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HOW TO DETERMINE AND MATCH YOUR SKIN UNDERTONE WITH PASTEL COLOURS

MIDI PASTEL SALMON PINK RUFFLE COLD SHOULDER DRESS | LAVISH ALICE | MIU MIU SUNGLASSES | TASSEL PINK EARRINGS

“Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.” Coco Chanel

Pastels, yet again, are going to be a big trend this season, delicious ice-cream trend that we keep rolling forward from one season to another. Pastels and summers go hand in hand, and pretty much everyone loves trying light soothing colour tones, even a creature of habits like me.

As much as pastels look gorgeous, wearing them can be challenging and confusing. Probably one of the most common questions is, do pastels look good on ‘my’ skin tone?

 Keep scrolling down to find out what pastels complement you skin undertone and how to test it in a few easy ways.

MIDI PASTEL SALMON PINK RUFFLE COLD SHOULDER DRESS | LAVISH ALICE | MIU MIU SUNGLASSES | TASSEL PINK EARRINGS

Have you ever tried on a dress or a shade of lipstick that makes your skin tone, eyes, and face come alive, only to test out another that’s almost exactly the same shade but makes you look tired, washed-out, and just generally blah? There’s a reason for that, and it has to do with the surface and undertones of your skin colour.

Pastels look good on all skin tones, provided you wear them right!

I have to admit that I struggle with this concept of undertones. I kind of understand the concept, but what’s really the difference between surface tone and undertone?

The first step in grasping the concept is understanding that our skin’s surface tone is the colour described as e.g. ivory, light, medium, tan, dark, etc. The skin’s undertone is the colour underneath the surface.

You can have the same skin colour as someone, but different undertones:

•Cool (pink, red or bluish undertones)

•Warm (yellow, peachy, golden undertones)

•Neutral (a mix of warm and cool undertones)

MIDI PASTEL SALMON PINK RUFFLE COLD SHOULDER DRESS | LAVISH ALICE | MIU MIU SUNGLASSES | TASSEL PINK EARRINGS

How to determine your skin undertone?

There is no right or wrong answer and what works for one person does not necessarily work for another so please treat the below as brief guidance only as opposed to set in stone rules that you must follow.

I have done all the below tests and going with majority I have cool undertones however a couple of tests came back suggesting warmer undertones. As you can see these tests will not necessarily provide a 100% consistent answer but they will definitely help to define your undertones.  

1. Check Your Veins

Have a look at the veins on the inside of your wrist.  Are they blue or greenish? If they look more blue, you likely have cool undertones. If the veins look greenish, you’re warm. Before you start panicking about turning into the hulk, it’s worth noting that you’re veins aren’t actually green, they look it because you’re seeing them through yellow-toned skin (yellow and blue equals green) 

2. Eye and Hair Colour

Generally people with cool undertones have blue, grey, or green eyes and blond, brown, or black hair with blue, silver, violet and ash undertones. Conversely, warm-toned people usually have brown, amber, or hazel eyes with strawberry blond, red, brown, or black hair. Their hair tends to have gold, red, orange, or yellow undertones.

3. The Sun’s Effects

Does your skin turn a golden-brown, or does it burn and turn pink first? If you fit into the former category, you’re warm-toned, while cool tones tend to burn. Fair-skinned cool girls will simply burn, while medium-skinned cool-toned girls will burn then tan.

4. The Old Jewellery Trick

Do you look better in silver or gold jewellery? It’s not about what you prefer more, but which actually makes you look more radiant, glowing and awake. Typically, people with cool undertones look better in silver and platinum metals, and warm-toned people look better in gold.

5. The Neutral Test

Think about what neutral shades flatter you best. Does your skin, eyes, and face look better in bright white and black hues, or ivory, off-whites, and brown/tan shades? The former means you’re probably cool-toned, and the latter, warm

6. Find Which Colours Look Best on You

There’s no denying that certain colours will make you look better regardless of your skin’s undertone. As a simple guide, warm-toned girls should lean toward hues like yellow, orange, browns yellow-green, ivory, and warm reds, while cool-toned girls should wear blue, green, pink, purple, blue-green, magenta, and true “blue-based” reds.

Without knowing any of the above I had always subconsciously leaned towards the latter colours. As much as I keep experimenting with pastels or light bright hues I just struggle to convince myself they look good on me.

