Color analysis glossary
What is the difference between warm and cool undertones?
Warm undertones have a golden, peachy, or yellow cast and suit earthy, golden colors and gold jewelry; cool undertones have a pink, red, or blue cast and suit icy, blue-based colors and silver.
The warm/cool split is the first division in color analysis. Warm seasons (Spring, Autumn) glow in camel, coral, olive, and gold. Cool seasons (Summer, Winter) glow in navy, rose, emerald, and silver. Neutral skin can lean slightly either way.
To check: look at the veins on your wrist (green-ish = warm, blue/purple = cool), test gold vs silver near your face, or see whether orange-red or blue-red lipstick suits you better. Getting the undertone right is half of finding your season.
Related terms
Frequently asked
- Can you be both warm and cool?
- You can be neutral — leaning slightly warm or slightly cool — but true coloring has a dominant temperature. Neutral skin can borrow muted colors from both sides.
- Does undertone change with a tan?
- No. A tan changes your surface depth and value, but your underlying undertone stays the same — a cool person with a tan is still cool underneath.
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Find your color season.
A full 12-season analysis from one selfie, in about 15 minutes.
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