What colors should cool skin wear?
Go-To Colors for Cooler Skin Tones
The best colors for cool skin tones are on the cool end of the color spectrum. The top colors to wear include emeralds, deep purples, lavender, pink, ice blue and bright blues. If you want to incorporate a warmer color into your outfit, you can use extremely pale yellows, rose reds and rubies.
To avoid looking pale and washed out, stay away from black, orange and earth tones. Winter cools can go a little bit darker in their clothing colors, sporting shades of black, navy blue, red and bright pink. Go for true white instead of ivory, and stay away from earth tones, orange and gold.
Cool-toned individuals look stunning in jewel tones like emerald and ruby, or blush and pink undertones. Neutral skin tones can experiment with both neutral colours like navy and greys, as well as bright colours like teal and jade green.
True white tends to favor cooler undertones, while warm undertones look better in off-white. Warm undertones also tend to complement brown hues, while cooler tones look better in black.
A white object is white because it reflects white light, and white light is a combination of all the visible colors. This means that a white shirt (or pants) will reflect most of the light and not get hot.
Hair Colours for Cool Skin Tone
Icy blondes and ash-based browns tend to complement and be the best hair colour for cool undertones, but if you are very fair then you might find that a platinum blonde hair or a very dark smoky brunette hair will wash you out.
Cool skin undertones.
Choosing hair colors like warm reds, neutral brunettes, and golden or honey blondes are all amazing choices. You can't go wrong with ashy, platinum, or icy hair colors to complement your fair skin tone, or go bold with cool shades of red or deep purple.
And that's when we want to opt for a neutral colour, like beige. And for some of us, beige would be the perfect choice. However, if you've got a cool undertone, it will make your skin look dull.
Women with summer-cool skin tones will look best in soft hues of blue, mauve and lavender. Just about any pastel shade will do, although neutrals can also be worn well by this type of coloring. To avoid looking pale and washed out, stay away from black, orange and earth tones.
Should cool skin tones wear warm makeup?
If you are a true cool tone, you can probably get away with wearing a cool neutral foundation. However, avoid a warm neutral foundation as you could start to look sallow,” explains make-up artist Grace Revington.
Always read the shade description, pink-toned shades are often geared towards cooler tones, and look out for the letter 'C' in the shade name (brands often name their shades with the 'C' standing for 'cool', but this won't necessarily work across the board).

Those of ethnic descent from Scandinavia, the British Isles, Central Europe (France/Germany/Switzerland and surrounding countries) may often have a cool complexion.
If you have a warm skin tone, you'll look great in organic, warm colors like red, coral, and amber. If you have a cool skin tone, reach for shades of red that are closer to maroon or rose. If your skin has a neutral undertone, avoid reds with orange undertones and choose bluer shades or a bright, true red instead.
True white tends to favor cooler undertones, while warm undertones look better in off-white. Warm undertones also tend to complement brown hues, while cooler tones look better in black.
Cool colors include green, blue, and purple, and variations of those three colors. Blue is the only primary color within the cool spectrum. Greens take on some of the attributes of yellow, and purple takes on some of the attributes of red. They are often more subdued than warm colors.
Red, orange and yellow are all warm colors and are generally thought to evoke feelings of happiness, optimism, energy and passion. Yellow-y sunshine might lift your mood, while red roses might get you in the mood.
Conclusion to Color Preferences by Gender
Blue is the most popular color for both men and women. The most unpopular color for men is brown. The most unpopular color for women is orange.
Khaki Brown Hair Color
It's the perfect choice for a cool complexion and brown or hazel eyes. Consider adding a few creamy highlights for subtle contrast.
Deep Skin with Cool Undertones
Make sure to avoid warm-toned hair colors, which can look too orange against your cool-toned skin." Cool black shades look great on deep skin, but adding chocolaty tones is also a nice way to warm up the skin.
What hair colors go with cool skin tones and blue eyes?
Colours For Blue Eyes With A Cool Skin Tone
Try base colours of black, blonde or intense brown, just make sure you avoid red undertones. Red undertones do not work with cool skin tones. You can also add some contrast with wheat, honey or ash highlights. Blue eyes also look stunning with platinum or ash blonde hair.
Warm Champagne
While cooler blonde hair colors can accent and enhance cool-toned complexions, some warmth in blonde hair can soften cool-toned skin and prevent it from looking too ashy.
For a deep hair color hue that still looks like it could be the color you were born with, opt for a natural black hair color. The shade family can have natural reflects that let your naturalness shine through. Consider this hair shade if you have a fair, cool skin tone and light eyes.
Neutral complexions have a mix of both cool and warm types, and olive skin tones fall somewhere between warm and neutral, presenting with creamy, beige, and light pink undertones.
