How to Determine Skin Tone & Undertone (With Chart)

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Makeup artist Yuka Arora shares how to find your match

Co-authored by Yuka Arora and Jennifer Vasquez, BA, MA

Last Updated: August 21, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Skin Tone & Undertone Explained
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• What is the Fitzpatrick scale?
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• Fitzpatrick Scale Skin Types
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• Other Systems
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• Determining Skin Tone
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• Choosing Flattering Makeup
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• Skin Tone & Wardrobe

|Show more |Show less

A skin tone chart can help you figure out your skin tone and undertone. There’s a diverse array of complexions and knowing your skin’s overtones and undertones can help with things like color matching, wardrobe choices, and skin care needs. In this guide, makeup artists and dermatologists explain how skin tone is analyzed. We discuss what skin tone and undertone are, the Fitzpatrick scale, how to determine your skin tone, and more.

Skin Tone Color Chart

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Makeup artist Yuka Arora explains that skin tone refers to how light or dark your skin is, whereas undertone is the hue underneath your skin. Undertones include cool, warm, and neutral. The Fitzpatrick scale is the common method used to determine skin type and includes 6 categories, ranging from very fair to deep.

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Section 1 of 7:

Skin Tone & Undertone Explained

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   Skin tone is how light or dark you are. According to Arora, this can be defined as your overall shade. It’s also referred to as your skin’s overtone and is the uppermost layer of your skin that you see first. Skin tone is generally divided into the following broad categories:

   • Fair: Lightest skin tone that includes shades like ivory, alabaster, and porcelain.
   • Medium: Skin isn’t obviously pale or dark and is sometimes described as appearing naturally tan.
   • Deep: Dark skin tone that’s usually accompanied by dark-colored hair and eyes.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Yuka Arora is a makeup artist who experiments with makeup art and has been recognized by Jeffree Star Cosmetics, Kat Von D Beauty, and Sephora Collection.

   Shara Strand is a makeup artist who has developed her own cosmetics line and has over 15 years of makeup consulting experience.

   Ellen Turner, MD, is a double board-certified dermatologist who specializes in various dermatology services, including medical, cosmetic, surgical, and laser procedures.

   Anqi Xue is a master color analysis consultant & professional makeup artist whose specialites include American, Korean, and Japanese color analysis.

   Stephanie Navarro is a professional makeup artist who earned her cosmetology license from the Marrinello School of Beauty and has a portfolio that includes celebrity clientele.
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   Undertone includes cool, warm, and neutral. Arora explains that this is the color beneath your skin and can include hues like green or pink. She goes on to say that if you shine a luminescent light on your skin, you may notice your complexion’s undertone more clearly. Here are the categories of undertones:

   • Cool: Makeup artist Shara Strand says cool undertones are more pink or red.
   • Warm: Strand explains warm undertones have a more yellow base. Hues may be more golden or bronze.
   • Neutral: This understone is in between, says Strand, and is a balance of cool and warm hues.
   • Master color analysis consultant & professional makeup artist Anqi Xue says that your undertone is something you’re born with and never changes.
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Section 2 of 7:

What is the Fitzpatrick scale?

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   The Fitzpatrick Scale looks at how skin reacts to sun exposure. Double board-certified dermatologist Ellen Turner, MD, explains that it was created to “determine the amount of melanin that a person's skin is able to produce.” She adds that it includes six skin types. These skin types measure how easily each skin type burns or tans.

   • Although widely used, the Fitzpatrick scale may not always be the most accurate. Some say it’s more Eurocentric and falls short in how it analyzes deeper skin pigments, like brown and black.
   • Since it’s a questionnaire, people’s self-perception may not be the most accurate in determining their skin type.
   • You can determine your skin type by taking the Fitzpatrick Skin-Type test.

Section 3 of 7:

Fitzpatrick Scale Skin Types

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   Type I This skin type is most vulnerable to sun burns and doesn’t tan. If you’re a skin type I, you likely have a pale complexion and may have freckles. Other common features include blue or green eyes and blond or red hair.

   • People who fall under this category may be of Northern European and Scandinavian descent.
   • Skin type score: 0 to 7
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   Type II Type II skin burns easily without proper sun protection. Your skin most likely doesn’t tan that well, if at all. If you fall under this category, your physical characteristics include fair skin with very little pigment and blue eyes.

   • This skin type can be common among people who are Northern European or are fair-haired Caucasians.
   • Skin type score: 8 to 16
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   Type III If you have skin type III, you have medium or beige skin that likely burns first, then tans. This skin type has a bit more melanin than the previous two types and can be olive-toned. Physical traits usually include brown hair and eyes.

   • This skin type can be common among darker Caucasians, Southern Europeans, and ethnic groups from the Mediterranean.
   • Skin type score: 17 to 25
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   Type IV Skin type IV is light brown skin that tans easily and experiences slight sunburn. If you have this skin type, you probably have brown eyes and brown or black hair.

   • This skin type can be common among people of Mediterranean, Hispanic, and Asian descent.
   • Skin type score: 25 to 30
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   Type V Type V encompasses brown to dark brown skin that rarely burns because of sun exposure. If you're this skin type, your complexion tans a darker shade easily. Other common characteristics are brown eyes and brown or black hair.

   • This skin type can be common among people of East Indian, African, and Hispanic descent.
   • Skin type score: Over 30
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   Type VI This skin type is deeply pigmented and includes dark brown and black skin tones. Type VI doesn’t experience sun burns and is the least affected by UV exposure. If you have this skin type, you also likely have brown eyes and dark brown or black hair.