Hopefully you have now defined your undertone and skin colour and now it’s time to match these with pastels.

MIDI PASTEL SALMON PINK RUFFLE COLD SHOULDER DRESS | LAVISH ALICE | MIU MIU SUNGLASSES | TASSEL PINK EARRINGS

Pastels and your skin colour/undertone

Fair/light skin

Generally I would advise to pick hues that clearly contrast with your skin tone and avoid an abundance of pastel shades as they will only wash you out.

However, if you just can’t live without gorgeous pastels in your life I would suggest to stick to a lovely baby blue, candy pink and pastel lilacs paired with strong makeup for the best look.  Soft lavender looks quite romantic against fair skin tone and cool undertones work beautifully with pale orange and peaches as well.

Olive/medium skin

If your skin tans rather than turns red in the sun, you have a ‘warm’ complexion, which suits a wider spectrum of colours compared to those with fair skin or ‘cool’ complexions. You will look best in shades that are either a little brighter or darker than the middle ground.

It also goes without saying that you’ve hit the jackpot when it comes to rocking your favourite pastel shades. Enjoy a wide array of pastel colours, starting with buttery yellows or mint greens, as well as lovely light pinks that look positively sumptuous on your colouring.

Balance the outfit with whites, blacks or any solid colour that works well with the pastel you’re wearing.

Dark skin

This is a challenge and many women with dark skin tones very often avoid wearing pastels since they may look highly contrasting. Forget about this myth! Pastels look incredible on dark skin tones! I personally can’t get enough of them when I get a bit of tan on holiday.

The safest and the most  flattering colour to match with a darker skin tone is white but don’t underestimate pastels, buttery yellows look incredible on dark skin tones and so do lavenders, creams and aquas. The contrast is just right.

Pastel purples give you warmth while playing with your natural tone. Plus, the colour is especially soothing. Dark skin with warm undertones should opt for a fluorescent pastel, such as a bright teal for extra effect.

Dark skin with cool undertones is the chameleon. If you are the lucky one you can easily switch between cool and warm tones, particularly the more shocking, brighter hues and the sunset-inspired pastel colours.

MIDI PASTEL SALMON PINK RUFFLE COLD SHOULDER DRESS | LAVISH ALICE | MIU MIU SUNGLASSES | TASSEL PINK EARRINGS

Nothing to do with pastels but avoid brown, similar to how pastel shades can wash out lighter skin tones, brown won’t contrast nearly enough with dark skin.

Now that I’ve given you a brief guide on how to wear pastels for each skin tone, you don’t have to stop at just the colours. Go ahead and experiment with textures, fabrics and much more!

Elegant Duchess Boutique White Cold Shoulder Keyhole Back Shirt | Miu Miu sunglasses | Elegant Duchess Boutique tassel earrings | Ted Baker Hallden Floral Court Shoe | V by Very Curved Hem Trouser - Pink | Radley Pale Pink Liverpool Street Medium Zip Top Multiway Bag
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126 Comments

  1. Ivana Split
    June 25, 2020 / 9:01 am

    Great tips for wearing pastels. You look beautiful in this look!

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      Author
      July 3, 2020 / 9:13 pm

      Thank you Ivana xx

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 14, 2018 / 9:20 pm

      Thank you Ann-Marie πŸ’–πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 1:18 pm

      Thank you Katya. I love how pastels trend keeps getting rolled over from one season to another. Timeless πŸ’–πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 1:09 pm

      Thank you Vanessa πŸ’–πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 1:04 pm

      Thank you Kirsten πŸ’–πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
  7. Olga Olgitsa (@Olgaolis)
    May 2, 2018 / 9:35 pm

    I love pastel shades and this guide is so awesome and useful! I absolutely love your shirt and the shoulder detail! Thank you for sharing this guide with all these details!!!

    Love,
    Olga from Myme

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 1:01 pm

      Thank you Olga! Have a fab week πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 12:55 pm

      Thanks babe. Enjoy the week beautiful πŸ’žπŸ˜˜πŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 12:24 pm

      Thank you beautiful. Have a fabulous week πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 12:20 pm

      Thank you beautiful! Pink is just perfect to welcome spring πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 12:17 pm

      Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the post πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
  12. Ashley
    May 2, 2018 / 4:03 pm

    This was such a helpful post, babe- and this top is SO pretty on you!