Tone | Colors to go for | Neutrals |
---|---|---|
Cool- toned | Royal Blue, Bright Blue, Lavender, Rose, Gray, Emerald, Amethyst, Deep purple, Ruby, Bright rose. | Gray, Navy, Crisp White |
Neutral | Medium blue, Jade, Peach, Dusty Pink, White | Taupe, Gray, Off-white |
Cool undertones appear pink/ blue in a fair skin and moving into medium and deep skin tones can appear purple/red. Warm undertones appear yellow in a fair/light-medium skin and can appear more peachy/golden in medium-dark/deep skin tones.
The general rule of thumb is that skin with cool undertones look best with greys, browns, blues, greens and purples. Skin with warm undertones look best with either bright or light colors. And skin with neutral undertones looks great in bold, bright colors.
It can be challenging to tell which shade of brown will look best on you. If you have warm undertones, warm browns will look great. If you have cool undertones, cool browns will look great.
Bright Stripe Eyeliner: Cool skin tones look great in Black, White, and the universally flattering Lavender. Avoid anything too warm, yellow or golden as they will drain the colour right out of your skin.
The Best Eyeshadows for Skin With Cool Undertones
Cool-toned skin looks great in cool-toned eyeshadows, which also happen to be super on-trend. Play it neutral with shades of taupe, cool brown and icy silver, or go colorful with pinks, purples and blues.
What eyeshadow colors are good for cool undertones?
For cool undertones, we recommend trying grey or lavender eyeshadows – not only will they make your skin glow, they'll take you from day to night.
That may help you figure it out, just remember those with cool undertones look best in white – and those with warm undertones look best in cream.
Warm shades are often labeled beige, golden, tan, caramel, and chestnut. Cool shades are often labeled porcelain, rose, sable, cocoa. Neutral shades are often labeled ivory, buff, nude, and praline.
If you are COOL and pick a WARM or NEUTRAL foundation, it will look yellow on you. If you are WARM and pick a COOL foundation, it will make your skin look pale and icy. If you pick a NEUTRAL foundation, it will look grey.
For cool undertones, we recommend trying grey or lavender eyeshadows – not only will they make your skin glow, they'll take you from day to night.
Cool winters have skin with blue undertones: fair, light, medium, tan, or dark. Colors to wear and do makeup with: icy shades of pink and blue, clear greys, and cyans. Colors to avoid: Dusty blues, yellows, oranges, and pastel pinks.
People with cool undertones generally look great in colors in the cool range of the spectrum: think purples, greens, charcoal gray and deep blues.
True Summer (or Cool Summer)
True Summer is dominantly cool in coloring – cool eyes, cool hair and cool skin – with little or no warmth to the skin. Avoid wearing warm, golden colors. Blue is a True Summer's best friend. Almost all shades of blue…from sky blue to Navy look amazing on you.
Think blue or purple undertoned reds (like a cherry red), berrys, mauves, etc. We suggest staying away from anything with a yellow or orange base. Browse our top picks for best lipsticks for cool undertones available at Sephora.
Bright Stripe Eyeliner: Cool skin tones look great in Black, White, and the universally flattering Lavender. Avoid anything too warm, yellow or golden as they will drain the colour right out of your skin.
What color foundation is best for cool skin tone?
A cool undertone is generally associated with skin that has hints of blue or pink. The best makeup for cool undertones include shades like bluer-based reds, pinks, or purples.
True Winter Best Hair Colours
Cool shades are most flattering for true winters; this includes cool dark ash brown or natural black, dark cherry or a cool-toned blonde. Be sure to avoid warm colours such as caramel or strawberry blonde as they can drain your colouring and they will not work with your striking features.
Cool skin undertones.
If you're fair-skinned with cool undertones, you'll want your hair color to minimize any redness that's in your skin. Warm or golden hair color tones are flattering on light skin with cool undertones (those that show blue, pink, or red in your complexion undertones).
If you have a winter skin tone, you likely have cool undertones. This means that hair colors with cool undertones, like ash blonde, platinum, smokey gray, and burgundy, will look best on you. If you're not sure what color to choose, we recommend going for a smokey gray or a deep burgundy.
To enhance warm undertones in your complexion choose earthy colours such as olive, beige or amber; jewel tones such as navy and emerald work well for cool-toned complexions; while pastel shades like lavender and peach pair nicely with both cool and warm-toned skin.
Words like khaki, olive, fern, Kelly green, chartreuse and moss are often used to describe warm greens. Whereas cool greens have names like forest, mallard, emerald, mint, teal, and bottle green.
Spring Tones
For warm-toned skin, go for peach and coral hues while cool-toned skin looks best in mint green or lilac.
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