A lot of people don’t realize that they have olive skin tones. Knowing whether you have olive skin tone or not is one step you can’t skip when you are looking for the perfect makeup for you.
There’s no gainsaying that a pink lipstick may look fabulous on a certain skin tone but look hideous on another. The secret is to know your skin tone and learn the perfect colors for you.
How Do you Determine if You have Olive Skin Tone?
It can be confusing to identify an olive skin tone. Basically, it falls under light brown and green hues. However, your skin undertone (the color beneath your outermost skin layer) will determine how dark or light the skin tone will be. Hence you’ll still find dark and pale completions under olive complexion.
If that doesn’t clarify things enough, just know that, olive-skinned people
– tan and burn easily
– are more prone to hyperpigmentation
– prone to oily skin too.
Olive skin is characterized by 3 skin tones – warm, cool and neutral.
In order to learn your specific skin tone, turn the underside of your wrist. Look at the veins there, are they blue or green? Blue veins signify a cooler skin tone, while green veins indicate a warm skin tone. In-between? That’s neutral.
The Best Makeup for Your Olive Skin
Generally, shades of copper, bronze, or gold tones are most suitable for olive skin. However, let’s look at the specifics.
The Right Foundation for Olive Skin
For a perfect blend, your foundation should match your skin color and undertone. Not a shade lighter or darker if you want the perfect look. You, therefore, need to know the best undertone of the foundation that will best suit your skin.
Foundations in neutral undertones will provide that perfect warm and cool balance that can make your olive skin, pop, without looking garish, or dull. However, this rule is not set in stone. Olive skin tones have a wide range of undertones, therefore what works for you may not work for me even though we are both olive-skinned. It is recommended that you put the wrist test into consideration while choosing.
To select the perfect color of foundation for your olive skin, tilt towards shades of a medium, tan, or a shade lighter or darker – depending on your skin type.
In order to be sure that you select the perfect color, select three different tones that are closest to your skin tone. Then dab each on your cheek and below your chin. Whichever one blends perfectly with your skin tone without any obvious color clash or difference is your best bet.
Blushes for Olive Skin
Using the right blush for your olive skin will enhance the rest of your makeup and tweak your glow a notch. Blushes in the right shades will work wonders for olive skin, giving you an amazing natural flush. The right color for you will of course depend on whether you have a light or dark olive skin complexion.
Try out blushes in shades of pink, peach, apricots, rose, and bronze. These shades will give you a more natural look than, say deeper tones. However, if your olive skin is more light than dark, you can go dazzle the world with a shade of pink, as against the apricots.
Shades of blush in bronze tones are a safe bet for most olive-skinned babes.
To avoid giving off an unsightly greenish hue, stay away from blushes in shades of pastel, pale and cool-toned shades. The browns, oranges, and even bright pinks are a NO-NO. They can give off a muddy look that is anything but attractive.
Note that the color of a blush may give a slightly different look when you apply it. To be on the safe side, test it on your face before you purchase. It may help to take a quick peek at your inner lips. Is it pink? Peach? That should give you an idea of the shade of blush to go for.
When you get the right blush, it will blend with your makeup and complexion to give a natural, radiant look.
Best Shades of Eyeshadow for Olive Skin
What image do you want to project, sultry or natural? You can get away with either choice if you know how to blend your eyeshadows perfectly. Now, with your olive skin, you will look gorgeous in brown, bronze, and gold shades of eyeshadow.
If you are aiming for a smokey eye look? Go for shades of purple, teal, or deep-blue eyeshadows. Oh, and a shimmering teal eyeshadow is perfect for when you want to highlight, shade, or line your eyes.
Eyeshadows in dark plum and mauve shades are a safe bet for most skin tones, including olive.
Lipstick for Olive Skin
Good news: You have a wide array of shades to choose from when it comes to lipstick for your olive skin. You need to stay away from shades of lipstick that will make your green undertone more pronounced.
Rather, go for the ones in warm tones. Lipstick in shades of nude, red, brown, berry, and bright hues are your best choices.
Don’t be scared of the bold, bright shades. They will accentuate and complement the natural gold undertones of your skin.
Give Life to Your Olive-Skinned Brows
Having olive skin is beautiful and has many advantages for you. Yet, the brows often look wan, without character.
That could pose a little difficulty if you do not know how to breathe life into them.
Strive for a bolder, more attractive look by filling up your eyebrows with the right color of makeup.
For a natural look, opt for products that match your eyebrow hair color.
However, since we are aiming for a more prominent, lively look as per olive skin and washed-out brows, go for products that are a shade darker than your natural hair color.
This also applies if your hair is bleached.
For that bold look also, mix things up. Brow powders and pomade, or pencil and gel. These will bring your brows to life instantly.
In Summary
The first step into perfect makeup is to identify your skin tone. Then follows the use of the right makeup for your olive skin tone with the right process. However, you should take extra care of your olive skin and follow a skincare routine, knowing that your skin is prone to oil, tan, and hyperpigmentation.
