How To Choose Flattering Lingerie Colours Based On Skin Tone

When it comes to choosing the best colours to enhance your skin tones, there are some tips for making you feel and look your best.

There are three things that are important – your skin tone, your skin undertone and your hair/eye colour – in identifying the kind of colour palette that is going to work best. And these principles apply to clothes and make-up as well as swimwear and lingerie.

Skin tone is pretty straightforward. It is the colour of your complexion we see such as fair, olive, brown etc.

Your skin undertone is the deeper, subtle tone beneath the surface of your skin. It is always there like a shadow and does not change if, for instance, you get tanned by the sun. But it is important in choosing colours that will help you look good.

How To Identify Your Skin Undertone 

There are three tips for identifying your skin undertone

1. Look at your wrist in daylight to see what colour your veins are. If they look bluish or purple, you are on the cool side and if they appear greenish or olive you are on the warm side. If you are not sure, you might be in the middle, which would make you you a NEUTRAL undertone. In this case most colours will enhance and complement your skin tone.
2. Use a white sheet of paper and compare it to your neck or chest areas. If your skin looks pink/reddish compared with the white sheet it means you have a lot of blue undertone in your skin and you are on the cool side. If your skin looks yellow, you are on the warm side.
3. Take a piece of gold and silver jewellery of similar size and hold them alternately against your neck. See which makes your skin look the most healthy and radiant. If silver makes you look better, then you have a cool undertone and if it is gold you have a warm undertone.

Does Your Hair Colour Change Your Undertone? 

Yes, your hair and eye colour are important as well when it comes to deciding your undertone. It may be you are a combination or, if you colour your hair, you may sometimes fall into the soft tones and other times into the clear undertones.

How To Choose The Most Flattering Colours For Your Undertone

What Colours Look Best On Warm Undertones

If you have a yellow skin undertone then you fit into the warm tones range. To enhance this warmth, you should choose colours that have yellow undertones; chocolate, moss, grey-green and bronze should be your go-to colours, as they will make your eyes and hair stand out and give your skin a healthy glow. 

Build on these key colours with strong reds, orange-reds, oranges, coral, daffodil, cream, stone, teal and sage when buying your swimwear or luxury lingerie. Make sure you avoid cooler colours, such as baby pinks, icy violet and colours with a blue undertone, as they will tend to make you look washed out.

Best Colours For Redheads 

If you’ve been blessed with naturally golden hair or a head full of red hair in rich, coppery tones then you are’ll also likely be a warm tone so you should also aim to complement that with yellow-undertoned colours. These include chocolates, greens and strong reds and oranges to boost the glow in your skin and hair. 

Best Lingerie And Bikinis For Soft Undertones 

If your hair colour falls along the light blonde to brown spectrum and a pinkish skin tone, you most likely have a soft tone. You will look good in stone, taupe, charcoal, light navy and pewter, and you can add colour with cool greens, soft blues, teals and blue/purples. 

They will also work well with light browns and soft white. It is best for you to avoid very bright colours, as they may clash with your gentle tone.

Flattering Colours For Deep-Toned Individuals 

With dark brown to black hair, brown, hazel or blue eyes and a yellow skin undertone, you fall into the deep tones category. Good fabric colour choices for you include black, charcoal, dark navy and taupe, as they will complement your complexion. 

Bold colours will contrast nicely with these key colours, so when it comes to bikinis choose bright blues, dark and bright greens and teals, dark purples and strong reds to add some colour to your palette. Avoid wearing two light colours together if you have a deep tone, as this could make you look washed out.

Best Colours For Clear Undertones

Dark brown or black hair, with contrasting light eyes in shades of pale blue, grey, topaz or greens means you are probably in the clear tone range. 

Colours that work best are black, navy, charcoal, purple and royal blue. They will brighten up your eyes and provide a good contrast with your dark hair. 

You can wear many other colours to make you look good. Bright blues, greens, reds and pinks, turquoise, ivory, soft yellow and blush will give you a glowing complexion which is great for swimwear and the summer seasons! Best to avoid dull shades which will not suit.

What Colours Look Best On Cool Tones

Choose colours with a cooler aspect with blue undertones to really make the most of your cool undertone; colours like charcoal, pewter, teal and spruce, will make you look and feel great. Plenty of other colours, such as blues, purples, blue-greens, taupe and ivory will also work beautifully on your skin.

With ash blond or dark grey to silver hair and pink/reddish skin undertone, it is best to avoid warm shades with yellow undertones as these will not complement your natural colouring. 

Which Colour Looks Best On Light Toned Skin And Hair?

Light tones are quite specific. If you have light blonde to blonde hair, your eyes are pale blue, grey, light green or topaz, and you have a porcelain undertone, you naturally have light colouring. With this light and delicate look, light colours and pastel shades suit you well. 

Add a few key colours such as stone, taupe, cocoa and pewter as these will complement your base colours, and they can be brightened up with bursts of light greens and blues, pinks, turquoise, peach and light navy. Avoid dark colours as they may be overpowering for your delicate complexion.

If this all sounds bewilderingly complicated, do not worry. It is often easier for us to work out what colours will suit you best as that is our job and we are doing it all the time. So come and visit us at the shop in Notting Hill or make an online appointment and we will advise you. And remember that at the end of the day, these are all guidelines – not rules.

The most important thing is that you feel comfortable with what you are wearing. You should choose what you like and what makes you feel good.

If you do and you wear your swimsuit or bikini with confidence, it is amazing what you can carry off.

Confidence is definitely the best accessory!