Choose the Right Metal for Your Skin Tone

  You may be interested to learn that your skin tone plays a major role in which metals look best on you. Have you ever wondered why you prefer yellow gold over platinum? Or maybe you love white gold and hate yellow. You may discover the reason lies in the undertones of your skin.  

What is Skin Tone & Why Does It Matter?

Right off the bat, I must explain that skin tone is the not the same as skin color, also known as overtone. Rather, it refers to the subtle undertones of your skin that come through no matter how the environment impacts your skin. (source) The primary component in skin tone is melanin content. Of course, melanin also contributes to skin color, with more melanin resulting in darker skin color. However, in the case of skin tone, the more melanin you have the warmer your skin tone. (source) It matters because different metals either clash or complement different undertones. Since the metal encasing your gemstones often rests directly in contact with your skin, it actually has a huge impact on how well your jewelry looks on you. Most people fall into one of two skin tone categories - warm or cool. A few singular individuals have a neutral skin tone.    

Easy Ways to Determine Your Skin Tone

Look In Your Closet

The first way to determine your skin tone is to look in your closet. Which colors do you love the most? More importantly, which ones look the best on you? Those with warm tones tend to prefer and look best in earthy colors, such as yellow, olive green, coral, and even turquoise. If you look better in pure white rather than cream, then you likely fall in the warm category. Conversely, if you look better in cream than white, then cool is your tone. Especially, if you gravitate toward jewel tones, like emerald green, royal purple, dark pink, and royal blue. If you wear all of these colors well, then you may enjoy the best of both worlds with a neutral skin tone.

Look at Your Veins

Another easy way to discover your tone is to look at your veins. Are they blue or green? Can you even tell? Well, if you can't tell, then once again you may be looking at a neutral tone. If they are blue or purplish, then you have a cool tone. And if they are green, then your tone is warm. Just make sure you're looking at the underside of your arm in natural light. This ensures you're actually looking your undertones rather than your overtones. (source)

Other Ways to Tell

Some other ways to determine skin tone include hair color, whether you tan or burn, and what color you see in the mirror when you hold a white piece of paper up next to your face. If your hair is red or strawberry blonde, then your skin tone is likely cool. Brown or black, then your skin tone is warm. If you're blonde, you may swing either way, or you may enjoy a neutral tone. If you tan easily, then you likely fall in the warm zone. However, if you burn swiftly, you win the cool prize. Again, this all has to do with melanin. The higher the melanin count, the warmer the tone. (source) When you hold a white piece of paper up to your face in the mirror, golden apricot or sunshine yellow hues indicate a warm tone. Meanwhile, blueish or rosy-red undertones indicate a cool tone.    

Match Your Metal to Your Tone

Experts agree that if you fall in the cool category, white metals complement your skin the best. These include platinum, white gold, and silver. If your skin tone falls in the warm category, then opt for yellow gold or copper for greatest visual effect. Earth tones, such as blackened metals, bronze, or iron also look great on warm skin tones. Finally, if neutral is your tone, then you can choose the metal you like best. Go with what gives you the greatest joy, and give it no more thought. Every metal looks great on your skin! One last word on rose gold. Rose gold is a neutral metal, so it looks great on everyone! Just keep in mind, these guidelines are just that - a place to get you started in experimenting with which metals look best against your beautiful skin. In the end, you get to choose what you love and go with that. If it makes you feel confident, sexy, and empowered, no matter what color it is wear it with your head held high! ~Angela Magnotti Andrews