WTF is the Vein Test?
Should it matter? Should we even be talking about it? Why does it keep coming up as a tool to find undertone?
It is a brand new year and my soap box is a bit dusty. It has been a while since I got “worked up” about something. If you follow me you have probably heard or seen me get revved up about the ridiculous “tests” to find your undertone. Silver or gold? I think we have addressed that. But what about the vein test?
It has been coming up for me lately, on social media and from other artists. I have had several recently reach out to ask me if they can trust it, if they should use it. So let’s go over it and discuss.
I’ll try to remain calm…..
*And let me add that I have a fun offer at the bottom of this post for my paid subscribers.
What is the Vein Test?
The vein test is one of those quick and easy “methods” to determine what someone’s undertone is. You look at the veins in the arms and hands (usually) and based on their color you can tell whether you are warm, cool or neutral.
According to the test, if your veins are purple or bluish-purple then you have a cool undertone. If your veins are blue or gray-blue you have a neutral undertone. And lastly if you have green veins you are warm.
Seems simple, right? Except it doesn’t really make sense. Not only does it not follow color theory, it doesn’t follow logic. And if you look at the physiology of skin, the vein test doesn’t fly.
Color Theory and The Vein Test
Let’s start with color theory and what it says about undertone. First we know that undertone is the dominant color in the skin, the color we see first. We know what all skin is neutralized color and made of all color, so the undertone is the one that is the strongest within all color. Veins sit under the skin (at least the large veins we examine for this particular test) and we are looking through the skin to examine the color of the vein.
