Hi, Sisterine,
Welcome back to the Blonde Guide! Today we’re talking about a question we get asked all the time:
“How can I tell if warm colors or cool colors look better on me?”
Gold or silver? Pink or peach? Warm brown or taupe? Rosy nude lipstick or caramel nude?
And above all… because there are colors that look AMAZING on a friend, but when we try them on, we think:
“Hmm… something about this doesn’t sit right with me.”
No, Sisterines, it's not you. And it's most likely not the product either. It could simply be a matter of color temperature. We've already talked about color analysis in the Blonde Guide, but today I want to try something different.
No seasons, subgroups, or complicated rules.
I want to help you understand something much simpler and, above all, more useful in everyday life: Do warm colors or cool colors flatter your face more?
Take a mirror.
Let's go!
FIRST OF ALL: WHAT DOES "WARM" OR "COOL" COLOR MEAN?
Let's start with the basics. When we talk about warm colors, we're thinking of all those shades that contain hints of gold, yellow, orange, or copper.
For example: peach, coral, bronze, copper, caramel, warm browns, gold.
Cool colors, on the other hand, tend toward shades of pink, blue, purple, or silver.
For example: cool pink, mauve, plum, cool taupe, silver, gray.
And then there are so many more neutral shades, which are much easier to adapt to different skin tones.
But now here's the real question:
How can I figure out which ones look best on ME?
TEST N°1: GOLD OR SILVER?
This is probably the easiest test to do at home. Take two pieces of jewelry: one gold and one silver. Hold them up to your face, preferably in natural light and without too much makeup.
Now take a look. With which of the two does your complexion look brighter? With which one do you notice less redness, dark circles, or shadowed areas?
If gold makes you look especially good, you may have a warm undertone.
If, on the other hand, silver makes your face glow the most, you might be better suited to cool tones.
What if you look great in both?
Lucky you! You might have more neutral features.
BLONDE TIP: Don't focus on the piece of jewelry you like best. Look at your FACE. The goal is to figure out which color makes your skin look more even and radiant.
TEST N°2: LOOK IN YOUR CLOSET
Open the closet. There are probably already some clues inside. Pick out two items of clothing, scarves, or pieces of fabric and hold them up to your face.
Try, for example:
Optical White vs. Cream
or
cool pink vs. peach
or even
cool gray vs. beige/camel.
You don't have to ask yourself:
“What’s my favorite color?”
But:
“What color do I notice first on my face, rather than on my outfit?”
When a color flatters us, this is often what happens: our face appears more defined, more radiant, and more balanced.
On the other hand, when a shade isn't particularly flattering for us, we may look more sallow or notice more redness and dark circles.
TEST N°3: MAKEUP IS YOUR BEST EXPERIMENT
And here we are at the part we like best
Makeup is probably the easiest way to experiment with warm and cool tones.
And above all…
She's taking off her makeup!
So we can try everything.
Let's start with the eyes.
If you've always used very warm browns, bronze, and gold, try replacing them one day with a taupe, a mauve, or a cooler shade.
And do the opposite if you always use cool colors.
Above all, pay attention to what happens to your eyes.
Which shade brings out the iris the most?
Which one makes your eyes look brighter?
Which one just feels more like “yours”?
With our Gloweye, for example, you can experiment with different shades and highlights to see which ones complement your natural colors best.
And don't forget your eye pencils.
Sometimes all it takes is replacing classic black with brown or choosing a shade that's different from the usual to see an immediate change in your look.
BLONDE TIP: Try two different colors on each eye and look at yourself in natural light. It's much easier to see the difference when you can compare them at the same time.
AND FOR THE FACE? PINK OR PEACH?
Here comes one of the most interesting comparisons.
Pink blush or peach blush?
In general, peach and coral shades tend to have a warmer undertone.
Pinks with a cooler undertone, on the other hand, can particularly flatter complexions with cool undertones.
Try both.
The right shade should blend with your skin tone and create that effect:
“I'm fine”
rather than:
“I put on some blush.”
With our 2-in-1 Stick , you can also play with color on both your cheeks and lips, creating a harmonious makeup look in just a few simple steps.
AND NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT LIPS
On the lips, the difference between hot and cold can be even more noticeable.
Think of two nudes that appear to be similar.
People tend to go for peach, beige, or caramel.
The other one in pink or mauve.
They can have two completely different effects on the face.
And the interesting thing is that even a red can be warm or cool.
A red with an orange hue will generally be warmer.
A red that leans more toward raspberry or cherry, on the other hand, will have a cooler undertone.
So the next time you try on a lipstick and think:
“It’s a beautiful color, but I’m not sure it works for me…”
Don't just dismiss it right away as:
“Red doesn’t look good on me.”
Maybe THAT particular shade of red just isn't the one that best complements your skin tone.
SO IF I'M A "COOL" TYPE, CAN'T I WEAR WARM COLORS?
Sisterine…
Absolutely NOT
In my opinion, this is the most important part of the entire Blonde Guide.
Understanding which colors flatter us doesn't mean creating a list of colors we can or can't use.
Makeup isn't math.
And above all, it shouldn't become a cage.
Knowing your temperature simply gives you one more tool to work with.
Do you have an important meeting and want to play it safe?
Choose the shades that you know flatter you.
Have you seen an amazing orange eyeshadow and want to wear it even though, according to color analysis, it isn't "your color"?
PUT IT IN.
Do you like it?
Do you feel beautiful?
End of the discussion
WHAT IF I CAN'T TELL IF I'M HOT OR COLD?
Totally normal.
Not all of us fit perfectly into one category or the other.
You may have neutral traits.
You might look good in shades from both color families.
Or maybe you just need to try a few more times.
And keep one thing in mind: Don't rely on just one factor.
You've surely heard people say:
“Look at the veins on your wrist: green = warm, blue = cold.”
It may be a small clue, but on its own, it's not enough to figure out which colors really flatter your face.
It's much better to look at the big picture and, above all, to make realistic comparisons in front of the mirror.
THE BLONDE RULE?
After all these tests—warm colors, cool colors, gold, silver, peach, and pink…
I want to leave you with a very simple rule.
Learn the rules so you can get to know each other better—not to limit yourselves.
Figuring out which colors flatter us is wonderful because it makes it easier to choose makeup, lipstick, or eyeshadow.
But no color palette will ever know how you feel when you look in the mirror.
So give it a try.
Give it a try.
Change them.
Mix them together.
And above all, have fun.
Because if that Gloweye shade—which, in theory, “isn’t your color”—makes you feel AMAZING…
Sisterine, that's your color.
See you in the next Blonde Guide!
With lots of love,
Carolina