    -Ashley
    Le Stylo Rouge

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 12:12 pm

      Thank you Ashley πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 12:05 pm

      Thank you Jessica πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
  14. Rena
    May 2, 2018 / 2:54 pm

    Oh, you are a huge pro in finding out if pastels are suitable for one! Thanks a lot for all your tips. Highly appreciated as I’m not always sure if pastels are really suitable for me! And you look perfect in your pastel look!
    xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
    http://www.dressedwithsoul.com

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 11:34 am

      Thank you Rena. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post πŸ’–πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 11:33 am

      Thank you beautiful. Have a lovely week πŸ’–πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 11:28 am

      Thank you Caroline πŸ’–πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 11:23 am

      Thank you Jane! Have a fabulous week πŸ’–πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 11:22 am

      Thanks beautiful! I’m glad you liked the post πŸ’–πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
  19. Alyssa
    May 1, 2018 / 11:02 pm

    I love pastel colors and these are really great tips πŸ™‚

    xx Alyssa | STYLE VANITY

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 11:14 am

      Thank you Alyssa. Have a fantastic week πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 11:06 am

      Thank you beautiful πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 11:03 am

      Thank Emily, wonderful post about Charleston girl! πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 7, 2018 / 10:59 am

      Thanks babe. Love your post about Geneva! πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 2:30 pm

      Thank you Anna πŸ’–πŸ˜˜πŸ’–

      Reply
  24. Gabrielle
    May 1, 2018 / 2:48 pm

    I love the soft and gentle tones on your complexion here babe; those blush tailored trousers are particularly special! Have a fabulous week πŸ™‚

    Gabrielle | A Glass Of Ice x

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 2:23 pm

      Thank you Gabrielle. Have a lovely weekend πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 2:18 pm

      Thanks babe πŸ’–πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
  26. Rubi
    May 1, 2018 / 3:00 am

    You look INCREDIBLE!! The pink pants fit you like a dream, and love the killer heels!
    x Rubi
    Pose & Repeat

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 2:13 pm

      Thanks Molly! πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
  28. Marisa Cavaleiro
    April 30, 2018 / 7:23 pm

    Hello
    It’s a real challenge indeed. But it looks perfect with your skin tone.
    The blouse is very glamorous.

    Kisses
    Marisa

    marisasclosetblog.com

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 2:04 pm

      Thank you Marisa πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 2:02 pm

      Thank you RACH! Have a fab weekend πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 1:58 pm

      Thank you Monica πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 1:57 pm

      Thanks babe. Have a great weekend πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
  32. Amy Aed
    April 30, 2018 / 9:18 am

    Thank you for this post, turns out I’m cool toned. Who knew. I adore your shoes in this post also, I was admiring them in all the photos haha.

    Have a great week!
    Amy; Wandering Everywhere

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 1:53 pm

      Thanks Amy! Have a fab weekend πŸ’–πŸ˜˜πŸ’ž

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 1:46 pm

      Thank you beautiful . Have a lovely weekend πŸ’–πŸ˜˜πŸ’ž

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 1:30 pm

      Thank you Lovely πŸ’–πŸ˜˜πŸ’ž

      Reply
  35. Radi
    April 30, 2018 / 8:38 am

    Loving your tips on finding out if pastels work for you. Really useful and I will definitely keep them in mind.
    Beautiful outfit!

    http://www.fashionradi.com

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 12:59 pm

      Thank you beautiful! So glad my post is helpful πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 12:54 pm

      Thank you soooo much girl! Have a fab weekend πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 12:51 pm

      Thank you beautiful πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 12:47 pm

      Thank you sweetie. Glad you liked it πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 12:32 pm

      Than you Paola πŸ’žπŸ˜˜πŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 12:16 pm

      Thank you Kathrine πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 6, 2018 / 11:06 am

      Aww thank you beautiful. Have a fabulous weekend πŸ’–πŸ˜˜πŸ’ž

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 5, 2018 / 12:59 pm

      Thank you beautiful πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 5, 2018 / 12:47 pm

      Thank you Laura πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 5, 2018 / 12:44 pm

      Ha! Thanks babe, glad you found it helpful πŸ’–πŸ˜˜πŸ’ž

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 5, 2018 / 12:40 pm

      Thank you Laura! πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 5, 2018 / 12:37 pm

