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jammae

skin undertone and makeup: comparing two shades in daylight

guide · about 3 min · updated sep 2026
quick take: I compare two foundation shades in person, in indirect daylight, along my jaw toward my neck. Cool, warm and neutral are just words for the shades; you decide by eye.

what undertone means

Undertone is the word makeup people use for the hue behind a shade: cool, warm or neutral. It helps when you're choosing between two foundations. It isn't a test, and I can't tell yours from here.

1. cool, warm, neutral in plain words

  • Cool: shades that lean pink, rosy or bluish.

  • Warm: shades that lean yellow, peach or golden.

  • Neutral: shades in between, a mix of pink and yellow.

These describe the shade in the bottle. How it looks on you is what you check next.

2. comparing two shades in person

Stand by a window in indirect daylight, not direct sun. Warm bulbs can make a shade look more yellow, and colored lights change it too.

  • Swatch two: put a stripe of each shade side by side along your jaw, toward your neck.

  • Give it a few minutes: then look again in the same light.

  • Pick the quiet one: I go for the shade I can't see at the edge.

psst: I don't test shades on my wrist or inner arm, because they can look different from my jaw. The jaw toward the neck is where the shade has to blend.

what this guide can't promise

I can't tell your undertone from a photo, and a guide can't either. Lighting and screens shift color, so the checks here are hints, not a verdict. If two shades both look right in daylight, pick the one you like.

people ask me

want this for your own pouch?