Makeup For Olive Skin Tone: A Complete Guide

Discover which shades and cosmetics flatter and complement olive undertones effectively.

By Shalini Roy

Makeup for olive skin tone can be tricky. People often mistake it for a neutral undertone. But olive skin is a mix of subtle yellow, green, and ashen hues. That is why it can be really hard to find the right shade of makeup that will complement the skin.

If you are having trouble finding makeup for your olive skin, we are here to help. Our list comprises shades and products that are sure to flatter your skin. Swipe up to check out our suggestions.

How To Determine If You Have Olive Skin Tone

The skin undertone is the subtle color under your surface skin color. There are three types of undertone – cool, warm, and neutral. People with a cool undertone have pink, red, or blue hues. A person with a warm undertone may have a golden, peach, or yellow undertone. A neutral undertone is a balance between both warm and cool undertones.

However, some people do not have any of the three undertones. They may have an olive skin tone with a bit of yellow and greenish-ash colors with a neutral undertone. You can take a few tests to determine if you have olive skin tone.

1. The Towel Test

Hold a white towel against your face and then an off-white towel. Check which one goes with your skin. If the white towel suits you more, you have a warm or olive undertone, and if the off-white towel suits your skin, you have a cold undertone. And if both towels suit your skin, you have a neutral undertone.

2. The Vein Test

Look at the veins in your wrist and determine their color. People with cool and warm undertones have blue and green veins, respectively. People with olive skin tone do not have a distinctly blue or green-colored vein.

3. The Jewelry Test

If you have an olive skin tone, you will look good in silver and gold jewelry. However, pastel-colored jewelry may not suit olive skin tone.

Here are a few tips to determine if you have olive skin tone:

  • If the right shade of foundation leaves a yellow or pink hue on your skin, you have an olive skin tone.
  • If light and pastel shade lipsticks do not complement your skin tone, you have an olive skin tone.

Do not be disheartened. Olive skin tone is unique and beautiful and comes with its perks.

Perks Of Having An Olive Skin Tone

  • People with olive skin tone tend to have oily skin, i.e., it is protected from dryness and premature aging.
  • Both gold and silver jewelry complement an olive skin tone.

On the flip side, there are a few drawbacks:

But the good news is, all these drawbacks are easy to manage with a proper skin care routine. Finding the right makeup for olive skin tone is easy if you know the tips and hacks. Scroll down to learn more.

How To Pick The Right Makeup For Olive Skin

1. Foundation For Olive Skin

Most commercial foundations are formulated for cool, warm, and neutral undertones. However, olive skin can use foundations meant for neutral undertones.

2. Blushes For Olive Skin

Peach, pink, bronze, and shimmery shade blushes look beautiful on olive skin. Avoid using pale, cool-toned, and pastel shade blushes as they may give a greenish hue to your skin.

3. Highlighter For Olive Skin Tone

Picking the right highlighter can be tricky for olive skin tone. A pale highlighter may make you look ashy or chalky. While choosing a highlighter, avoid shades that look too pale and pick something with a golden hue.

4. Lipsticks For Olive Skin Tone

Look for lipstick shades that will help balance the green undertone of your skin. Berry and brown shade lipsticks look beautiful and vibrant on olive skin tone. If you opt for a berry or brown shade, choose darker shades with chocolate undertones.

If you are a fan of nude lipsticks, go for brownish nude shades and avoid pinkish nude shades.

Similarly, for red lipsticks, choose a shade with an orange or yellow undertone and avoid the ones with a blue undertone.

5. Eyeshadow For Olive Skin Tone

Eyeshadows with gold and bronze shades are perfect for olive skin tone. You can go for deep blue and purple eyeshadows if you want to rock a smokey eye look.

Apart from the above makeup tips, you may follow additional tips to flaunt your olive skin tone. Take a look.

Additional Makeup Tips For Olive Skin Tone

  • Bold and dark eyebrows may draw away the attention from your face. Opt for a gray or brownish eyebrow shade to keep it subtle.
  • Avoid bronzing your face. Olive skin tone has a natural tan effect, and a bronzer may make your face look sunburned.
  • Line your eyes with black or brown eyeliner or kohl. These shades will brighten up your eyes. Avoid bright liners in colors like green and blue.

Even though it may seem tricky to identify if you have an olive skin tone, it is relatively easy. The towel, the vein, and the jewelry tests help you figure out your skin tone. As you learn how to do it from this article, choose your makeup for olive skin tone accordingly. Take into consideration that skin with olive tone is prone to hyperpigmentation and gets tanned pretty quickly. So, a good skincare routine is a must. Makeup or no makeup, make sure to apply a good sunscreen lotion on your skin to prevent it from the sun’s harmful rays.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is olive skin the most attractive?

Many people consider olive skin one of the most attractive skin tones. It is the average skin tone among most ethnicities around the world.

Does coral look good on olive skin?

Yes, coral looks good on olive skin.

Key Takeaways

  • Eyeshadows in gold and bronze shades are ideal for olive-toned skin.
  • Blushes in peach, pink, bronze, and shimmering tones look gorgeous on olive skin tone.
  • Berry and brown lipsticks also look stunning and lively on this skin tone.

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Shalini Roy has a Master's degree in English literature. She is an ambivert whose expressions have found their way in... more

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