      Thank you beautiful πŸ’–πŸ˜˜πŸ’ž

      Reply
  47. Marina Rosie
    April 29, 2018 / 3:24 pm

    Absolutely loved this post! Your style is beautiful! x I love the embellished heels to go with the outfit, they’re stunning, and I totally agree with you on pastel colours looking great on darker skin tones – I personally love them! x
    Marina Rosie x
    https://marinawriteslife.blogspot.fr/

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 5, 2018 / 12:33 pm

      Thank you Marina for such a good feedback. Means a lot! πŸ’žπŸ˜˜πŸ’–

      Reply
  48. Kathrin
    April 28, 2018 / 4:16 am

    A lovely look and an interesting post! I’ve always struggled with figuring out my skin tone since I have both warm and cool undertones so I just wear what I like without thinking too much about it…

    Kathrin | Polar Bear Style

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 5, 2018 / 12:27 pm

      It’s probably for the best! I tend to go with what I just feels comfortable with πŸ’–πŸ˜˜πŸ’ž

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 3, 2018 / 9:55 pm

      Thank you beautiful, I’m already following you on Bloglovin πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
  50. awayfromtheblue
    April 27, 2018 / 1:38 pm

    These are good tips! Thanks for sharing! I had my colours done by a personal stylist a while back and I had no idea how detailed it was, it’s fascinating to see all the different things you can think about when picking a colour of clothing to wear! πŸ™‚

    Hope you are having a lovely week so far and you have a fun weekend ahead of you πŸ™‚

    Away From The Blue Blog

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 3, 2018 / 9:37 pm

      Thank you beautiful πŸ’–πŸ˜˜πŸ’ž

      Reply
  51. busyandfab
    April 27, 2018 / 1:16 pm

    That’s a good explanation of skin tones, I always thought I’m inclined more to the warm colours but that’s good to know that pastels when worn properly look good with almost everyone. I like your pink floral shoes, so pretty.

    http://www.busyandfab.com

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 3, 2018 / 9:28 pm

      I’m so glad you liked the post! Thank you 😊 πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 3, 2018 / 9:21 pm

      Thank you both beautiful ladies πŸ’–πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
  53. Gil Zetbase
    April 26, 2018 / 7:42 pm

    Chic outfit!
    Have a nice week!
    Gil Zetbase

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 3, 2018 / 9:17 pm

      Thank you Gil πŸ’–πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 3, 2018 / 9:15 pm

      Thank you Jessi! Same here, something magical about pastels the minute spring arrives! πŸ˜˜πŸ’–πŸ’ž

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 3, 2018 / 9:09 pm

      Thank you Kristen πŸ’–πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
  56. jenniferpickering22gmailcom
    April 26, 2018 / 6:07 pm

    So helpful!! I love how our blog topics for today are similar! Mine is the best colours for your skin tone!!

    Jennifer
    Effortlessly Sophisticated

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 3, 2018 / 9:04 pm

      Ha thanks Jennifer. Great minds think alike πŸ’–πŸ’žπŸ˜˜

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 3, 2018 / 8:54 pm

      Thank you beautiful. Kisses πŸ’–πŸ˜˜πŸ’ž

      Reply
  58. Maria
    April 26, 2018 / 5:28 pm

    Bardzo Ε‚adnie. Pauje Tobie ten strΓ³j.

    Reply
    • Maria
      April 26, 2018 / 5:30 pm

      Pasuje.

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 3, 2018 / 8:49 pm

      Thank you Lorna πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 3, 2018 / 8:45 pm

      Thank you sweetie for such a great feedback! Means a lot. Kisses πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
  61. Sivylla Vassiadi
    April 26, 2018 / 11:23 am

    Wow! This is very beautiful! Such a well written post and creative pictures.

    Would you like to check out my latest blog post and let me know what you think?

    http://thisissivylla.com/2018/04/hello-spring/

    Thanks,
    Sivylla

    Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 3, 2018 / 8:41 pm

      Thank you Sivylla, and yes I have just had a good read. Love your blog! πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 3, 2018 / 8:34 pm

      Thank you Marzena πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 3, 2018 / 8:27 pm

      Thank you 😊 really good article about the smooth ride travel system

      Reply
    • Elegant Duchess
      May 3, 2018 / 8:24 pm

      Thank you Mia. Kisses πŸ˜˜πŸ’žπŸ’–

      Reply

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