From concealers, foundations and bronzers to eyeshadows and lipsticks, find out which make-up colours best suit your complexion…
Image by Bird & Boy Photography, Make-up by Ginelle Dale Creative
Whether you want a natural, fresh-faced look or a more dramatic make-up style, it is good to know which colours will complement your skin tone and accentuate your best features. Knowing your skin tone will help you pick the right shades of foundation, concealer, blush, eye shadows and lipstick, but it is also important to determine whether your complexion is cool, warm or neutral. Not sure how to do that? Look at the veins on your arms. If the colour is bluish then you are a cool type, if it is greenish then you are warm, and if it is a combination of both, you are neutral. A professional make-up artist will have a good idea on which products are good for you, but in case you need to choose between different shades, here is what you need to know:
Fair complexion…
Very soft colours such as pink, beige and champagne tones will always look good on you, but you can also wear some bright shades. But let us start with a base! Opt for illuminating concealers to cover up your dark circles and use a light foundation to give your face a fresh makeover. To make your eyes pop, try subtle earthy eyeshadows if you have a warm skin tone or shimmery metallic if you have a cool complexion. To flush your cheeks, use lighter colours rather than bright shades which would look unnatural on you. Blushers in pink and mauve are suitable for cool complexions, while peach and coral are ideal for warm skin tones. And for the lips, your safest bet is a natural berry-coloured lipstick or a lightly tinted lip gloss. To add a bit of drama to you look, wear a red lipstick with a blue undertone if you have a cool complexion or opt for peach, orange or coral red hues if your skin undertone is warm.
Medium skin tone…
While stronger, more pigmented neutrals and natural-looking pinks are perfect for a medium-light skin tone, medium-dark skin can stand a very wide range of colours including both bright hues and pale pastels. Pick a concealer that is one shade lighter than your complexion and a foundation that best matches the colour of your skin. Be careful when choosing a blush because a light one can be too pale and a dark one can be too harsh. Try candy pink if your skin has cool undertones or a juicy peachy pink if your undertones are warm. If you want to use a bronzer, pick a shade that is two tones darker than your skin. Eyeshadows in bronze, gold and honey colours are perfect for a daytime event, but those who want to try something a little more interesting, we suggest grey and lavender hues for cool skin types and shimmery copper or rose gold for warm skin types. Finally, you will be able to choose among many different lip colours from pale pinks and nudes to deep plum, burgundy and even brown.
Dark skin…
You can really go for vibrant shades and add definition to the eyes, lips and cheeks with bright red, pink and berry hues or gleaming metallic like silver, gold and copper. Pick a foundation that matches your body as a whole and not just the colour of your face! Your blusher should be bright enough to really emphasise your cheeks, so why not try deep mauve or burgundy, bright fuchsia or even electric orange! Just remember that cooler shades are better suited if you have cool undertones and warm colours will work better if you have warm undertones. You can also wear a bronzer if you like, but make sure it has a subtle shimmery finish which will illuminate your face. For the eyes, avoid pale hues, but don’t be afraid to go with rich, jewel-inspired hues, and for the lips, you can experiment with any vibrant shade you like or pick a lovely chocolate colour that complements your skin.
Browse our Directory of
Visit our
View our Current
