There are different skin color names and it’s very important to know about all of them.
I couldn’t get the right makeup for my skin until I committed to understanding what my skin type was. The process was hard, and there were too many explanations on different skin types, which as a beginner at the time, completely set me off.
Lucky for you, I’ll save you the trouble by simplifying the process to just 25 skin color names with short explanations so that it’s manageable.
Here are 25 common different skin color names.
25 Different Skin Color Names
So, here are our different 25 skin color names that everyone should know.
1. Ivory
The ivory skin tone looks like an elephant’s ivory tusks, just like the name suggests. It’s very light but a bit darker compared to the porcelain skin color. If you think you have an ivory skin tone but are unsure, you can confirm by checking if you have a peach, golden, bluish, or pinkish undertone.
You can also see if your skin color resembles celebrities like Christian Hendricks, Emma Stone, and Amanda Seyfried.
2. Alabaster
I love the alabaster skin tone; it’s beautiful, even, and safe, to say flawless. I’m not the only one who considers it one of the most beautiful skin tones. However, it’s about perspective because some people associate it with a sickly or anemic look. The skin tone is very bright and smooth.
3. Beige
Another skin tone name in our list is beige. There are many ways to describe the beige skin tone. It can be tan with a green undertone, light brown with a hint of yellow, and so on. I like to classify it with olive skin tone.
A beige skin tone is somewhere between a pale skin tone and a dark skin tone.
4. Carotenoid
While this skin tone has one of the most horrible names, it’s actually very beautiful. It has a yellow-orange undertone.
You can get this skin type by eating foods rich in carotenoids. People with this skin type have the same skin color as someone who just got a tan! Also, people find their tan-like skin more attractive than an actual tan.
5. Tan
We all love a good tan and go through lots of hoops to get one, but some people have ready-made tanned skin. This skin type is very desirable because it delays signs of aging like wrinkles. You can’t fit the tan skin color in a box because all light brown skin types can be considered tan.
6. Honey
Do you see that glow a well-hydrated skin has or the look you get by applying a dewy highlighter? That’s what people with a honey skin tone look like naturally! Everyone is trying to achieve this look on social media because of how glowy it can be. It’s light brown with a yellow undertone.
7. Almond
This skin tone looks just like almonds, but like any other skin tone, it comes in different shades. In general, the skin has a brown shade, but you can have a hint of pink, red or blue undertone, which further branches the skin color type.
8. Peaches and cream
This is another skin color associated with flawlessness and lots of whiteness. The peaches and cream skin tone has no blemishes, and it’s very bright.
People with this skin tone have a white complexion with fair, rosy cheeks. They can also have a tinge hint of pink, which adds to the glamour.
9. Chesnut
I love to call this the “milkshake” skin tone, but that’s just me being weird. The skin tone has a milk chocolate shade, which can be anything from dark tan skin to a medium reddish brown shade.
I love the “milkshake” skin tone because people with this skin tone look like they have a very healthy melanin production.
10. Caramel
Every aspect of the caramel skin tone is beautiful, but its unique undertones make it stand out even more. The red, golden, and creamy cinnamon-brown undertones make the skin tone warm and very rich.
11. Praline
Praline is just a fancy name to describe the medium brown skin tone. Every time I read about praline, it reminds me of our lovely singer Camilla Cabello.
12. Porcelain
Porcelain is one of the most common skin tones, yet people often confuse it with ivory and alabaster skin tones.
No doubt they are somewhat similar, but at a closer glance, you’ll notice that porcelain actually has a yellow undertone. This skin tone is pale-like, but it’s very smooth and faultless.
13. Espresso brown
Not to be biased, but this is definitely among my top five skin tones, and how can it not be while it reminds me of one of Blank Panthers stars, Lupita Nyong?
This skin tone comes in various shades of brown; it can be darker than chestnut or a bit light like mahogany or cocoa. The expresso skin tone is warm and radiates natural luminosity.
14. Bronze
There are so many opinions on what a bronze skin tone looks like. Some experts describe it as the lightest brown skin shade, while others consider it darker than caramel.
This is also the skin tone that people are trying to achieve when they’re tanning. It’s mostly paired with dark hair and eyes and has a golden or red undertone.
15. Sable
People with a sable skin tone are absolutely gorgeous, and they make awesome models. It’s easy to confuse the sable skin tone with black skin because it’s really rich dark brown.
Sometimes the sable skin tone can be so dark that it almost looks like blue. This skin tone is rare and unique, and only a few celebrities have it.
16. Mahogany
Mahogany is one of the easiest skin tones to describe. It has a rusty vibe, so the shade is red-brown. This copper-like skin tone is not common in the USA, but it’s popular in the Philippines, India, Pakistan, and East Asia.
17. Cacao
Cacao skin is the ultimate melanin glow and beauty. It’s smooth and rich in melanin with rich mahogany and icy blue undertones. If you want a good example of a celebrity with this skin tone, google Idris Elba, and you’ll like more than his skin tone. Seriously.
18. Pecan
The universe made the pecan skin tone and said, “let all talented women have it.” That’s a bit dramatic, but you’ll agree after knowing that Rihanna and Beyonce have a pecan skin tone. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
People with a pecan skin tone can appear differently in various seasons. For example, they can tan more during summer, appear darker, and be fair during winter when the UV index is low.
19. Olive
I love the olive skin tone so much that I dedicated an entire blog post on what colors blend well with an olive skin tone. I love telling people they’re wrong if they’re describing the skin tone without green. It’s literally named after olives!
It has a green, golden and yellow undertone and is between fair and moderate skin tone.
20. Marshmallow
I’m so jealous of people with skin tone because most of them have freckles and who doesn’t like freckles? This skin tone is the lightest shade of brown skin tones.
It comes with a warm yellow, green, or slightly toasted undertone.
21. Hickory
This skin type might be uncommon, but it definitely got one hell of a name. It inherited its name from Northern American hardwood, and it’s actually very warm. It can vary from light to dark brown and has a yellow or pink undertone.
22. Buff
People have taken the literal naming of skin tones too far, and for the longest time possible, they described this skin tone as the buffalo’s skin color. However, the buff skin tone is actually light brown with an undertone of yellow.
23. Bisque
Bisque comes in different shades. In general, it’s almost similar to almond, but when you look closely, you’ll notice that almond is slightly darker than bisque.
The other shade, peach bisque, has a medium skin tone and an olives undertone.
24. Teak
It can be very rude if someone walks right at you and says, “Hey, you have a teak skin tone,” when you know what teak is.
If you’re still in the dark, teak is a tropical hardwood. While it might not be the best name, this type of hardwood is very expensive and elegant, so that’s comforting.
The skin tone ranges from a golden brown or medium look with yellow or white undertones.
25. Mustard
Yeah, I mean mustard like the condiment. From the name, you can tell that the skin tone has a brown shade and an undertone of yellow. It’s similar to turmeric and other color shades like ocher or gold.
What’s your skin color name
These are the 25 most common skin tone names, and I hope you got to know what yours is finally. However, there are so many other shades in the world because we also inherit our skin tones from parents with different skin tones.
So, if you still can’t tell your skin tone, don’t stress. You can talk to your beautician for help to ensure you’re using products that favor your skin. You can also share your photo with us in the comment session, and we can all try to crack the code!