the skinny on skin tones

THE SKINNY ON SKIN TONES
It’s no mystery why certain shades can make skin appear dull while others boost vibrancy — selecting the
right shade for your client’s skin tone is as much a science as it is an art. Learn the philosophy behind it before
making your next color recommendation and your clients will be sure to give you a very colorful thanks.
COOL UNDERTONES
FAIR SKIN: Light and light-medium shades of pink and red will look
good, but the shades that work best for fair skin have a blue undertone.
Silvers and gunmetal look great too. Cool fair-skinned ladies should
be careful with darker shades. Opt for a light or medium blue rather
than a navy. Avoid golds, yellows, and greens. If they insist on dark,
trim their nails short; if they insist on green, recommend pale mint.
4/15/04
PHOTOS BY LISA O'CONNOR/ZUMA PRESS
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BRITNEY SPEARS
(warm/cool)
2:31 PM
MEDIUM SKIN: Medium-skinned women can teeter between both
warm and cool colors, but a paler shade really complements this skin
type. Suggest lavender, rose, mauve, and light blue. If they’re in the
mood for bold, true red is very flattering. Avoid black and orange.
[left to right] Orly’s Confetti, SpaRitual’s Love Is in the Air,
Misa Cosmetics’ Blueberry Blast, Morgan Taylor’s Rhythm
and Blues, and OPI’s Haven’t the Foggiest
Page 7
DARK SKIN: Deep grape and berry tones give depth to cool dark
skin. Cool gray, navy blue, bright pink, and jewel tones are also gems.
Yellows and greens should be avoided, along with beige, orange,
gold, and brown because they tend to make skin appear dull or
washed out.
JENNIFER LOPEZ
(warm)
[left to right] Orly’s Bon Bon, OPI’s Meet Me on the Star
Ferry, China Glaze’s Roguish Red, Essie’s Bikini So Teeny,
Morgan Taylor’s Sitting Pretty
ANGELA BASSETT
(warm)
[left to right] Orly’s Perfectly Plum, China Glaze’s Seduce
Me, Essie’s Mod Squad, CND Vinylux’s Asphalt, OPI’s
Keeping Suzi at Bay
WARM SKIN TONES
JENNIFER LOPEZ
(warm)
ANGELA BASSETT
(warm)
FAIR SKIN: Warm pink and orange-based red look great on warm
fair skin. If your client is looking for something darker, try dark corals,
golden yellows, or opaque beiges with yellow undertones.
ANGELA BASSETT
(warm)
MEDIUM SKIN: Darker polish as well as bright and vibrant shades
hold well against tan skin. The best matches will be colors with
obvious yellow undertones including gold, copper, caramel, brown,
and olive shades. Purple and bright coral are also classics.
DARK SKIN: Warm, dark skin is the most versatile tone and flatters
just about any color. But deep jewel tones like dark greens, purples,
and burgundies, really stand out naturally and look glamorous.
However, both pale colors and bright colors provide an excellent
contrast as well. Clients can also try bronze, magenta, and fuchsia.
[left to right] Essie’s Mademoiselle, Orly’s Hot Shot, CND
Vinylux’s Svelte Suede, China Glaze’s Goldie But Goodie,
Cuccio Colour’s Shaking My Morocco
[left to right] Orly’s Glitz, Cuccio Colour’s Holy Toledo,
China Glaze’s Westside Warrior, CND Vinylux Faux Fur,
China Glaze’s Charmed I’m Sure
[left to right] China Glaze’s High Hopes, CND Vinylux
Pretty Poison, Jessica’s Opening Night, China Glaze’s
Exotic Encounters, Morgan Taylor’s Well Spent
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