DE Nail Studio

Interactive tool

Undertone & Shade Finder

Three quick questions reveal your undertone. Then we suggest reds, nudes, pastels and darks that flatter it.

1 Look at the veins on your inner wrist in daylight. They look mostly…
2 Which jewellery makes your skin look brighter?
3 Next to your face, which fabric flatters you more?
4 And your skin depth?

Answer the questions to see your result.

Skin tone and undertone are not the same

Skin tone describes how light or deep your skin is. Undertone describes the hue beneath the surface: cool undertones lean pink, red or bluish, warm undertones lean yellow, golden or peach, and neutral undertones sit in between. Olive skin often carries a slightly greenish note. Two people with the same skin depth can have different undertones, which is why the same red can look radiant on one hand and flat on another.

How to read the result

The quick tests above are rules of thumb, not a laboratory measurement. Do them in daylight, without fake tan or tinted hand cream. If your answers are mixed, you are likely neutral, which means you can wear most shades well. The suggested palettes list reds, nudes, pastels and darks separately, because each colour family follows its own logic. Read more in our guide to nail colour and undertone.

Questions

Can my undertone change?

Your undertone stays essentially the same throughout life, although a tan, redness or seasonal changes in your skin can make it harder to read. If a test gives a different answer in summer and winter, trust the result you get with untanned skin in natural daylight.

What if I love a colour that is not on my list?

Wear it. The suggestions describe shades that tend to flatter, not rules. A colour outside your palette can still look striking, especially in a deliberate design such as an accent nail, a French tip or a darker version of the same hue.

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