lighter than my dark brown hair and I looked totally off and weird, even my makeup didn't look right anymore. I went back to the color I know and love but added a few 'low-lights' instead; they look more natural and add a nice depth to my hair that I didn't have before.

 Moderator
posted on September 30, 2009 at 08:21AM
 

I shouldn't be posting to a beauty conversation, I know. However, you are all smart women and I can't believe you completely miss what's going on with respect to "warm" or "cool" tones. It's about marketing -- it has nothing to do with any actual skin quality.

The purpose is to "divide and conquer" -- come up with some purported way to separate potential customers into groups, then market products tailored to these artificial groups. It's Marketing 101 and it was never really about anyone's skin tone. It was all about coming up with a system to sell more cosmetics, which have very high markup and profit.

This is why several of you get varying statements about the quality of your skin tone. It's not about skin tone -- it's about marketing. 

Sorry... the curmudgeon is leaving now.

--Bob

2009 VIP
posted on October 02, 2009 at 02:10AM
 

LOL, you're probably right , Bob. Now it's expanding to pink undertones, yellow, neuteral, and olive. How the HECK do I know? I have skin. I do have some olive undertones I think. Or yellow. Not pink. Forget it! I'll buy what I want. :)

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