What are skin tones?
Your skin tone is the genetic amount of melanin, naturally occurring dark brown or black pigments, in the outermost layer of your skin. Skin tones can change over time for various reasons.
What is your skin tone?
There are 3 traditional skin tones: Light, Medium, and Deep.
- Light or fair skin tone: Contains a small amount of melanin within the skin.
- Medium skin tone: Contains a fair amount of melanin within the skin, is a neutral colour, and has a beige appearance. This skin tone is often referred to as an “olive” colour.
- Deep skin tone: Contains a large amount of melanin within the skin.
What are undertones?
Undertones are the natural colours underneath the surface of your skin. Because undertones are under the surface of the skin, you can have the same skin tone as another person, but have a completely different undertone. Undertones are not based on skin tone. For instance, a light skin tone can have a warm undertone and a deep skin tone can have a cool undertone. Also, undertones remain the same, even when you tan. There are 3 traditional undertones: Rose, Almond, and Golden.
- Pink, blue, and/or red hues under the skin = Rose, pink or cool undertone
- A mixture of warm and cool hues typically the same colour as your skin tone = Almond, neutral or olive undertone
- Peach, yellow, and/or gold hues under the skin = Golden or warm undertone
What is your undertone?
You can identify your undertone by using the colour of your veins. In natural light, what colour are the veins under your skin on the inside of your arm or wrist?
- Blue and/or purple veins = Rose or cool undertone
- Colourless, same colour as your skin, and/or a combination of blue and green veins = Almond or neutral undertone
- Green and/or olive veins = Golden or warm undertone
Tips for selecting your Colors of the World skin tone crayon colour:
- Check out the colour panels on the side of the Colors of the World crayon box.
- Match: Use crayon box colour panels or create colour swatches.
- Select: Pick colours closest to your skin tone.
- Colour: Draw your #TrueSelfie with your unique colours!
Another way to find your skin tone crayon is to colour a small area on a piece of paper with the crayon colours closest to your skin tone. Compare the areas with the inside of your arm or wrist, and select the crayon colour that best matches your skin tone.