   • This skin type can be common among people of African and Aboriginal Australian descent.
   • Skin type score: Over 30
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Section 4 of 7:

Other Skin Tone Systems

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   The Baumann Skin Type Indicator This system analyzes your skin’s health instead of skin tone. It bases skin types off of oily versus dry, sensitive versus resistant, pigmented versus nonpigmented, and wrinkled versus unwrinkled. The goal is to help you gain a better understanding of your skin’s condition so you can improve your skincare routine. There are 16 skin types you can fall under, according to this method. They are:

   • DSPT: Dry, sensitive, uneven pigment, and tight
   • DSNT: Dry, sensitive, no uneven pigment, and tight
   • DSPW: Dry, sensitive, uneven pigment, and wrinkle-prone
   • DSNW: Dry, sensitive, no uneven pigment, and wrinkle-prone
   • OSPT: Oily, sensitive, uneven pigment, and tight
   • OSNT: Oily, sensitive, no uneven pigment, and tight
   • OSPW: Oily, sensitive, uneven pigment, and wrinkle-prone
   • OSNW: Oily, sensitive, no uneven pigment, and wrinkle-prone
   • ORPT: Oily, resistant, uneven pigment, and tight
   • ORNT: Oily, resistant, no uneven pigment, and tight
   • ORPW: Oily, resistant, uneven pigment, and wrinkle-prone
   • ORNW: Oily, resistant, no uneven pigment, and wrinkle-prone
   • DRPT: Dry, resistant, uneven pigment, and tight
   • DRNT: Dry, resistant, no uneven pigment, and tight
   • DRPW: Dry, resistant, uneven pigment, and wrinkle-prone
   • DRNW: Dry, resistant, no uneven pigment, and wrinkle-prone
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   Roberts Skin Type Classification This system is commonly used by dermatologists to measure how a person’s skin reacts to injury, inflammation, or cosmetic procedures. It evaluates the skin based on phototype, hyperpigmentation, photoaging, and scarring. The goal is to determine the right skin treatment for a patient.
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Section 5 of 7:

Determining Your Skin Tone

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   Look in a mirror to find out your overall skin tone. It’s best to do this while standing in natural lighting, like by a window. Grab a hand mirror, and gauge how light or dark your complexion is. Pay closer attention to the color of your skin around your jawline. The center of your face tends to be darker because it’s exposed to more sunlight, so other areas of your face can give you a better idea of your skin color and help you determine if you’re fair, medium, or deep.

   • See our guide for more tips on how to determine your skin tone.
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   Check the color of your veins to determine undertone. Arora says to look at the veins on the back of your hand or on the inside of your wrist where your palm starts. If your veins are more blue or purple, you have cool undertones. If your veins are green, you have warmer undertones. If you can’t tell what color your veins are, Arora explains you likely have a more neutral undertone.
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   Determine if gold or silver jewelry is more flattering on you. Gold jewelry typically complements warm undertones, while silver jewelry tends to look best on cool undertones. Try on different gold and silver pieces, and see which flatters you most. If both look good against your skin, you may have neutral undertones.

   • Find out what jewelry flatters your skin tone!
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   Hold a piece of white paper next to your face. Stand in natural lighting in front of a mirror for a more accurate assessment of your skin. The paper casts a shadow across your face that might help you figure out your undertone. If the cast is more pink, you’re on the cooler side. On the other hand, if the cast across your face is more yellow, you likely have warm undertones.
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   Think about the color of your hair and eyes. For instance, it’s generally considered that people with blue or green eyes and light brown or blonde hair have cool undertones. Alternatively, people with hazel or dark brown eyes and darker hair colors tend to have warm undertones. Take a look at your physical characteristics to figure out where you fall.
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   Use online tools to determine skin tone. There are various apps and AI tools that analyze your skin tone and undertone based on a photo you upload of yourself. If you go this route, make sure the picture you use is taken in natural lighting to ensure the most accurate assessment. These online tools can be helpful if you’re having a hard time figuring out your skin tone with other methods.
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Section 6 of 7:

Choosing Flattering Makeup

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1. 1
   Match your foundation to your undertone. Before you decide on a foundation, find out if you have cool, warm, or neutral undertones. Test the foundation along your jawline, applying three dots and blending it into your skin. Wait about five minutes for it to oxidize. If the foundation blends seamlessly into your skin without creating an obvious separation between your natural skin color and the foundation, it’s likely a good fit.

   • Professional makeup artist Stephanie Navarro says matching your foundation to your undertone is especially helpful if you have a darker skin tone. She adds in some cases, you may need two foundation colors.
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   Consider eye color palettes that flatter your skin tone. Beauty consultant Nine Morrison explains that if you have fairer skin, choose cooler colors, like pinks, purples, greens, and blues. On the other hand, she continues, if you have warmer undertones, go with warm colors, such as sun gold, orange, and red.

   • Learn more about choosing makeup for your skin tone!
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Section 7 of 7:

Skin Tone & Wardrobe

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1. Dress according to your color season. Do you fall under winter, spring, summer, or fall? According to fashion stylist Kathi Burns, CPO®, seasonal color analysis helps you choose flattering colors based on the tonality of your skin, hair, and eyes. For example, she explains, if you’re a winter, colors such as black, white, and stark, vivid hues would compliment you. On the other hand, she continues, if your color season is fall, go with shades like orange, red, evergreen, and brown.

   • Personal wardrobe stylist Paul Julch, MA, says if you have fair skin with light-colored eyes and hair, then cooler tones, like blue, green, and teal, are flattering on you.
   • If you have warm undertones, choose shades like orange, yellow, and gold or earth tones, like browns and deep tonal reds.
   • If you have neutral undertones, most colors will look good on you. Jade green, pinks, beige, and placid blue are a few shades to consider.

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