A neutral undertone is a balance of pink and golden in the skin, with neither one leading. People with neutral skin usually look good in both gold and silver, and in colors that are not too extreme. Many people sit close to neutral and lean slightly warm or cool. Our free undertone test shows exactly where you sit.
What a neutral undertone means
Every skin tone has an undertone, the hue under the surface. Cool skin leans pink or rosy, warm skin leans golden or peach, and neutral skin sits between the two. Our article on skin undertones covers all of them.
Neutral is not a lack of undertone. It is a mix. Look closely at neutral skin and you can often see both rosy and golden hints, but they balance out, so the overall effect is even.
Neutral skin can be any depth, from very fair to very deep. A neutral undertone is also often described as beige, because beige sits between pink and yellow.
Signs you have a neutral undertone
You probably have a neutral undertone if several of these are true.
- Your veins look blue and green. The vein test gives a mixed result, with no clear winner.
- Gold and silver both look good. Neither metal makes your skin look dull.
- White and cream both work. Pure white does not make you look pink, and cream does not make you look yellow.
- You burn sometimes, then tan. Your sun reaction sits in the middle.
- Most foundations look a little off. Pink shades look too pink and yellow shades look too yellow, but neutral shades look right.
- You can wear a wide range of colors. Few colors look truly bad on you, but very icy or very golden shades can look slightly off.
If your result feels neutral but colors still look odd, check whether your skin is olive. Olive skin has a green or gray cast that neutral tests miss. Our guide to olive skin explains the difference.
Neutral, neutral warm and neutral cool
Very few people sit exactly in the middle. Most neutral people lean a little one way.
| Lean | What it looks like | Easiest colors |
|---|---|---|
| Neutral warm | Balanced, with a slight golden glow | Teal, coral pink, warm red, camel |
| True neutral | Even, no clear lean | Jade, true red, soft white, medium blue |
| Neutral cool | Balanced, with a slight rosy glow | Dusty rose, plum, navy, soft gray |
Our undertone test shows a marker on a scale from cool to warm. If it lands in the middle band but closer to one end, that is your lean.
The best colors for a neutral undertone
The great advantage of a neutral undertone is flexibility. You can borrow from both warm and cool palettes. A few colors suit almost every neutral skin.
- Jade and teal, which sit between blue and green.
- True red, neither orange nor blue.
- Dusty pink and rose, which are soft and balanced.
- Medium blue and periwinkle, cool but not icy.
- Plum and berry, deep and balanced.
- Soft white, taupe, gray brown and navy as neutrals.
What tends to work less well is anything extreme, such as neon brights, icy pastels or very golden yellows. These push strongly in one direction and can make balanced skin look slightly off.
For a full palette, add your eye and hair colors with our free seasonal color analysis. People with neutral undertones often land in the soft seasons, Soft Summer and Soft Autumn, or in seasons led by depth or brightness rather than temperature.
Makeup for a neutral undertone
- Foundation. Look for N or neutral shades. If they look slightly pink, try neutral warm. If they look slightly yellow, try neutral cool. Always swatch on the jaw in daylight.
- Concealer. Choose one shade lighter than your foundation in the same neutral family.
- Blush. Rose, soft coral and mauve pink all work. Choose by the look you want.
- Lips. Rosy nudes, true red, berry and soft coral are all safe.
- Eyes. Taupe, soft brown, bronze and plum flatter most neutral skin.
Metals and jewelry
Both gold and silver usually suit neutral skin, so jewelry is one of the easiest choices you will make. Rose gold, a blend of gold and copper, is often the most flattering of all, because it echoes the mix of pink and golden in your skin. Mixing metals in one outfit also works well for neutral undertones.
A neutral undertone clothing guide
| Category | Easy picks for neutral skin |
|---|---|
| Basics | Soft white, oatmeal, taupe, gray brown, navy |
| Tops near the face | Jade, teal, dusty pink, medium blue, true red |
| Statement colors | Plum, emerald, cornflower, berry |
| Prints | Balanced prints that mix warm and cool, such as navy and coral, or teal and rose |
| Denim | Medium washes, neither very dark nor very faded |
Because neutral skin is flexible, the rest of your coloring matters more. If your hair and eyes are dark, deeper versions of these colors look best. If they are light, softer versions look best.
Neutral undertones in different light
Neutral skin can look warm under a lamp and cool in shade, which is why so many people with neutral undertones feel their skin changes from day to day. It does not. Only the light does. Always judge colors and foundation in daylight from a window, and if you test with a selfie, use the same daylight and no filter.
Myths about neutral undertones
- Neutral means you can wear anything. You can wear more than most, but very icy or very golden shades still look slightly off on balanced skin.
- Neutral means beige. Neutral is a balance of hues, and it exists at every depth, from very fair to very deep.
- Neutral is the same as olive. Olive has an extra green or gray cast. Neutral does not.
Hair colors for a neutral undertone
Neutral skin can wear most hair colors, but balanced shades look most natural.
- Bronde, a blend of brown and blonde, sits right between warm and cool.
- Soft brown and chestnut suit most neutral skin.
- Beige blonde suits neutral skin better than very ashy or very golden blonde.
- Soft black works for deeper neutral skin.
If you lean warm, add golden or caramel highlights. If you lean cool, add beige or pearl tones. For a quick refresher on the three tests that help you check, see what is my skin tone.