Skin tones
Clients are not blank sheets of white paper into which we place pigment. Skin has its own colour (skin tone), and these skin tones can be identified and named on a colour wheel
The Major Skin Tones– as we usually see them
Translucent
- Blue, extreme white or extreme black skin
- There is no medium value range.
- There is an element of density to this complexation.
Peaches and Cream
- yellow – orange, orange, red – orange.
- Skin tones such as peach can have red spots.
- Peaches and cream complexions are never uniform.
- When too hot you can see the redness in the nose, chin and cheeks.
- Add Green to cool
Rosy-Red
- rose, shell pink and spotty or ruddy.
- This complexion is decidedly red.
- Look at the ears.
Sallow
- Yellow, warm and cool; can look like yellow – orange or yellow – green.
- This skin will tan easily
Olive
- yellow – green, green, blue – green; variegated complexion.
- Can be masked by red.
- Use red to neutralise and green to enhance.
- Pale olive complexions yellow – green are the most misunderstood and difficult complexion to work with.
Asian
- skin can also have an undertone of yellow.
When working with skin tones we need to look at what pigments we are using and what skin tone is the most obvious.
If on a top up appointment, after the initial treatment, other skin tones are showing then we can easily correct any colour work that has previously been done.