Silver vs. Gold Jewelry: Which Color Suits My Skin Tone?

Silver and gold jewelry have been staple accessories for thousands of years. But have you ever wondered why you tend to lean towards one metal over the other? The answer lies in your skin's undertone. 

This article will help you to quickly understand your skin tone, and the jewelry color that would best suit you according to your skin's undertone. 

Understanding Skin Undertones

If you've never heard of the term undertone, to put it simply, it means the underlying tone beneath your skin's surface.

Understanding your undertone can help you to mindfully choose makeup, clothing, and accessories that best complement your natural skin tone, making you look radiant and feel like your most confident self. 

There are three types of skin undertones:

• Cool - pink, red, or blue undertones, you probably have blue or grey eyes, in general, you have a lighter skin tone
• Warm - golden, yellow, or peachy undertones, you probably have hazel flecks in your eyes, in general, you have a deeper skin tone
• Neutral - a mix of both warm and cool undertones, you have different colored flecks in your eyes, in general, you have a medium skin tone

People with similar skin tones don't always have the same undertone, so it's important to work out which undertone you are, even if you resonate with some of the above characteristics. Everybody is unique and that's what makes undertones so fun to learn about!

Determining Your Undertone

You can properly determine which undertone you are by using the following tried-and-tested methods:

Vein Test

Look at the veins on the back of your wrist - what color are they? If you have mostly blue or purple veins, then you have a cool undertone. Blue to green-colored veins lands you in the neutral undertone category. And if you have mostly green to olive veins - then congratulations, you have a warm undertone! 

White T-shirt Test

If you have a white t-shirt handy, put it on and look in the mirror.

If your skin looks slightly rosy, you're a cool undertone. If your skin looks more yellow, then you're warm. If there's no change, then you have a neutral undertone!

Sun Test

Think about the last time you went sun bathing. Did you tan? Did you burn? Did you come home looking the same as before you left the house? The way your skin reacts to sun exposure can tell us a lot about your undertone.

Burning easily or turning red probably means you have a cool undertone, whereas if you come home from a long day in the sun with a gorgeous tan, then you're probably warm-toned. If you burn first and then tan later, you're most likely in the neutral zone.

Tried the above tests and still can't work out your undertone? No problem! Think about the jewelry you own - is it mostly silver or gold? Is it a mix of both? What color metal do you think makes your complexion pop? Lets work it out together:

Silver Jewelry: Best for Cool Skin Tones

People with cool undertones tend to look best wearing silver jewelry. If you have always felt your best wearing silver, then you're probably cool-toned!

Place some silver jewelry against your wrist. Does it make your skin glow?

Gold Jewelry: Best for Warm Skin Tones

If you have a warm undertone, you probably find yourself leaning towards gold metals. If your complexion looks stunning against gold hues, then you're probably a warm undertone.

Put on a piece of gold jewelry and stand in front of a mirror. Does your skin pop against the gold color?

Neutral Skin Tones: The Best of Both Worlds

Look amazing in both? Lucky you! You're a neutral undertone and look your best in either metal. You might still find yourself leaning towards one color over the other, but overall, you look fabulous in both.

Put on some gold and silver jewelry together. Do both metals make your skin look equally bright and radiant?

Still Unsure?

If you've got this far and still can't work out which color looks best on you, it might be better to work backwards and eliminate the color that appears less flattering.

If you're cool-toned, then warmer colors like gold will make you look a little washed out, and if you're warm-toned, then silver jewelry will also have a dulling effect on your complexion. For neutral undertones, neither metal will look 'bad'.

Other Factors to Consider

Got a warm undertone but love wearing silver? Or are you a cool undertone but obsessed with gold earrings? Don't panic! Personal style and your own accessory preferences should always place number one over arbitrary fashion rules! If you like it, wear it! Confidence will always look the best on you, regardless of what your undertone is. 

The Silver Issue

It can also sometimes be difficult finding silver jewelry compared to gold. Many designers exclusively offer one metal, and gold is usually the standard. At Pixie Charms, we specialize in offering high-quality silver jewelry, so we've got you covered! In fact, that's one of the main reasons we launched our business! You can check out our full collection here.

Conclusion

If you're still unsure which metal suits you the most, why not experiment with both and find out what colors make you feel your best. Personal choice should always be number one.

And if you own a mix of both metals but just discovered you're not a neutral undertone? Don't throw anything away just yet! In an effort to reduce waste and over-consumption, we'd urge you to try out mixing your metals (totally in style right now), or swapping old jewelry with friends and family to give it new life.

Building a wardrobe kitted out with accessories according to your undertone can take some time to achieve, and we'd recommend slowly replacing items as you go along. Buying higher-quality accessories will lengthen your jewelry's lifetime, and owning things that make you feel good means that you'll always want to wear your pieces, so you can say goodbye to wasteful spending! But in the meantime, wear what you have and feel confident doing so - you'll look great regardless.