Swimwear Color for Your Skin Tone: The Definitive Guide

Choosing the right color to wear this summer does not stop at swimwear. Learn how you can look really good and achieve an elevated look, all by knowing what colors work best for you!

Understanding color may feel like a task, but this article will break it down into the basics. Read on to learn about your skin tone, and undertone, and how these qualities determine what colors will bring out your natural beauty this season.

Typical types of skin tones and undertones

Skin Tone 

Skin tone is a literal word in that this is the actual color of your skin. Scientifically, skin tone variations are due to different amounts of melanin in the skin.

Melanin is the naturally occurring brown or black pigment in the epidermis (the outermost layer of skin). We are all born with a skin tone and it may vary based on the amount of time we spend in the sun.

PANTONE has studied thousands of skin tones and determined that there are approximately 138 different skin tones! These fall into 3 categories; light, medium, dark.

Light

• Light or fair skin tones originate from countries that faced frequent snow or cloud coverage and therefore did not need much melanin protection from the sun.
• These tend to be northern European countries (Ireland, United Kingdom, Sweden, etc.). People with a light skin tone have little to no color to their skin. Often referred to as pale, white, or porcelain skin.
• Light skin tone is typically associated with a pink shade, but can also have yellow, blue, or green tones. The colors array from white/ivory to slightly tan/beige. 

Medium

• Medium complexions are typical of Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Greece, etc) and Northern Asian descent (China, Japan, etc.).
• People with a medium skin tone have some color to their skin. Often referred to as beige, golden, or olive skin.
• Medium skin tone is typically associated with yellow, green, or golden shades. The colors array from more tan/beige to light brown.

Dark

• Dark complexions typically originate from parts of the world that have the most exposure to ultraviolet radiation, such as the Middle East (Iran, Israel, etc), India, and Africa. People with a dark skin tone have the most color to their skin.
• Often referred to as ebony, brown, chocolate, caramel, or honey skin. Dark skin tone is typically associated with an olive or brown shade. The colors array from medium brown/olive to dark brown/black.

Undertones 

Beyond what directly meets the eye, there is another aspect of skin color we perceive.

The eye processes color by looking at light and shade. This is the same with the skin – there is the skin tone and the undertone.

The undertone is often referred to as the shade of the skin. While the skin tone may change, the undertone does not.

There are three categories of skin undertones.

Warm

• Those with a warm undertone can have green, yellow, golden, or peach tones to the shade of their skin. A warm undertone is typically associated with golden beige, or olive skin. 

Cool

• Those with a cool undertone can have blue, pink, red, or ashy tones to the shade of their skin. A cool undertone is typically associated with fair skin.

Neutral

• Those with a neutral undertone don’t really pick up any tones listed in the warm or cool undertones. 

How to quickly determine your skin tone and your undertone

Make sure you are free of makeup and self tanner.

Conduct these tests when your skin is calm – for example, if you just washed your face wait about an hour for your skin to settle.

Avoid indoor, warm lights, as these will give a warm look to your skin by default.

Veins test

Look at your forearms and wrists – study the color of your veins in soft light. 

1. Purple or blue-looking veins usually indicate a cool undertone. 
2. Green-looking veins usually indicate a warm undertone.

White contrast test

Hold a white piece of paper or white towel next to your face in a mirror.

Do this during the day in natural light. What color are you picking up when observing your face next to the piece of paper? You can also wear a white t-shirt and do the same.

1. If your skin comes off more pink, there’s a cool undertone
2. If more  yellow or golden, warm
3. If nothing stands out in particular, neutral

Sun exposure test

Consider times you have spent in the sun. 

1. If your skin burned quickly and you didn’t really get a tan afterwards, then you have a cool undertone.
2. If your skin got primarily tan (didn’t really burn), then you have a warm undertone.
3. If you burned first and then the burn became tan, you have a neutral undertone.

Metal color test

Hold gold and silver jewelry up to the skin. If the results are inconclusive, try holding the jewelry next to your hair.

1. If gold jewelry looks better (more cohesive/complementary) with your skin or hair, you have a warm undertone.
2. If silver jewelry looks better (more cohesive/complementary) with your skin or hair, you have a cool undertone.
3. If you prefer both silver and gold with your skin and hair, then you may have a neutral undertone. 

Hair and eye color test 

1. If your hair color has ash or platinum tones, then you most likely have a cool undertone. Also consider your eyes, if they are blue, dark brown/black, or gray, then you likely have a cool undertone. 
2. If your hair color has gold or mahogany tones, you most likely have a warm undertone. Also consider your eyes – if you have golden brown, amber, or hazel eyes, then you likely have a warm undertone.

As you start to compare colors, you may notice how two colors can look very similar but have just a slight difference.

You are noticing the undertone of the color. Practice this new skill by looking at the pictures of Rihanna below.

Your eye may gravitate towards the warm red as the better option for Rihanna. This is because Rihanna has a warm undertone. 

