Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
Culture

Finding Your Color Palette

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cal State Chico chapter.

Okay listen closely: your color palette is your secret weapon. All of your features from your skin tone, hair color, eye color, undertone, everything, it all makes up your color palette. Your color palette is based off of tone (bright, cool, and true) and your season which determines the actual colors (summer, fall, spring and winter). Once you figure it out, you’re literally only going to buy clothes that fall under your palette. I’ve mastered mine over the last couple of years and you can too!

make up for ever artist color shadow 001 product?width=1024&height=1024&fit=cover&auto=webp
Sephora

Let’s start with undertone. Look down at your wrists, your veins should be one of three colors: greenish-blue, blue/purple, or no color at all.

If your veins are greenish blue: you have a warm undertone.

If your veins are blue/purple: you have a cool undertone.

If they’re not very distinct/no color at all: you most likely have a neutral undertone.

Personally I’m a neutral undertone. My veins appear to be purplish but they’re not very distinct at all. When I learned I had a neutral undertone I was literally so sad since I’ve been putting bronde, warm highlights in my hair and wearing gold jewelry the last five years. But luckily I did some research and found that neutral undertones can actually sway both ways!

Next let’s move to your hair and eye color. Hair and eye colors can help determine the the brightness and softness of your features, as well as the coolness and warmth. Your eye color never changes, and that’s why it has a huge impact on your color palette. Think about when someone with blue eyes wears a blue shirt. Suddenly their eyes appear so much brighter and bluer. Hair is also a key factor in your palette because it’s often the first thing people notice when they approach you. Is your hair cool or warm toned? It’s not as difficult to determine this because we see our hair so clearly every day. Does it have an ashier tone (cooler) or a rosier tone (warmer)?

lily james red copper hair?width=1024&height=1024&fit=cover&auto=webp
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images

My color palette is considered a bright winter. I have a neutral undertone leaning towards cool, which allows both gold and silver jewelry to compliment my tones. However, pastels are not my best friend. I stand out best in brighter colors that pop, but aren’t quite neon. Colors like teal, cerulean blue, fuchsia, and true red. I have brown hair, brown eyes, and fair features, so these colors help to bring out my undertones without washing me out.

All of these characteristics play a part in finding your color palette. There’s tons of free tests online to guide you through finding out yours. I love this test because it’s really straightforward and easy to understand. Once you’ve determined these key factors and discovered your palette, you’ll realize you appear much brighter and bolder as a whole. Everyone has a color palette that looks best on them which makes us each unique in our own way, I highly encourage you to embrace yours and have fun with it!

Simone Bryant

Cal State Chico '26

Simone is a second-year student at Chico State University and the VP of Event Management for Alpha Delta Pi Sorority. She is majoring in Business Administration with a minor in English and a pathway minor in Diversity Studies. Simone grew up in Sacramento, CA, where she visits often to see friends and family. She attended Rio Americano High School up until her Sophomore year, then Del Oro High School where she graduated from in 2022. Simone played lacrosse and soccer throughout high school and volunteered at an animal health center outside of her hometown. On her free time Simone loves traveling and spending time with her friends and family. She plans to study abroad in Europe with her roommates the fall semester of her Senior year. Aside from this, she also has avid interest in topics such as wellness, fashion and interior design. Simone loves showcasing her creativity and personality through her writing. She's been passionate about writing for as long as she can remember. She is so excited to be a part of the Her Campus team and enhance her skills even further.