How to identify your makeup style

How to identify your makeup style

The way that we dress, the car that we drive, and the decor in our homes all say something about our personal taste and, consequently, our personality.

Our makeup style is another clear expression of our identity. Are you a fan of a neutral palette, or do you favor bold, brash colors designed to make a statement? There is a good chance this will say something about your personality. Perhaps you change your mind when it comes to makeup, and you swing from the natural to the garish. Maybe you don't really know where to begin. If you happen to be a novice, it's important to remember that curating the perfect makeup routine means highlighting your best features and enhancing your natural beauty. This will mean taking into account factors such as your hair and eye color, skin tone and facial features.

Let's help you understand how to hone or discover your makeup identity and what particular color palettes can do for you.

Determine your skin tone

Identifying and understanding your skin tone is the first step in discovering the right color palette for you. As a general rule, you will fit into one of the following categories: fair, light, medium, tan and deep tan. This is usually established by the delicate hue under the first layer of skin known as the undertone. While the top layer of skin can be affected by sun damage, acne and other influences, the undertone will always stay the same. Undertones are usually referred to as warm, cool or neutral.

If your skin tans in the sun with little to no burning, you probably have a warm skin tone. If you are pale and burn easily, you likely have a cooler skin tone. Neutral skin tones have a little olive, pink or reddish pigment to them and are the easiest of the bunch to match with a range of color palettes. Getting it wrong with the other undertones can lead to skin looking washed out, dull or too brash.

Understand the colors that complement your skin tone

Now that you know a little about your skin's undertones, it's time to think about what colors would match best with it. Here we're looking at eye and lip color - the statement areas that add real personality to your look. If you have warm undertones, warm colors such as bronze, beige and gold are ideal. A smoky, glittery palette for the eyes would be a great choice for a night out.

Cooler skin tones can afford to be a little bold. The eye-catching tones in colors such as blue, red, pink and teal can make a dramatic yet flattering look on pale skin. Be careful not to clash too many colors together, but don't be afraid to experiment with boldness because warm shades are likely to leave you looking washed out.

Neutral undertones are lucky because they get the best of both worlds. However, if you are opting for a bold color palette, it's best to tone them down slightly, so go for dusty pink or mint green rather than brash colors. This balances vibrancy with the natural shades of the skin tone perfectly. Because warm undertones have a yellow base, colors such as peach and bronze also work amazingly with this tone.

Foundation

The palette you choose for your eyes and lips may make the biggest initial impact, but they are nothing without a solid base. This usually includes foundation and pressed powders, bronzers, and blush. Picking the right foundation can make or break your look. You'll want a good match that doesn't differ too much from the skin on your chest; this is thought to be a closer match than the forearm, which was previously used for color matching. Again, your undertones play a big part here; warm undertones cry out for foundations with a yellow base, while cool tones need a pink base. You also need to think about coverage and how your skin changes throughout the seasons.

Facial shape

Applying makeup in the correct way can also complement the shape of your face. Someone with a round face, for example, may use contouring to give the illusion of a more slimmed-down face. Someone with an oblong-shaped face may want to make their face appear shorter and broader by blending downwards from the forehead. The tricks you can use to change and enhance your natural features are endless with the right tools, techniques and colors.