Skin tone & the color theory

The basic rule of thumb for any skin tone and undertone combination – choose colors that complement your undertone for a cohesive look. If you’re stuck between colors, choose the color with the same undertone as your skin.

Similar to understanding skin tone and undertone, it’s also important to understand some basics of color theory. There are many variations of a color and each has a different relation to each other on the color wheel.

So that the color wheel is divided into warm and cool colors, when thinking about undertone, you’ll want to try and select colors from the side of the color wheel that aligns with your undertone.

Color theory also uses white and black to create many new colors. Referencing this concept will be useful when selecting the perfect color option for your skin.

You may need to add white or black to a color in effort to level out that color with your skin. If you have light hair and eyes, colors with more white in them may look better on you.

If you have dark hair and eyes, colors with added black to them may look better on you.

The bikini colors that look best on light skin

With a warm undertone

Since you have lighter skin with a warm undertone,  you’ll want to consider colors that are on the warm side of the color wheel and are rich, dark colors to give a beautiful contrast to your lighter skin.

Consider:

• Saturated fall colors (i.e. mixed with white) – like coral, auburn, mango
• Earth colors like brown, green, warm red, mustard yellow 
• Any shade of brown
• Warm white
• Hot red

With a cool undertone

Since you have lighter skin with a cool undertone, you’ll want to consider colors that are on the cool side of the color wheel and are rich, dark colors to give a beautiful contrast to your lighter skin. 

Consider:

• Deep jewel tones like emerald, sapphire, and magenta
• Berry colors like deep reds, strawberry tones, raspberry tones, and deep purple, blueberry, or boysenberry tones
• Bright pink, blue, purple

With a neutral undertone

Since you have lighter skin with a neutral undertone, you can choose from both sides of the color wheel. However, some colors may look better (more cohesive) with your skin based on your hair and eye color.

If you have lighter hair/eyes, go for a color that has been lightened with more white. If you have darker hair/eyes, go for a richer color that has been darkened with more black.

Consider:

• Pastels that won’t wash you out – think lilac, lavender, baby blue and rosy blush. These colors play to the natural colors of the skin which can give that cohesive feeling.
• Aqua
• Printed swimsuits can be flattering especially since your undertone can play to both sides of the color wheel.

Colors to avoid 

• Light/faded colors (other than pastel) and yellow tone shades of color, fleshy peach, beige, light gray, orange – these colors are closest to your skin tone (not undertone) so it can easily wash you out and won’t feel as elevated
• Typically black because it can be such a bold contrast depending on the lightness of your skin.

The bikini colors that look best on medium skin 

General Rule

Choose the swimsuit you feel most confident in since all colors will naturally look great on you!

With a warm undertone

Since you have a warm undertone, you’ll still want to try and narrow down your colors to choices on the warm side of the color wheel for the most elevated look.

Consider:

• Rich earthy shades of red, orange and amber – the warmest shade of any earthy color
• Oceanic hues of mid-blue, turquoise and green
• Rich, chocolatey browns
• Creamy white

With a cool undertone

Since you have a cool undertone, you’ll want to consider colors that are on the cool side of the color wheel. However, since you have a tanner complexion, you can go for unique cool tones, like a metallic!

• High-shine metallics, including gold, copper and silver
• Retro neons and citrus to get your glow on
• Trending neutrals like taupe, gray and white
• Shades of summer like peach, rose, coral and palm green

With a neutral undertone

A neutral undertone allows you to choose from most colors. However, some colors may look better (more cohesive) with your skin based on your hair and eye color. If you have lighter hair/eyes, go for a color that has been lightened with more white.

If you have darker hair/eyes, go for a richer color that has been darkened with more black.

Consider:

• Yellow, gold, and peach hues
• Coral, reds and oranges 
• Light blue

Colors to avoid

• Generally, nudes and yellows, especially at the beginning of the season before you’ve gained some color. These tones will wash you out. Brown, caramel, and gray may feel a bit blah. 

The bikini colors that look best on dark skin

General rule

You will look great in any color, but contrasting your swimsuit color with your skin tone will make you standout.

With a warm undertone

Since you have a warm undertone, you’ll still want to try and narrow down your colors to choices on the warm side of the color wheel for the most elevated look.

Consider:

• Baby pink, cream and peach
• Gold, bronze, copper

With a cool undertone

Since you have a cool undertone, you’ll want to consider colors that are on the cool side of the color wheel.

Consider:

• Aquamarine, mint, and lilac

With a neutral undertone

A neutral undertone allows you to choose from most colors. However, some colors may look better (more cohesive) with your skin based on your hair and eye color. If you have lighter hair/eyes, go for a color that has been lightened with more white.

If you have darker hair/eyes, go for a richer color that has been darkened with more black.

• Bright whites and metallics
• Saturated blues, purples, and greens
• Bold prints that combine multiple shades
• Sunset colors like red, bright orange, and yellow

Colors to avoid

• Generally, avoid colors too close to your skin color which could wash you out or give a dull look. Yellow, olive green, gray, and silver can feel lackluster compared to a really contrasted color.