Undertones

martygreene · 03-08-2007, 05:21 PM #1 (**permalink**)

I know that my experiences are skewed, as the modeling world is totally bizarre and on top of that I choose the 'odd-model-out' so to speak.

As a makeup artist, 9 times out of 10 I'm custom mixing foundation, no matter who is in my chair. I also recognise the need for better foundation shade availability on both ends of the spectrum of skintones. One of the biggest issues that both ends share, which adds to the difficulty in finding matches and manufacturing these shades, are how vastly undertones vary the nearer to the extremes you get.

Specifically in darker skintones, you have undertones not found in lighter complections at all- rusts, ochres, and deep violets. Unlike the mid-range fairer tones where it's generally a matter of neutral/warm/cool/olive, deeper skintones have a much wider variety of undertones. This is in no way an excuse for why companies don't take the time to accomidate more skintones.

What I'm curious about is how common some of these undertones are. I tend to prefer working with the darkest complected model that I can, when I have the opportunity to work with someone of a deep skintone. I absolutely love the contrasts I can create with such a canvas, and the way certain tones show up. I also feel it's a vastly under-used look in the modeling world, and want to try and get more images out there.

So, what do you consider your undertone and how would you describe your skintone?

hyperRealGurl · 03-08-2007, 05:29 PM #2 (**permalink**)

Ehh its hard to say.. At times it looks like i have yellow undertones, yet other times it looks like i have olive undertones.

All i know is that Warm colors look better on me...

captodometer · 03-08-2007, 06:41 PM #3 (**permalink**)

I am NC50 and have extremely yellow-orange undertones: oranges are very flattering, yellows disappear entirely. Pastels just make me look sick.

zombie_candy · 03-08-2007, 07:52 PM #4 (**permalink**)

i was an NC40 in MAC's SFF but it looked orange on me so i must be more yellowish. then i went to prescriptives and they matched me in virtual skin real beige under the yellow-orange catagory. in natural sunlight there is a very slight pinkish tinge to it. i'm not sure if i'm the only one that notices this. also when i take photos in it you can sort of see i'm wearing foundation and my face seems slightly whiter then the rest of my body.

martygreene · 03-08-2007, 08:33 PM #5 (**permalink**)

Quote:

Originally Posted by zombie_candy

i was an NC40 in MAC's SFF but it looked orange on me so i must be more yellowish. then i went to prescriptives and they matched me in virtual skin real beige under the yellow-orange catagory. in natural sunlight there is a very slight pinkish tinge to it. i'm not sure if i'm the only one that notices this. also when i take photos in it you can sort of see i'm wearing foundation and my face seems slightly whiter then the rest of my body.

The lightness of face in photos is due to physical barrier SPF ingredients, and Titanium Dioxide. So, look for foundations that don't have SPF (use spf under your foundation), and that don't have TD or have it low down on the ingredient list, and it should help reduce this.

L281173 · 03-08-2007, 09:24 PM #6 (**permalink**)

I am African - American. My complexion is in the range between Missy Elliot and Gabrielle Union. My undertones are yellow.

Tightambitionz · 03-08-2007, 09:49 PM #7 (**permalink**)

African American, in the winter... yellow/beige, (Ashamed to say that I use products geared toward Caucasians with names like "Tan" or "Beige") but in the summer that melanin kicks in

... yellow/red (Tyra Banks skintone)

Cinammonkisses · 03-09-2007, 12:39 PM #8 (**permalink**)

I'd say I'm a yellow undertone. NC45

mjalomo · 03-10-2007, 10:20 PM #9 (**permalink**)

I'm currently a Mexican-American NC 40. I have very definite yellow undertones. I can wear orange-red lipcolors well, but not pastels. I have trouble finding lipstick that shows up on me, and would love to wear cool colors one day. I change color though from a NC 35-NC 55 depending of my sun exposure. I currently own five foundations to use at different times.

aziza · 03-11-2007, 03:49 AM #10 (**permalink**)

Quote:

Originally Posted by martygreene

What I'm curious about is how common some of these undertones are. I tend to prefer working with the darkest complected model that I can, when I have the opportunity to work with someone of a deep skintone. I absolutely love the contrasts I can create with such a canvas, and the way certain tones show up. I also feel it's a vastly under-used look in the modeling world, and want to try and get more images out there.

Kudos to you! That's an area I would love to focus on also when I begin testing and freelancing. Do you have an online port by any chance? I would love to take a peek.

Anyway, back to the question at hand lol When I first began wearing makeup I heard somewhere that all Black women have yellow undertones. So I walked around looking jaundiced for a year (and no one even told me

).

And then I found out that Black women can have red undertones too. That helped a lot as far as my search for the perfect color goes. I think I have more reddish undertones...possibly even orangy tones. I have a whole slew of MAC foundations and right now I'm using Studio Matte in NW45...it's majorly orange but it works for me.

elektra513 · 03-11-2007, 01:05 PM #11 (**permalink**)

I'm NW43 in the SFF, and red l/s w/a tiny bit of blue and no orange/warmth to it look better on me. However, while I get lots of compliments when I mix greens and bronze and rusty colors together, I think I look best in pink, icy shades. I just bought Peaches blush and am trying to figure out to blend/use it. I wear Ambering Rose all the time too--it's like I need to create life in my face to get rid of the sallow sick look I have naturally

...So my undertone can be all over the place; I see different colors from time to time, but overall I have pink/beige undertones (and NW43 suits me perfectly). Looking at my veins I see green ones and blue ones...So just to be safe w/makeup I don't go to cool or too warm. I stay as neutral and "color pure" as possible. (It sounds like I know what I'm talking a/b but I don't at all

...hehe.)

cyens · 03-11-2007, 02:54 PM #12 (**permalink**)

I'm light skin tone and never figured out if im warm or cool or neutral, cuz none of them seems to perfectly blend with my skin... and I asked MA to help me out

Dark_Phoenix · 03-11-2007, 03:45 PM #13 (**permalink**)

I have pink/neutral undertones, N3 and I'm Bahraini/Italian American. I tan easily and go to about light/medium in the summer but still have little yellow undertones (if any). I hate wearing pink foundations so I stick w/ neutrals most of the time.

faifai · 03-11-2007, 05:20 PM #14 (**permalink**)

Quote:

Originally Posted by captodometer

I am NC50 and have extremely yellow-orange undertones: oranges are very flattering, yellows disappear entirely. Pastels just make me look sick.

Just change the NC50 to NC45 and you've got my skin as well! I have to seriously pack on yellows to make them show up (I usually just go with golds, as they DO show up) and anything too silvery or pastel just doesn't work. Cool lipcolors especially look bizarre on me.