Did you know one of the biggest mistakes you can make when buying your makeup is buying a color that doesn’t complement your skin tone? Doing so can either cause you to look washed out, or like your face, and nothing else, has visited the sun. No one likes to see a big makeup line from neck to face, and no amount of blending will save you when you inevitably hold your hand close to your face and people see a dramatic difference. Thus, it’s crucial to buy the right color and shade for your skin tone.

But how do I determine my skin tone? 

First, there are three main categories: cool, warm, and neutral. They are categorized like this:

Cool

• Hair color: can range from very dark to light blonde
• Veins: the veins in your forearm have a blueish tint. Cools can also be very fair to very dark (think Cate Blanchette and Viola Davis – both cools)
• Go-to jewelry: silver
• Your favorite cool colors to wear: a range of bright colors like blues, purples, and greens, as well as lavender and lilac.
• Your favorite warm colors to wear: bright reds and pinks like cerise, ruby, and rose.
• Your favorite neutral colors to wear: gray, and bright white.
• Colors you avoid: oranges and yellows.

Warm

• Hair color: anything from dark blonde to dark brown
• Veins: your veins tend to have a green or even yellowish tint
• Go-to jewelry: gold
• Your favorite colors in the cool family to wear: warmer blues and greens such as olive, deeper turquoise, moss, fern, and red-purples
• Your favorite colors in the warm family: think autumn colors like oranges, reds, golden yellow, amber, and honey.
• Your favorite neutral colors to wear: taupe, chocolate, creamy whites, wheat, latte.
• Colors you avoid: icy shades, and jeweled tones (amethyst, sapphire, ruby)

Neutrals

• Hair color: anything from ashy tones to warm
• Veins: neutrals have a hard time determining how their veins look/veins are more purple
• Go to colors of both cool & warm: typically lighter colors such as blush-toned pinks, muted blues, jade green, and cameo green
• Neutral colors to wear: taupe, grays, off-white
• Colors to avoid: anything too bright or vibrant colors that can be overwhelming such as reds and yellows

Before I really did my research I thought I was a warm because I think I look best in gold jewelry. However, now I’m convinced I’m neutral and lean towards warm. My veins appear more purple than blue or green, I look good in earth tones, but the color I look best in is purple (it really makes my eyes pop and look green as opposed to hazel!) and cannot wear white at all – it totally washes me out, although I prefer gold, I can wear silver just fine. My hair looks best when I add red to the blonde as opposed to ash or silvery tones (naturally I’m dark blonde/light brown). Therefore, I am call myself warm/neutral.

Once you determine your skin tone, it’s time to judge how fair/dark you are. Different makeup companies will call their shades different things but the principle is the same: light, medium, and dark.

Lightest will always be those of us who are very pale and can’t tan.

Medium is exactly what it sounds like; not too light, not too dark.

Dark is dark; those with deep tans, dark olive skin, or beautiful ebony.

I am about as pale as they come. So, on the Savvy spectrum, my foundation color is Warm 1. Here are all of the lovely shades that Savvy offers. As you can see, Dark 1 is fairly light, and could be a great option for neutrals or those with olive skin tones.

Now that you’ve picked out your foundation it’s time to pick the rest of your makeup! Next in my routine comes bronzer. I wear the Crowned All Over shade which is a medium nude. If you are fair skinned, neutral, or cool, this is a great option for you. If you have darker skin or are a warm, the Summer Loved is perfect for your skin. Although I am can wear warm, Summer Loved is too dark for me.

Next is blush, which has always been a favorite of mine (possibly because blush was the first type of makeup I ever wore). I wear I Do Believe You’re Blushin’, a lovely neutral pink with a hint of shimmer. If you are cool, you will want to try Smashing, Captivate, Awestruck, and Charisma. Warms should buy I Do Believe You’re Blushin’, and Serene. Neutrals look best in Passionate, and I Do Believe You’re Blushin’, but can wear any color depending on how fair/dark they are. Darker skin tones are going to benefit the most from Passionate and Charisma.

Savvy also offers a lot of eye shadow choices. In addition to the eyeshadow colors, you can also use the Multitaskers as eyeshadow. Most of these can be worn by more than one skin tone. As a neutral/warm with hazel-green eyes, I gravitate toward purples/plums to help bring out the green in my eyes. When I am going for a more natural look I like Crushin’, Inspired, and the Light Multitasker. For me, my eyeshodow choice has more to do with my eye color and what I want accentuated than it does my skin tone. The new pressed palette is also gorgeous! It came out last month and I can’t wait to try it!
The Multitaskers can be used for a couple different things: eyeshadow, brow filler, eye liner, and even dry shampoo! To use as brow filler, choose the color that is closest to your eyebrow’s natural color. Mine is Dark. Even though I’m very pale, I have pretty dark brown eyebrows. If you want a slight shimmer to your eyebrows, you can even dust on a bit of Determined from the eyeshadow collection.

To complete your look, you will of course need eyeliner, mascara, and veil. All of which can go on any one, no matter how pale or dark you are and no matter what your skin tone is.

For the finishing touch, the lips! Savvy has several beautiful options. There are three types of lipstick: classic, tangerine-infused, and cinnamint-infused (cinnamon & peppermint), and lip gloss. The tangerine-infused collection is soft and hydrating, and the cinnamint glides on easily and plumps the lips for a fuller look.

I have Adore and Wish. They both look pretty nude on me, but give me a touch of color and shine. I would love to try Uptown Girl!

I have Mic Drop which is very pink and bold. It’s a great summer color and to wear as a statement color when you’re going out.

I am ordering Untamed for a natural, sophisticated look.

I don’t have any of the glosses, but my mother loves them!

Still unsure what you need? Don’t worry, you can get a makeup kit that has everything you need for your skin tone. They come in Cool 2, Warm 2, Dark 1, and Dark 4. For now; I am hoping that soon they will offer a starter kit for each foundation color (so I can order everything that goes with Warm 1 in one easy click!). Each comes with foundation, blush, three eyeshadows, lip gloss, a makeup brush, Misting Spray, and a bottle of Lavender. For only $150!

There are so many gorgeous choices! I wish I could try them all.

Hopefully this post has given you an idea of what skin tone you are and which Savvy products you need. Stay tuned next week when we talk about different ways to apply Savvy!

To buy the Savvy Minerals Starter Kit, click here.

Thanks for learning with me!

~Katie Sue
Striving for wellness, and a chemical-free life, one oil at a time.