Beauty Front Benchers
This is the best way to apply blush according to your face shape
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Ever wonder why some lipsticks make you look like you’ve slept eight hours and just got back from vacation, while others make you look, well, the opposite? The answer lies in undertones.
Undertones are the subtle hues beneath your skin’s surface that influence how colours look on you. If you think you have a golden or peachy hue, your undertone is warm. If it’s pink or bluish, your undertone is cool. Or if you see a balance of both, you have a neutral undertone. And, goes without saying, learning your undertone takes the guesswork out of makeup.
Once you’ve figured out how to shop with your undertone in mind, your foundation won’t oxidise, blush will look like a real flush and lipstick will feel less like it's washing you out. Here’s how to make every product you wear feel like it was made for you, if you have a warm undertone.
Foundation is where undertone awareness makes the most impact. Because it covers the largest area of your face, even a slight mismatch can throw off your whole look, making your skin appear dull, ashy or unnaturally orange. Choosing a formula with undertones that mirror your own is the easiest way to create a smoother base.
Lipstick is often the quickest way to transform your look, but the wrong undertone can make even the prettiest shade feel off. Warm undertones look best in lip colours that reflect their natural depth, like shades that echo the golden, peachy or earthy hues already in the skin. Picking a lip colour with your undertone in mind makes lipstick feel less like trial and error and more like a guaranteed win.
Shades to avoid: Blue-based reds, icy mauves or cool pinks, which can create contrast that pulls focus from your natural warmth.
Blush has the power to pull your entire makeup look together in seconds, but it’s also one of the easiest products to overdo or misjudge. For warm undertones, shades that mimic a natural flush, like peaches, corals and bronzy tones, tend to look the most flattering. The right colour will brighten your skin tone and bring balance without ever looking streaky or out of place. Pro tip: Apply blush to the apples of your cheeks and blend slightly upwards towards your temples. This mimics the effect of natural sunlight hitting your face.
Shades to avoid: Avoid cool-toned pinks or frosty finishes—they can look chalky or clash with your natural warmth.
Eyeshadow is where undertones can really elevate your look, especially if you’re experimenting with colour. Warm undertones pair beautifully with earthy shades like bronze, copper and gold. Cooler tones such as silver or icy blue may create a sharper contrast instead of looking seamless. By choosing colours in the same family as your undertone, make your eyes pop without creating a harsh contrast. Pro tip: Layering matte warm browns with gold metallics can add dimension without overpowering your natural tone.
Shades to avoid: Silvers, icy blues and lavender tones can create a stark contrast with warm undertones, sometimes leaving eyes looking tired or washed out.
Nails might seem like a small detail, but they can make a big difference in tying a look together. For warm undertones, polishes in vibrant corals, orange-reds and bronzy metallics echo the natural warmth in your skin and offer a polished finish. Even neutrals lean warmer here, with sandy, caramel tones looking more flattering than cool or icy shades.
Shades to avoid: Pastels like baby blue, lavender or icy pink can contrast sharply against your warm skin and feel dissonant. That said, nail polish is one area where rules are meant to be bent if you love the shade—just know it may look cooler than your skin tone naturally calls for.
Foundation is where undertone awareness makes the most impact. Because it covers the largest area of your face, even a slight mismatch can throw off your whole look, making your skin appear dull, ashy or unnaturally orange. Choosing a formula with undertones that mirror your own is the easiest way to create a smoother base.
Lipstick is often the quickest way to transform your look, but the wrong undertone can make even the prettiest shade feel off. Warm undertones look best in lip colours that reflect their natural depth, like shades that echo the golden, peachy or earthy hues already in the skin. Picking a lip colour with your undertone in mind makes lipstick feel less like trial and error and more like a guaranteed win.
Shades to avoid: Blue-based reds, icy mauves or cool pinks, which can create contrast that pulls focus from your natural warmth.
