What is Neutral?

Can skin be neutral? Can an undertone? In this day and age, can we really define someone's skin as a "non-color"? Let's discuss why we need new terms to describe skin color.

Have you seen this chart? Does it make you as crazy as it makes me??? Does it feel incomplete? A bit too simplified? Can you find yourself on it? Does it even follow color theory?

I’m glad you asked!

Skin Undertone as Warm, Cool and Neutral

I have seen the charts, the color systems brands roll out, the endless videos on Tik Tok and You Tube. All trying to fit skin color and undertone into one of three options: warm, cool and neutral. It seems to simple and straightforward. If you are orange, your skin is warm. If you are pink, your skin is cool. And anyone who isn’t warm or cool can be neutral. So easy! Except….

Except it doesn’t make sense if you look at color theory and what color skin really is. This chart is overly simplified and to be honest, antiquated. It shows an idea of skin color but isn’t accurate. First of all, cool skins are not just pink. Olive skins can be cool as well. Where are olive skins on this chart? Warm skins are not just orange, as olive and yellow can also be warm. Look at the neutrals on this chart. Aren’t they just also cool pinkish tones? I can see how so many people think they have a neutral undertone. They can’t find themselves in the warm (too orange) or cool (too pink) sections, so just get lumped into “other” which we call neutral. But what exactly does that mean?

What is Neutral?

Neutral has many meanings. It can refer to idealogical positions or feelings or color. We are going to focus on how neutral is defined for color. Let’s define it to start:

neu·tral

/ˈno͞otr(ə)l/

lacking color, hue or saturation, having no distinguishing color, non-color, blending well with other color

In the world of paint and color, neutral is used to describe hues that don’t have much color to them. They are bland, lacking in saturation, they are muted and therefore go with other colors. Because neutrals don’t compete with other colors. They are non-colors and so adaptable. Typically these neutrals are grays and beiges. Does this sound like someone’s skin color? NO!

Can you imagine describing your skin color or undertone as non-color? We can do better.

What is Neutral in Makeup?

In the makeup world we define blush, shadow and lip colors as neutral when they have a muted tone to them. Most makeup we use is neutralized. We might not wear a bright pink blush but will wear a muted pink, which appears as a brownish pink color. The neutral blush will blend into our skin and look softer than a true, pure color. So, essentially we describe makeup color that is brownish as neutral, because it has been neutralized into something that looks more natural on skin.

We need to think about why neutrals blend into our skin and look more real, softer. As I have discussed in previous blog posts, things blend when they have a similar base or undertone to them. So if neutrals blend into our skin, does that mean we share a similar undertone to them? Are we the same color as neutrals?

AHA!

What Color is Skin Anyway?