Blush has the power to pull your entire makeup look together in seconds, but it’s also one of the easiest products to overdo or misjudge. For warm undertones, shades that mimic a natural flush, like peaches, corals and bronzy tones, tend to look the most flattering. The right colour will brighten your skin tone and bring balance without ever looking streaky or out of place. Pro tip: Apply blush to the apples of your cheeks and blend slightly upwards towards your temples. This mimics the effect of natural sunlight hitting your face.
Shades to avoid: Avoid cool-toned pinks or frosty finishes—they can look chalky or clash with your natural warmth.
Eyeshadow is where undertones can really elevate your look, especially if you’re experimenting with colour. Warm undertones pair beautifully with earthy shades like bronze, copper and gold. Cooler tones such as silver or icy blue may create a sharper contrast instead of looking seamless. By choosing colours in the same family as your undertone, make your eyes pop without creating a harsh contrast. Pro tip: Layering matte warm browns with gold metallics can add dimension without overpowering your natural tone.
Shades to avoid: Silvers, icy blues and lavender tones can create a stark contrast with warm undertones, sometimes leaving eyes looking tired or washed out.
Nails might seem like a small detail, but they can make a big difference in tying a look together. For warm undertones, polishes in vibrant corals, orange-reds and bronzy metallics echo the natural warmth in your skin and offer a polished finish. Even neutrals lean warmer here, with sandy, caramel tones looking more flattering than cool or icy shades.
Shades to avoid: Pastels like baby blue, lavender or icy pink can contrast sharply against your warm skin and feel dissonant. That said, nail polish is one area where rules are meant to be bent if you love the shade—just know it may look cooler than your skin tone naturally calls for.
Foundation is where undertone awareness makes the most impact. Because it covers the largest area of your face, even a slight mismatch can throw off your whole look, making your skin appear dull, ashy or unnaturally orange. Choosing a formula with undertones that mirror your own is the easiest way to create a smoother base.
Lipstick is often the quickest way to transform your look, but the wrong undertone can make even the prettiest shade feel off. Warm undertones look best in lip colours that reflect their natural depth, like shades that echo the golden, peachy or earthy hues already in the skin. Picking a lip colour with your undertone in mind makes lipstick feel less like trial and error and more like a guaranteed win.
Shades to avoid: Blue-based reds, icy mauves or cool pinks, which can create contrast that pulls focus from your natural warmth.
Blush has the power to pull your entire makeup look together in seconds, but it’s also one of the easiest products to overdo or misjudge. For warm undertones, shades that mimic a natural flush, like peaches, corals and bronzy tones, tend to look the most flattering. The right colour will brighten your skin tone and bring balance without ever looking streaky or out of place. Pro tip: Apply blush to the apples of your cheeks and blend slightly upwards towards your temples. This mimics the effect of natural sunlight hitting your face.
Shades to avoid: Avoid cool-toned pinks or frosty finishes—they can look chalky or clash with your natural warmth.
Eyeshadow is where undertones can really elevate your look, especially if you’re experimenting with colour. Warm undertones pair beautifully with earthy shades like bronze, copper and gold. Cooler tones such as silver or icy blue may create a sharper contrast instead of looking seamless. By choosing colours in the same family as your undertone, make your eyes pop without creating a harsh contrast. Pro tip: Layering matte warm browns with gold metallics can add dimension without overpowering your natural tone.
Shades to avoid: Silvers, icy blues and lavender tones can create a stark contrast with warm undertones, sometimes leaving eyes looking tired or washed out.
Nails might seem like a small detail, but they can make a big difference in tying a look together. For warm undertones, polishes in vibrant corals, orange-reds and bronzy metallics echo the natural warmth in your skin and offer a polished finish. Even neutrals lean warmer here, with sandy, caramel tones looking more flattering than cool or icy shades.
Shades to avoid: Pastels like baby blue, lavender or icy pink can contrast sharply against your warm skin and feel dissonant. That said, nail polish is one area where rules are meant to be bent if you love the shade—just know it may look cooler than your skin tone naturally calls for.
